Patent ID: 7080472

Claim:
A flame simulating apparatus to simulate flames emanating from a wood or fossil fuel burning fire, the flame simulating apparatus comprising; a light source; a light reflecting element, said light reflecting element producing a moving and generally random pattern of reflected light when light is cast upon said light reflecting element by said light source; and, a fire simulation screen having a front surface and a rear surface, said front surface having the image of a fire received thereon, said fire simulation screen positioned such that light from said light source may be reflected by said light reflecting element and cast upon said rear surface of said fire simulation screen, said fire simulation screen including at least one portion that is at least partially translucent such that light cast upon said partially translucent portion by said light reflecting element is diffused by said partially translucent portion, said diffused light at least partially passing through said translucent portion of said fire simulation screen to present a moving flame image emanating from said image of said fire on said front surface when viewed from a position in front of said fire simulation screen, said fire simulation screen including areas of varying relief providing a 3-dimensional appearance to said image of said fire received on said front surface and a 3-dimensional appearance to said moving flame image, said image of said fire being a photographic image of a burning fire applied to said front surface of said fire simulation screen.