GB2230888A

GB2230888A - Light display device

Info

Publication number: GB2230888A
Application number: GB8909265A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wai-Shi Kwok
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-04-24
Filing date: 1989-04-24
Publication date: 1990-10-31
Also published as: GB8909265D0

Abstract

An ornamental light display device (10) which comprises a housing (11) having a peripheral wall (12) including a light- transmissible portion (13) forming a display indicium, a light source (16) located inside the housing (11) and arrange in use to scan progressively the light-transmissible portion (13) thereby to illuminate the display indicium, and drive means (18) for rotating the light source (16) relative to the housing (11). The light source may be in the form of a candle. Further, the device may include light-guiding means such as optical fibres for guiding light from the light source to the light-transmissible portion. <IMAGE>

Description

LIGHT DISPLAY DEVICE The present invention relates to a light display device.

According to the invention, there is provided an ornamental light display device which comprises a housing having a peripheral wall including a light-transmissible portion forming a display indicium, a light source located inside the housing and arranged in use to scan progressively the light-transmissible portion thereby to illuminate the display indicium, and drive means for rotating the light source relative to the housing.

Preferably, the light-transmissible portion is provided by an aperture or a plurality of apertures in the peripheral wall of the housing.

In a preferred embodiment, the light source comprises candle means, and a rotatable sleeve located around said candle means and having a window through which the light-transmissible portion is illuminable by said candle means.

It is preferable that light-guiding means is provided for guiding light from said light source to the light-transmissible portion of the housing.

Preferably, said light-guiding means comprises a plurality of optical fibres, one end of each optical fibre being located in a corresponding aperture and the other end of each optical fibre being located on the outside of the sleeve at substantially the same level as the window.

Other preferred and/or optional features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying claims 6 to 17.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partial sectional side view of a first embodiment of a light display device in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional side view of a second embodiment of a light display device in accordance with the invention; and Figure 3 is a sectional side view of an alternative part for the light display device of Figure 1 or Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a first embodiment of a light display device 10 which includes a housing 11 having a cylindrical peripheral wall 12 having a light-transmissible portion 13, and a rotatable light source 15 inside the housing 11. The light-transmissible portion is provided by a plurality of apertures 14 which is arranged to form a display indicium including, inter alia, the word "HAPPY" in dots. The light source 15 comprises an upright can-like member 16, a candle 17 located in the can-like member 16, and an electric motor 18 for rotating the can-like member 16 and the candle 17.

The candle 17 has a construction which is very similar to the candle device disclosed in British Patent Application No. 8609261 (published under no. 2175994A). Briefly, the candle 17 includes an upright can-like casing 17(a), a candle wax body 17(b) located in the casing 17(a), a top cover 17(c) for the casing through which cover 17(c) a candle wick of the wax body 17(b) extends upwards, and a spring 17(e) underneath the wax body 17(b) in the casing 17(a). The spring 17(e) urges the wax body 17(b) upwards against the top cover 17(c) and this results in the wax body 17(b) burning with a flame 19 at a substantially constant level relative to the casing 17(a).

A window 21 is provided in a cylindrical wall 20 of the can-like member 16 at substantially the same level as the flame level of the candle 17. Thus when the can-like member 16 and the candle 17 are rotated by the motor 18, light from the flame 19 of the candle 17 will project on to and progressively scan the portion of an inner side 22 of the peripheral wall 12 at the level of the window 21.

The apertures 14 are arranged in the peripheral wall 12 below the level of the window 21. Optical fibres 23 are provided extending from the corresponding apertures 14 to the window level. First ends 23 (a) of the optical fibres 23 are bundled together and supported by an annular bracket 24 at a position between the cylindrical wall 20 of the can-like member 16 and the peripheral wall 12 of the housing 11 and at the level of the window 21. Second end 23(b) of each optical fibre 23 is located in a corresponding aperture 14. Thus the optical fibres 23 serve in use to guide light emerging out of the window 21 to the apertures 14 for displaying said light.

To enhance the light intensity of the light display, a converging lens 25 is located across the window 21, which lens 25 directs light at the ends 23 (a) of the optical fibres 23. Further to enhance said light intensity, a reflective surface 26 is provided on the inner side of the cylindrical wall 20 of the can-like member 16 on the opposite side to the window 21 with respect to the candle flame 19. The surface 26 reflects the light received from the candle flame 19 on the rear side to the window 21. The colour of the light received by the ends 23 (a) of the optical fibres 23 is changed by means of a colour filter 27 which is also located across the window 21 so as to enhance the visual effect of the light display.

Alternatively, the colour filter 27 could be located on the bracket 24 and covering the ends 23 (a) of the optical fibres 23 so as to keep away from the heat of the flame 19.

The electric motor 18 is located in a compartment 28 at the bottom of the housing 11, and in the same compartment 28 batteries 29 for the motor 18 and a switch 30 for controlling the operation of the motor 18 are also located.

The light display device 10 also includes a music generator comprising an integrated circuit 31 and a piezo-electric speaker 32 located in the compartment 28.

The integrated circuit 31 is powered by the batteries 29, and is manually controllable by means of the switch 30 and automatically controllable by means of another switch 33 which is connected electrically in series with the first-mentioned switch 30.

The switch 33 is formed by a pair of switch contacts 34 located on the inner side 22 of the peripheral wall 12 of the housing 11, and a switch member 35 located on the outer side of the cylindrical wall 20 of the can-like member 16. When the can-like member 16 is rotated by the motor 18, the switch member 35 will short-circuit momentarily the switch contacts 34 once in every cycle of rotation, thereby activating the integrated circuit 31 periodically. The integrated circuit 31 is programmed so as to generate a segment of music whenever it is activated. Thus the display of light and the generation of music segments are synchronised with each other.

In a modified embodiment of the light display device 10; which embodiment is not shown in the drawings, a plurality of light-emitting diodes of different colours is supported on the outside of the cylindrical wall 20 of the can-like member 16 and at the same level as the window 21. The light-emitting diodes are powered by the batteries 29, and are automatically controlled in the same manner as the music generator but by a separate set of switches identical with the switch 33. Thus light of different colours can be displayed through the optical fibres 23 and the apertures 14. This modified embodiment can operate even without the candle 17 or after the candle 17 has been used up.

The colour filter 27 could be of a temperature-sensitive liquid crystal material so that its colour changes gradually with the rise of temperature at the initial stage of burning of the candle 17.

Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of a light display device 36 in accordance with the invention. The device 36 operates without batteries and has a similar construction to the device 10 of Figure 1, except that the can-like member 16 is replaced by a sleeve 37 which is vertically supported for rotation on a central vertical post 38 upstanding from a base 39 of a housing 40.

The top end of the sleeve 37 is closed by a propellor-like plate 41 at the centre of which an inverted cap 42 is formed. The cap 42 sits on an upper end 43 of the post 38 so as to form a bearing for the sleeve 37, and the sleeve 37 is maintained in a vertical position by an annular collar 44 upstanding from the base 39. A candle 45 having a similar construction as the candle 17 of Figure 1 is located on the base 39 at an off-centre position by a second upstanding annular collar 46 and adjacent a window 50. When the candle 45 burns, hot air rises up and passes through the propellor-like plate 41 so as to rotate the sleeve 37 to display light.

Figure 3 shows an oil lamp 46 which could be used as an alternative to the candle 17 or 45 as described above.

The oil lamp 46 is formed by a bottle of oil 47 in which a wick 48 is immersed. The wick 48 is supported at the mouth of the bottle so that the oil lamp 46 will burn with a substantially constant level flame 49.

The invention is described by way of example only, and various modifications and/or alterations will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An ornamental light display device comprising a housing having a peripheral wall including a light-transmissible portion forming a display indicium, a light source located inside the housing and arranged in use to scan progressively the light-transmissible portion thereby to illuminate the display indicium, and drive means for rotating the light source relative to the housing.

2. A light display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light-transmissible portion is provided by an aperture or a plurality of apertures in the peripheral wall of the housing.

3. A light display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the light source comprises candle means, and a rotatable sleeve located around said candle means and having a window through which the light-transmissible portion of the housing is illuminable by said candle means.

4. A light display device as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, further comprising light-guiding means for guiding light from said light source to the light-transmissible portion of the housing.

5. A light display device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said light-guiding means comprises a plurality of optical fibres, one end of each optical fibre being located in a corresponding aperture and the other end of each optical fibre being located on the outside of the sleeve at substantially the same level as the window.

6. A light display device as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, further comprising a converging lens located across the window of the sleeve for directing light from said light source.

7. A light display device as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein a colour filter is located across the window of the sleeve for changing colour of light received through the window.

8. A light display device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the colour filter is of a temperature-sensitive material.

9. A light display device as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein a light-reflecting surface is provided inside the sleeve for reflecting light from said light source to the window.

10. A light display device as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 9, wherein means are provided, in use to maintain the flame of said candle means at substantially the same level as the window.

11. A light display device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said candle means includes a wax candle and a spring urging the wax candle upwards so as to maintain the flame at a substantially constant level when the wax candle burns.

12. A light display device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said candle means includes a container of fuel oil, and a candle wick partially immersed in the oil and fixed relative to the container so that when said candle means burns the flame stays at a substantially constant level.

13. A light display device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said drive means includes an electric motor.

14. A light display device as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 12, wherein said drive means includes a propellor-like member connected to the sleeve and above said candle means, the arrangement being such that the sleeve is rotatable by rising hot air passing through the propellor-like member when said candle means burns.

15. A light display device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprises a music generator.

16. A light display device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the operation of the music generator is synchronised with the display of light from said light source.

17. A light display device as claimed in claim 16; wherein the music generator is arranged to be activated by a switch operable by means of the sleeve.

18. A light display device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 3 or Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.