Did You Know...
...that Thomas Edison's patent application on his phonograph was approved by the Patent Office in just seven weeks? In contrast, it took Gordon Gould, the inventor of the laser, 30 years to obtain his patent -- finally awarded in 1988!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7114689 | Gimbaled mounting bracket A gimbaled mounting bracket apparatus for aligning an actuator with a receptacle is disclosed, having a mounting ring rotatable around a pair of gudgeons. A concentric rotation ring attached to the pair of gudgeons. The concentric ring is mounted to a base along a r... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7104656 | Projector A projector includes a spherical housing for housing circuitry configured to generate an image. A lens is included in the housing to project the image. A concave base supports the spherical housing. The lens is aimed in a desired direction by positioning the spheric... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7018053 | Projector A projector includes circuitry configured to generate an image; a lens for projecting the image; a housing for the circuitry; and a mechanism for moving the lens with respect to the housing or with respect to a viewing surface to direct a projected image in a desire... | 03/28/2006 |
| 7004588 | Planetarium and point light source for use in same Featured is a portable planetarium device suitable for use in projecting clear bright images of stars, planets, and other celestial objects onto a curved viewing surface. The portable planetarium devices of the invention comprise a point light source generators, a l... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6945683 | Thin lamp assembly method The subject invention comprises a thin lamp assembly having a lens and a lamp housing heat staked and sealed together. The subject invention further comprises the method of assembling the thin lamp assembly. In one embodiment, the lens has a plurality of plastic sta... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6827454 | Imaging prevention method and system As an imaging prevention method for interfering unauthorized imaging of a number of visual images projected on a screen, there is employed a method for projecting infrared light to a viewer/audience direction from at least one or more infrared light projector device... | 12/07/2004 |
| 6793353 | Imaging prevention method and system As an imaging prevention method for interfering with the unauthorized imaging and recording of a visual image projected on a screen, there is employed a method for projecting infrared light to a viewer/audience direction from at least one or more infrared light proj... | 09/21/2004 |
| 6623126 | Projector for use in planetarium Provision of a projector used for a planetarium which is capable of reducing electrical power consumption and size. The projector comprises a light source 1 constituted by an array of a plurality of light emitting diodes L for emitting illumination light.... | 09/23/2003 |
| 6048210 | Planetarium In a planetarium apparatus, a first controller controls a projector for projecting a state of celestial bodies as observed from a selected first viewpoint onto a dome, and a second controller controls a display and/or a video projector for displaying said... | 04/11/2000 |
| 6033230 | Planetarium A planetarium of the present invention has a plurality of projectors for projecting astronomical bodies and the like, input device and the like for entering data relating to the attitude of said projector, controller for controlling the attitude of said p... | 03/07/2000 |
| 6030227 | Digital solar system model A digital solar system model includes a display with a center representing the sun, and discrete lamps arranged in concentric loops around the sun representing the planetary orbits. The lamps are controlled by a processor. The orbital motion of each plane... | 02/29/2000 |
| 5717529 | Controllable horizon diaphragm for planetaria A controllable horizon diaphragm for planetaria with a housing and a cup-shaped diaphragm arranged in the beam path of a lens projecting fixed star transparencies into a dome. The controllable horizon diaphragm comprises a housing, a first and second beve... | 02/10/1998 |
| 5492475 | Planetarium and projection apparatus for same A planetarium has a console, a host computer, and a plurality of mutually separate and independent projection apparatus for projecting a star field, the sun, moon and planets. Each projection apparatus incorporating a high performance CPU. Time and date a... | 02/20/1996 |
| 5460528 | Starlight and moonlight hybrid simulation using fiber optics A hybrid simulation system that provides realistic indoor starlight and mlight simulation. At least two light sources provides light where each is coupled to an aperture so that the light source is focused. At least one variable aperture control is provi... | 10/24/1995 |
| 5324224 | Spherical construction toy and light apparatus The present invention comprises a hollow globe including a plurality of apertures which are formed substantially throughout the entire surface of the globe. Formed within the globe and disposed in laminar juxtaposition to the interior surface of the globe... | 06/28/1994 |
| 5283601 | Projector and process for creating a night-sky illusion A projector for creating a night-sky illusion on a planar surface such as a ceiling or a wall. The projector includes a base having two pairs of opposing walls and a shelf assembly adapted to be mounted in the base including a light bulb, a battery connec... | 02/01/1994 |
| 5194009 | Projection apparatus for planetariums Projection devices (2, . . . ,9) for representing the orbital curves of planets are fitted in several planes beneath the main instrument (1) for fixed star projection. The projection devices (2, . . . , 9) can be moved, respectively independently of each ... | 03/16/1993 |
| 5097640 | Frame support for paneled screens and like structures A frame for a projection screen or the like may be fabricated of elongated round tubular members running one direction and polygonal (preferably rectangular) cross section members running in the other direction connected together into a grid by clamps at ... | 03/24/1992 |
| 5082447 | Star projection device A star projection device is formed from an opaque film sheet folded to form a six-sided, cubical enclosure, the film having transparent spots extending over its entire area representing star positions when projected onto a surrounding surface, and a small... | 01/21/1992 |
| 5035623 | Planetarium This planetarium is remarkable in that it comprises a sphere (5) consisting of two separate hemisphere (1-2) with diametrically opposed planes facing each other, defining between them a space (e) which can be varied as required, the said hemispheres being... | 07/30/1991 |
| 4955714 | System for simulating the appearance of the night sky inside a room A system for painting images of stars and other objects on the interior surfaces of a room with phosphorescent paint utilizes a projector to project symbols on the surface to indicate locations of points to be painted. The projector is adjustable to accom... | 09/11/1990 |
| 4858079 | Light projecting toy musical box A light projecting toy musical box projects a light pattern which is synchronized with musical sound generated by an acoustic mechanism. The projected light patterns are formed by providing a lamp within a base and rotatably mounting a dome over the lamp ... | 08/15/1989 |
| 4776666 | Projector for projecting fixed star An improved projector for projecting fixed stars in planetaria increases the brightness and the brilliance of the projected sky by using fiber optical light guides. The device comprises at least one light source, one condenser, one star plate or templates... | 10/11/1988 |
| 4643681 | Planetarium having an auxiliary projector independently rotatable about a star field projector A planetarium comprises a star field projector which projects the star field, a ring-shaped member which supports the star field projector rotatably about a first axis, a first rotating member which supports the ring-shaped member rotatably about a second... | 02/17/1987 |
| 4639224 | Multiple projector planetarium drive system A planetarium includes a fixed star field projector and a plurality of planet projectors spaced from the star field projector. A computerized control controls the rotation of the projectors, each of the planet projectors being controlled in its rotation a... | 01/27/1987 |
| 4606627 | Light shutter mechanism for planetarium There is disclosed a light shutter mechanism for lens projector used in a planetarium and being capable of any required rotation. The light shutter mechanism comprises a plurality of inwardly slanted annular plate members positioned in surrounding relatio... | 08/19/1986 |
| 4588384 | Fixed-star projecting machine for planetarium A fixed-star projecting machine for a planetarium includes a fixed-star projection lens unit in each polygon of the globe surface of a fixed-star projection globe divided into a plurality of parts. Of these projection lens units, one whose projection rang... | 05/13/1986 |
| 4579534 | Manually indexed adjustable focal length planetarium A dome surface includes patterned perforations which allow light passing through to form various star constellations on a separate external surface. The dome rests upon a base which houses both a light source and a lens system, which may be adjustable, to... | 04/01/1986 |
| 4403964 | Star projectors for planetaria The invention relates to a projection device for star projections in planetaria in which a plurality of star projectors are provided in the wall of a substantially spherical housing in the center of which a light source is arranged. The projector mounts a... | 09/13/1983 |
| 4311468 | Planet projection The invention relates to a planet projecting system for simulating the motions of planets and in particular for visualizing the rotations and the phase changes of the Earth. The planet projecting system comprises two cylindrical image mounts which rotate ... | 01/19/1982 |
| 4213254 | Astronomical optical simulator An astronomical optical simulator made of a tubular body with an eyepiece at one end and a light source at the other with a slot in the tubular member to receive an opaque disk having openings distributed to simulate an array of astronomical bodies. The o... | 07/22/1980 |
| 4178701 | Cylindrical planetarium projector A planetarium projector and the method of making the projector is described wherein a light source is surrounded by an opaque enclosure having transparent spots or lines. The enclosure is fabricated from originally planar sheets of photographic film. The ... | 12/18/1979 |
| 4166401 | Gear means for control of planetaria projectors This invention is in concern of a gear means for control of planet projectors in planetaria which does without a continuous year's axis shaft. The orbit speeds for the respective projectors are derived from the preceding one in such a manner that, by use ... | 09/04/1979 |
| 4141157 | Portable teaching device representing the sky with the stars The invention relates to a portable celestial globe called Kozmosphere, consisting of a sphere the inside of which represents the sky with the stars and the Milky Way, observed through strategically distributed peepholes, and the outside of the sphere fea... | 02/27/1979 |
| 4096646 | Device for identifying and locating a star in the heavens A device for identifying and locating a star in the heavens including an axis rod having a globe rotatably mounted thereon. A hoop is rotatably mounted on the axis rod for rotation about the globe. A mount having a sighting tube thereon is slidably mounte... | 06/27/1978 |
| 4045885 | Planetarium with star identifying means A pin hole type star globe of a planetarium is provided with star identifying means for intermittently interrupting light projected through a pin hole of the star globe to form a star image on a viewing screen, thereby causing a perceptible, identifying b... | 09/06/1977 |
| 4020568 | Planetarium moon projector A planetarium moon projector of the direct casting type includes two alternatively interchangeable occulting elements which rotate at twice the period of moon phasing to intercept the projected light beam and effect the waxing and waning of the moon, and ... | 05/03/1977 |
| 3934358 | Drive apparatus for independently changing the phase of the moon for planetarium Apparatus comprising a moon projector including an element for changing the phase of the moon, a gear system for transmitting a drive force to the moon phase changing element, a drive system for annual motion, a drive system for independently changing the... | 01/27/1976 |
