EP1947381A1

EP1947381A1 - Flame simulating apparatus and electric fireplace having the same

Info

Publication number: EP1947381A1
Application number: EP07710967A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Li Chen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-06-26
Filing date: 2007-02-15
Publication date: 2008-07-23
Also published as: WO2008003200A1; CN1884903A; EP1947381A4; CN100498046C

Abstract

The present invention discloses a flame simulating apparatus for an electric fireplace and an electric fireplace therewith. The flame simulating apparatus comprises a movable light source, which further comprises two or more light shades (21, 22). A relative movement is produced between the two or more light shades (21, 22) when forming a simulated flame. In the present invention not only can a rising dynamic effect be produced upwards, but also can a drifting dynamic effect be produced laterally.

Description

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a flame simulating apparatus used for an electric fireplace and an electric fireplace having such a flame simulating apparatus.

Background of the Invention

In the prior art there are two major kinds of flame simulating apparatus used for an electric fireplace. One kind produces a flame vision by rotating the blades of a horizontally-installed rotational axis, which is parallel to an imaging screen. The reflection sides of the blades reflect the light from a light source and then radial moving light beams are produced. A flame shape is formed through the flame holes on a flame board and is projected onto an imaging screen and a mirror glass. Then a flame vision is produced. The other kind produces a flame vision by rotating hollow light transmitting cylinder which is horizontally installed and parallel to an imaging screen. For example, Chinese Patent Application No. 200310122956.0 discloses an electric fireplace, in which light beams moving radially pass through the fixed holes on a light transmitting cylinder and a flame shape is formed through the flame holes on a flame board and then is projected onto an imaging screen and a mirror glass. Though the abovementioned flame simulating apparatus can produce the effect of a rising "flame", the light beams reflected or transmitted thereby can not move axially but radially. Therefore it could not produce an effect of a laterally drifting flame. Furthermore, an existing rotational axis blades and hollow light transmitting cylinder could not be installed vertically but horizontally so as not to produce axial moving light beams. Nor a dynamic light could be formed with even brightness upward and laterally around a flame simulating apparatus. The flame simulating apparatus of the above application can be applied only in an electric fireplace with one side having flame rather than in a round-shaped fireplace with four sides having flame or a polygon-shaped fireplace with multi-sides having flame. Additionally, when the fire display of single-side electric fireplace is too wide, it has to increase its rotational axis blades, the width of its light transmitting cylinder and the number of its light sources to ensure consistency of its flame brightness.
Due to the reasons mentioned above, it is necessary to provide a flame simulating apparatus and an electric fireplace therewith, in which not only can a rising dynamic effect be produced upwards, but also can a drifting dynamic effect be produced laterally. Meanwhile, the "flame" can be formed all around a circular electric fireplace or on its multi-sides of a polygon-shaped electric fireplace.

Description of the Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a flame simulating apparatus as well as an electric fireplace therewith in which not only can a rising dynamic effect upwards and a drifting dynamic effect laterally be produced, but also can a "flame" be formed all around a circular electric fireplace or on its multi-sides of a polygon-shaped electric fireplace.
As one aspect the present invention provides a flame simulating apparatus for an electric fireplace, comprising a movable light source, a flame board, a semi-transparent imaging screen and a semi-transparent glass screen, in which the movable light source is placed behind the imaging screen and a mirror glass is fixed before the imaging screen. The movable light source comprises two or more light shades, a motor, a light source and a transmission mechanism. A relative movement is generated between the two or more light shades when forming a simulated flame.
Preferably, there are a plurality of light holes on each light shade of the above-mentioned flame simulating apparatus and the angle between the projection of a light hole onto the flame board and a plumb line is more than zero degree and less than 90 degrees. The crossed angle of the projections of light holes of the two or more light shades onto the flame board is more than zero degree and less than 90 degrees. The light shades are preferably in the shape of a cylinder, but can also be in any other shapes. For example, the section of a light shade is in the shape of a regular hexagon.
More preferably, the two or more light shades in the flame simulating apparatus of the present invention are set along a direction substantially vertical to a horizontal plane.
In the above flame simulating apparatus, the light holes on the light shades can be in any shape, such as circular holes, oval holes, square holes, rectangular holes, slits, etc. They can also be in irregular shape as well. Preferably, they are slits or in the shape of long rectangle.
In the above flame simulating apparatus, there is no special requirement on the transmission mechanism, which can be any mechanical transmission mechanism, such as gear, belt or rotation axis, etc.
In the above flame simulating apparatus, when the motor is electrified, the two or more light shades are driven by the transmission mechanism to produce relative movement and thus to form a series of light holes which rise up spirally. In the same time the light source emits light beams which pass through the spirally rising light holes to form groups of dynamic and multi-angled light sources from up to down and from left to right (or from right to left). When they are projected onto the semi-transparent imaging screen through the flame holes on the flame board a blasting "flame" is produced on a mirror glass with a continuously leaping, rising and drifting vision.
As another aspect the present invention also provides an electric fireplace in which the above-mentioned fire simulator is installed.
The section of the electric fireplace of the present invention can be in the shape of a polygon with one or more of its sides being installed with the flame board, the imaging screen and the glass screen, etc. The section of the electric fireplace of the present invention can also be in the shape of a circle. As the light shades is set along a direction substantially vertical to a horizontal plane, a simulated flame can be seen from at least one side of a polygon-shaped electric fireplace or all around a circular fireplace.
Compared with the prior the present invention has the advantage that in the movable light source the light holes of the light shades, which are forced to produce relative movement, can form a series of light holes which rise up spirally. In the same time light beams pass through the spirally rising light holes to form groups of dynamic and multi-angled light sources from up to down and from left to right (or from right to left) and thus to produce a flame vision on the imaging screen. In the present invention a flame can not only be watched from one side of an electric fireplace but also be watched all round an electric fireplace while in the prior art a flame can only be watched from one side of an electric fireplace.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 shows the front view of a flame simulating apparatus for an electric fireplace according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows a section view of a light shade used in one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 shows a partial section view of a light shade and a transmission mechanism used in one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 shows a planar view of an external light shade which is stretched out in a planar surface.
Figure 5 shows a front view of a flame board used in one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 shows a partial section view of a light shade and a transmission mechanism used in the second embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 shows a partial section view of a light shade and a transmission mechanism used in the third embodiment of the present invention
Figure 8 shows a partial section view of a light shade and a transmission mechanism used in the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention will be described in detail with the following embodiments and the attached drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments. Any solutions with modifications and/or replacements based on the basic spirit of the present invention are still within the protection scope defined by the following claims.

Embodiments of the Invention

Example 1

As shown in figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, a flame simulating apparatus for an electric fireplace comprises a bulb 10, a flame board 6, a semi-transparent imaging screen 7, a semi-transparent glass screen 8, and a light shade 2 with flame holes or light holes. The light shade with flame holes 2 is set behind the flame board 6, and the glass screen 8 is fixed in front of the imaging screen 7. A simulating fuel bed 3 is placed in front of the cavity of a shell 1. The bulb 10 is in cooperation with the simulated fuel bed 3, and a light source 11 is in cooperation with light shade 2. Light shade 2 is in cooperation with a transmission mechanism 9 which is installed on a transmission mechanism base 102.
As shown in figure 3, the transmission mechanism 9 comprises a synchronous motor 91, an active gear 92, an internal gear 94 and an external gear 93. The active gear 92 is installed on the axis of the synchronous motor 91. The internal gear 94 is engaged with the external gear 93. An internal gear axis 941 is installed on the transmission mechanism base 102 inside the shell 1. The light source 11 is installed on the internal gear axis 941. As shown in figure 2, the light shade 2 comprises an internal light shade 22 and an external light shade 21, in which both are in the shape of a cylinder, the external light shade 21 is fixedly connected to the external gear 93, and the internal light shade 22 is fixedly connected to the internal gear 94. The light source 11 is located within the internal light shade 22.
As shown in figure 4, the light holes on the external light shade 21 are in left-hand rotation, and they can be in parallel to its axis. The light holes on the internal light shade 22 can be in left-hand rotation, in right-hand rotation or in parallel to its axis.
When the light source 11 locates between the external light shade 21 and a rear panel 101, it can also realize the object of the present invention.

Example 2

As shown in figure 6, the transmission mechanism 9 comprises a synchronous motor 91, an active shaft 95 and a passive shaft 96. Both ends of the light shade 2 are fixedly connected. The light shade 2 is in cooperation with the active shaft 95 and the passive shaft 96, and the light shade 2 rotates around the active shaft 95 and the passive shaft 96. The light source 11 locates behind the light shade 2, i.e. between the light shade 2 and the rear panel 101 of the shell 1.

Example 3

As shown in figure 7, the transmission mechanism 9 comprises a synchronous motor 91, an active shaft 95 with gear, passive shafts 96 and a passive gear 97. The light shade 2 includes the external light shade 21 and the internal light shade 22. The synchronous motor 91 is fixedly connected to the active shaft 95 with gear which, together with passive shafts 96, is in cooperation with the light shade 21 having its both ends fixedly connected. After one of the passive shafts 96 being fixedly connected to the passive gear 97, one of the passive shafts 96 is in cooperation with the other three of the passive shafts 96 and with the internal light shade 22 having its both ends fixedly connected. The active shaft 95 with gear is engaged with the passive gear 97. The internal light shade 22 locates within the space enclosed by the external light shade 21, and the light source 11 locates within the space enclosed by the internal light shade 22.

Example 4

As shown in figure 8, the transmission mechanism 9 comprises a synchronous motor 91, an active shaft 95 and passive shafts 96. There are three passive shafts 96. Both ends of the light shade 2 are fixedly connected, and the light shade 2 is in cooperation with the active shaft 95 and the passive shafts 96 in which the light shade 2 rotate around the active shaft 95 and the passive shafts 96. A second synchronous motor 911 is fixedly connected to a rotating cylinder base 13 which is fixedly connected to a rotating cylinder 12. The light source 11 is fixed within the rotating cylinder 12, and the rotating cylinder 12 locates within the space enclosed by the light shade 2.
This example can also be realized in such a way that the light source 11 locates between the rear panel 101 of the shell 1 and the light shade 2.

Claims

A flame simulating apparatus used for an electric fireplace, comprising a movable light source, wherein said movable light source comprises two or more light shades, and a relative movement is produced between said two or more light shades when forming a simulated flame.
The flame simulating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said flame simulating apparatus further comprises a flame board, a semi-transparent imaging screen and a semi-transparent glass screen, wherein a mirror glass is fixed before said imaging screen and said movable light source is placed behind said imaging screen.
The flame simulating apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said movable light source further comprises a motor, a light source and a transmission mechanism.
The flame simulating apparatus according to one of claims 2-3, wherein each of said two or more light shades has a plurality of light holes, and the angle between the projection of one of the light holes onto said flame board and a plumb line is more than zero degree and less than 90 degrees.
The flame simulating apparatus according to one of claims 1-3, wherein said two or more light shades are set along a direction substantially vertical to a horizontal plane.
The flame simulating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the crossed angle between the projections of said light holes of said two or more light shades onto said flame board is more than zero degree and less than 90 degrees.
The flame simulating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said light holes are slits or in the shape of long rectangle.
An electric fireplace comprising the flame simulating apparatus according to one of claims 1-7.
The electric fireplace according to claim 8, wherein the section of said electric fireplace is in the shape of a polygon with one or more of its sides being installed with said flame board, said imaging screen and said glass screen.
The electric fireplace according to claim 8, wherein the section of said electric fireplace is in the shape of a circle and a simulated flame is watched all around said circular electric fireplace.