Glow in the dark wind swirls

Abstract

A toy mobile capable of being suspended in the air from an overhead support structure and having at least one relatively thin vane capable of capturing air currents includes a coating of photoluminescent material layered upon the relatively thin vane of the mobile so that the vane is capable of being seen in the dark.

1 . In a toy mobile capable of being suspended in the air from an overhead support structure and having at least one relatively thin vane capable of capturing air currents, the improvement comprising: 
 the at least one relatively thin vane of the mobile has a surface which is defined by a photoluminescent material so that the at least one relatively thin vane can be seen in the dark.    
   
   
       2 . The improvement as defined in  claim 2  wherein the at least one relatively thin vane includes a substrate and a coating of photoluminescent material layered upon the substrate.  
   
   
       3 . The improvement as defined in  claim 2  wherein the substrate is comprised of a relatively hard material.  
   
   
       4 . The improvement as defined in  claim 1  wherein the mobile is balanced about a vertical centerline when the mobile is suspended from an overhead support structure, and the mobile includes a plurality of relatively thin vanes which are regularly spaced about the vertical centerline of the mobile.  
   
   
       5 . The improvement as defined in  claim 1  wherein the mobile has a pair of circular and parallel support members which are arranged substantially horizontally when the mobile is suspended from an overhead support structure, and the mobile includes a plurality of relatively thin vanes which extend between the parallel support members.  
   
   
       6 . The improvement as defined in  claim 5  wherein the mobile is balanced about a vertical centerline which extends through the geometric center of the circular and parallel support members when the mobile is suspended from an overhead support structure and the relatively thin vanes are attached to the circular and parallel support members so as to be regularly spaced about the vertical centerline of the mobile.  
   
   
       7 . The improvement as defined in  claim 6  wherein each of the vanes of the mobile is arcuate in shape as viewed in horizontal cross section, and the vanes are arranged about the mobile so that when the mobile is suspended from an overhead support structure and exposed to a horizontally-directed air current, the air current urges the mobile to rotate about the vertical centerline.  
   
   
       8 . The improvement as defined in  claim 7  wherein there are at least four vanes which are regularly spaced about the vertical centerline of the mobile and each vane has one side which has a concave curvature and an opposite side which has a convex curvature.  
   
   
       9 . The improvement as defined in  claim 1  wherein the mobile has a top and a bottom when suspended from an overhead support structure and the at least one relatively thin vane spirals downwardly toward the bottom of the mobile from the top thereof.  
   
   
       10 . The improvement as defined in  claim 9  wherein the width of the mobile as measured horizontally therethrough is relatively narrow adjacent the top thereof and is relatively broad adjacent the bottom thereof.  
   
   
       11 . A toy mobile comprising: 
 suspension means by which the mobile can be suspended in air from an overhead support structure;    at least one relatively thin vane attached to the suspension means for catching air currents and moving in response to those air currents; and    wherein the at least one relatively thin vane includes a photoluminescent material enabling the vane to be seen in the dark.    
   
   
       12 . The mobile as defined in  claim 11  wherein the at least one vane includes a substrate material, and the photoluminescent material is coated upon the substrate of the least one relatively thin vane.  
   
   
       13 . The mobile as defined in  claim 11  having a body which is balanced about a vertical centerline when the mobile is suspended from an overhead support structure, and the mobile includes a plurality of relatively thin vanes which are regularly spaced about the vertical centerline of the mobile.  
   
   
       14 . The mobile as defined in  claim 13  wherein the mobile has a pair of circular and parallel support members which are arranged substantially horizontally when the mobile is suspended from an overhead support structure, and the mobile includes a plurality of relatively thin vanes which extend between the parallel support members.  
   
   
       15 . The mobile as defined in  claim 14  wherein the mobile is balanced about a vertical centerline which extends through the geometric center of the circular and parallel support members when the mobile is suspended from an overhead support structure and the relatively thin vanes are attached to the circular and parallel support members so as to be regularly spaced about the vertical centerline of the mobile.  
   
   
       16 . The mobile as defined in  claim 15  wherein each of the vanes of the mobile is arcuate in shape as viewed in horizontal cross section, and the vanes are arranged about the mobile so that when the mobile is suspended from an overhead support structure and exposed to a horizontally-directed air current, the air current urges the mobile to rotate about the vertical centerline.  
   
   
       17 . The mobile as defined in  claim 16  wherein there are at least four vanes which are regularly spaced about the vertical centerline of the mobile and each vane has one side which has a concave curvature and an opposite side which has a convex curvature.  
   
   
       18 . The mobile as defined in  claim 11  wherein the mobile has a top and a bottom when the mobile is suspended from an overhead support structure and the at least one relatively thin vane spirals downwardly toward the bottom of the mobile from the top thereof.  
   
   
       19 . The mobile as defined in  claim 18  wherein the mobile has a width which is relatively narrow as measured in a horizontal plane extending through the mobile adjacent the top thereof and is relatively broad as measured in a horizontal plane extending through the mobile adjacent the bottom thereof.  
   
   
       20 . A toy mobile comprising: 
 suspension means by which the mobile can be suspended in air from an overhead support structure;    at least one relatively thin vane attached to the suspension means for catching air currents and moving the mobile in response to those air currents; and    wherein the at least one relatively thin vane includes a substrate of a relatively hard material and a coating of photoluminescent material layered upon the substrate so that the vane can be seen in the dark.