Method and apparatus for driving neon tube to form luminous bubbles and controlling the movement thereof
US4870326A · kind A · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 6, 1987 |
| Grant date | Sep 26, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 6, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S315/07
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system for driving a neon tube to form luminous bubbles and controlling the motion thereof in which a modulatable high AC voltage source is connected to control a pair of electronic switches in the primary circuit of a high voltage transformer which is connected to electrodes of said neon tube in such a way as to produce the luminous bubbles, which can be stationary or moved at varying speeds and direction by control of width and/or frequency of control pulses applied to the electronic switches. A memory stores predetermined patterns of the direction and speed of said luminous bubbles and microprocessor means for controlling said modulatable AC voltage in accordance with said predetermined pattern by said memory means to cause said luminous bubbles to move in said predetermined patterns of direction and speed. The memory may include a plurality of predetermined patterns stored, and selector for selecting one of said patterns and driving the neon tube therewith. For a plurality of neon tubes arranged in an artful pattern, and a plurality of modulatable high AC voltage AC sources are connected to respective ones of the neon tubes and means for selecting one or more of the predeterm…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.