Color-Combining Illumination Device

• US 20120154759A1
• Filed: 04/19/2010
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman Professional Denmark ApS. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Martin Professional A/S (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Jorgensen, Dennis Thykjær
• Granted Patent: US 8,746,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 353/31
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/14 operating by reflection only
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/141 using dichroic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/144 using partially transparent surfaces without spectral selectivity G02B27/147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2013 Plural light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2033 LED or laser light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 33/06 by additive-colour projection apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 33/12 using beam-splitting or beam-combining systems, e.g. dichroic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3164 using multiple light sources

Abstract

The present invention relates to an illumination device comprising a first light source array comprising at least a first light source; said first light source generates a first light beam having a first spectral distribution; said first light beam propagates primarily in a first direction along an optical axis; a second light source array comprising at least a second light source, said second light source generates a second light beam having a second spectral distribution; at least a first dichroic reflector positioned at least partially in said first light beam and said second light beam; said first dichroic reflector transmits at least a part of said first light beam and reflects at least a part of said second light beam; that said second light beam propagates in a second direction towards at least a part of said first light source array and at least substantially opposite to said first direction; that at least a part of said second light beam propagates primarily in said first direction after being reflected by said at least first dichroic reflector.

Claims

1. An illumination device comprising:

a first light source array comprising at least a first light source;

said first light source generates a first light beam having a first spectral distribution;

said first light beam propagates primarily in a first direction along an optical axis;

a second light source array comprising at least a second light source, said second light source generates a second light beam having a second spectral distribution;

at least one first dichroic reflector positioned at least partially in said first light beam and said second light beam;

said first dichroic reflector transmits at least a part of said first light beam and reflects at least a part of said second light beam;

wherein

that said second light beam propagates primarily in a second direction along said optical axis substantially opposite said first direction and towards at least a part of said first light source array;

that at least a part of said second light beam propagates primarily in said first direction after being reflected by said at least one first dichroic reflector.

2. An illumination device according to claim 1 wherein that said second light sources of said second light source array are distributed uniformly around said optical axis.

3. An illumination device according to claim 1 wherein that said second light source array is spherically distributed around said optical axis.

4. An illumination device according to claim 2 wherein that said optical axes pass through an aperture in said second light source array.

5. An illumination device according to claim 1 wherein that said illumination device comprises at least a third light source generating a third light beam having a third spectral distribution.

6. An illumination device according to claim 5 wherein that said first light source array comprises said third light source and that said third light beam propagates primarily in said first direction along said optical axis.

7. An illumination device according to claim 6 wherein comprising at least second dichroic reflector positioned at least partially in said third light beam and said second light beam;

said second dichroic reflector transmits at least a part of said third light beam and reflects at least a part of said second light beam.

8. An illumination device according to claim 6

wherein

that said second light source array comprises said third light source and that said third light beam propagates primarily in said second direction towards at least a part of said first light source array and substantially opposite to said first direction;

that at least a part of said third light beam propagates primarily in said first direction after being reflected by said first dichroic reflector which also reflects at least a part of said third light beam.

9. An illumination device according to claim 6 wherein

that second light source array comprises said third light source and that said third light beam propagates primarily in said second direction towards at least a part of said first light source array and substantially opposite to said at first direction;

that at least a part of said third light beam propagates primarily in said first direction after being reflected by at least a third dichroic reflector positioned at least partially in said first light beam and said third light beam;

said third dichroic reflector transmits at least a part of said first light beam and reflects at least a part of said third light beam.

10. An illumination device according to claim 1 wherein that at least said first array of light sources comprises at least a fourth light source generating a fourth light beam having a fourth spectral distribution, said fourth light beam propagates primarily in said first direction that said fourth spectral distribution is a spectrally broadly distributed white light.

11. An illumination device according to claim 1 wherein further comprising converging means converging at least one of said light beams from said first light source array or said second light source array.

12. An illumination device according to claim 1 wherein that at least one of said dichroic reflectors is substantially perpendicular to first direction.

13. A projecting device comprising:

a digital imaging device

an imaging system, adapted to project images from said digital imaging device at a surface,

wherein comprising an illumination device according to claim 1, and in that said illumination device illuminates least a part of said digital imaging device.

14. A moving head light fixture comprising:

a base

a rotatable yoke connected to said base,

a rotatable head connected to said yoke,

wherein that said head comprises an illumination device according claim 1.

15. A moving head light fixture according to claim 14 wherein further comprising a beam-shaping device and an imaging system adapted to project said beam-shaping device at a surface, and in that said illumination device illuminates at least part of said beam-shaping device.

17. An illumination device according to claim 8 wherein

that said second light source array comprises said third light source and that said third light beam propagates primarily in said second direction towards at least a part of said first light source array and substantially opposite to said first direction;

that at least a part of said third light beam propagates primarily in said first direction after being reflected by at least a third dichroic reflector positioned at least partially in said first light beam and said third light beam;

said third dichroic reflector transmits at least a part of said first light beam and reflects at least a part of said third light beam.

18. An illumination device according to claim 17 wherein that at least said first array of light sources comprises at least a fourth light source generating a fourth light beam having a fourth spectral distribution, said fourth light beam propagates primarily in said first direction and that said fourth spectral distribution is a spectrally broadly distributed white light.

19. An illumination device according to claim 17 wherein further comprising converging means converging at least one of said light beams from said first light source array or said second light source array.

20. An illumination device according to claim 17 wherein that at least one of said dichroic reflectors is substantially perpendicular to first direction.

16. An method of illumination comprising the steps of:

generating a first light beam having a first spectral distribution;

directing said first light beam primarily in a first direction along an optical axis;

generating a second light beam having a second spectral distribution;

transmitting at least a part of said first light beam through a dichroic reflector;

wherein that said method further comprises the steps of;

directing said second light beam in a second direction substantially opposite to said first direction and towards a light source generating said first light beam;

reflecting and directing at least a part of said second light beam using said dichroic reflector primarily in said first direction.