Optical system for a fresnel lens light, especially for a spotlight or floodlight

• US 6,899,451 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2002
• Issued: 05/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auer Lighting GmbH (Saratoga Lighting Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: SCHOTT Glass
• Inventors: Wagener, Harry, Kittelmann, Ruediger
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zeade, Bertrand
• Application Number:
  US10/096,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20030063466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 362/538, 362/296, 362/305, 362/388, 362/340, 362/335, 362/308, 362/309
• US Class Current: 362/538
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/02 by movement of light sources in vehicle head lamps F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/045 the lens having discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/24 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios

Abstract

The optical system for the Fresnel lens light has an ellipsoidal reflector (1), a light source (2) and a Fresnel lens (3). The distance (a) between the Fresnel lens (3) and the reflector (1) is changeable but is related to the changeable distance (b) between the light source (2) and the reflector (1) so that the aperture angle of the propagated light beam is variable but illumination intensity of the propagated light is maintained uniform. Surfaces of the at least one Fresnel lens and/or the reflector can be structured to provide more uniform illumination of a given area. The optical system is useful for lights for film, stage, studio and photography.

Claims

1. An optical system for a Fresnel lens light, said optical system comprising an ellipsoidal reflector (10), at least one Fresnel lens (3) arranged at a variable distance (a) from a front edge (E) of said ellipsoidal reflector and a light source (2) arranged between said ellipsoidal reflector (10) and said at least one Fresnel lens (3);

wherein said light source (2) is arranged at a variable distance (b) from a vertex (V) of said elliptical reflector (10) to propagate a light beam and wherein said distance (b) between the ellipsoidal reflector (10) and said light source (2) is changeable to vary an aperture angle of the propagated light beam and said distance (a) is also changeable, but constrained in relation to said distance (b), so that illumination intensity of the propagated light beam is maintained uniform.

2. The optical system as defined in claim 1, wherein said ellipsoidal reflector (1) has a first focal point (F1) closest to said vertex (V) and a second focal point (F2) furthest from said vertex (V), said light source (2) has a filament and said light source is positionable so that said filament is located at said first focal point (F1) and said at least one Fresnel lens is positionable so that said second focal point (F2) coincides with a focal point (F3) of said at least one Fresnel lens so as to provide a spotlight.

3. The optical system as defined in claim 1, wherein said ellipsoidal reflector (1) has a first focal point (F1) closest to said vertex (V) and a second focal point (F2) furthest from said vertex (V), said light source (2) has a filaments, said light source is positionable so that said filament is positioned closer to said at least one Fresnel lens (3) than said first focal point (F1) and said at least one Fresnel lens is positionable so that said second focal point (F2) is closer to said at least one Fresnel lens (3) than a focal point (F3) of said at least one Fresnel lens so as to provide floodlight.

4. The optical system as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one Fresnel lens receives nearly all reflected light from the reflector.

5. The optical system as defined in claim 1, wherein said ellipsoidal reflector (1) comprises any one of metallic material and transparent material provided with a reflective surface.

6. The optical system as defined in claim 5, wherein said ellipsoidal reflector (1) has respective surfaces on opposite sides thereof and at least one of said respective surfaces is provided with a plurality of thin layers (I).

7. The optical system as defined in claim 6, wherein one of said respective surfaces of said ellipsoidal reflector faces said at least one Fresnel lens and is a light-reflecting surface, said light-reflecting surface does not scatter incident light and is not structured to scatter said incident light and at least one surface of said at least one Fresnel lens is structured to scatter light that falls on said at least one Fresnel lens.

8. The optical system as defined in claim 6, wherein one of said respective surfaces of said ellipsoid reflector faces said at least one Fresnel lens and is a light-reflecting surface structured to scatter incident light.

9. The optical system as defined in claim 8, wherein at least one surface of said at least one Fresnel lens is structured to scatter light that falls on said at least one Fresnel lens.

10. A Fresnel lens light for film, stage, studio or photography, wherein said Fresnel lens light comprises an optical system and said optical system comprises an ellipsoidal reflector (10), at least one Fresnel lens (3) arranged at a variable distance (a) from a front edge (E) of said ellipsoidal reflector and a light source (2) arranged between said ellipsoidal reflector (10) and said at least one Fresnel lens (3);

wherein said light source (2) is arranged at a variable distance (b) from a vertex (V) of said elliptical reflector (10) to propagate a light beam and wherein said distance (b) between the ellipsoidal reflector (10) and said light source (2) is changeable to vary an aperture angle of the propagated light beam and said distance (a) is also changeable, but constrained in relation to said distance (b), so that illumination intensity of the propagated light beam is maintained uniform.

11. The Fresnel lens light as defined in claim 10, wherein said ellipsoidal reflector (1) has a first focal point (F1) closest to said vertex (V) and a second focal point (F2) furthest from said vertex (V), said light source (2) has a filament and said light source is positionable so that said filament is located at said first focal point (F1) and said at least one Fresnel lens is positionable so that said second focal point (F2) coincides with a focal point (F3) of said at least one Fresnel lens so as to provide spotlight.

12. The Fresnel lens light as defined in claim 10, wherein said ellipsoidal reflector (1) has a first focal point (F1) closest to said vertex (V) and a second focal point (F2) furthest from said vertex (V), said light source (2) has a filament and said light source is positionable so that said filament is positioned closer to said at least one Fresnel lens (3) than said first focal point (F1) and said at least one Fresnel lens is positionable so that said second focal point (F2) is closer to said at least one Fresnel lens (3) than a focal point (F3) of said at least one Fresnel lens so as to provide floodlight.

13. The Fresnel lens light as defined in claim 10, wherein said at least one Fresnel lens receives nearly all reflected light from the reflector.

14. The Fresnel lens light as defined in claim 10, wherein said ellipsoidal reflector (1) has respective surfaces on opposite sides thereof and at least one of said respective surfaces is provided with a plurality of thin layers (I).

15. The Fresnel lens light as defined in claim 14, wherein one of said respective surfaces of said ellipsoidal reflector faces said at least one Fresnel lens and is a light-reflecting surface, said light-reflecting surface does not scatter incident light and is not structured to scatter said incident light and at least one surface of said at least one Fresnel lens is structured to scatter light that falls on said at least one Fresnel lens.

16. The Fresnel lens light as defined in claim 14, wherein one of said respective surfaces of said ellipsoid reflector faces said at least one Fresnel lens and is a light-reflecting surface structured to scatter incident light.

17. The Fresnel lens light as defined in claim 16, wherein at least one surface of said at least one Fresnel lens is structured to scatter light that falls on said at least one Fresnel lens.