Lighting apparatus with adjustable lenses or filters

• US 20050231948A1
• Filed: 04/18/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Litepanels Limited (Vitec Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Litepanels LLC (Litepanels)
• Inventors: Fisher, Ken S., Pohlert, Rudy G., Grosswendt, Pat, Baxter, Kevin C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,331,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/237
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/02 the power supply being a battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/06 by movement of refractors in vehicle head lamps F21S41/635
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/001 the light sources being semiconductors devices, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/0885 for portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/116 Fixing lighting devices to arms or standards F21V21/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/33 annular
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0539 Ringflash
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means

Abstract

A lighting apparatus comprises a light panel having a panel frame, and a plurality of LEDs or other light elements secured to the panel frame. Lenses and/or filters are adjusted in distance from the light elements, by for example moving the lenses/filters into different slot positions of the frame, to alter characteristics of the emitted light. Focal lenses, diffusion lenses, and color filters may be used individually or in combination. A compound lens includes lens elements having different characteristics arranged in a pattern. Through groupwise control of the intensity of the light elements, the different characteristics are emphasized or de-emphasized. The light panel may have an integrated battery, and may be be mounted on a stand. The panel may be modular, allowing larger panels to be constructed from smaller panels.

Claims

1. An illumination system, comprising:

a light panel comprising a panel frame;

a plurality of semiconductor light elements disposed on the panel frame; and

an adjustable lens positioned so as to alter a characteristic of the light emitted by the semiconductor light elements.

2. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of semiconductor light elements comprise light emitting dioides (LEDs) outputting light over a color temperature range suitable for image capture.

3. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein said light panel is adapted for being mounted to a stand.

4. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein said light panel comprises a plurality of slots for receiving a removable lens, wherein placement of the lens in different slots adjusts a selected characteristic of the emitted light in discrete steps.