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US 7,159,994 B2Granted
System and method for generating a flickering flame effect
AssigneeDisney Enterprises, Inc.
InventorsGary Schnuckle, Holger Irmler, Alfredo Ayala, Jamie Robertson, Bryan S. Tye
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for creating a flickering effect comprises a light communicating cable, at least one light receiving cable secured on a rotatable mount rotatable about a horizontal axis, a light diffuser element in communication with the at least one light receiving cable and a rod connected to the diffuser element for causing rotary motion of the light diffuser surface about the horizontal axis.
Claims50
A method for generating diffused light, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a light signal at a first end of an at least one light transmitting channel, said channel being a fiber optic cable, the at least one channel being rotatably secured on a mount having two substantially orthogonal axes;
- providing a diffuser surface in communication with a second end of the at least one channel;
- delivering the light signal to said diffuser surface in communication with the second end of the at least one channel;
- and
- rotating the at least one channel about said axes of the mount, wherein the rotation of the at least one channel about said axes of the mount creates diffused light about the diffuser surface.
2 more elements
A method for generating diffused light, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a light signal at a first end of an at least one light transmitting channel, the at least one channel being rotatably secured on a ring shaped mount;
- providing a diffuser surface in communication with a second end of the at least one channel;
- delivering the light signal to said diffuser surface in communication with the second end of the at least one channel;
- and
- rotating the at least one channel about said axes of the mount, wherein the rotation of the at least one channel about at least one axis of the mount creates diffused light about the diffuser surface.
2 more elements
A method for generating an artificial flickering light effect, the method comprising the steps of:
- delivering a light signal via a fiber optic cable to a first end of an at least one light transmitting channel spaced from said cable, and said at least one channel being rotatably secured on a mount;
- delivering the light signal received by the first end of the at least one channel to a surface in proximity to a second end of the at least one channel;
- wherein the rotation of the at least one channel about at least one axis of the mount creates an artificial flickering light effect on the surface.
A method for generating an artificial flickering light effect, the method comprising the steps of:
- delivering a light signal via a fiber optic cable to a first end of an at least one light transmitting channel, and said at least one channel being rotatably secured on a mount having two substantially orthogonal axes and rotatable thereabout;
- providing a diffuser surface in communication with a second end of the at least one channel;
- delivering the light signal received by the first end of said at least one channel to the surface in proximity to a second end of the at least one channel;
- and
- rotating the at least one channel about said axes of the mount, wherein the rotation of the at least one channel about said axes of the mount creates an artificial flickering light effect on the surface.
2 more elements
A method for generating an artificial flickering light effect, the method comprising the steps of:
- delivering a light signal via a fiber optic cable to a first end of an at least one light transmitting channel, and said at least one channel being rotatably secured on a ring shaped mount;
- providing a diffuser surface in communication with a second end of the at least one channel;
- delivering the light signal received by the first end of said at least one channel to the surface in proximity to a second end of the at least one channel;
- rotating the at least one channel about said axes of the mount, wherein the rotation of the at least one channel about at least one axis of the mount creates an artificial flickering light effect on the surface.
1 more element
A system for generating an artificial flickering flame, the system comprising:
- at least one channel for carrying a light signal;
- a flame shaped diffuser surface in proximity to a first end of the at least one channel;
- a mount having at least one axis of rotation rotatably securing the at least one channel thereto, said mount being rotatable about said at least one axis when moved from a stationary position;
- and
- rotation means for rotating said mount, wherein the rotation of the at least one channel about at least one axis of the mount creates an artificial flickering flame on the diffuser flame shaped surface when said light signal engages said diffuser surface, said system including a fiber optic cable spaced from the at least one channel for delivering the light signal to a second end of the at least one channel.
2 more elements
A system for generating an artificial flickering flame, the system comprising:
- at least one channel for carrying a light signal;
- light signal generating means coupled to said channel;
- a flame shaped diffuser surface in proximity to a first end of the at least one channel;
- a mount having two substantially orthogonal axes of rotation and said channel being rotatable thereon;
- and
- rotating means for rotating said mount about said axes, wherein the rotation of the at least one channel about said axes of the mount creates an artificial flickering flame on the flame shaped diffuser surface when engaged by said light signal.
3 more elements
A system for generating an artificial flickering flame, the system comprising:
- at least one channel for carrying a light signal;
- light signal generating means coupled to said channel;
- a flame shaped diffuser surface in proximity to a first end of the at least one channel;
- a ring shaped mount having at least one axis of rotation rotatably securing the at least one channel thereto;
- rotating means for rotating said mount, wherein the rotation of the at least one channel about at least one axis of the mount creates an artificial flickering flame on the flame shaped diffuser surface when engaged by said light signal.
2 more elements
A system for generating an artificial flickering flame, the system comprising:
- at least one channel for carrying a light signal;
- light signal generating means coupled to said channel;
- a flame shaped diffuser surface connected to a first end of the at least one channel;
- a mount having at least one axis of rotation rotatably securing the at least one channel thereto;
- rotation means for rotating said mount, wherein the rotation of the at least one channel about at least one axis of the mount creates an artificial flickering flame on the flame shaped diffuser surface when engaged by said light signal.
2 more elements
A system for generating an artificial flickering flame, the system comprising:
- at least one channel for carrying a light signal;
- light signal generating means coupled to said channel;
- a flame shaped diffuser surface in proximity to a first end of the at least one channel;
- a ring shaped mount having at least one axis of rotation rotatably securing the at least one channel thereto;
- rotating means for rotating said mount, wherein the rotation of the at least one channel about at least one axis of the mount creates an artificial flickering flame on the flame shaped diffuser surface when engaged by said light signal;
- and
- a cylindrical enclosure surrounding said ring shaped mount, wherein the ring shaped mount is rotatably secured to the cylindrical enclosure.
4 more elements
A system for generating an artificial flickering flame, the system comprising:
- at least one channel for carrying a light signal;
- a flame shaped surface in proximity to a first end of the at least one channel;
- a mount for rotatably securing the at least one channel;
- wherein the rotation of the at least one channel about at least one axis of the mount creates an artificial flickering flame on the flame shaped surface;
- and
- a thin rod in communication with the flame shaped surface, said rod being sensitive to substantially small air pressure variations thereby causing the flame shaped surface to rotate about at least one horizontal axis.
3 more elements
A system for generating an artificial flickering flame, the system comprising:
- at least one rod for delivering a light signal;
- a flame shaped surface in proximity with a first end of the rod;
- a mount for rotatably securing the rod;
- a light transmitting channel in proximity with the rod for delivering the light signal to a second end of the rod;
- at least one electromagnet excited by a control signal for creating an electromagnetic field with a predetermined polarity;
- a solid state light source in communication with the channel for emitting light to the channel;
- wherein the electromagnetic field from the at least one electromagnet interacts with the second end of the rod to induce rotation of the
- rod and the flame shaped surface about an axis of the mount to create an artificial flickering flame.
5 more elements
A flickering flame simulation device comprising:
- an element having at least one reflecting surface on one side thereof;
- a housing in which said element is mounted;
- a light conduit having a first and second end communicating at its first end with said housing and at its second end with a source of light;
- and
- at least one light transmitting channel having a first end adjacent one side of said element extending through and fixed to a gimbal member rotatably mounted about a horizontal axis within said housing, said channel
- having a second end spaced from the first end of said light forming an air gap conduit whereby light emitted from said light conduit when said source of light is actuated is transmitted across said air gap to said channel moving the same about the horizontal axis of said gimbal member thereby moving said element creating a flickering effect of the reflecting surface of said element.
3 more elements
A flickering flame simulation device comprising:
- an element having at least one reflecting surface on side thereof;
- a housing in which said element is mounted;
- a rod fixed to said element at one end thereof extending through a gimbal member rotatably mounted in said housing and said rod terminating at its other end is an electromagnetic base;
- electromagnetic means mounted in said housing below said base;
- light emitting means focused on said base mounted in said housing below said electromagnetic means;
- and
- memory module means associated with said housing below said light emitting means having digital code signals stored therein for exciting said electromagnetic means and creating a field with a predetermined polarity around said electromagnetic means thereby moving said base toward or away from said electromagnetic means depending on the polarity of the base and the electromagnetic means thereby moving said element while light from said light emitting means is focused thereon providing a flame effect on the reflecting surface of said element.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.