LIGHT PROJECTOR

• US 20110310613A1
• Filed: 03/02/2010
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Independence Products Limited
• Original Assignee: Quincom Limited
• Inventors: Evans, Kate, Paoli, Jan
• Granted Patent: US 8,534,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/272
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/06 flashing, e.g. with rotating reflector or light source signalling lighting devices mounted on vehicles B60Q1/26
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/04 Resilient mountings, e.g. shock absorbers shock absorbing devices of vehicle headlamp housings B60Q1/0491; in general F16F15/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/15 specially adapted for power operation, e.g. by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A light projector (10) for projecting a beam of light (19), which comprises: a housing (16) containing a light source (40) and a projector lens (18), and a drive motor (42), and defining an aperture; and a main shaft (20) extending through the aperture. A flexible and resilient elastomeric coupling (30) links the main shaft (20) to the housing (16) at the aperture. The drive motor (42) is coupled by a drive mechanism (50) to the main shaft (20), so that activation of the drive motor (42) moves the orientation of the housing relative to the longitudinal axis of the main shaft (20). Consequently a light beam (19) from the projector (10) sweeps out a conical surface in space around that longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. A light projector for projecting a beam of light, the light projector including:

a housing containing a light source and a projector lens, and a drive motor, and defining an aperture;

a main shaft for mounting the housing to a support, the main shaft extending from within the housing to outside the housing through the aperture, and defining a longitudinal axis of the light projector;

a flexible and resilient elastomeric coupling that links the main shaft to the housing at the aperture;

wherein the drive motor is coupled by a drive mechanism to the main shaft, so that activation of the drive motor causes the orientation of the housing to move relative to the longitudinal axis.

2. A light projector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the drive mechanism comprises at least one step-down mechanism.

3. A light projector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the drive mechanism comprises at least one drive belt and pulleys.

4. A light projector as claimed in claim 3 wherein the drive mechanism comprises a plurality of drive belts and pulleys.

5. A light projector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the drive mechanism comprises gear wheels.

6. A light projector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the drive motor is mounted within the housing with a vibration-isolating mounting.

7. A light projector as claimed in claim 1 also comprising means to adjust the brightness of the light source.

8. A light projector as claimed in claim 1 also incorporating a base unit to which the main shaft is fixed, so that the base unit constitutes the support for the light projector.

9. A light projector as claimed in claim 8 wherein the base unit encloses electronic controls for activation of both the light source and of the drive motor.

10. A light projector as claimed in claim 8 comprising a single switch in the base unit to adjust brightness and to change between steady or pulsing light.

11. A light projector as claimed in claim 1 also comprising a display to indicate the level of brightness that is being selected.

12. A light projector as claimed in claim 11 wherein a display to indicate the level of brightness is illuminated behind a translucent element, so that the display is visible only when illuminated.

13. A light projector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing includes a motion sensor switch which can be used to activate movement of the housing.

14. The use of a light projector as claimed in claim 1 to induce a user to fall asleep.