AU5832698A - An interior decoration apparatus for embodying an artificial snow scene indoors - Google Patents

Description

g' 2-; -1- P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT

S

Ar Invention Title: AN INTERIOR DECORATION APPARATUS FOR EMBODYING AN ARTIFICIAL SNOW SCENE INDOORS

S.

a d l r r r The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: GH REF: P25565-A:MHK:RK i:

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tr i r AN INTERIOR DECORATION APPARATUS FOR EMBODYING AN ARTIFICIAL SNOW SCENE INDOORS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an interior decoration apparatus for embodying an artificial snow scene indoors, such as to an interior decoration apparatus to provide with not only a visual effect allowing to enjoy the snow scene indoors in all seasons, but also an auxiliary effect to aircondition the interior.

2. Description of Related Art Generally, in regions or seasons having no snow, people would like to have a personal experience of the landscape covered with snow, to find themselves surrounded with snowfall and to feel the snow at their hands, once having 20 experienced, they want to keep the unforgettable experience to themselves ever after that, and they desire to go E7 through it once more again.

In order to meet the desire stated above, usually, there are provided with the decoration pictures of the snow S' 25 scene or the displaying devices which show dynamically the landscape covered with snow in a room, which can allow indirectly to enjoy and appreciate the snow, scene through them. In the decoration aspect of interior, those which pictures and devices relate only to the appreciator' refreshment can not allow appreciator to feel the snowfall realistically or contribute to the improvement of an interior environment.

If snowfall in the winter is happened under appreciators, eyes indoors in all- seasons and regions, and if those who enjoy the snowfall scenery indoors can directly get feel of the quality of the snow, it makes them feel much comfortable, particularly, may relieve the discomfort due to !g hot day in the summer.

Therefore, the applicant who invented the device for making artificial snow, which disclosed in Korean patent application No. 97-14565, has developed the interior decoration apparatus for embodying the artificial snow scene in consideration of interior decoration aspect and improvement aspect of the interior environment. In order to "provide with an artificial snow for realizing the snow scene indoors, it is not always limited, but said device for making the artificial snow may be employed in the present invention, and will be incorporated in the specification as 20 a reference for a description of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION .i It is therefore preferably an advantage of the present S invention to provide an interior decoration apparatus for embodying an artificial snow scene indoors to showing i. artificially a snowfall and a landscape covered with snow Sinside a room in all seasons and regions i 2 __rJ It is preferably another advantage of the present invention to provide an interior decoration apparatus for embodying an artificial snow scene indoors, which contributes to improve the visual decoration effect of the interior.

It is preferably another advantage of the present invention to provide an interior decoration apparatus for embodying an artificial snow scene indoors, which contributes to air-condition the room, thus allowing to a comfortable indoor environment.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an interior decoration apparatus for embodying an artificial snow scene indoors comprising: a Sbox-body having its front opened side which a large portion of the front side is opened except a predetermined portion of its upper and lower part thereof and respectively formed with openings for ventilating at a predetermined position of the lower part, which is fixed with its rear side abutted to the wall of a room; at least one snowfall device for forming and supplying snow ice into the inner space of the box-body, which is/are installed in. the upper space of the box-body; a cooling unit for condensing the returned refrigerant after used as a refrigerating source in each snowfall device and supplying the snowfall device with the condensed 25 refrigerant; and a water circulating means for gathering the water into which the snow ice melts and supplying the snowfall device with the gathered water, which is arranged in the lower part of the box-body.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is further provided an interior decoration apparatus for embodying an artificial snow scene indoors I comprising: a main body consisting of an upper body taking the shape of a tub which its inner space can be looked into, and a lower body for supporting the upper body on the upper surface thereof; a plurality of snowfall devices, arranged at a predetermined position in the upper end of the upper body, for forming and supplying snow ice into an inner space of the upper body; a cooling unit, arranged in the inner space of the lower body, for condensing the returned refrigerant from each snowfall device after used as a refrigerating source in the snowfall devices and supplying the snowfall devices with the condensed refrigerant at low temperature again; and a water circulating means for gathering the water into which the snow ice melts and supplying the snowfall devices with the gathered water, which is arranged in the inner space of the lower body.

S 20 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ATTACHED DRAWINGS Other features in structure, operation and advantages S of the present invention will become more apparent to those *is skilled in the art from the following descriptions when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an embodiment of an interior decoration apparatus for embodying San artificial snow scene indoors, according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic view showing a device for making artificial snow, which may be employed in the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing the other embodiment of an interior decoration apparatus for embodying an artificial snow scene indoors, according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Hereinafter, the embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail, by way of example only, referring to the drawings: Fig. 1 schematically shows the first embodiment of the present invention, as a fixed-type, taking the form of the S"box-body, which is located with its rear side abutted 20 against the wall of a room.

As can be seen in Fig. 1, the interior decoration apparatus; for embodying an artificial snow scene indoors in this embodiment comprises: a box-body 1 having its front S' 25 opening side which a large portion of its front side is opened, having an installation space 11 for seating, as will be described later, one or more snowfall devices and a plurality of illumination means S in the upper portion thereof, and having a pit 12 where a flown-down water is gathered up in the bottom thereof; at least one snowfall device 2 for making artificial snow and artificially forming snowfall inside the box-body 1 (hereinafter, referred to as a snowfall device), which are installed in the installation space 11, and quick-freezing the supplied water and forming snow ice; a cooling unit 3 for condensing and liquefying a refrigerant returned after used as a refrigerating source in the snowfall devices 2 and supplying each snowfall device 2 with a condensed refrigerant again; a pump 4 for supplying water from a pit 12 to each snowfall device 2 to form snow ice.

In order to enhance a visual effect of snowfall, the interior decoration apparatus for embodying an artificial snow scene indoors further comprises a plurality of upper blowers for spreading the falling snow ice from the each snowfall device 2 over the whole space of the box-body 1, which are S mounted at predetermined positions on both inner sides of the box-body 1, lower than the snowfall device 2; a model 6 for forming artificial landscape covered with snow ice fallen from the snowfall device 2, which is of a scaled-down decoration model showing a natural scenery, such as mountain, river and the like, and mounted inside the box-body 1; and an .illumination means 8, seated in the installation space 11 of 4. the box-body 1, for doubling a visual effect of the snowfall ,i by lighting the inside of the box-body 1.

SIn order for air-conditioning effect, the interior decoration apparatus for embodying an artificial snow scene indoors further comprises a lower blower 7 for flowing a room air into and out of the box-body 1, which is mounted in the lower space of the box-body 1. Therefore, the air led into the inner space of the box-body 1 absorbs chill from snow ice on the model 6 and water in the pit 12, and the cool air is discharged to a room, thus air-conditioning the room.

The above box-body 1 has the installation space 11 at the upper part thereof and the pit 12 at the lower part thereof. A large portion of the front side of the box-body 1 (that is, except the upper part of the box-body 1 where space 11 is located and the lower part of the box-body 1 where the pit 12 is located) is opened. The space 11 is defined between both side walls and a part of the upper front side thereof, where at least one snowfall device 2 and a plurality of illumination means 8 are arranged. In the pit 12, the cold water into which the snow ice piled up on the model 6 melts is gathered up. On both inner side walls of the upper part (or the space 11), a plurality of mounting portions 13 are respectively formed at a predetermined position lower than the snowfall device 2, where a plurality of the upper blowers 5 are mounted. On both inner side walls of the lower part, openings 14 and 16 are formed at a predetermined position of each wall, one is an inflow port "14" and the other is an outflow port "16" located at opposed position to the inflow port 14, thus the air flowing into and out through the openings 14 and 16. The lower blower 7 is installed in the inflow port 14.

Here, the selecting of the position of the two ports 14,16 has an influence on the air-conditioning efficiency of the present a invention. That is, since the air-flow into and out through the two ports 14,16 should get cool enough while it passes through its flow path, it is desirable that the two ports 14,16 be located near to the pit 12 as far as possible so that the passing air can exchange heat with the cold water in the pit 12.

The pit 12 is formed in the lower space of the box-body 1 by a separating plate 17 which is formed with a plurality of holes. Therefore, the box-body 1 is divided into three spaces, that is, the installation space 11 where at least one snowfall device 2 and a plurality of the illumination means 8 are located, another space where the falling snow ice from the snowfall device 2 piles up on the model 6 and the other space where the pit 12 is located. The model 6 is removably mounted on the plate 17. The two ports 14,16 is located on a periphery of the pit 12. Therefore, the inflow air through the inflow port "14" discharges through the outflow port "16" along only its flow path defined by the plate 17 and the pit 12, thus preventing the undesirable effect that the inflow air into the pit 12 influences the snow ice falling down from the snowfall device 2.

In addition, it is to be desired that the opened front side of box-body 1 be covered with a transparent plate-shaped member 15 so that the inside of the box-body 1 can be looked into and be separated from the room atmosphere. The reason for this is that, in case that the inside of the box-body I is left exposed to the room air, the refrigerating efficiency of the snowfall device 2 decreases under the influence of the room temperature and the snow ice on the model 6 does not keep its state for long and melts down easily, thus decreasing the visual effect of the snow scene.

Next, the above snowfall device 2, as shown Fig. 2, comprises a cooling drum 21 for forming the snow ice on its outer surface, as a cylindrical body, which on one end thereof is rotatably supported to a fixed shaft to main body(not shown) through a rotary joint for a refrigerant (not shown), and the other end thereof is rotatably supported through an oilless bearing(not shown) connected to a rotary shaft in the coaxial to a fixed shaft and fixed to the main body, a cooling means (not shown) mounted in an inside of the drum 21 for uniformly cooling the drum 21 by a refrigerant circulating, a low speed S driving motor 25 for providing the drum 21 with its rotational force, a driving pulley 26 fixedly mounted to a shaft of the motor 25, a driven pulley 24 connected to the rotary shaft fixed to one end of the drum 21, a timing belt 27 for transmitting the rotation between two pulleys 24,26, a water supplying, pipe 28 for supplying the drum 21 with the water compressed by the pump 4, a nozzle 29, installed to the end of the pipe 28 so as to adjust its discharging angle, for Suniformly discharging the compressed water to the outer surface of the drum 21, a control valve 30 provided on the line of the pipe 28 for regulating the amount of the water -I discharging from the nozzle 29, and a knife 20 for scraping the ice layer frozen on the outer surface of the drum 21, which its edge contacts with the surface of the drum 21 in the horizontal center line and it is adjustably mounted in the range of its installation angle, from the horizontal center line to the vertical line (a tangential line at the point where the edge of the knife 20 and the drum 21 contacts).

The present invention employs the device for making artificial snow which disclosed in Korean patent application No, 97-14565 as it is, as a snowfall device 2, however, it is not necessarily limited by the construction of the disclosed invention, but any other snowfall device 2 may be employed in the present invention if it can form and supply the snow ice artificially.

Next, the above cooling unit 3 comprises a heat exchanger S 31 and a compressor 32, provides the drum 21 of the snowfall device 2 with the low temperature condensed and liquefied S refrigerant through a refrigerant supplying pipe 33 and quickly refrigerates the drum 21, and withdraws the refrigerant used in the drum 21 through a refrigerant returning pipe 34 to condense it again. Said cooling unit 3 may be housed inside the box-body 1 of the apparatus, however, is desirably located outdoors for the efficiency of the apparatus. Since the cooling unit 3 having the-heat exchanger 31 and the compressor 32 is well known and it will be described,any more hereinafter.

The above water pump 4 is arranged near to the pit 12 in the lower space of the box-body 1, compresses the water in the pit 12 and supplies the water for the snowfall device 2

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through the water supplying pipe 28. Since the water gathered in the pit 12 is easily contaminated due to the floating matters, such as a dust and the like, contained in the air of the box-body 1 and the air flown into the pit 12 by the lower blower 7, it is undesirable repeatedly to use the water in the pit 12 without cleaning it up. Therefore a filter 36 is installed on the line of a connecting pipe 35 between the pump 4 and the pit 12 to get rid of the impurities contained in the water in the pit 12. After the water in the pit 12 is repeatedly used to. some extent, it is necessary to exchange the old water in the pit 12 into the new one in consideration of hygiene. Therefore, a drain pipe(not shown) is installed in the bottom of the pit 12. In every predetermined period, the old water in the pit 12 is discharged through the drain pipe, and the new water provides for the pit 12 after the pit 12 is cleaned. As a result, it is possible to supply a clean and hygienic snow ice.

The above upper blower 5 is respectively mounted at each .mounting portion 13 arranged on both inner side walls, thus S. extending, moving distance of the falling snow by air-circulating and spreading the falling snow ice from the snowfall device 2 over the whole space of the box-body 1, that is, decreasing the falling speed of the snow ice to enhance the. visual effect of the artificial snowfall and contribute to i realize a good snow scene-by uniformly seating the snow ice on the model 6.

In the box-bbody 1, the model 6, as a scaled-down shape of 14

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The above lower blower 7, installed in the inflow port 14, leads a room air by force into the lower space of the box-body 1 which is defined by the plate 17 and the pit 12, and discharges the air to the room through the outflow port 16 formed in the opposite side wall to the inflow port 14. At this time, since the passing air along the flow path of the lower space contacts with the cold water in the pit 12 and exchanges heat with the water, thus getting cool at low temperature. Therefore, it is desirable that the flow speed of the air by the lower blower 7 should be suitably adjusted so as that the air can be discharged through the outflow port 16 after exchanging heat enough with the cold water in the pit 12. In order to improve heat-exchange between the passing air and the cold water in the pit 12, it is desirable that a plurality of fins for heat conduction(not seen) is installed, which are.of a thin plate-shaped member having excellent heat conduction property and arranged vertically in the direction of -air flow along the flow path with a portion of the fin steeped into the water in the pit 12. Therefore, the air flown into the lower space the box-body 1 by the blower 7 ,.exchanges heat with the cold water in the pit 12 and radiates its:heat to the water through the heat conduction fin to drop i-ts temperature and: gets cool on the way of passing through z.

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a r':'1P o e i~l $j~irap~a~s the flow path defined between the plate 17 and the pit 12, and then discharged through the outflow port 16, thus contributing to drop the room temperature. And it is desirable to install an air filter(not shown) in upper stream side of the blower 7 since a room air flown into the box-body 1 by the blower 7 contains lots of foreign matter such as dusty.

Hereinafter, the operation of the first embodiment having the above construction will be described.

If the present apparatus works by a manual or remote control, a controller(not shown) operates the cooling unit 3 to supply the drum 21 of the snowfall device 2 with the condensed refrigerant, thus the temperature of the drum 21 falling below the freezing- point. And then the used refrigerant as a refrigerating source of the drum 21 returns to the cooling unit 3. As stated above, the circulation of the refrigerant repeats. After the temperature of the drum 21 drops below the freezing point, the controller sends its signal to the motor 25 and drives it. The driving force of the motor 25 rotates the drum 21 through transmission consisted of the driving pulley 26, the timing belt 27, and driven pulley 24.

If the drum 21 refrigerates enough, the controller sends its signal to the water pump 4 to compress the water in the pit 12 and supply the snowfall device 2 with the compressed water.

The -water flowing trough the water supplying pipe 28 is controlled at a suitable pressure by the control valve iarranged on the line of the pipe 28, and the controlled water 18 i 4 4: :13 s~ is discharged to the drum 21 through the nozzle 29 installed at the end of the pipe 28. The discharged water on the surface of the drum is quickly frozen, and thus a predetermined thickness of ice layer is formed on the drum's surface on the way of rotation of the drum 21.

As the drum 21 rotates, the ice layer is scraped by the scraping knife 20 installed with its edge contacted with the surface of the drum 21 and formed into snow ice. The snow ice falls and piles up on the model 6 arranged within the box-body 1.

As the snowfall device 2 begins to supply the snow ice, the controller sends its signal to a plurality of the illumination means 8, installed in upper installation space 11, to turn on them and light the inner space of the box-body In order uniformly to spread the snow ice falling from the snowfall device 2 over the whole inner space of the box-body 1, the controller sends its signal to each upper blower 5 to drive it, thus causing air circulation in the inner space of the box-body 1. The snow ice evenly falls over the whole space while scattered by the circulating air, and I its grains glitter with the light of the illumination means 8, thus showing a visual effect like a real snowfall. And the alling snow ice piles up on the model 6 to realize an artificial snow scene like a landscape covered with snow in the inner space of the box-body 1. With ithe lapse- Of time, the snow ice piled up on the :i

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model 6 melts, and the cold water falls into and gathers in the pit 12 through the holes formed in the plate 17. The water in the pit 12 passes through the filter 36 between the pit 12 and the pump 4, thus getting rid of impurities contained therein, and then is provided for the snowfall device 2 by the pump 4.

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-I ij Next, If the air-conditioning mode is selected for discharging a cool air to the room space, the controller sends its signal to the lower blower 7 to drive it. The lower blower 7 introduces the room air into the pit 12 through the inflow port 14. The air flown into the pit 12 is discharged through the outflow port 16 formed on the opposed side to the inflow port 14 after getting cool by a heat-exchange with the cold water gathered in the pit 12.

Therefore, those who watch the atomical snow scene realized by the present invention feel as if they are surrounded with the snowfall in the winter since the present invention supplies not only the visual effect directly to watch that the falling snow piles up on the scaled-down decoration model 6 expressed as mountain, river, but also the other effect directly to get feel of a cold air discharged through the outflow port 16 with the skin.

Hereinafter, the other embodiment of the present invention will be described referring to Fig. 3.

Fig.3 schematically shows a second embodiment of the -interior decoration apparatus for embodying an artificial snow scene indoors. The apparatus in this embodiment, as a movable i i -i i.

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7. FE tower-type apparatus, employs the tube shaped body differently from the previous embodiment as a wall-fixed type. The apparatus in this embodiment locates in the middle of the room, thus allowing to appreciate the snow scene realized artificially from every direction. And the construction of this embodiment is similar to that of the previous embodiment except that all construction of the apparatus are seated in the inner space thereof. In the description of this embodiment hereinafter, the difference from the previous embodiment will be mainly described and the same constructions to the previous embodiment, that is, snowfall device will be indicated the same reference number to the previous embodiment.

The interior decoration apparatus for embodying an artificial snow scene indoors, as shown in Fig. 3, comprises a main body 10 including a tube shaped box 100 with a circular or polygonal cross-section which forms its wall using the transparent member 115 so as to look into a inside thereof and :has an installation space 111 in its upper end potion, and a base 110 for supporting the bottom of the a tube shaped box •l100 and having a water tank 112 in its inner space; a plurality of snowfall devices 102 arranged in the installation space 111 of the box 100, for quickly freezing water provided from a water tank (will be described later) and forming snow S ice; a cooling unit 103 for condensing and liquefying the refrigerant returned after. used as a efrigerating source in the snowfall device 102 and supplying it for the snowfall

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0 b t, r d;: s o 9;1 1 r r 1 :4 I- i:r.di~Z 1~ ice from the water tank 112 to the snowfall device 102; a upper blower 105 for spreading the falling snow ice from each snowfall device 102 over the whole space of the box 100, which are mounted at predetermined positions in the installation space 111, lower than the snowfall device's position; a model 106 for showing an artificial landscape covered with snow ice fallen from the snowfall device 102 to improve a visual effect of snow scene, which is of a scaled-down decoration model showing a natural scenery, such as mountain, river and the like and arranged in the box 100; a lower blower 107 which mo-inted in a plurality of outflow ports 116 formed on the wall of the base 110 for discharging an air gotten cool by exchanging heat with water in the tank 112; and an illumination means 108, seated in the space 111, for doubling a visual effect of the falling snow ice by lighting the inside of the main body The .above main body 10, as described above, includes the tube shaped box 100, and the base 110 supporting the bottom of the box 100. In the base 110, the cooling unit 103 consisting of a heat exchanger 131 and the compressor 132, the water pump 104, and the water tank 112 are accommodated. The tube shaped box 100 takes shape of a polygonal cross-section (a hexagon in this iembodiment) by putting together a plurality of the transparent plate member 115, however, a single transparent 17 i 1 1- d

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Fi -i h, ;.1 cylindrical member may be employed as a box 100. In the installation space 111 of the tube shaped box 100, a plurality of mounting portions 121 are arranged at the upper end edge of the box 100. In addition, another mounting portion 121 is arranged at a crossing member 122 mounted to cross the central axal line in the upper of the box 100. Each snowfall device 102 is installed at each mounting portion 121, that is, six snowfall devices 102 are located at the each side wall of the box 100, thus supplying a snow ice near the wall, and one snowfall device 102 is located at the crossing member 122, thus supplying a snow ice into the center portion of the box 100.

The box 100 is connected and-fixed on the upper surface of the base 110. The base 110 has the inner space and is formed with a plurality of communication ports 118 on the upper surface thereof. The inner space of the base 110 is divided into an upper space where the water tank 112 is arranged and a lower space where the cooling unit 103 and the .water pump 104 are arranged.

In the periphery of the base 110, openings of predetermined size 116 are formed, at a certain interval, higher than the height of water surface in the water tank 112.

In each opening 116, the lower blower 107 is installed to ventilate between the upper space of the base. 110 and the oom.: r r o o r o a r r rr~ r

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S-The water tank 112 in the base 110 stores the water to be provided for the snowfall device 102 and collects the water 18 ~R~g into which a snow ice piled up on the model 106 melts through the communication ports 118. Similarly to the previous embodiment, the water tank 112 has a drain pipe (not shown) at a predetermined position of its bottom to discharge the old water in the tank 112. Therefore, it is possible to form a clean and sanitary snow ice by providing with new water after discharging the old water used during a certain period repeatedly through the drain pipe and cleaning the thank 112.

In this embodiment, the device for making artificial snow which disclosed in Korean patent application No. 97-14565, similarly to the previous embodiment, is employed as it is, however, it is not necessarily limited by the disclosed invention, any other snowfall device 102 may be employed as a snowfall device 102 in this embodiment if it can form and supply the snow ice artificially.

The water pump 104 located the lower space of the base 110, compresses the water in the water tank 112 and send the compressed water to each snowfall device 102 in the installation space 111 through a water supplying pipe 28.

Similarly. to the previous embodiment, a filter 136 is installed on the line of the connection pipe between the pump 104 and the tank 112 to get rid of the impurities contained in the water in the tank 112.

The upper blowers 105, similarly to the previous :embodiment, are arranged at the lower position than the snowfall .device 102 in the installation space 111, extend oing distance of the falling snow by blowing and circulating 19 nr _2z air inside the box 100 and spreads the falling snow ice from the snowfall device 2 over the whole space of the box 100.

Thus, the falling speed of the snow ice is decreased and the visual effect of the artificial snowfall is enhanced.

The lower blowers 107 are respectively installed in each opening 116 formed on the periphery wall of the base 110 and supply a flow force for moving the cold air in the upper space of the base 110 so that the air in the box 100 flows into the upper space of the base 110 through the communication port 118, gets cool by exchanging heat with the cold water in the water thak 112, and then is discharged out to the room.

Therefore, it is to be desired to select the suitable blowers to supply a proper flow speed for the passing air through the upper space of the base 110 so that the inflow air into the upper space of the base 110 can discharge through the opening 116 after exchanged enough heat with the cold water in the water tank 112. In order that the air in the box 100 can easily flow into the upper space of the base, the box 100 is formed with a plurality of vent holes 114 at its upper portion. In order to prevent impurities contained in the air from invading the inside of the box 100, it is desirable that an air filter (not shown) is arranged in the vent hole 16.

Therefore, as the lower blower 107 operates, the room air flown into the box- 100 through the vent hole 114, is introduced into the upper space of the base 110 through the communication ports 118 and gets cool by exchanging heat with -the water in-the water tanki112, and then discharged out of r r~ ,r c r r r o

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Therefore, those who appreciate the artificial snow scene realized by the present invention feel realistically since it is possible that they directly watch snowfall and landscape covered with snow and get feel of a cold air discharged through the opening 116 with the skin.

Hereinafter, the operation of the second embodiment will be described.

The apparatus in this embodiment is distinguished from the previous embodiment in that the artificial snow scene realized by the present invention can be seen from every direction around the apparatus and the cool air can discharge in the radial direction around the apparatus. However, the operation of the apparatus in this embodiment is similar to that of the previous invention.

Similarly, if the apparatus works by the manual or remote control, a controller (not shown) operates -the cooling unit 103 arranged in the lower space of the base 110 to supply the drum S: 21 of each snowfall device 102 arranged in the installation space 111 with the condensed refrigerant through the refrigerant supplying pipe 133, thus dropping the temperature of the drum 21 below the freezing point. After the Stemperature of the drum 21 drops below the freezing point, the I motor 25 is driven by the controller's signal to rotates the drum 21.

If the drum 21 refrigerates enough, the water pump 104 works by the control signal of the controller to compress the

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water in the water tank 112 and supplies the snowfall device 102 with the compressed water through water supplying pipe 28.

The water controlled at a suitable pressure by the control valve 30 arranged on the line of the pipe 28 is discharged to the drum 21 through the nozzle 29 installed at the end of the pipe 28. The discharged water on the surface of the drum 21 is quickly frozen, and thus a predetermined thickness of ice layer is formed on the drum's surface on the way of rotation of the drum 21. The ice layer is scraped by the scraping knife and formed into snow ice. The snow ice falls and piles up on the model 106 arranged within the box 100, thus realizing an artificial snow scene.

As the snowfall device 102 begins to supply snow ice, a plurality of the illumination means 108 installed in installation space 111 are turned on and light the inner space of the box 100 by the controller's signal.

In other uniformly to spread the snow ice falling from the snowfall device 102 over the whole inner space of the box S 100, each blower 105 works by the controller, thus causing air circulation in the inner space of the box 100. The snow ice is Sscattered and falls uniformly over the whole space by the S' air-circulating, and its grains glitter with the light of the illumination means 108, thus showing a visual effect like a real snowfall. And the falling snow ice piles up on the model S" 106 to realize an artificial snow scene like a landscape covered with snow in the inner space of the box 100.

After the lapse of time, the snow ice on the model 106 77 77 -r

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melts and flows down into the water tank 112 in the base 110 through the communication port 118 formed in the upper surface of base 110. The water in the tank 112 passes through the filter 136 between the tank 112 and the pump 104, thus getting rid of impulities contained therein, and then is provided for the snowfall device 102 by the pump 104.

Next, if the air-conditioning mode is selected for discharging a cool air to the room, the lower blower 107 operates and introduces the room air into the box 100 through the vent holes 114. The air flown into the inside of the box 100 flows into the upper space of the base 110 through the communication port 118 and is discharged through the opening 116 formed on the periphery of the base 110 after getting cool by exchanging heat with the cold water in the tank 112.

Therefore, those who look at the artificial snow scene realized by the present invention feel as if they are surrounded with the snowfall in the winter since they can watch directly that the falling snow piles up on the scaled-down decoration model 106 to form an artificial snow scene and gets feel of a cold air discharged through the opening 114 with the skin.

Therefore, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiment disclosed herein as the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention and is not limited to the specific embodiments described in this specification except as defined in the appended claims.

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i i ii' In the claims which follow and in the preceding summary of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication.

The word "comprising" is used in the sense of "including", i.e. the features specified may be associated with further features in various embodiments of the invention.

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Claims (12)

1. An interior decoration apparatus for embodying an artificial snow scene indoors comprising: a box-body having its front opened side which a front side is opened except a predetermined portion of its upper and .lower part thereof and respectively formed with openings for ventilating at a predetermined position of the lower part, Swhich is fixed with its rear side abutted to the wall of a rl room; 17 at least one snowfall means for forming and supplying snow ice into the inner space of the box-body, which is/are installed in the upper space of the box-body; a cooling unit for condensing the returned refrigerant after used as a refrigerating source in each snowfall means and supplying the snowfall means with the -condensed refrigerant; and a water circulating means for gathering the water into which the snow ice melts and supplying the snowfall device with the .gathered water, which is arranged in the lower part of the box-body. I 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said front opened. side of the, box-body is covered with a transparent :plate-shaped m'ember. An appratus accrding, to claim 1 or claim 2 further 'C- comprises at least one upper blower arranged in an inner space of the box-body for circulating the inner air therof so that the snow ice formed by the snowfall means falls with uniformly spreaded over a whole space of the box-body

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprises an air conditioning means, including a lower blower installed in one of the openings near to the water circulating means, introducing the room air into the box-body through one opening, and then discharging the air gotten cool by exchanging heat with the water in the water circulating means to the room through the other opening. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said water circulating means including a pit, arranged in the lower space of the box-body, for gathering and receiving the water into which the supplied snow .i ice from the snowfall means melts; i a water pump, arranged in the lower part of the box-body and connected to the pit through a connecting pipe, for compressing the water in the pit; and S:"a water supplying pipe for supplying the compressed water S :for the snowfall means. S An apparatus according to claim wherein said water I' -;circulating means further including a ter, ranged on the line of the connecting pipe, for a f i i: i" r ;I ~i 4 :e ii B iw ii I :Y ii i :2 s -i I a ;d I a i I L i dB -:i-1 1 i:: getting rid of impurities contained in the water in the pit.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said pit of the water circulating means including a plurality of heat conduction fins arranged in the air flow direction for transferring the heat of the flown air into the box-body by the air conditioning means to the cold water in the pit; and a drain means arranged on the bottom of the pit for discharging the old water in the pit.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprises a separating plate for partitioning the lower part of the box-body from the inner space therof, which is formed with a plurality of openings to communicate the lower part and the inner space of the box-body on its upper surface; and a decoration model for showing an artificial landscape covered with snow ice supplied from the snowfall means, which Sis removaly arranged on the upper surface of the separating :plate. i e i 9. An apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 8, further :l 1 comprises an illumination means for lighting the inner space of ::the box-body, which is arranged in the upper part of the

10. An :iinterior decor ation apparatus for embodying an 27 r B g B i: 1- B B I :r; artificial snow scene indoors comprising: a main body, consisting of an upper body taking the shape of a tub which its inner space can be looked into, and a lower body for *supporting the upper body on the upper surface thereof; a plurality of snowfall means, arranged fat a predetermined position in the upper end of the upper body, for forming and supplying snow ice into an inner space of the upper body; a cooling unit, arranged in the inner space of the lower body, for condensing the returned refrigerant from each snowfall means after used as a refrigerating source in each snowfall means and supplying the snowfall means with the condensed refrigerant at low temperature again; and a water circulating means for gathering the water into which the snow ice melts and supplying the snowfall means with the gathered water, which is arranged in the inner space of the lower body. a*s

11. .An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said ee a upper body is made using a plurality of transparent plate-shaped members, thus taking the shape of a tube with a I polygonal cross-section 1. 1 S:12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said i-iupper body is made using a single transparent cylindrical member. 28 j-. i 1 i i H- /i s .i a1 B i i:: i: -I

13. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprises the at least one upper blower arranged at an upper end of the upper body for circulating the inner air thereof so that the snow ice formed in the snowfall means falls with uniformly spreaded over a whole inner space of the upper body

14. An apparatus according to one of claim 10 to claim 13, further comprises an air conditioning means including a plurality of outflow ports formed on the periphery wall of the lower body at a certain interval, and a lower blower installed in each outflow port, discharging the ,air. gotten cool by exchanging heat with the water in the water circulating means to the room.

15. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said water circulating means including a water tank arranged in the lower body, for gathering and receiving the water into which the supplied snow ice from the snowfall means melts; water pump arranged in the lower body and connected to the pit through a connecting pipe, for compressing the water in the water tank; and a- water supplying pipe for supplying the compressed water -to the snowfall means.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said water circulating means further including 29 C .f j:l i -i I: i -I a filter arr getting rid of in tank.

17. An appc water tank of the a plurality flow direction fc the lower body by in the water tank a drain mea for discharging t i 18.. An appa 13, further comp a decoratio covered with sno is removably mou] e.

19. .An app. 13, further pomp inner space of t .A 'end of the upper V- eee ~a=i;irxc~i~j= ~a~is-;il~2li~s~-~ ~2_ ri i anged on the line of the connecting pipe, for npurities contained in the water in the water iratus according to claim 15, wherein said water circulating means including of heat conduction fins arranged in the air r transferring the heat of the flown air into the air conditioning means to the cold water and .ns arranged in the bottom of the water tank the old water in the tank. ratus according to one of claim 10 to claim rises n model for showing an artificial landscape w ice supplied from the snowfall means, which ited on the upper surface of the lower body. iratus according to one of claim 10 to claim >rises an illumination means for lighting the he upper body, which is arranged in the upper body. *;s ii t: '3 i- i uuriIJJArn ~T 2 An apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accorpanying drawings. Dated this 10th day of March 1998 JONG SENG WON By his Patent Attorney GRIFFITH HACK 4 0* a9S~* ha-