Optics: image projectors – Light shield – mask – hood – or diaphragm
Patent
1995-12-21
1997-04-01
Dowling, William
Optics: image projectors
Light shield, mask, hood, or diaphragm
353 79, 401245, 40361, G03B 2114
Patent
active
056159374
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for the projection/reflection of images adapted particularly to be integrated with or disposed adjacent grave markers, street furniture, publicity displays or the like.
The invention is more particularly concerned with a device for illuminating a transparent or translucent image and the remote projection of this image to render it particularly visible to an observer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A certain number of publications disclose devices which integrate on the one hand one or several images in the form of a photograph or the like, on the other hand means for illuminating said image. Thus, the patent EP-A-0 522 195 discloses a device for illuminating an image of a logo placed on the roof of a vehicle, this image being read by means of a reflective device such as a mirror. However, because of the use of this device, in particular on the roof of vehicles, particularly trucks, it is necessary to provide between the image support and the reflecting member a passage forming a conduit for air flow and a largely open front surface. Because of this, it is impossible to dim the ambient light to create a sufficiently dark region forming a contrast with the ambient external region. This lightness-darkness is thus effected at the image in the image plane by light-dark or black-white regions provided by filled and empty regions. Such a device however does not permit the projection of complex images, particularly colored images such as photographs or stained glass.
In the patent AU-B-73.038, there is described an advertising device in the form of a complex monoblock constituted by a transparent screen superposed on an image of logo type, which is covered with a reflecting surface, and is itself covered by a support surface. Such a device does not in any case permit optimum close-up reading of an image.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a device for projecting a luminous image by natural ambient light, such a device permitting optimizing quantitatively the remote reading of a commemorative image or information without being dependent on the medium and without changing the values of the luminous spectrum.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device for reflecting the image which permits obtaining by contrast images permitting very good reading of the image from a distance and with a visual effect agreeable to the eye.
To this end, the invention relates to a device for the projection/reflection of images, for a grave marker, street furniture or the like, to optimize the reading of a commemorative image or an informative image, characterized in that it is constituted principally by a housing having the function of dimming external light, open at points called respectively an inlet opening for light of the housing and an outlet opening for light from the housing, the inlet opening for the housing light being closed at least partially by, or comprising in its vicinity, a diffuser to distribute and if desired to filter the ambient external light intended to pass through an image disposed in, or adjacent to, the inlet opening of the housing light, whilst the outlet opening for light from the housing is closed at least partially by, or provided in its vicinity with, at least one reflecting device, such as a mirror, visible to an observer and from which is reflected the projected image.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the diffuser is incorporated in an image of photographic type developed on a translucent support, the assembly being inserted within a support such as a frame constituted by double glazing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention will be better understood from a reading of the following description of embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a side view of a projection/reflection device for images according to the invention;
FIG. 2 shows a front view of a device for the projection/reflection of images according to th
REFERENCES:
patent: 1673512 (1928-06-01), Hurter
patent: 4227325 (1980-10-01), Whitford
patent: 4231634 (1980-11-01), Gantz et al.
patent: 5094525 (1992-03-01), Nelson, Jr. et al.
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