Abstract:
A laser display system employs at least one laser module which is energizeable to project a laser beam. The laser beam intersects a rotating crystal or optical element which is mounted above the top of a housing. A variable light display is projected into the surrounding region.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/371,798 filed on Apr. 11, 2002. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to laser systems which provide a light display which is generated by a laser light source. More specifically, this invention relates to a laser display system which is constructed of relatively inexpensive components.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Briefly stated, the invention in a preferred form is a laser display system wherein at least one laser source generates a laser beam. An optical element is interposed in the beam. A motor assembly rotates the optical element so that a continuously variable optical display is continuously projected into the surrounding region.  
           [0004]    A motor assembly, preferably comprising an electric motor which drives a shaft is operatively connected to the optical element. The motor and at least a portion of the laser source are housed within an enclosure. Preferably, there are a plurality of laser sources and the enclosure forms an aperture for each of the laser sources. A mounting assembly may be provided wherein the angle of the generated laser beam relative to the central axis of the housing enclosure may be varied for each of the laser sources. In one form of the invention, the enclosure comprises one more hinged panels which each mount a laser source.  
           [0005]    In one embodiment, the optical element is threadably mounted to the shaft. The axial position of the optical element with respect to the axis of rotation may vary as the element rotates. A globe may optionally surround the laser display system.  
           [0006]    In one preferred embodiment, a table housing which has a base and a top portion includes a central axis. The optical element is mounted above the top portion of the housing. A motor assembly continuously rotates the optical element. At least one, and preferably a plurality of modules, are mounted in fixed angular relationship to the housing central axis. The laser modules generate an optical output which intersects the optical element so that when at least one laser module is energized, a laser beam intersects the rotating optical element to produce a variable light display which is projectable onto surrounding structures. The plurality of laser modules are angularly spaced about the central axis of the housing.  
           [0007]    The optical element may comprise a ball which has a plurality of irregular shapes at the surface. An assembly may be provided to continuously axially displace the optical element as the element rotates. In one embodiment, there are six equiangular spaced laser modules. At least a portion of the motor assembly and at least a portion of each of the laser modules is positioned within the housing. In one embodiment, the optical element comprises a crystal of symmetric uniform geometric faces which reflects and refracts light. The laser display system may also include a second optical element which can be substituted for the first optical element and which produces a variable light display different than that of the first optical element.  
           [0008]    An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved laser display system which has an efficient construction and a relatively compact form.  
           [0009]    Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved laser display system which is capable of providing a wide variety of laser displays.  
           [0010]    A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved laser display system which provides for a continuous multi-directional laser light display.  
           [0011]    Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description and the drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is an exploded view, partly in schematic, of a first embodiment of a laser display system in accordance with the present invention, including a representation of a laser cannon and a schematic of various optional elements;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of a laser display system in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a perspective view, partly in schematic, of an integrated laser display system in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a side sectional view, partly in schematic and partly in phantom, of another embodiment of the laser display system in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the laser display system embodiment of FIG. 4;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the laser display system embodiment of FIG. 4;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a crystal subassembly which may be employed in the laser display system embodiment of FIG. 4;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 8 is a side sectional view, partly in schematic and partly in phantom, of a modified embodiment of the laser system of FIG. 4;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 9 is a schematic view of the laser system of FIG. 8;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a crystal subassembly that may be employed in the embodiment of FIG. 8; and  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 11 is an interior view of the laser display embodiment of FIG. 4, view generally from the bottom thereof. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0023]    With reference to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of the laser display system is employed to provide a continuously varying laser display from a module generally designated by the numeral  10 . The laser display module  10  includes a triangular base  12  which may be formed of any suitable materials such as wood, plastic or metal. A mirror  20  is supported on the base in a generally horizontal orientation. The base mirror  20  forms a vertex. A pair of mirrors  22 ,  24  projects generally upwardly at the location of the vertex in an oblique orientation. In one form of the invention, the mirrors  22 ,  24  are tilted rearwardly at an angle of approximately 65° to 70°. Each of the mirrors may be a quarter-inch standard mirrors which are suitably cut. In one form of the invention, the principal mirror  22  has a height of approximately 8 inches, an upper dimension of approximately 7 inches, and a lower dimension of approximately 4¼ inches, thereby forming an irregular quadrilateral shape.  
         [0024]    A lamp pipe  30  extends upwardly from the support base  12 . The pipe supports a platform  32  which mounts an electric motor  34  having a gear reduction, preferably providing a very slow turning, such as approximately 0.5 revolutions per minute. Suspended from the motor shaft is a cable  36  which at a lower end mounts a plastic crystal  40  which functions as a reflecting element.  
         [0025]    A laser cannon  50 , which may employ a pin type laser  52 , such as employed in a laser key chain, is mounted and oriented at locations X of the base so that upon energization, the laser beam (not illustrated) intersects the plastic crystal  40 . The angular orientation of the cannon  50  may be varied by repositioning relative to a base.  
         [0026]    The crystal  40  may assume various forms such as an oblong type configuration  40   a , an irregular circular configuration  40   b  or an elongated configuration  40   c  as illustrated. The electric motor  34  is turned on, which causes the crystal  40  to essentially rotate. The laser light from one or more cannons  50  is directed at the crystal, which upon rotation, reflects (and/or refracts) the laser light so that a visually striking pattern is displayed around the room. Naturally, the angle of the laser cannon  50  may be varied and the reflective surface of the crystal  40  may be varied to reflect various light patterns. In addition, the relative height of the crystal  40 , i.e., the horizontal point of intersection of the laser beam with the crystal, may also be varied to change the laser light display in the surrounding room.  
         [0027]    A second embodiment of a laser display system is generally designated by the numeral  100  in FIG. 2. Laser display module  100  includes a six-sided support base (not illustrated) which mounts a six-sided housing  120  comprising panels  122  which converge toward an apex at an upper portion thereof. A recess  124  is found adjacent intermediate locations of each of the intersections of the panels  122 . A penlight laser  130  is mounted at each recess  124  and aimed toward the apex.  
         [0028]    An acrylic plastic ball  140  which has been suitably melted to provide a very irregular shape is mounted on a shaft at the apex location. An electric motor (not illustrated), such as a Whirlpool™ electric dryer or washer motor, which provides a low revolution rate such as 0.5 revolutions per minute, is mounted at the interior of the housing. A variable speed motor may be provided. The lasers are powered by a 4.5 volt 1000 ma transformer which plugs via cord  148  into a standard 110-volt outlet.  
         [0029]    The lasers may be manually energized or, alternatively, an electric lead  150  may extend into the interior of the housing and connect with a power source for energizing the lasers. In one preferred embodiment, each laser  130  may be a class III A type laser such as a compact keychain type laser. Other laser sources may also be employed. Each of the laser beams intersects the ball  140  which functions as a refracting/reflecting element. When the ball motor is energized, the ball  140  rotates to provide a visually striking display pattern to the surrounding structures. The reflecting ball or crystal  140  may be replaced with other alternative crystals to provide a different visual display. In addition, the height of the crystals relative to the fixed angles of the lasers  130  can be varied to also change the display pattern. A rainbow effect may be produced by intersecting three laser beam colors at a selected point of the reflecting element.  
         [0030]    The laser assembly may be employed with auxiliary elements such as a smoke machine enhance the visual effect.  
         [0031]    A wide variety of crystal elements  40 ,  140  may be employed. The elements may be made from acrylic knobs which have various cuts, shapes and sizes, cut glass knobs, and hand blown glass balls. Melted reformed acrylic knobs are also highly suitable. For example, a round diamond cut acrylic crystal may show one dot and turn into four and into eight, then all connect with red lines greeting a three dimensional box which appears to fill with smoke and disappear. Different cuts of the crystal element will result in different shapes such as boxes, triangles and circles. The melted reformed acrylic knob is visually striking in that it may suggest a tornado in motion or storm clouds passing overhead, then reappearing and disappearing. Each of the laser beams intersects the crystal at an angle which will provide highly striking visual effects. For example, a white laser on a prism diamond cut crystal may provide a rainbow effect. The elements  40 ,  140  may also be quasi-spherical members have a symmetric uniform geometric face configuration.  
         [0032]    In addition, pivoting laser holders such as laser cannons can be placed throughout a room and aimed at the reflecting element to add an additional variation and highly striking visual effect to the laser assembly.  
         [0033]    With reference to FIG. 3, a globe  300  manufactured from white rice paper may be placed over the previously described laser modules  10  and  100 . Various shapes and dimensions of the globe may be employed. Alternatively, a translucent globe or a thin white plastic globe may also be employed.  
         [0034]    With reference to FIGS.  4 - 7  and  11 , another embodiment of a laser display module in the form of a table-top module is generally represented by the numeral  500 . The laser display system includes a volcano-like shaped housing  520  which is contoured and forms an upper crater with a plurality of angularly spaced apertures  524 . The housing  520  may be manufactured from durable plastic. The lasers  530  are preferably 4.5 volt class III A-type lasers which are secured by brackets  532  to the underside of the housing  520 . One (1) to six (6) lasers  530  may be employed in the preferred embodiments of the invention. The lasers may be oriented so that the axis of their optical beams B intersect at a vertex V at the center of the optical element  540 . Element  540  may be similar in structure to elements  40 ,  140 . With reference to FIGS. 4 and 6, the underside base  510  of the housing may mount three support pads  512 .  
         [0035]    An electric motor  550  is mounted at the interior of the housing. The motor preferably operates at a low revolution rate. The motor  550  may be a 3 volt, 6 ma electric motor which operates at 0.5 rpm or may be a variable speed motor. The motor  550  preferably drives a threaded shaft  552  which receives a coupling portion  538  of an optical element  540  as best illustrated in FIG. 7. The optical element  540  is threadably received on the shaft  552  and may be easily dismounted and replaced by another optical element (not illustrated) to provide variation in the optical display. The electrical leads  590  to the motor  550  and the lasers  530  may be separately connected or ganged in series as illustrated in FIG. 11. An on/off switch  592  may alternately be provided. When the lasers  530  are energized and the motor  550  is energized, the optical element  540  rotates to provide a visually striking, multi-dimensional and variable display pattern on the surrounding walls, ceiling and floor.  
         [0036]    With reference to FIGS.  8 - 10 , the laser display assembly designated generally by the numeral  600  is capable of providing enhanced variability to the visual display pattern. The housing module  620  includes panels  622  which are hinged at pivot axis  624  to allow for the angular relationship between the laser beam B, Bl and the optical element  640  to vary as illustrated in FIG. 9. The position of the lasers may be suitably altered by an arm  652  or a cam member which is also rotably driven by the motor  650 . In addition, the drive shaft assembly is provided with a worm gear (not illustrated) or a follower  642  interacts with a cam  644  so that as the drive shaft  658  of the motor rotates, the spacing between the crystal or optical element  640  and the top of the housing  620  is continuously varied to provide additional variability to the intersection of the laser beams and the optical element as illustrated in FIG. 10. In this embodiment, the drive shaft  658  may have a cross (+) shaped section which engages a complementary slot of the optical elements  640  to rotatably couple the components.  
         [0037]    While preferred embodiments of the foregoing invention have been set forth for purposes of description of illustration, the foregoing description should not be deemed a limitation of the invention herein. Accordingly, various modifications, adaptations and alternatives may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.