Amusement device incorporating gas discharge tube

A light saber amusement device comprising:

• a) a gas-filled plasma discharge tube;
• b) a single electrode means adjacent only one end of said tube for coupling high-frequency, high-voltage energy into ionizable gas in said plasma discharge tube;
• c) ionization energy supply means operably connected to a source of electricity for producing adjustable ramp voltage radio frequency energy at an output thereof operating at a frequency sufficient to ionize the gas in said plasma discharge tube without a ground return by utilizing the electrical capacity of the surroundings to provide a reactive impedance for plasma tube current to flow into, said electrode means being operably connected to said output;
• d) control circuit means operably connected to said ionization energy supply means for adjusting the level of said energy at said output as a function of a changing stimulus connected to an input thereof whereby the length of ionization of the gas along said plasma discharge tube in a direction away from the single electrodes means is varied depending upon said energy;
• e) a handle portion for gripping having said plasma discharge tube extending outward therefrom;
• and,
• f) a pair of electrically conductive electrodes disposed on said handle portion in non-contacting relationship, said electrodes being connected to said input of said control circuit means whereby changes in resistance between said electrodes when bridged by a hand during gripping of said handle portion provide said changing stimulus to said control circuit means.

A meter type amusement device comprising:

• a) a gas-filled plasma discharge tube;
• b) a single electrode means adjacent only one end of said tube for coupling high-frequency, high-voltage energy into ionizable gas in said plasma discharge tube;
• c) ionization energy supply means operably connected to a source of electricity for producing adjustable ramp voltage radio frequency energy at an output thereof operating at a frequency sufficient to ionize the gas in said plasma discharge tube without a ground return by utilizing the electrical capacity of the surroundings to provide a reactive impedance for plasma tube current to flow into, said electrode means being operably connected to said output;
• d) control circuit means operably connected to said ionization energy supply means for adjusting the level of said energy at said output as a function of a changing stimulus connected to an input thereof whereby the length of ionization of the gas along said plasma discharge tube in a direction away from the single electrode means is varied depending upon said energy;
• e) a meter case having said plasma discharge tube extending along a surface thereof as an indicator, said surface having conditional indicia thereon disposed adjacent and parallel to said plasma discharge tube whereby progressive illumination of said plasma discharge tube causes said plasma discharge tube in combination with said indicia to indicate degrees of a condition of a human using the amusement device;
• and,
• f) input means having a pair of electrically conductive electrodes disposed thereon for contact with a variable resistive portion of the human's body, said electrodes being in non-contacting relationship and being connected to said input of said control circuit means whereby changes in resistance between said electrodes when bridged by said variable resistive portion of the human's body will provide said changing stimulus to said control circuit means.

A light organ type amusement device comprising:

• a) a gas-filled plasma discharge tube;
• b) a single electrode means adjacent only one end of said tube for coupling high-frequency, high-voltage energy into ionizable gas in said plasma discharge tube;
• c) ionization energy supply means operably connectable to a source of electricity for producing adjustable ramp voltage radio frequency energy at an output thereof operating at a frequency sufficient to ionize the gas in said plasma discharge tube without a ground return by utilizing the electrical capacity of the surroundings to provide a reactive impedance for plasma tube current to flow into, said electrode means being operable connected to said output;
• d) control circuit means operably connected to said ionization energy supply means for adjusting the level of said energy at said output as a function of a changing stimulus connected to an input thereof whereby the length of ionization of the gas along said plasma discharge tube in a direction away from the single electrode means is varied depending upon said energy;
• e) a base having said plasma discharge tube extending upward therefrom;
• and,
• f) audio input means connected to said input of said control circuit means for applying an audio signal thereto whereby changes in said audio signal provide said changing stimulus to said control circuit means and the plasma discharge the tube operates in a vertically extending illumination pattern associated with said audio signal.