Artificial fireplace
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing artificial fireplaces fail to provide a realistic and comforting experience, as they often rely on holograms or semi-reflective plates that result in reduced clarity and comfort due to limited brightness and parasitic reflections, compromising the impression of a wood fire.
Innovation Solution
An artificial fireplace design featuring a transparent glass plate at an angle of 50° to 56° with respect to the incident ray, combined with projection means for linear polarized light and a display screen, creates a clear holographic image of animated flames that is concealed from the observer's view, enhancing realism and reducing external reflections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If holograms or semi-reflective plates are used to create artificial flames, then the visual effect of fire is achieved, but image clarity and brightness are reduced due to limited brightness return and parasitic reflections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a dichroic mirror that selectively reflects different wavelengths of light. The mirror reflects infrared radiation from the heating element while allowing visible light to pass through, effectively separating useful thermal radiation from harmful visible reflections. This wavelength-selective reflection resolves the contradiction by targeting specific spectral bands rather than using broad-spectrum reflective surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The dichroic mirror acts as an intermediary element between the heating element and the observer. It mediates the interaction by selectively transmitting and reflecting different types of radiation, allowing the heating element to serve dual purposes: providing both thermal heating and visual flame effect without the parasitic reflections that would occur with conventional reflective surfaces.
2Loss of energy
If a dichroic mirror is used to reflect infrared radiation, then heating efficiency is improved, but the visible light reflection creates competing images that reduce clarity
Solution Approach 1:
The dichroic mirror exhibits different optical properties for different wavelengths of light. It has high reflectivity in the infrared spectrum for heating efficiency while maintaining high transmissivity in the visible spectrum for image clarity. This local quality variation across the electromagnetic spectrum resolves the contradiction by optimizing performance for each spectral band independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the optical parameters of the mirror surface to be wavelength-dependent. By engineering the dichroic coating with specific optical characteristics that vary with wavelength, the system achieves high infrared reflection for heating while maintaining visible light transmission for clear flame images, thus resolving the trade-off between heating efficiency and image clarity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a transparent plate is positioned at an angle to the incident ray, then external reflections are reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the transparent plate function with the dichroic mirror into a single integrated optical element. The plate is positioned at a specific angle (50°-56°) to the incident ray to minimize external reflections, while the dichroic coating provides wavelength-selective reflection. This merging of functions into one component achieves the anti-reflection benefit without adding separate structural elements, thus avoiding increased device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a spectacular and realistic impression of a wood fire by optimizing image clarity and reducing external reflections, resulting in a more immersive and comforting experience for the observer.
Implementation Method 1
projection means designed to transmit, according to an incident ray, images, in particular of animated flames, through a linear polarized light
Implementation Method 2
the transparent plate forming an angle of between 50° and 56°, with respect to the incident ray
Implementation Method 3
the transparent plate forming an angle of between 50° and 56°, with respect to the incident ray
Data Source
AI summary
The artificial fireplace includes an enclosure delimited by a lower wall, an upper wall and a peripheral wall. The peripheral wall includes an opening, a bed of fake embers being disposed inside the enclosure on a base defined by the lower wall. The enclosure is also provided with a projector for an image, in particular animated flames, towards a display screen disposed in the enclosure in a line of sight extending through the opening. The display screen is defined by a transparent glass plate extending between the bed of fake embers and the projector, while forming, in relation to the incident ray emanating from the projector, an angle ranging between 50° and 56°. The projector is defined for broadcasting images, in particular animated flames, through a linear polarized light. The invention also relates to a fireplace unit or stove comprising an artificial fireplace.