Lighting device

• US 6,612,711 B1
• Filed: 07/25/2001
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Licht-Technik Vertriebs GmbH
• Original Assignee: Licht-Technik Vertriebs GmbH
• Inventors: Amling, Manfred, Grill, Bernhard, Hagenbach, Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US09/787,245
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 362/96, 362/450, 362/352, 362/363, 362/189, 362/253, 446/220, 446/222, 446/223, 446/224, 446/226
• US Class Current: 362/96
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 1/16 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/108 using hook and loop-type fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/026 being inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios

Abstract

A lighting device includes a spotlight and an inflatable sack detachably connected thereto and made of a material that is at least partially light-transmitting. The sack has a transparent light entrance orifice to couple to a light exit orifice of the spotlight. The light entrance orifice of the inflatable sack is defined by a transparent glass disk or a transparent foil, which along a circumferential edge is connected in an airtight manner to an edge of a corresponding orifice in the sack.

Claims

1. A lighting device, comprising:

a cinematographic or stage spotlight; and

an inflatable sack detachably connected to the spotlight and made of a material that is at least partially light-transmitting, wherein the sack comprises a transparent light entrance orifice to couple to a light exit orifice of the spotlight, wherein the light entrance orifice of the inflatable sack is defined by a transparent glass disk or a transparent foil, which along a circumferential edge is connected in an airtight manner to an edge of a corresponding orifice in the sack.

2. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the sack is closed so as to be airtight on all sides, and wherein the sack comprises a valve through which the sack can be inflated or, after use, deflated.

3. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the sack in a region of the light entrance orifice comprises a connector to connect the sack to the light exit orifice of the spotlight, wherein the connector corresponds to a complementary connector on the spotlight.

4. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the sack is open at a light entrance side, wherein the sack is inflatable through a corresponding opening through an external blower attached to the spotlight.

5. The lighting device of claim 4, further comprising a sack-holding apparatus that connects the spotlight and the sack, wherein the sack holding device comprises air-or gas-supply tubes that are connectable to the blower to inflate the sack.

6. The lighting device of claim 5, wherein the sack-holding apparatus is detachably connected to the spotlight.

7. The lighting device of claim 6, further comprising a cylindrical holding apparatus that is detachably connected to the spotlight, wherein the cylindrical holding apparatus comprises gas inlets connectable to the blower, a ring flange that projects radially outward and is connectable to the spotlight by retaining clips, a gasket made of a transparent and heat-resistant material to seal off a space delimited by the cylindrical holding apparatus and the sack, and to which the sack is connectable in a substantially airtight manner by way of a retaining band.

8. The lighting device of claim 7, wherein the retaining band is a Velcro band or adhesive band.

9. The lighting device of claim 1, further comprising a sack-holding apparatus connected to the spotlight, the sack-holding apparatus providing for detachably connecting the spotlight and the sack.

10. The lighting device of claim 9, wherein a blower device to inflate the sack to a predetermined shape is connected to at least one of the spotlight and the sack-holding apparatus.

11. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the sack in an inflated state has substantially a shape selected from a group consisting of a cylindrical rod, a sphere, a hemisphere, a cone and a truncated cone.

12. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the sack is made of a woven textile or an airtight plastic film.

13. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the sack comprises a light-reflecting zone on at least part of an inner surface.

14. The lighting device of claim 13, wherein the light-reflecting zone is located a side of the sack opposite an orifice through which light enters from the spotlight.

15. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein, to determine whether an air pressure inside the sack is at a predetermined level, a pressure sensor is connected to a blower so that after a predetermined pressure in the sack has been reached, the blower is turned down or switched off.

16. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein a blower to inflate the sack has a nonreturn valve in order to prevent air from escaping out of the sack through the blower when the blower is turned off.

17. The lighting device of claim 16, wherein an air outlet of the blower comprises the nonreturn valve.

18. The lighting device of claim 16, wherein the nonreturn valve is a valve flap under elastic tension in a closing direction.