Light beam projector with filter set rotating on its own axis

• US 20050117348A1
• Filed: 04/23/2003
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bruno Baiardi
• Original Assignee: Bruno Baiardi
• Inventors: Versino, Edoardo, Reposio, Giancarlo, Baiardi, Bruno
• Granted Patent: US 7,331,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/325
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/02 changing colors F21S10/002 - F21S10/007, F21S10/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/08 using diaphragms containing one or more apertures
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/08 by movement of the screens or filters
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/02 with provision for adjustment F21V17/04 - F21V17/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/67 characterised by the arrangement of fans
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/677 the fans being used for discharging
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios

Abstract

A light beam projector has a light source and a reflector arranged to have light generated by the light source converge into a light beam. The reflector has a hollow curved surface with a focal point where the light source is positioned, and a filter able to change the color of the light beam based on the angle of incidence of the beam on the filter. The filter has a plurality of filter elements arranged by sectors to form a diaphragm between the light source and the light beam outlet from the projector. In order to change the angle of incidence of the light beam on the filter elements, the sectors are able to rotate on their axes from a closed position, in which they fully intercept the light beam, to an open position, in which they do not intercept the light beam, as well as to all intermediate positions. The light beam projector has at least two filtering systems, one including at least one of the diaphragms, placed one after the other along the path of the light beam. Each sector forming the diaphragms can be rotated independently of the other sectors.

Claims

1. A light beam projector comprising a light source and a reflecting means, which are so arranged to have the light generated by the light source converging into a light beam, such reflecting means having a hollow curved surface and a focal point located where the light source is positioned;

filtering means of the light beam, being able to change the colour of said light beam based on the angle of incidence of the beam on said filtering means, said filtering means comprising a plurality of filters arranged by sectors to form a diaphragm interposing between said light source and the light beam outlet from the projector, where in order to change the angle of incidence of the light beam on said filters, said sectors are able to rotate on their own axis, to move from a closed position, in which they fully intercept the light beam, to an open position, in which they do not intercept such a light beam, as well as to all intermediate positions;

wherein said light beam projector provides at least two filtering systems;

one of them comprising at least one of said diaphragms, placed one after the other along the path of the light beam, and that each sector forming said diaphragms can be rotated independently from the position of the other one or other remaining sectors.

2. A light beam projector according to claim 1, wherein said two filtering systems are two diaphragms.

3. A light beam projector according to claim 1, further comprising actuating means of said sectors, which are so controlled to let at least one of the sectors pertaining to each diaphragm remain in its open position, forming a ventilation path inside the projector.

4. A light beam projector according to claim 3, wherein each sector pertaining to the same diaphragm has a different basic coloration with to the coloration of the other sector or other remaining sectors.

5. A light beam projector according to claim 4, wherein said sectors of a diaphragm face the sectors of the subsequent diaphragm, being substantially overlapping, and the basic coloration of a sector pertaining to a diaphragm differs from the basic coloration of the sector pertaining to the facing overlapping diaphragm.

6. A light beam projector according to claim 1, wherein the number of sectors forming said diaphragms equals the number of diaphragms in the light beam projector.

7. A light beam projector according to claim 6, wherein said number of sectors and diaphragms equals three.

8. A light beam projector according to claim 1, wherein each one of said sectors comprises a plurality of filtering elements, which are mechanically connected to each other.

9. A light beam projector according to claim 8, wherein independent rotation of each said sectors is obtained through rotation of one same angle of each said filtering elements forming the sector.

10. A light beam projector according to claim 9, further comprising special mechanisms, which produce simultaneous rotation of one same angle of said filtering elements pertaining to the same sector.

11. A light beam projector according to claim 10, wherein said special mechanism comprises a motor and a system for converting its linear motion into a rotary motion.

12. A light beam projector according to claim 8, wherein said filtering elements have a substantially flat surface.

13. A light beam projector according to claim 8, wherein said filtering elements have a rotation axis taking a traverse position to the vertical axis of the projector.

14. A light beam projector according to claim 13, wherein rotation of said filtering elements is supported, on one hand, by supporting means extending in a radial direction inside said diaphragms and, on the other hand, by seats obtained in the frame of the diaphragm itself.

15. A light beam projector according to claim 8, wherein said filtering elements are dichroic filters.

16. A light beam projector according to claim 1, wherein said sectors are laying on planes inclined with respect to the axis of the light beam.

17. A light beam projector according to claim 8, wherein said filtering elements have a different basic coloration between the various filtering elements forming the same sector of said diaphragm.

18. A light beam projector according to claim 1, further comprising at least a tubular wall, which is so positioned to embrace the light source laterally and intercept the light before it reaches the reflecting means, and means suitable for causing such tubular wall to move axially from an operating position, in which it embraces the light source laterally, to a rest position located away from the reflecting means, in which it does not interfere with the radiations emitted by the light source and to all possible intermediate positions, wherein said tubular wall can be arranged.

19. A light beam projector according to claim 18, wherein the surface of said tubular wall undergoes a treatment for obtaining a particular frosted diffused light effect when positioned for intercepting the light beam, and such a wall is able to move from an operating position to a rest position and to all possible intermediate positions.

20. A light beam projector according to claim 19, wherein the surface of said tubular wall is treated to different “

frosting”

degrees, in order to obtain a light beam photometry, which may change according to the portion of it being interposed between the light source and the reflecting means.

21. A light beam projector according to claim 18, wherein said tubular wall is made from a material being able to fully intercept the radiations produced by the light source, so it can be utilized as a shutter.

22. A light beam projector according to claim 18, wherein said tubular wall, made from a material being able to totally intercept the radiations produced by the light source, has anyway some open portions on its surface and can operate like a mechanical dimmer by changing its portion so arranged for intercepting the light emitted by the light source, letting either a minor or major light amount flow through according to its position around the light source.

23. A light beam projector according to claim 18, wherein said tubular wall, made from a varying opaque material according to its various portions in the vertical direction, operates like a dimmer and will allow either a major or minor brightness of the light beam according to which portion of the tubular wall is interposed between the light source and the reflecting means.

24. A light beam projector according to claim 18, wherein said tubular wall is made from a material being able to attenuate specified ranges of colour temperature Kelvin degrees.

25. A light beam projector according to claim 24, wherein said tubular wall is formed in the vertical direction by different portions of materials being able to attenuate ranges of colour temperature Kelvin degrees, for obtaining various colour temperature degrees according to the position of said wall, maintaining the same light source all the time.

26. A light beam projector according to claim 25, wherein said tubular wall pertains to an automatic colour temperature detection system of the light beam generated by the projector, including in particular a colour temperature sensor of the light beam being generated, comparing means, control means and servomotor means.

27. A light beam projector according to claim 18, wherein said tubular wall is formed by a dichroic filter being able to change the colour of the light emitted by the light source also in a different way, according to what portion of said filter, whose surface has undergone a dichroic treatment in various ways, is interposed between said light source and said reflecting means in the vertical direction.

28. A light beam projector according to claim 18, further comprising a plurality of said tubular walls placed coaxially at a short distance one inside the other, each one provided for different aims, and being so arranged to have each one moving independently from the others.

29. A light beam projector according to claim 18, wherein the means for moving the tubular walls are so positioned to have the supports bearing the respective tubular walls moving vertically.

32. A light beam projector according to claim 17, wherein said filters rotating on their own axis differ in each sector, in order to change coloration of the light beam intercepted by them.

33. A light beam projector according to claim 17, wherein said tubular wall is made from a material being able to fully intercept the radiations produced by the light source and can be utilized as a shutter.

30. A light beam projector comprising a light source and a reflecting means, which are so arranged to direct the light generated by the light source into a light beam;

one or more tubular walls so positioned for embracing the light source laterally and intercept the light before it reaches the reflecting means;

suitable means for moving said tubular walls axially from an operating position, in which they embrace the light source sideways, to a rest position under the reflecting means, in which they do not interfere with the radiations emitted by the light source, and to all possible intermediate positions of said tubular walls;

further comprising a plurality of filters rotating on their own axis by means of special mechanisms, being able to move from a closed position in which they fully intercept the light beam, to an open position in which they do not intercept such a light beam, which are so arranged to form one or more diaphragms along the path of said light beam;

said diaphragms consisting of a plurality of sectors, where each sector comprises one or more filters;

said mechanisms being able to let the above filters rotate on their own axis are so designed to let the filters pertaining to each said sector rotate independently from the filters of the other sectors;

said filters rotating on their own axis and forming the various sectors are substantially not perpendicular to the axis of the light beam generated by the system formed by the light source and reflecting means, so that the radiations will not be reflected directly on the light source.

31. A light beam projector according to claim 30, wherein the axis of said rotary filters is so arranged to intersect their rotating mechanism, said mechanism being arranged nearly radial to the light beam.

34. A light beam projector comprising a light source and a reflecting means which are so arranged to have the light generated by the light source converging into a light beam, said reflecting means having a hollow curved surface and a focal point located where the light source is positioned;

filtering means of the light beam;

wherein said filtering means are made from a differently opaque material with respect to the sectors into which they are divided, so as to operate like a mechanical dimmer and allow either a major or minor brightness of the light beam, according to the filters sector being placed for intercepting the light beam emitted by the light source.

35. A light beam projector according to claim 34, wherein said filtering means made from differently opaque material comprise a tubular wall, which is axially movable for setting which filters sector is so placed for intercepting the light beam emitted by the light source.

36. A light beam projector according to claim 34, wherein said filtering means made from differently opaque material comprise filters being able to rotate on their own axis, in particular a traverse axis to the projector vertical axis.

37. A light beam projector comprising a light source and a reflecting means, which are so arranged to have the light generated by the light source converging into a light beam, said reflecting means having a hollow curved surface and a focal point located exactly where the light source is positioned;

filtering means of the light beam;

wherein said filtering means are made from different materials being able to attenuate different colour temperature ranges, so as to have different colour temperature radiations according to the position of the sectors forming the filtering means, maintaining the same light source all the time.

38. A light beam projector according to claim 37, wherein said filtering means made from differently opaque material comprise a tubular wall, which is axially movable for setting the position of the sectors forming the filtering means.

39. A light beam projector according to claim 37, wherein said filtering means made from differently opaque material comprise filters being able to rotate on their own axis, in particular a traverse axis to the projector vertical axis.

40. A light beam projector comprising a light source and a reflecting means, which are so arranged to have the light generated by the light source converging into a light beam, said reflecting means having a hollow curved surface and a focal point located where the light source is positioned;

filtering means of the light beam, being able to change the colour of said light beam based on the angle of incidence of the beam on said filtering means, said filtering means comprising a plurality of filters arranged by sectors to form a diaphragm interposing between said source of light and the light beam outlet from the projector, where in order to change the angle of incidence of the light beam on said filters, said sectors can rotate on their own axis, so as to move from a closed position, in which they fully intercept the light beam, to an open position, in which they do not intercept said light beam, as well as to all intermediate positions, and that said filtering elements have a rotation axis in a traverse position to the projector vertical axis, further comprising a plurality of flat filters divided in sectors, each one of them provided for obtaining different aims, and being so arranged to be moved each one independently from the others.

41. A light beam projector according to claim 40, wherein said filtering elements are moved independently for delimiting a ventilation air flow path of said projector.

42. A light beam projector comprising a light source and a reflecting means, which are so arranged to have the light generated by the light source converging into a light beam, such reflecting means having a hollow curved surface and a focal point located where the light source is positioned;

filtering means of the light beam;

wherein said filtering means comprise a tubular wall, which is made from a material being able to fully intercept the radiations produced by the light source, but has anyway some open portions on its surface and can operate like a mechanical dimmer by changing its portion for intercepting the light emitted by the light source and allowing either a major on minor amount of light to flow through, according to its position around the light source.