GB2596266A - Imitation flame effect - Google Patents

Abstract

An imitation flame effect comprises a number of LEDs D attached to printed circuit board strips A, B, C. The lights are projected on to a viewing surface comprising a flexible material such as fabric which is made to flap in the air stream from an electric fan K. The LEDs may be different colours.

Description

Imitation flame effect This invention relates to a device which creates an imitation flame effect.

Imitation electric fires have been popular for many years; usually they rely on a light source to create the illusion of having a living flame effect.

The device described in this patent application employs a method of arrangement of lights which results in a realistic illusion of flames.

An example of the invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows a number of printed circuit board strips (A, B and C) with LED lights attached (D). These strips are arranged at varying angles to the vertical.

Figure 2 shows the arrangement from a side perspective. (F) represents a viewing surface onto which the LED lights are projected. Areas G, H and J show the areas on the surface onto which the light from each LED falls.

Figure 3 & 4 shows an arrangement where the viewing surface F comprises of a piece of flexible material such as fabric which is made to flap in an air stream from an electric fan (K).

The invention will now be described using Figure 2.

When the imitation flame effect is turned on the light from the LED's on strip (A) falls largely in zone (G), the light from strip (B) falls largely in zone (H), and the light from strip (C) falls largely in zone (J). It is preferable but not essential if these zones overlap.

The illusion of flame is enhanced if the LED's are different colours. A preferred method is if the LED's on strip (A) are largely yellow, the LED's on strip (B) are largely orange or a mixture of yellow and red, and the LED's on strip (C) are red. Using these colours has the effect of reproducing a 'flame', with the light in zone (G) being yellow, fading to orange in zone (H), fading to red in zone (J).

As the material in figures 3 and 4 flaps and billows it moves forwards and backwards causing different colours of light to fall on it. In figure 3 the material has billowed away from the lights so the area shown by (Y) will have a yellow light illuminating it and the area shown by (X) will have an orange light illuminating it. In figure 4 the material has billowed towards the light so that area (Y) which was previously yellow now has the yellow and orange light shining on it and the area (X) has moved from an orange area of light to a red area of light.

This changing of colour when combined with the movement gives an illusion of flames.

An additional enhancement to the overall effect can be achieved by having the individual LED's flashing or by getting brighter and dimmer at random, this creates a more realistic movement of the imitation flames.

If desired the colours of LED's on each strip can be mixed or the colour of LED's can be altered by an LED driver.

Claims (8)

1. Claims 1 A number of lights projecting at varying angles of incident ray onto a viewing surface.
2. 2 A number of LED lights projecting at varying angles of incident ray onto a viewing screen.
3. 3 A number of LED lights of varying colours projecting at varying angles of incident ray onto a viewing screen.
4. 4 A number of lights projecting at varying angles of incident ray onto a viewing surface in a manner which provides overlapping colours on the screen.
5. Any of the claims above where the lights are flickering.
6. 6 Any of the claims above where the lights are fading between brighter and less bright.
7. 7 Any of the above claims where the viewing screen comprises of flapping fabric.
8. 8 A number of lights of more than one colour projecting at varying angles of incident ray onto a flapping fabric where the movement of the fabric into and out of the beams shone by the lights causes the colour of light on the fabric to alter as it moves.