US 9,958,123 B2Granted

System for resembling an open candle flame

AssigneeUniversal Candle Company Limited

InventorChak-yin Cheng

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Abstract

A system simulating an open candle flame is provided in the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the present system comprises a gyro-levitation unit including two spinning wheels with axes mutually perpendicular to each other to allow a two-degree of rotational freedom resembling the open candle flame motion caused by air flow in its surrounding environment. A mechatronics based actuator made of a bi-metal is employed to disturb the equilibrium of the gyroscope by exerting an actuating force against the gyro-levitation unit. Electric current controlled by a dedicated electronic unit flowing through the actuator allows reciprocal linear motion aligned with the visible light pattern of the candle flame. Varying light intensity of the candle flame is obtained as a combination of two light sources with one transmitted to a flame display through an optical device by total internal reflection and another one by projecting on its sideway.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A system for resembling an open candle flame comprising:

a holder and a base, said holder comprising an optical device, a first light source, a flame display, a weight, and a mechatronics based actuator;
said base comprising a second light source, a processor and a power source,
wherein one end of said optical device is physically connected with said flame display and another end of said optical device is physically connected with said weight;
said mechatronics based actuator is positioned above said weight and capable to move horizontally along a projection extended from said optical device in order to provide a spinning dynamic motion for said optical device and said flame display;
said first light source is mounted at sidewall of the holder providing sideway illumination to said flame display while said second light source is positioned on said base providing upward illumination through said optical device to said flame display such that intensity of a flame image displayed on said flame display is a combination of said illuminations from the first light source and the second light source;
said mechatronics based actuator, said first light source, and said second light source are modulated by Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal generated from said processor such that dynamic motion of said mechatronics based actuator aligns with the variation pattern of brightness of the combined illuminations from the first and the second light sources,
wherein said mechatronics based actuator is made of a bi-metal material, said bi-metal material comprises a nickel-titanium alloy configured in a wire form made by different crystal structures of nickel and titanium,
wherein said optical device is configured to have a projection that allows a horizontal movement of the wire form of the mechatronic based actuator along the projection in order to result in a two-axis cone-shape pendulum motion towards the flame display.

5 more elements

A system for resembling an open candle flame comprising:

a base, the base comprises a processor and a power source;
a candle frame unit, the candle frame unit includes an upper flame display portion and a lower flame display portion;
a supporting plate on which the candle frame unit is mounted;
a truncate-cone-shape (TCS) helical spring support unit attached to the base at one end and to the supporting plate at the other end;
a first light source within the lower flame display portion, such that the first light source directs illumination to the candle frame unit;
a second light source around the lower flame display portion and on the supporting plate, such that the second light source projects illumination to the candle frame unit, wherein a complete flame image including an image of the flame and an image of a candlewick is displayed on the candle frame unit based on a combination of illuminations from the first light source and the second light source;
a mechatronics based actuator associated with the TCS helical spring support unit and configured to provide a push-pull triggering force for disturbing the equilibrium of the TCS helical spring support unit resulting a dynamic motion of the candle frame unit;
and
a holder attached to the base and enclosing the TCS helical spring support unit and at least part of the candle frame unit,
wherein the mechatronics based actuator, the first light source and the second light source are powered by the power source and modulated by the processor such that the dynamic motion of the candle frame unit and the variation of brightness and/or color of the flame image can be aligned.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/664,787Filed 31 Jul 2017 · continuation
Priority: 31 May 2016
Published: US 2018/0010750 A111 Jan 2018
Granted: 1 May 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification20 codes

F21S 10/043
Simulating flames: by selectively switching fixed light sources
F21L 4/02
Electric lighting devices with self-contained electric batteries or cells: characterised by the provision of two or more light sources
F21S 6/001
Lighting devices intended to be free-standing: candle-shaped
F21S 10/046
Simulating flames: by movement of parts, e.g. by movement of reflectors or light sources

Family

Application62/343,143Us provisional application · filed 31 May 2016
Application15/387,140Parent of this continuation · filed 21 Dec 2016
US 2018/0010750 A1Pre-grant publication · published 11 Jan 2018
US 9,719,643 B1Parent of this continuation
US 9,958,123 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.