Light processor

• US 4,620,791 A
• Filed: 07/03/1984
• Issued: 11/04/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michel P. Combastet
• Original Assignee: Michel P. Combastet
• Inventors: Combastet, Michel P.
• Primary Examiner(s): McGraw, Vincent P.
• Application Number:
  US06/627,733
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 356/402, 356/403, 356/407, 356/419, 356/420, 356/425, 362/293
• US Class Current: 356/420
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/106 for splitting or combining a plurality of identical beams or images, e.g. image replication
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/145 having sequential partially reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133621 providing coloured light G02F1/133617, G02F1/133533 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/20 with colour-mixing effects

Abstract

A light processor applied to the modulation of colored light, formed of a color modulated light source, includes a longitudinal modular box forming a frame and a support for the components of the source, the box being formed with windows for the passage of light beams and connection openings for control circuits, as well as devices for fixing the components of the source, and devices for assembly means with similar boxes, for providing, by superposition and/or juxtaposition, assemblies of boxes adapted to the various applications envisaged. The light source has a reflector and is mounted inside the box on a base thereof. A plurality of dichroic inclined mirrors are mounted one after the other on the base inside the box along the path of the light beam emitted by the light source, such that each dichroic mirror reflects a portion of the light spectrum emitted by the source, and transmits the remaining portion of the beam to the subsequent mirror. A plurality of elements providing modulation of the light reflected by the mirrors are positioned in windows formed in the upper portion of the box forming the output face for the beams.

Claims

1. A light processing apparatus comprising:

a longitudinal modular box having a base and a planar wall spaced from and parallel to said base, said planar wall defining an outer surface of said box, and said planar wall having therein a plurality of windows;

a white light source mounted on said base within said box;

a plurality of dichroic mirror means, mounted on said base within said box along a longitudinal path of a light beam from said source and inclined to said path, for reflecting partial beams of respective portions of the light spectrum and transmitting along said path to sucessive said mirror means respective remaining portions of the light spectrum;

a plurality of liquid crystal cell means, mounted in respective said windows of said planar wall, for modulating respective said partial beams toward a position spaced from said box;

an additional similar liquid crystal cell means, mounted in a respective said window of said planar wall, for modulating a beam of the white light from said source to said position;

all of said liquid crystal cell means extending in the same plane; and

means on said box for the superposition or juxtaposition mounting of other boxes of light processing apparatus.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising three said dichroic mirror means for reflecting to respective said liquid crystal cell means respective blue, green and red partial beams.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting means comprise slide rails.

4. A light processing assembly comprising a plurality of apparatuses according to claim 1 juxtaposed side-by-side and removably connected by slide rails, thereby emitting a plurality of side-by-side modulated light beams.