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US 6,802,782 B2Granted
Apparatus for producing a fire special effect
AssigneeTechnifex, Inc.
InventorsRockne Hall, Joseph W. Starr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a device for producing a fire special effect using a curtain of theatrical smoke. In one embodiment, the device comprises a theatrical smoke console for producing a curtain of theatrical smoke, an air modulator for providing a varying current of air that modulates the curtain of theatrical smoke produced by the console, and a lighting assembly that produces a flood of colored light that is projected onto the modulated curtain of theatrical smoke produced by the console and air modulator.
Claims45
A special effect device for utilizing theatrical smoke to create a simulated fire effect comprising:
- first means for generating a theatrical smoke curtain along a line that extends from a first location to a second location;
- second means for modulating the position of a theatrical smoke curtain produced by said first means;
- and
- third means for lighting a modulated theatrical smoke curtain produced by said first and second means.
1 more element
A special effect device for utilizing theatrical smoke to create a simulated fire effect comprising:
- a housing that defines an interior volume and an outlet port that communicates with the ambient atmosphere;
- means for establishing a gas flow within said interior volume that at least partially exhausts through said outlet port;
- a theatrical smoke emission manifold that is substantially located within said interior volume and so as to be located within a gas flow created by said means for establishing a gas flow;
- an air modulator for producing a flow of air for altering the position of a theatrical smoke curtain produced adjacent to said outlet port;
- and
- a lighting system for projecting light onto a modulated theatrical smoke curtain produced adjacent to said outlet port.
3 more elements
A special effect device for utilizing theatrical smoke to create a simulated fire effect comprising:
- a housing that defines an interior volume, said interior volume comprising a chamber and a slot that extends between a slot/chamber junction and an outlet port that communicates with the ambient atmosphere;
- a theatrical smoke emission manifold that is substantially located within said interior volume;
- a gas emission manifold that is substantially located within said interior volume;
- an air modulator for producing a flow of air for altering the position of a theatrical smoke curtain produced adjacent to said outlet port;
- and
- a lighting system for projecting light onto a modulated theatrical smoke curtain produced adjacent to said outlet port.
3 more elements
A special effect device for utilizing theatrical smoke to create a simulated fire effect comprising:
- a housing that defines an interior volume, said interior volume comprising a chamber and a slot that extends between a slot/chamber junction and an outlet port that communicates with the ambient atmosphere;
- a theatrical smoke emission manifold substantially located within said interior volume and comprising a theatrical smoke emission manifold elongated hollow body having a first smoke emission manifold terminal end and a second smoke emission manifold terminal end, a theatrical smoke emission manifold inlet port for providing theatrical smoke to a theatrical smoke emission interior space of said theatrical smoke emission manifold elongated body, and a theatrical smoke emission manifold outlet structure for venting smoke from said theatrical smoke emission interior space;
- a gas emission manifold substantially located within said interior volume and comprising a gas emission manifold elongated hollow body having a first gas emission manifold terminal end and a second gas emission manifold terminal end, a gas emission manifold inlet port for providing gas to a gas emission manifold interior space of said gas emission manifold elongated hollow body, and a gas emission manifold outlet structure for venting gas from said gas emission manifold interior space;
- an air modulator for producing a flow of air for altering the position of a theatrical smoke curtain produced adjacent to said outlet port;
- and
- a lighting system for projecting light onto a theatrical smoke curtain produced adjacent to said outlet port.
3 more elements
A special effect device for utilizing theatrical smoke to create a simulated fire effect comprising:
- a housing that defines an interior volume, said interior volume comprising a chamber and a slot that extends between a slot/chamber junction and an outlet port that communicates with the ambient atmosphere;
- a theatrical smoke emission manifold substantially located within said interior volume and comprising a theatrical smoke emission manifold elongated hollow body having a first theatrical smoke emission manifold terminal end and a second theatrical smoke emission manifold terminal end, a theatrical smoke emission manifold inlet port for providing theatrical smoke to a theatrical smoke emission manifold interior space of said theatrical smoke emission manifold elongated body, and a theatrical smoke emission manifold plurality of outlet ports for venting theatrical smoke from said theatrical smoke emission manifold interior space and that presents a desired profile for the resistance to the flow of theatrical smoke;
- a gas emission manifold substantially located within said interior volume and comprising a gas emission manifold elongated hollow body having a first gas emission manifold terminal end and a second gas emission manifold terminal end, a gas emission manifold inlet port for providing gas to a gas emission manifold interior space of said gas emission manifold elongated body, and a gas emission manifold plurality of outlet ports for venting gas from said gas emission manifold interior space and that presents a desired profile for the resistance to the flow of gas;
- an air modulator for producing a flow of air for altering the position of a theatrical smoke curtain produced adjacent to said outlet port;
- and
- a lighting system for projecting light onto a theatrical smoke curtain produced adjacent to said outlet port.
3 more elements
A special effect device, as claimed in 35, wherein:
- said theatrical smoke emission manifold is substantially located within said chamber and between said slot/chamber junction slot and said gas emission manifold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.