Illumination – With fluid distributer
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-01
2001-10-16
Quach, Y. (Department: 2875)
Illumination
With fluid distributer
C362S806000, C362S253000, C040S428000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302555
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to apparatus for simulating flames, and particularly but not exclusively to apparatus for simulating flames in a solid fuel effect fire, to give the impression of flames emanating from combustion fuel.
Several arrangements have hitherto been used to simulate flames in such fires, the most common of which in recent years utilizing a plurality of reflective ribbons or strips suspended adjacent to a rear part of the fire, a light source located forwardly of the ribbons or strips, and a translucent screen also located forwardly of the ribbons or strips such that light from the light source reflected from the ribbons or strips is incident on a rear surface of the screen, giving a flame effect when the screen is viewed from the front. Such an arrangement shown in GB-A-968568.
To give the impression of flames, the ribbons or strips are generally movable, such as by a current of air produced from a fan located within the body of the fire, and may additionally or alternatively be colored or shaped so as to improve the flame effect produced.
Additionally, it is known from GB-A-1186655 to suspend the strips in front of the light source, so that light is transmitted between the strips and onto the translucent screen.
Notwithstanding the attention which has been given to the development of an apparatus for simulating flames as shown in the extensive prior art, heretofore all suggestions which have been made have been lacking in realism, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for simulating flames.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus for simulating flames comprising the light source, a screen, and a flame effect member located optically between the light source and the screen, effect or means being provided to cause openings to be produced in the flame effect member, appearing as areas of light on the screen, and to cause the openings to move such that the areas of light appear to move upwardly.
Thus, by the use of a translucent screen through which the flame effect member is in conventional manner viewed from a position in front of the apparatus, the visual effect which is produced is one in which the areas of light appear as flames on the screen, moving upwardly in the expected manner.
Preferably the flame effect member is also translucent, and light also falls onto the screen having passed through the flame effect member.
In this manner, for example, where the light which passes through the flame effect member and falls onto the screen is colored yellow or orange, an appearance may be achieved which is similar to the glow of real fire with portions of whiter light, having passed through the openings in the flame effect member, producing the appearance of the flames.
Conveniently, the flame effect member comprises a sheet of flexible material provided with a plurality of elongate slits.
The slits may be afforded by narrow apertures, typically having a width less than 2 mm, but are preferably provided by cuts provided in the flexible material, whereby a more appropriate opening and closing of the slits may be effected.
The effector means may cause movement of the flame effect member by direct contact, but the effector means is preferably operative to generate and to direct against the sheet of flexible material a flow of air to cause the sheet to flex and the slits to open and close.
Thus, the flame effect member conveniently comprises a sheet of fabric suspended at an upper end portion, and secured loosely at a lower end portion, the flow of air causing the sheet of fabric to “billow” and as the billowing in the sheet moves upwardly, there is produced an opening of the slits which also travels generally upwardly.
Any convenient fabric may be utilized, such as nylon or silk, but it has been found that Crepe de Chine is particularly suitable.
Thus, preferably the sheet of fabric is secured at an upper end portion adjacent to a rear wall of the housing of the apparatus, and the lower end portion is secured adjacent to the screen, preferably in a manner such that some draping of the fabrics takes place.
Preferably the apertures are provided by a plurality of elongate slits which may be provided at intervals typically in the region of 3 cm to 6 cm, the slits conveniently extending the majority of the full height of the sheet of fabric. If desired the slits may fan out in the upward direction.
Thus preferably the sheet of fabric is suspended at its lower end portion adjacent to the bottom of the screen.
Thus preferably the fan is located below, and slightly rearwardly of the forward edge portion of the flame effect member, the fan being operative to generate a current of air to cause the flame effect means to move in a billowing-type manner as described above. Thus, as the deformation produced in the sheet moves upwardly away from the far, the extent of the deformation is reduced, reducing the size of the openings and thus the size of the areas of light falling onto the screen.
Preferably the apparatus comprises reflector means from which light is reflected from the light source through the flame effect member onto the screen.
The reflector preferably comprises a reflective strip adhesively attached to the rear wall of the housing, and the reflector may be removable from the rear wall. However, the reflector may be fixed in any convenient manner, and possibly, may be fixed to side walls of the fire.
The reflector, in front elevation, may be configured so as to conform generally with the shape of flames. Thus, the height of the reflector may increase towards a middle portion thereof.
The reflector may be formed from a foil, such as aluminum foil, or a plastics substrate having a metallic finish, but it will be appreciated that a wide variety of reflective materials may be used.
The reflector may additionally be colored, for example red, yellow and/or orange, such that the light reflected therefrom onto the screen provides a realistic flame color.
The reflector may be generally of one or multi-piece construction, but conveniently, the reflector comprises a plurality of parts movable relative to each other, such as for example, a plurality of generally vertically extending strips, and preferably the fan is operative to generate a current of air directed towards the reflector, such that pars of the reflector may also be caused to move, such that the light reflected therefrom “flickers” adding to the realism of the flame effect.
The screen may be formed from either transparent or translucent material, such as glass or plastics. In order to provide a diffuse effect, either or both surfaces of the screen may be treated or etched, or alternatively, an additional sheet or sheets of glass or plastics material may be provided to distort or blur the image projected onto the screen by the light source/reflector arrangement.
Additionally, the screen and/or the additional sheet may be colored or shaded if desired.
The source of light may emit so called “white light” as is used in household lamp bulbs, but preferably, the light may be colored, either by use of a coloured bulb or by the use of appropriately colored filters.
According to this invention there is also provided apparatus for simulating flames comprising:
(a) a housing having a front provided by a screen:
(b) a flame effect member located in the housing, said flame effect member being of flexible sheet material suspended from an upper end secured to the housing and being secured at a lower end such that the flame effect member extends upwardly and away from the screen, the flame effect member being provided with a plurality of openings or slits extending generally in the upward direction;
(c) a light source from which light is directed through the flame effect member onto the screen; and
(d) means to direct a flow of air against a rear face of the flame effect member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3395475 (1968-08-01), Moss
patent: 3603013 (1971-09-01), Reed et al.
patent: 4965707 (1990-10-01), Butterfield
pat
Burley Appliances Limited
Kirschstein et al.
Quach Y.
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