US20090080871A1

US20090080871A1 - Electric Fireplace Heater Having LED Flame Simulator

Info

Publication number: US20090080871A1
Application number: US11/859,749
Authority: US
Inventors: Hsien-Jung Chiu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-09-22
Filing date: 2007-09-22
Publication date: 2009-03-26

Abstract

An electric fireplace heater having an LED flame simulator includes a main body, a light-guide unit, a roller unit, a plurality of LED light sources, and an electric heating device. The main body includes a frame and artificial logs. The light-guide unit is mounted inside of the main body and behind the artificial logs. The roller unit is mounted inside of the main body and behind the light-guide unit. The roller unit includes a rack, and a cylinder provided with patterned apertures and driven to rotate by a motor. One of the LED light sources is disposed under the artificial logs to simulate burning woods and one of the LED light sources is disposed inside of the cylinder. The light emitted by the LED light source passes through the patterned apertures of the cylinder and is projected onto the light-guide unit, thereby presenting images of simulated flames.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heater having an apparatus for simulating flames, and in particular to an electric fireplace heater having an LED flame simulator.
2. The Prior Arts
An electric fireplace heater brings warmth and a cozy feeling to a room. The conventional electric fireplace heater is designed to look like a traditional wood burning fireplace, but does not actually burn wood. However, regular bulbs in the conventional fireplace heater illuminate aluminum pieces on a rotating twisted rod to generate flickering flame images, and artificial logs to generate the appearance of burning logs, thereby closely simulating the real flames.
This type of conventional fireplace heater uses regular bulbs to illuminate. The light bulbs are gradually reducing their light output, and the flame images generated by the light are gradually darkening. In another respect, the light bulbs are operated at high temperatures after long time use. It shortens the life of the light bulbs and lowers the efficiency of the light bulbs. Moreover, the flame is simulated by reflecting light from aluminum pieces on the rotating rod to a screen. The flame images are monotonous and boring. Therefore the practicability and aesthetics limit the application of the conventional fireplace heater.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to improve the unrealistic and boring simulated flames of the conventional fireplace heater, a fireplace heater according to the present invention provides bright and realistic simulated flames, simulated burning logs and blown-out warm air.
The solution of the present invention is to provide an electric fireplace heater having an LED flame simulator, which includes a main body, a light-guide unit, a plurality of LED light sources, and a roller unit. The main body is a case and includes a frame and artificial logs disposed inside the frame. The light-guide unit includes a light-guide plate disposed in the main body and behind the artificial logs. The LED light source includes a rod, and a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LED's) that are mounted on the rod and are connected with electric wires. One set of LED light sources is disposed beneath the artificial logs. The roller unit includes a rack disposed inside the main body and behind the light-guide plate, and a hollow cylinder with patterned apertures. One end of the cylinder is connected with a motor mounted on the rack. One of LED light sources is mounted on the rack and enclosed inside the cylinder.
When the motor drives the cylinder to rotate, the light emitted by the LED's is projected onto the light-guide plate through the patterned apertures on the cylinder. The artificial logs are also illuminated by the LED's. Thus, the flickering flame appears on the light-guide plate and the artificial logs look like burning woods. In order to make the flame more realistic, the cylinder according to the present invention can be a transparent tube wrapped with a red glassine, a yellow glassine and a sheet of paper. The paper includes patterned apertures shaped in flame-like S, lightning bolt, etc. The white light and/or other color light emitted by LCD's are projected through the patterned apertures of the cylinder and the shapes of the patterned apertures are projected onto the light-guide plate, thereby generating the images of flickering flames. Otherwise, the light-guide plate dyed red, yellow or other colors similar to the flame can replace the glassines wrapped on the cylinder, and achieve the same simulated effect of the flickering flames.
In addition, a heating device is mounted on the main body. The heating device includes heating wires, a switch and a blower to deliver heat to the environment. Thus, the fireplace heater according to the present invention provides a realistic simulation of flickering flames and has warm air blown out just like a wood burning fireplace.
The electric fireplace heater having an LED flame simulator according to the present invention has the following advantages. First of all, the fireplace heater according to the present invention has a heating function similar to that of a real wood burning fireplace. The fireplace heater can be placed in the fireplace or any place in the room. Secondly, the fireplace heater use LED's as light source. The LED's produce more light per watt than regular light bulbs, save energy and have a long life span. Thirdly, LED's project light upon artificial logs made of translucent material from below, thereby presenting a more realistic burning log appearance. Fourthly, LED's project light through the patterned apertures of the cylinder upon the light-guide plate, thereby present simulated flickering flames. The simulated flickering flames and red hot logs generate a wood burning image. Fifthly, components of the fireplace heater are modularized. It is easy and convenient to repair or replace a damaged module. Sixthly, the components of the fireplace heater are environmental friendly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an electric fireplace heater having an LED flame simulator in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the electric fireplace heater in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic partial view showing the electric fireplace heater in operation; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the electric fireplace heater placed in a fireplace.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an electric fireplace heater having an LED flame simulator in accordance with the present invention includes a main body 1, a light-guide unit 2, a roller unit 3, a plurality of LED light sources 4, and an electric heating device 6.
The main body 1 is a case made of wood or metal plate. The main body 1 includes a frame 11 and artificial logs 12 disposed at a bottom of the frame 11. The artificial logs are made of plastic or other translucent material. The light-guide unit 2, the roller unit 3 and LED light sources 4 are disposed inside the main body 1. A cover 5 is mounted at a back of the main body and seals the light-guide unit 2, the roller unit 3 and LED light sources 4 in the main body 1.
The light-guide unit 2 is disposed behind the artificial logs 12 and divides the space inside the main body 1 into a front space and a rear space. The artificial logs 12 are disposed in the front space and the roller unit 3 is disposed in the rear space. The light-guide unit 2 includes a light-guide plate having a transparent plate 21 and a matte translucent film 22 attached to a back surface of the transparent plate 21. The transparent plate 21 is transparent or translucent. The transparent plate 21 may be made of glass or acrylic glass.
The roller unit 3 is disposed inside the main body 1 and behind the light-guide unit 2. The roller unit 3 includes a rack 31, a motor 32, an axle sleeve 34 mounted on an axle of the motor 32, a fixing cap 35 and a cylinder 33. The rack 31 is a narrow U shaped frame and made of metal. The rack 31 includes a pair of brackets 311. The axle sleeve 34 is ring shaped and includes a plurality of ribs at the circumference thereof. The diameter of the fixing cap 35 is slightly larger than that of the cylinder 33, and the fixing cap has an engaging notch (not shown in the figures) at the center thereof. The cylinder 33 is a transparent tube wrapped in a red glassine and a yellow glassine which generate the color of the flames. A thick sheet of glossy paper or plastic, which includes various patterned apertures 331 to simulate flames, is wrapped around the glassiness The patterned apertures may be in thunderbolt shapes or in S shapes. The light-guide unit 2 may be dyed in red, yellow, or other colors similar to the color of the flames to replace the glassiness
The LED light source 4 includes a rod 41 and a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LED's) 42, which are mounted on the rod and connected with electric wires and a switch. The switch can turn on and off and control brightness of the LED's 42. The colors of the emitted light by the LED's 42 can be any colors.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the U-shaped rack 31 is mounted on the main body 1 and behind the light-guide unit 2. The axle sleeve 34 is tightly fitted into one end of the cylinder 33 and the ribs of the axle sleeve 34 are contacted with the inner surface of the cylinder 33. One end of the LED light source 4 is tightly fitted into the notch of the fixing cap 35, and the rod 41 faces the light-guide unit 2 at a 45-degree angle. The motor 32 is then mounted on the rack 31. The axle of the motor 32 passes through the brackets 311 and is connected with the axle sleeve 34, which is fitted into the cylinder 33. Thus, a first end of the cylinder 33 is connected with the motor 32. The LED light source 4 tightly fitted into the fixing cap 35 is inserted into a second end of the cylinder 33. The fixing cap 35 loosely covers the second end of the cylinder 33 and stays stationary without rotating with the cylinder 33. The fixing cap 35 is then fixed on the bracket 311 by screws. Therefore, the roller unit 3 and the LED light source 4 are assembled together. The LED light source 4 is stationary and the cylinder 33 can be driven to rotate by the motor 32.
The electric heating device 6 is mounted on the main body 1. The electric heating device 6 includes a blower to send out the warm air from air outlet 61 and a control panel 62 to control the speed and temperature setting of the warm air.
When the electric fireplace heater having the LED flame simulator according to the present invention is in operation, the axle of the motor 32 drives the axle sleeve 34 to rotate. Because the axle sleeve 34 is tightly fitted into the cylinder 33, the cylinder 33 is driven to rotate. When the LED light source 4 is turned on, the light emitted by the LED's 42 is projected onto the light-guide plate through the patterned apertures 331 on the cylinder 33. Thus, the shapes of the patterned apertures are cast to form flame images on the light-guide unit 2. Because the rod 41 faces the light-guide unit 2 at a 45-degree angle, the images cast on the light-guide unit 2 are larger than those at other angles. The rotating cylinder 33 makes the images of the flames projected on the light-guide unit 2 to move to and fro. Thus, it looks like flickering flames. Referring to FIG. 2, the LED light source 4 disposed under the artificial logs 12 illuminates the light-pervious artificial logs 12, which simulates real blazing logs and makes the simulated flames more realistic. The brightness of the LED light sources 4 behind the light-guide unit 2 and under the artificial logs 12 can be controlled synchronized. The multiple cylinders 33 are possible. The fireplace heater may include a plurality of cylinders 33, thereby interlacing the flame images from various cylinders 33. The images of the flames will be more realistic.
Referring to FIG. 4, the electric fireplace heater according to the present invention includes the main body 1, the artificial logs 12 disposed inside the main body 1, the light-guide unit 2 behind the artificial logs 12 and the electric heating device 6. When the electric fireplace heater is in operation, the heater presents the simulated red burning artificial logs 12 and flickering flame images on the light-guide unit 2, and blows out warm air from the electric heating device 6. Therefore, the electric fireplace heater having the LED flame simulator according to the present invention flickers and glows like the real thing, and brings warmth to the room.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An electric fireplace heater having an LED flame simulator, comprising

a main body, which is a case, comprising a frame and artificial logs disposed inside the frame;

a light-guide unit comprising a light-guide plate disposed inside the main body and behind the artificial logs;

a roller unit comprising a rack mounted in the main body and behind the light-guide unit, a motor mounted on one end of the rack, and a hollow cylinder having a plurality of patterned apertures mounted on the rack and rotatably connected with the motor at one end thereof;

a plurality of LED light sources comprising a rod and a plurality of LED's mounted on the rod, wherein one of the LED light source disposed under the artificial logs and the another LED light source disposed inside of the cylinder; and

an electric heating device comprising heating wires, a blower and a switch, and mounted on the main body;

wherein the motor drives the cylinder to rotate; the light emitted by the LED's passes through the patterned aperture and the shapes of the patterned apertures are projected onto the light-guide plate to simulate flickering flames; and the LED's illuminate the artificial logs to simulate burning woods.

2. The electric fireplace heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light-guide plate comprises a transparent plate and a matte translucent film attached to a back surface of the transparent plate.

3. The electric fireplace heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein an axle sleeve is tightly fitted in an end of the cylinder close to the motor and a fixing cap is mounted on an end of the rack far away from the motor; one end of the rod of the LED light source disposed inside of the cylinder is connected with the fixing cap; and the axle sleeve is connected with an axle of the motor.

4. The electric fireplace heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cylinder comprises a tube wrapped in a plurality of glassines; a sheet of wrapping layer having the patterned apertures is wrapped around the glassiness.

5. The electric fireplace heater as claimed in claim 4, wherein the patterned apertures are in various thunderbolt shapes and randomly distributed on the wrapping layer.

6. The electric fireplace heater as claimed in claim 4, wherein the patterned apertures are in various S shapes and randomly distributed on the wrapping layer.

7. The electric fireplace heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein the LED light source emits white light.

8. The electric fireplace heater as claimed in claim 3, wherein the LED light source emits white light.

9. The electric fireplace heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein the LED light source emits red light.

10. The electric fireplace heater as claimed in claim 3, wherein the LED light source emits red light.

11. The electric fireplace heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein the artificial logs are made of a material pervious to light.

12. The electric fireplace heater as claimed in claim 4, wherein the wrapping layer is made of paper.

13. The electric fireplace heater as claimed in claim 4, wherein the wrapping layer is made of plastics.