Hand-held light projector for producing light show

A hand-held light projector adapted to create on a remote display screen a light show presenting Lissajous figures whose patterns depend on how the projector is shaken by the operator. The projector includes a light bulb whose rays are focused to form a light beam that is directed onto a first spring-mounted mirror that when the projector is shaken, then oscillates about a horizontal axis, the beam deflected by the first mirror being cast on a second spring-mounted mirror that oscillates about a vertical axis. The beam deflected by the second mirror is cast on and scans the remote screen to produce a light trace thereon whose path is the resultant of the concurrent oscillations of the two mirrors to create on the screen Lissajous figures whose patterns depend on the frequencies and amplitudes of the oscillations.

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Claims

1. A hand-held projector for creating on a remote screen a light show presenting to a viewer Lissajous figures whose patterns depend on how the projector is shaken by an operator said projector comprising:

A. means producing a light beam which comes to a point on said screen;
B. a spring-mounted first mirror intercepting said light beam, said first mirror oscillating about a horizontal axis when the projector is shaken to deflect said beam with respect to said axis; and
C. a spring-mounted second mirror intercepting the beam deflected by the first mirror and concurrently oscillating about a vertical axis whereby the beam deflected by the second mirror is deflected with respect to the vertical axis and is directed toward said screen whereby the point on the screen traces a path whose course is the resultant of the horizontal and vertical deflections and creates said Lissajous figures.

2. A projector as set forth in claim 1, in which said first and second mirrors are housed within a front section of a casing having a window through which the beam deflected by the second mirror passes.

3. A projector as set forth in claim 2, in which said means to produce a light beam includes a battery-operated flashlight bulb whose rays are focused by a lens to produce said beam.

4. A projector as set forth in claim 3, in which the position of the lens is axially adjustable to bring said beam to a focus on said screen.

5. A projector as set forth in claim 1, in which said first mirror is mounted on a pair of helical springs placed along a vertical axis on opposite sides of a horizontal axis passing through the center of the mirror.

6. A projector as set forth in claim 1, in which the said second mirror is mounted on a pair of helical springs placed along a horizontal axis on opposite sides of a vertical axis passing through the center of the mirror.

7. A projector as set forth in a claim 1, further including a color wheel interposed between said light producing means and said first mirror to impart a color to the light beam.

8. A projector as set forth in claim 1, in which the color wheel is divided into four segments, each providing a different color, the color of the beam depending on which segment is aligned with the beam.

9. A projector as set forth in claim 8, in which the wheel has a periphery which is engaged by an operator's finger..Iadd.10. A projector as set forth in claim 1, wherein the light beam is a laser beam.

.Iaddend..Iadd.. A hand-held projector for creating on a remote screen a light show presenting to a viewer Lissajous figures whose patterns depend on how the projector is shaken by an operator said projector comprising:

A. means producing a light beam; and
B. a spring-mounted mirror intercepting said light beam, said mirror oscillating about at least one axis when the projector is shaken to deflect said beam with respect to said at least one axis whereby the light beam traces a path whose course is the resultant of the deflections and creates said Lissajous figures..Iaddend..Iadd.12. A projector as set forth in claim 11, wherein the light beam is a laser beam..Iaddend..Iadd.13. A projector as set forth in claim 11, further comprising a second mirror intercepting said light beam so as to direct said light beam to said spring-mounted mirror..Iaddend..Iadd.14. A light projection apparatus comprising:
A. a housing having a window;
B. a light source for producing a light beam within the housing; and
C. a mirror disposed within the housing to intercept said light beam, said mirror being spring-mounted such that shaking of the housing induces oscillatory motion of the mirror, thereby deflecting the light beam in an oscillatory pattern..Iaddend..Iadd.15. A projector as set forth in claim 14, wherein the light beam is a laser beam..Iaddend..Iadd.16. A projector as set forth in claim 14, wherein said mirror is a first mirror reflecting said light beam through said window and further comprising a second mirror intercepting said light beam from said light source and directing said

light beam to said first mirror..Iaddend..Iadd.17. A projector as set forth in claim 14, wherein said mirror is a first mirror and further comprising a second mirror, said first mirror intercepting said light beam from said light source and directing said light beam to said second mirror, said second mirror reflecting said light beam through said window..Iaddend.

Referenced Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
3609339 September 1971 Smith
3892478 July 1975 Lampkin
3990772 November 9, 1976 Knott
4010361 March 1, 1977 Latterman et al.
4196461 April 1, 1980 Geary
4756614 July 12, 1988 Kato et al.
4814800 March 21, 1989 Lavinsky et al.
Patent History
Patent number: RE36197
Type: Grant
Filed: Feb 27, 1998
Date of Patent: Apr 27, 1999
Inventor: Brian Walker (Bend, OR)
Primary Examiner: William Dowling
Law Firm: Blakely, Sokoloff, Taylor & Zafman LLP
Application Number: 9/32,898
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Gun, Flashlight Or Battery Operated Type (353/43); Plural (353/51); Plural (353/99)
International Classification: G03B 2128;