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Title: Discotheque simulating home entertainment system
Claims: What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims: 1. An entertainment system for simulating the sound and lighting effects of a discotheque in a room in which the entertainment system is located, comprising: (a) an upright support for supporting the entertainment system on the floor of the room; (b) sound-generating means mounted on the support and operative for transmitting amplified sounds; (c) a mirrored generally ball-shaped globe mounted on the support for rotation about a vertical axis, said mirrored globe having a plurality of reflecting surfaces located on its outer surface; (d) light-generating means mounted on the support at a location remote from the mirrored globe, and operative for transmitting light rays, some of which impinge on and reflect off the mirrored globe to thereby project reflected images in a scattered pattern on the surrounding surfaces of the room in which the system is located; (e) means for rotating the mirrored globe such that the projected reflected images are scanned across the surrounding room surfaces to thereby project thereon a moving light pattern which together with the amplified sounds transmitted by the sound-generating means simulate the amplified sound and moving light environment of a discotheque; (f) additional light-reflecting means mounted on the support for increasing the number of scattered reflected images on the room surfaces to thereby provide a denser lighting pattern, including a reflecting panel mounted on the support and having a rear reflecting portion which is located rearwardly of the globe and which extends in a direction generally parallel to said vertical axis; (g) said additional light-generating means being mounted on the support at a location forwardly of the mirrored globe such that first ones of the light rays are transmitted rearwardly towards the globe for direct impingement thereon and thereupon for reflection therefrom, and such that second ones of the light rays are transmitted rearwardly past the mirrored globe without impinging directly thereon; (h) said rear reflecting portion being located in the paths of some of said first and second rays such that some of said first rays are reflected from said rear reflecting portion in a direction generally away from the globe, and such that some of said second rays are reflected back towards the globe for direct impingement thereon and for subsequent reflection therefrom; (i) said rear reflecting portion having an array of generally cup-shaped reflecting domes thereon which are so configurated such that said some second light rays are focused back towards the globe for direct impingement thereon and for subsequent reflection therefrom, whereby said some second light rays which impinge the turning globe directly from the reflecting domes as well as the first light rays which impinge the turning globe directly from the light-generating means are all scanned across the room surfaces to thereby project thereon a moving light pattern; and (j) said domes being arranged in horizontally-extending rows and vertically-extending columns, each dome having a part-spherical configuration. 2. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein five domes are contained in each row, and four domes are contained in each column. 3. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein said upright support includes a front portion, a rear portion, a base portion for engaging the room floor, a roof portion elevated above the base portion, and an intermediate portion located between the base and the roof portions. 4. The entertainment system of claim 3, wherein said intermediate portion of the support includes a generally horizontal platform elevated above the base portion, and an inclined platform extending from the front portion in rearward direction towards the rear portion; said sound-generating means being mounted on the horizontal platform; and further comprising loudspeaker means mounted on the inclined platform. 5. The entertainment system of claim 3; and further comprising wall means on the roof portion for defining a roof aperture through which the light rays, which are reflected generally upwardly from the globe, pass to thereby project reflected images on the ceiling and upper portions of the room wall surfaces. 6. The entertainment system of claim 3, wherein said globe is mounted below the roof portion and above the sound-generating means which is mounted on the intermediate portion of the support. 7. The entertainment system of claim 3, wherein said light-generating means is mounted on the roof portion at a location forwardly and upwardly of the mirrored globe, and is operative for transmitting light rays in a direction generally rearwardly and downwardly towards the rear portion. 8. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein said reflecting surfaces on the mirrored globe cover substantially the entire outer surface of the globe. 9. An entertainment system for simulating the sound and lighting effects of a discotheque in a room in which the entertainment system is located, comprising: (a) an upright support for supporting the entertainment system on the floor of the room; (b) sound-generating means mounted on the support and operative for transmitting amplified sounds; (c) a mirrored generally ball-shaped globe mounted on the support for rotation about a vertical axis, said mirrored globe having a plurality of reflecting surfaces located on its outer surface; (d) light-generating means mounted on the support at a location remote from the mirrored globe, and operative for transmitting light rays, some of which impinge on and reflect off the mirrored globe to thereby project reflected images in a scattered pattern on the surrounding surfaces of the room in which the system is located; (e) means for rotating the mirrored globe such that the projected reflected images are scanned across the surrounding room surfaces to thereby project thereon a moving light pattern which together with the amplified sounds transmitted by the sound-generating means simulate the amplified sound and moving light environment of a discotheque; (f) additional light-reflecting means mounted on the support for increasing the number of scattered reflected images on the room surfaces to thereby provide a denser lighting pattern, including a reflecting panel mounted on the support and having a rear reflecting portion which is located rearwardly of the globe and which extends in a direction generally parallel to said vertical axis; (g) said additional light-generating means being mounted on the support at a location forwardly of the mirrored globe such that first ones of the light rays are transmitted rearwardly towards the globe for direct impingement thereon and thereupon for reflection therefrom, and such that second ones of the light rays are transmitted rearwardly past the mirrored globe without impinging directly thereon; (h) said rear reflecting portion being located in the paths of some of said first and second rays such that some of said first rays are reflected from said rear reflecting portion in a direction generally away from the globe, and such that some of said second rays are reflected back towards the globe for direct impingement thereon and for subsequent reflection therefrom; (i) said rear reflecting portion having an array of generally cup-shaped reflecting domes thereon which are so configurated such that said some second light rays are focused back towards the globe for direct impingement thereon and for subsequent reflection therefrom, whereby said some second light rays which impinge the turning globe directly from the reflecting domes as well as the first light rays which impinge the turning globe directly from the light-generating means are all scanned across the room surfaces to thereby project thereon a moving light pattern; and (j) said domes having generally circular bases and are arranged such that the circular bases of adjoining domes touch each other only at their common points of tangency. 10. An entertainment system for simulating the sound and lighting effects of a discotheque in a room in which the entertainment system is located, comprising: (a) an upright support for supporting the entertainment system on the floor of the room; (b) sound-generating means mounted on the support and operative for transmitting amplified sounds; (c) a mirrored generally ball-shaped globe mounted on the support for rotation about a vertical axis, said mirrored globe having a plurality of reflecting surfaces located on its outer surface; (d) light-generating means mounted on the support at a location remote from the mirrored globe and operative for transmitting light rays, some of which impinge on and reflect off the mirrored globe to thereby project reflected images in a scattered pattern on the surrounding surfaces of the room in which the system is located; (e) means for rotating the mirrored globe such that the projected reflected images are scanned across the surrounding room surfaces to thereby project thereon a moving light pattern which together with the amplified sounds transmitted by the sound-generating means simulate the amplified sound and moving light environment of a discotheque; (f) additional light-reflecting means mounted on the support for increasing the number of scattered reflected images on the room surfaces to thereby provide a denser lighting pattern, including a reflecting panel mounted on the support and having a rear reflecting portion which is located rearwardly of the globe and which extends in a direction generally parallel to said vertical axis; (g) said additional light-generating means being mounted on the support at a location forwardly of the mirrored globe such that first ones of the light rays are transmitted rearwardly towards the globe for direct impingement thereon and thereupon for reflection therefrom, and such that second ones of the light rays are transmitted rearwardly past the mirrored globe without impinging directly thereon; (h) said rear reflecting portion being located in the paths of some of said first and second rays such that some of said first rays are reflected from said rear reflecting portion in a direction generally away from the globe, and such that some of said second rays are reflected back towards the globe for direct impingement thereon and for subsequent reflection therefrom; (i) said rear reflecting portion having an array of generally cup-shaped reflecting domes thereon which are so configurated such that said some second light rays are focused back towards the globe for direct impingement thereon and for subsequent reflection therefrom, whereby said some second light rays which impinge the turning globe directly from the reflecting domes as well as the first light rays which impinge the turning globe directly from the light-generating means are all scanned across the room surfaces to thereby project thereon a moving light pattern; and (j) auxiliary generally pyramidal-shaped light-reflecting projections on the rear reflecting portion, each auxiliary projection being bordered by the reflecting domes and cooperating with the latter to reflect light rays back to the globe. 11. The entertainment system of claim 10, wherein said domes are arranged in horizontally-extending rows stacked one above another, and wherein each auxiliary projection is located between each two adjacent domes in one row and the two adjacent domes in the next stacked row. 12. An entertainment system for simulating the sound and lighting effects of a discotheque in a room in which the entertainment system is located, comprising: (a) an upright support for supporting the entertainment system on the floor of the room, said upright support including a front portion, a rear portion, a base portion for engaging the room floor, a roof portion elevated above the base portion, and an intermediate portion located between the base and the roof portions; (b) sound-generating means mounted on the support and operative for transmitting amplified sounds; (c) a mirrored generally ball-shaped globe mounted on the support for rotation about an axis, said mirrored globe having a plurality of reflecting surfaces located on its outer surface; (d) light-generating means mounted on the support at a location remote from the mirrored globe, and operative for transmitting light rays, some of which impinge on and reflect off the mirrored globe to thereby project reflected images in a scattered pattern on the surrounding surfaces of the room in which the system is located; (e) means for rotating the mirrored globe such that the projected reflected images are scanned across the surrounding room surfaces to thereby project thereon a moving light pattern which together with the amplified sounds transmitted by the sound-generating means simulate the amplified sound and moving light environment of a discotheque; and (f) said support further including upright side wall portions extending between the base and the roof portions at opposite sides of the support; and further comprising cutout wall means for defining a cutout on each of the side wall portions in the region below the roof portion but above the sound-generating means which is mounted on the intermediate portion of the support, each cutout extending from the front portion but terminating short of the rear portion of the support; and wherein each cutout bounds an opening through which the light rays, which are reflected generally laterally of the globe, pass to thereby project reflected images on the room side walls. 13. The entertainment system of claim 12; and further comprising means for supporting the mirrored globe on the support for swinging movement relative thereto, including a swingable member on which the globe is suspended from the support for pendulum-like swinging movement. 14. The entertainment system of claim 13, wherein said globe is detachably connected to the swingable member. 15. The entertainment system as defined in claim 12; and further comprising light-actuating means for initiating and for terminating the transmission of the light rays; and also comprising globe-actuating means for initiating and for terminating spinning of the globe. 16. The entertainment as defined in claim 15, wherein said light-actuating means and said globe-actuating means are independently operable and are separately mounted on the support. 17. The entertainment system of claim 12, wherein said light-generating means includes a plurality of lamps and means for modifying the color of the emitted light rays therefrom. 18. The entertainment system of claim 12, wherein said sound-generating means includes a radio receiver unit, a tape play/record unit, and a phonograph unit, each unit being operative for transmitting amplified sounds. 19. The entertainment system of claim 12; and further comprising additional light-reflecting means mounted on the support for increasing the number of scattered reflected images on the room surfaces to thereby provide a denser lighting pattern. 20. The entertainment system of claim 19, wherein said additional light-reflecting means includes a reflecting panel mounted on the support, wherein said globe is mounted on the support for rotation about a vertical axis, and wherein said reflecting panel has a rear reflecting portion which is located rearwardly of the globe and which extends in a direction generally parallel to said vertical axis. 21. The entertainment system of claim 20, wherein said additional light-generating means is mounted on the support at a location forwardly of the mirrored globe such that first ones of the light rays are transmitted rearwardly towards the globe for direct impingement thereon and thereupon for reflection therefrom, and such that second ones of the light rays are transmitted rearwardly past the mirrored globe without impinging directly thereon; and wherein said rear reflecting portion is located in the paths of some of said first and second rays such that some of said first rays are reflected from said rear reflecting portion in a direction generally away from the globe, and such that some of said second rays are reflected back towards the globe for direct impingement thereon and for subsequent reflection therefrom. 22. The entertainment system of claim 21, wherein said rear reflecting portion has an array of generally cup-shaped reflecting domes thereon which are so configurated such that said some second light rays are focused back towards the globe for direct impingement thereon and for subsequent reflection therefrom, whereby said some second light rays which impinge the turning globe directly from the reflecting domes as well as the first light rays which impinge the turning globe directly from the light-generating means are all scanned across the room surfaces to thereby project thereon a moving light pattern. Other info: Inventors: Roegner, George P. (Far Hills, NJ, US) Hawley, Richard (Santa Claus, IN, US) Steen, Howard (Santa Claus, IN, US) Biener, Sig (Santa Claus, IN, US) Application Number: 040150 Filing Date: 1979-05-17 Publication_date: 1981-02-10 Assignee: Soundesign Corporation (Jersey City, NJ) Primary Class(es): 362/86 40/431, 40/455, 362/87, 362/133, 362/253, 362/297, 362/343, 362/346, 362/348, 362/811, 369/5, 369/12 Other Classes: US Patent Ref:
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