Method of manufacturing foil for producing a pepper's ghost illusion

• US 9,563,115 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2014
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Musion IP Ltd. (Musion DAS Hologram Limited)
• Original Assignee: Musion IP Ltd. (Musion DAS Hologram Limited)
• Inventors: O'Connell, Ian C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Sultan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cruz, Magda
• Application Number:
  US14/556,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20150301348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/144 using partially transparent surfaces without spectral selectivity G02B27/147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/56 by projecting aerial or floating images
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2013 Plural light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2033 LED or laser light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/606 for relief projection
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/62 Translucent screens

Abstract

A method of producing a Pepper'"'"'s Ghost Illusion comprising using a reflective and semi transparent foil formed from a polymeric composite, the polymeric composite including a flame retardant.

Claims

1. A pepper'"'"'s ghost image display apparatus, comprising:

a semi-transparent screen;

an image bearing amplified light source comprised of light emitting diode (LED) tiles; and

a rear projection diffusion screen arranged in between an optical pathway of the LED tiles and the semi-transparent screen;

wherein

the semi-transparent screen is arranged at an angle to a plane of emission of light transmitted by the LED tiles; and

the semi-transparent screen has a front surface arranged such that light emitted from the LED tiles impinges upon the rear projection diffusion screen for onward transmission to the front surface of the semi-transparent screen, whereupon an image is reflected therefrom, the image appearing to be located behind the semi-transparent screen.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the semi-transparent screen comprises a flexible film or foil.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the flexible film or foil contains particles of flame retardant.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the flexible film or foil contains particles of anti-stick filler.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the flexible film or foil is arranged at an angle of between 38 degrees and 52 degrees to the plane of emission of light transmitted by the LED tiles.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the flexible film or foil is greater than 6 feet in width and 9 feet in height.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the semi-transparent screen is greater than 16 feet in width and 9 feet in height.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the flexible film or foil is greater than 16 feet in width and 13 feet in height.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rear projection diffusion screen is arranged in between the optical pathway of the LED tiles and semi-transparent screen at a distance between a rear section of the rear projection diffusion screen and a front surface of the LED tiles of between 0 mm and 10,000 mm.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the rear projection diffusion screen is grey, dark grey, or black.

11. A pepper'"'"'s ghost image display apparatus, comprising:

a substantially transparent polymer foil screen containing flame retardant;

an image bearing amplified light source comprised of light emitting diode (LED) panels; and

a rear projection diffusion screen arranged in between an optical pathway of the LED panels and the substantially transparent polymer foil screen at a distance between a rear section of the rear projection diffusion screen and a front surface of the LED panels of between 0 mm and 10,000 mm;

wherein

the substantially transparent polymer foil screen is arranged at an angle to a plane of emission of light transmitted by the LED panels; and

the substantially transparent polymer foil screen has a front surface arranged such that light emitted from the LED panels impinges upon the rear projection diffusion screen for onward transmission to the front surface of the substantially transparent polymer foil screen, whereupon an image is reflected therefrom, the image appearing to be located behind the substantially transparent polymer foil screen.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the substantially transparent polymer foil screen is arranged at an angle of between 38 degrees and 45 degrees to the plane of emission of light transmitted by the LED panels.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the substantially transparent polymer foil screen contains anti-stick filler.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the rear projection diffusion screen has a size of up to 40 feet by 90 feet and no visible seams.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the substantially transparent polymer foil screen has a surface area of at least 120 square feet and the rear projection diffusion screen does not include any seams visible to an audience viewing the image reflected by the substantially transparent polymer foil screen.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the rear projection diffusion screen has a thickness ranging from 1 mm to 4 mm.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the LED panels have a pixel pitch equal to or less than 3 mm.

18. A pepper'"'"'s ghost image display apparatus, comprising:

a substantially transparent polymer foil screen containing flame retardant and anti-stick filler;

an image bearing amplified light source comprised of light emitting diode (LED) panels; and

a rear projection diffusion screen arranged in between an optical pathway of the LED panels and the substantially transparent polymer foil screen at a distance between a rear section of the rear projection diffusion screen and a front surface of the LED panels of between 0 mm and 10,000 mm;

wherein

the substantially transparent polymer foil screen is arranged at an angle of between 38 degrees and 52 degrees to the plane of emission of light transmitted by the LED panels to a plane of emission of light transmitted by the LED panels; and

the substantially transparent polymer foil screen has a front surface arranged such that light emitted from the LED panels impinges upon the rear projection diffusion screen for onward transmission to the front surface of the substantially transparent polymer foil screen, whereupon an image is reflected therefrom, the image appearing to be located behind the substantially transparent polymer foil screen.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the rear projection diffusion screen is a Pro Display Ultra Black Pro-Diffusion HD or Mirrorvision screen, or a Stewart Filmscreen 100 screen.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the substantially transparent polymer foil screen has a surface area of at least 360 square feet and the rear projection diffuser screen is arranged such that no seams joining the LED panels or rear projection diffuser screen sections are visible to an audience viewing the image reflected by the substantially transparent polymer foil screen.