Spotlight with an adjustable angle of radiation and with an aspherical front lens

• US 6,499,862 B1
• Filed: 01/18/2000
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dedo Weigert Film GmbH
• Original Assignee: Dedo Weigert Film GmbH
• Inventors: Weigert, Dedo, Chin, Depu
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Neils, Peggy A
• Application Number:
  US09/484,253
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 362/268, 362/281, 362/285, 362/286, 362/308, 362/319, 362/328, 362/331, 362/322
• US Class Current: 362/268
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/00 Lighting devices or systems producing a varying lighting effect
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/06 by movement of refractors in vehicle head lamps F21S41/635
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/048 the lens being a simple lens adapted to cooperate with a point-like source for emitting mainly in one direction and having an axis coincident with the main light transmission direction, e.g. convergent or divergent lenses, plano-concave or plano-convex lenses

Abstract

A spotlight has an adjustable angle of radiation with modification of the angle of radiation being achieved in a manner other than by shading a beam path with a screen or mask. The spotlight has an interior light source (4) and a first lens (2) that is structured as a front lens. The first lens (2) is an aspherical lens.

Claims

1. A spotlight for illuminating an area with an adjustable angle of radiation, wherein modification of the angle of radiation is achieved in a manner other than shading the beam path with a screen or mask, said spotlight comprising

an interior light source (4),

a first lens (2) that is a front lens of the spotlight, wherein the first lens (2) is an aspherical lens,

a reflector (5) associated with the light source (4), and

a second lens (6) placed in a light-beam path between the light source (4) and the first lens (2), whereby the reflector (5), the light source (4), and the second lens (6) are mounted as an optical unit that is movable along an optical axis of the spotlight relative to the first lens (2).

2. The spotlight as in claim 1, wherein the first lens (2) is grained on at least one surface.

3. The spotlight as in claim 1, wherein the first lends (2) is rotationally symetrical with respect to its optical axis.

4. The spotlight as in claim 1, wherein a surface of the first lens (2) facing the inside of the spotlight is aspherical.

5. The spotlight as in claim 1, wherein a surface of the first lens (2) facing in a direction of radiation of the spotlight, as seen from a meridional section of the first lens, has a shape of a conic section that is different from a segment of a circle.

6. The spotlight as in claim 5, wherein the surface of the first lens (2) facing in the direction of radiation of the spotlight in the meridional section has the shape of a hyperbolic section.

7. The spotlight as in claim 6, wherein a vertex of a hyperbolic section lies on an optical axis of the spotlight.

8. The spotlight as in claim 7, wherein the hyperbola fits the following equation:

$Z=\frac{1}{r}·<br><br>\frac{y^2}{1+\sqrt{1-\left(k+1\right)<br><br>y^2/r^2}}$

where k is a value ranging from −

3.0 to −

1.1 and r is a value ranging from 40 mm to 100 mm.

9. The spotlight as in claim 5, wherein the surface of the first lens (2) facing in the direction of radiation of the spotlight in the meridional section has the shape of an elliptical section.

10. The spotlight as in claim 9, wherein a minor axis of an ellipse of the elliptical section lies on the optical axis of the spotlight.

11. The spotlight as in claim 10, wherein the ellipse fits the following equation:

$Z=\frac{1}{r}·<br><br>\frac{y^2}{1+\sqrt{1-\left(k+1\right)<br><br>y^2/r^2}}$

where k is a value ranging from −

0.9 to −

0.5 and r is a value ranging from 40 mm to 100 mm.

12. The spotlight as in claim 1, wherein a surface of the first lens (2) facing an inside of the spotlight is spherical.

13. The spotlight as in claim 1, wherein a surface of the first lens (2) facing an inside of the spotlight is flat or is curved in a direction away from the light source (4).

14. The spotlight as in claim 1, wherein the second lens (6) is grained on at least one surface.

15. The spotlight as in claim 1, wherein the second lens (6) is rotationally symmetrical with respect to its optical axis.

16. The spotlight as in claim 1, wherein the second lens (6) is an aspherical lens.

17. The spotlight as in claim 16, wherein a surface of the second lens (6) that faces the light source (4) is aspherical.

18. The spotlight as in claim 16, wherein a surface of the second lens (6) facing away from the light source (4), as seen in a meridional section, has a shape of a conic section that is different from a segment of a circle.

19. The spotlight as in claim 18, wherein the surface of the second lens (6) facing away from the light source (4), as seen in a meridional section, has a shape of a hyperbolic section.

20. The spotlight as in claim 19, wherein a vertex of a hyperbola of the hyperbolic section lies on the optical axis of the spotlight.

21. The spotlight as in claim 20, wherein the hyperbola fits the following equation:

$Z=\frac{1}{r}·<br><br>\frac{y^2}{1+\sqrt{1-\left(k+1\right)<br><br>y^2/r^2}}$

where k is a value ranging from −

3.0 to −

1.1 and r is a value ranging from 20 mm to 70 mm.

22. The spotlight as in claim 18, wherein the surface of the second lens (6) facing away from the light source (4), as seen in a meridional section, has a shape of an elliptical section.

23. The spotlight as in claim 22, wherein a minor axis of an ellipse of the elliptical section lies on the optical axis of the spotlight.

24. The spotlight as in claim 23, wherein the ellipse fits the following equation:

$Z=\frac{1}{r}·<br><br>\frac{y^2}{1+\sqrt{1-\left(k+1\right)<br><br>y^2/r^2}}$

where k is a value ranging from −

0.9 to −

0.5 and r is a value ranging from 20 mm to 70 mm.

25. The spotlight as in claim 1, wherein the second lens (6) is a meniscus lens.

26. The spotlight as in claim 1, wherein a spacing between the light source (4) and the second lens (6) is adjustable within the optical unit.

27. The spotlight as in claim 1, wherein a spacing between the light source (4) and the reflector (5) is adjustable within the optical unit.

28. A spotlight for illuminating an area with an adjustable angle of radiation, wherein modification of the angle of radiation is achieved in a manner other than shading the beam path with a screen or mask, said spotlight comprising an interior light source (4) and a first lens (2) that is a front lens of the spotlight, wherein the first lens (2) is an aspherical lens and a surface of the first lens (2) facing in a direction of radiation of the spotlight, as seen from a meridional section of the first lens, has a shape of a hyperbolic section, and a vertex of a hyperbola of the hyperbolic section lies on an optical axis of the spotlight, the hyperbola fitting the following equation:

$Z=\frac{1}{r}·<br><br>\frac{y^2}{1+\sqrt{1-\left(k+1\right)<br><br>y^2/r^2}}$

where k is a value ranging from −

3.0 to −

1.1 and r is a value ranging from 40 mm to 100 mm.

29. A spotlight for illuminating an area with an adjustable angle of radiation, wherein modification of the angle of radiation is achieved in a manner other than shading the beam path with a screen or mask, said spotlight comprising an interior light source (4) and a first lens (2) that is a front lens of the spotlight, wherein the first lens (2) is an aspherical lens and a surface of the first lens (2) facing in a direction of radiation of the spotlight, as seen from a meridional section of the first lens, has a shape of an elliptical section, and a minor axis of an ellipse of the elliptical section lies on the optical axis of the spotlight, the ellipse fitting the following equation:

$Z=\frac{1}{r}·<br><br>\frac{y^2}{1+\sqrt{1-\left(k+1\right)<br><br>y^2/r^2}}$

where k is a value ranging from −

0.9 to −

0.5 and r is a value ranging from 40 mm to 100 mm.

30. A spotlight for illuminating an area with an adjustable angle of radiation, wherein modification of the angle of radiation is achieved in a manner other than shading the beam path with a screen or mask, said spotlight comprising an interior light source (4) and a first lens (2) that is a front lens of the spotlight, wherein the first lens (2) is an aspherical Fresnel lens.

31. The spotlight as in claim 30, wherein the first lens (2) is grained on at least one surface.

32. The spotlight as in claim 30, wherein the first lens (2) is rotationally symmetrical with respect to its optical axis.

33. The spotlight as in claim 30, wherein is further included,

a reflector (5) associated with the light source (4), and

a second lens (6) placed in a light-beam path between the light source (4), and the first lens (2), whereby the reflector (5), the light source (4), and the second lens (6) are mounted as an optical unit that is movable along an optical axis of the spotlight relative to the first lens (2).

34. The spotlight as in claim 33, wherein the second lens (6) is grained on at least one surface.

35. The spotlight as in claim 33, wherein the second lens (6) is rotationally symmetrical with respect to its optical axis.

36. The spotlight as in claim 33, wherein the second lens (6) is an aspherical lens.

37. The spotlight as in claim 36, wherein a surface of the second lens (6) that faces the light source (4) is aspherical.

38. The spotlight as in claim 36, wherein a surface of the second lens (6) facing away from the light source (4), as seen in a meridional section, has a shape of a conic section that is different from a segment of a circle.

39. The spotlight as in claim 38, wherein the surface of the second lens (6) facing away from the light source (4), as seen in a meridional section, has a shape of a hyperbolic section.

40. The spotlight as in claim 39, wherein a vertex of a hyperbola of the hyperbolic section lies on the optical axis of the spotlight.

41. The spotlight as in claim 40, wherein the hyperbola fits the following equation:

$Z=\frac{1}{r}·<br><br>\frac{y^2}{1+\sqrt{1-\left(k+1\right)<br><br>y^2/r^2}}$

where k is a value ranging from −

3.0 to −

1.1 and r is a value ranging from 20 mm to 70 mm.

42. The spotlight as in claim 38, wherein the surface of the second lens (6) facing away from the light source (4), as seen in a meridional section, has a shape of an elliptical section.

43. The spotlight as in claim 42, wherein a minor axis of an ellipse of the elliptical section lies on the optical axis of the spotlight.

44. The spotlight as in claim 43, wherein the ellipse fits the following equation:

$Z=\frac{1}{r}·<br><br>\frac{y^2}{1+\sqrt{1-\left(k+1\right)<br><br>y^2/r^2}}$

where k is a value ranging from −

0.9 to −

0.5 and r is a value ranging from 20 mm to 70 mm.

45. The spotlight as in claim 33, wherein the second lens (6) is a meniscus lens.

46. The spotlight as in claim 33, wherein a spacing between the light source (4) and the second lens (6) is adjustable within the optical unit.

47. The spotlight as in claim 33, wherein a spacing between the light source (4) and the reflector (5) is adjustable within the optical unit.