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US3762083A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Sky projector

Assignee: Metropolitan Life Insurance Co
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Filing: 1972-08-24
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Granted: 1973-10-02
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Expires: 1992-08-24
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Abstract

Abstract A sky projector which simultaneously projects sky images and provides ground level display effects. The sky projector includes a vertical arrangement of a light source comprising several floodlights and several searchlights pointed upwardly to generate substantially vertical beams of light, a rotating umbrella-shaped color wheel having segments of different color and covering the light source, a protective screen covering the color wheel, an image plate disposed at an oblique angle with respect to the beam, and a surrounding wall which has a slanted top surface. The image plate 9 is secured to that slanted top surface, but is spaced therefrom for the purpose of providing special lighting effects. The inwardly facing surface of the surrounding wall is shaped in cross-section to assist in forming the projected sky image. The sky projector forms a sky image which gives the appearance of moving up and down in the sky as the beam from the light source is filtered through different color filters of the rotating color wheel. Additionally, the sky projector, together with peripheral lighting units forms a continuously changing color and shadow display visible at the ground level, and produces an aura effect which causes the image plate to appear floating in space.

Inventors

  • 👤 T Lemons
  • 👤 C Neenan

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-02 05:31
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09F; G09F19/00; G09F19/12; G09F19/18; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S362/00; Y10S362/806; Y10S362/808; Y10S362/809

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim 110 words
A sky projector including: a. light source means for generating an upwardly directed beam of light; b. a wall surrounding the light source means, said wall having an upper surface slanted with respect to the light beam; and c. image plate means spaced above the upper surface of said wall and parallel to said upper surface, said image plate means being wider than the upper surface of the wall so that it overhangs the edges thereof and at least partially conceals said edges from a viewer looking horizontally at said upper surface, so that said image plate means appears to float when illuminated by the peripheral portion of said beam.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 110 words
A sky projector including: a. light source means for generating an upwardly directed beam of light; b. a wall surrounding the light source means, said wall having an upper surface slanted with respect to the light beam; and c. image plate means spaced above the upper surface of said wall and parallel to said upper surface, said image plate means being wider than the upper surface of the wall so that it overhangs the edges thereof and at least partially conceals said edges from a viewer looking horizontally at said upper surface, so that said image plate means appears to float when illuminated by the peripheral portion of said beam.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1657878A Cited
US1619096A Cited
GB300409A Cited
GB367253A Cited
US2055217A Cited
US3456103A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-10-01 1977-04-02 1977-10-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-10-01 1981-04-02 1981-10-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-10-01 1985-04-02 1985-10-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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