Special effects system using retroreflections to create an illusion of glowing toys and props
US9212805B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 16, 2013 |
| Grant date | Dec 15, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 16, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF21Y2115/10
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A special effects (FX) system for generating a penumbra or glow effect about an object. Briefly, the FX system includes at least one sheet of retroreflective material and a penumbra activator. The penumbra activator is designed to selectively direct light toward a reflective surface of the retroreflective material. For example, the penumbra activator may include an elongated core element extending from a hilt. The body of the core element may include strings or sets of direction light sources, which may be spaced apart along the length of external surfaces of the core element body. A controller is used to operate the light sources such as by sequentially illuminating the lights sources from an end near the base/hilt to an end near a tip/distal end of the core element body, with earlier lit sources remaining on in some cases to cause a light sword blade to grow out of the hilt.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.