Flame simulating assembly

1. An assembly comprising:

a substantially transparent front panel having a rear side and a front side opposed thereto;

a partially translucent screen with a partially reflective front surface and a rear surface opposed thereto, the front surface being positioned to face the rear side of the front panel and being spaced apart therefrom by a predetermined distance;

the front surface of the screen being positioned substantially parallel to the rear side of the front panel;

a plurality of first dots disposed on the front panel in a sufficiently consistent density over a given area to produce a substantially uniform tinted appearance to the front panel when observed through the front side;

a plurality of second dots disposed on the first dots and facing said front surface of the screen, said second dots being smaller than said first dots;

said second dots defining a first image for reflection by at least part of said front surface of the screen to provide a virtual image of the first image;

a back wall positioned behind the screen, the back wall displaying a second image on an exposed surface thereof facing the rear surface of the screen, the exposed surface being spaced apart from the front surface of the screen by the predetermined distance, the exposed surface substantially defining a plane;

the exposed surface of the back wall being positioned substantially parallel to the front surface of the screen;

the second image being at least partially observable through the front side of the front panel; and

the virtual image being located substantially in the plane of the exposed surface such that the virtual image appears to be positioned behind the screen.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 in which the virtual image and the second image are substantially aligned with each other such that the virtual image and the second image appear to be substantially continuous relative to each other.

3. An assembly according to claim 2 in which the first image and the second image comprise representations of firebrick arranged in a brick wall.

4. An assembly according to claim 1 in which the screen comprises an observation region through which the exposed surface is at least partially observable from the front side of the front panel.

5. An assembly according to claim 1 additionally comprising a housing in which the screen is disposed, and the screen comprises a top edge spaced apart from a top wall of the housing to define an upper opening such that the exposed surface is at least partially observable through the front side of the front panel and the upper opening.

6. An assembly according to claim 1 in which the exposed surface is at least partially observable over a top edge of the screen and through the front side of the front panel.

7. An assembly according to claim 1 additionally comprising:

a flame image subassembly for providing at least one image of flames;

a simulated fuel bed positioned in front of the front surface of the screen;

the front surface comprising:

a viewing region disposed proximate to the simulated fuel bed through which said at least one image of flames is transmittable; and

an observation region disposed distal to the simulated fuel bed, the observation region being adapted to permit at least partial observation of the back wall from the front side of the front panel.

8. An assembly according to claim 7 in which the front surface of the screen comprises a transition region disposed between the observation region and the viewing region, the exposed surface being at least partially observable through the transition region.

9. A flame simulating assembly for providing at least one image of flames, the flame simulating assembly comprising:

a housing comprising a back wall with a substantially planar exposed surface, the housing defining a cavity open at a front end of the housing;

a screen disposed in the cavity and in front of the back wall, the screen comprising a front surface adapted for transmitting said at least one image of flames therethrough, the front surface being at least partially reflective and being positioned substantially parallel to the exposed surface of the back wall;

a flame image subassembly for providing said at least one image of flames;

a substantially transparent front panel disposed substantially at the front end of the housing and comprising a front side and an opposed rear side;

the rear side of the front panel facing the front surface of the screen and being spaced a predetermined distance apart from the front surface of the screen;

the rear side of the front panel being positioned substantially parallel to the front surface of the screen;

the front panel comprising:

a plurality of first dots disposed on said front panel in a sufficiently constant density over a given area to produce a substantially uniform tinted appearance to said front panel when observed through said front side;

a plurality of second dots disposed on said first dots and facing said front surface of the screen;

a first image defined by said second dots, said first image being substantially invisible when observed through the front side other than as a virtual image thereof reflected by the front surface of the screen;

the exposed surface of the back wall displaying a second image at least partially observable through the front side of the front panel, the exposed surface being spaced apart from the front surface of the screen by the predetermined distance; and

the virtual image being located substantially in the plane of the exposed surface such that the virtual image appears to be positioned behind the screen.

10. A flame simulating assembly according to claim 9 in which the screen comprises at least one observation region permitting at least partial observation of the exposed surface through said front side of the front panel.

11. A flame simulating assembly according to claim 10 in which the screen comprises a viewing region through which said at least one image of flames is transmittable.

12. A flame simulating assembly according to claim 11 in which the screen comprises a transition region disposed between the observation region and the viewing region, the exposed surface being at least partially observable through the transition region.

13. A flame simulating assembly according to claim 9 in which the first image and the second image are representations of a firebrick wall.

14. A flame simulating assembly according to claim 9 in which the second image is provided by firebrick comprising the back wall.

15. A flame simulating assembly according to claim 14 in which the firebrick comprises a plurality of surfaces with at least one preselected texture.

16. A flame simulating assembly according to claim 9 in which the screen comprises a top edge which is spaced apart from a roof portion of the housing by a preselected distance to define an upper opening permitting observation of at least part of the exposed surface through said front side of the front panel.

17. An assembly for providing an optical illusion comprising:

a substantially transparent front panel having a rear side and a front side;

an at least partially translucent screen positioned substantially vertically, the screen comprising a front surface and a rear surface opposed thereto, the front surface facing the rear side of the front panel;

the rear side of the front panel being spaced apart from the front surface of the screen by a predetermined distance;

a back wall positioned behind the screen comprising a plurality of objects collectively providing a substantially planar exposed surface thereof facing the rear surface of the screen, the exposed surface being spaced apart from the front surface of the screen by the predetermined distance;

the front panel comprising:

a plurality of first dots disposed on said front panel in a sufficiently constant density over a given area to produce a substantially uniform tinted appearance to said front wall when observed through said front side, each said first dot having a preselected area;

a plurality of second dots positioned on said first dots and facing said front surface of the screen, said second dots defining a first image for reflection by the front surface of the screen to create a virtual image of the first image;

the exposed surface of the back wall being at least partially observable through the front side of the front panel; and

the virtual image being located substantially in the plane of the exposed surface, such that the virtual image appears to be located behind the screen.

18. An assembly according to claim 17 in which the virtual image and the objects comprising the exposed surface appear to be substantially continuous relative to each other.

19. An assembly according to claim 17 additionally comprising:

a viewing region positioned on the front surface of the screen;

a flame image subassembly for providing at least one image of flames at least partially transmittable through the viewing region; and

the screen comprising an observation region through which the exposed surface is at least partially observable.

20. An assembly according to claim 19 in which the screen comprises a transition region disposed between the observation region and the viewing region, and the exposed surface is at least partially observable through the transition region.

21. An assembly according to claim 17 in which the objects comprise firebricks forming a brick wall.