Layered dimmer system

• US 8,376,589 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2012
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Production Resource Group LLC
• Original Assignee: Production Resource Group LLC
• Inventors: Bornhorst, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F
• Application Number:
  US13/533,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20120268038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 238 Days
• Field of Search: 362/245, 362/276, 362/277, 362/280, 362/293, 362/295, 362/307, 362/308, 362/311.11, 359/227, 359/599
• US Class Current: 362/295
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/007 using rotating transparent or colored disks, e.g. gobo wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/00 Screens not covered by groups F21V1/00, F21V3/00, F21V7/00 or F21V9/00 characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/502
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/08 using diaphragms containing one or more apertures
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/12 of slot type
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/02 Combinations of only two kinds of elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/00 Reflectors for light sources characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/505
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/02 for controlling the intensity of light G02B26/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/02 Diffusing elements; Afocal elements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]

Abstract

A layered dimmer formed of different layers. The front layer may be a scattering layer, and the back layer may be a reflective layer. The light beam is scattered prior to reflecting, to avoid reflection back to form hotspots.

Claims

1. A dimmer device, comprising:

a controller for the dimmer device which controls an operation of the dimmer device including an amount of output of the dimmer device;

a light source, controlled by said controller, said light source being variable in amount of light output based on an output of the controller;

a movable dimmer system, in a path of an output of said light source, having a first position in the path in which the dimmer does not produce a dimming effect on light output from the light source, and a second position in which the dimmer does produce the dimming effect on light output from the light source,

said controller operating to first reduce an output of the light source at a time when dimming is desired, second, after reducing the output of the light source, to move said dimmer from said first position in the path to said second position to create said dimming effect, and then after moving said dimmer system to create said dimming effect, to increase the output of the light source.

2. The dimmer device as in claim 1, wherein said dimmer is a rotatable wheel, where said first position on said rotatable wheel does not create the dimming effect, and the second position on the rotatable wheel does create the dimming effect.

3. The dimmer device as in claim 1, wherein said controller operates to reduce the output of the light source to 50% of its original power.

4. The dimmer device as in claim 3, wherein said light source is controlled by an electronic ballast, and said electronic ballast is controlled to reduce and increase a power to the light source.

5. The dimmer device as in claim 2, wherein said rotatable wheel includes dimming parts in only a portion thereof.

6. The dimmer device as in claim 5, wherein said dimming parts include a scattering surface on a first side of a substrate forming said dimmer system, where said first side of the substrate faces to the light source, and a patterned surface on a second side of the substrate, where said patterned surface is different in different areas of said portion.

7. The dimmer device as in claim 6, wherein said pattern surface is patterned in a semi-stochastic pattern.

8. The dimmer device as in claim 7, wherein said patterned surface is a surface of reflecting parts.

9. The dimmer device as in claim 6, wherein said scattering surface is arranged into a pattern which is nonregular, and an amount of scattering is set according to a desired amount of dimming.

10. The dimmer device as in claim 7, wherein said patterned surface is a pattern of halftone dots.

11. A method of controlling a method, comprising:

controlling a power applied to a light source in order to carry an output of the light source;

also controlling a movement of a movable dimmer system, in a path of an output of said light source, between positions including a first position in the path in which the dimmer does not produce a dimming effect on light output from the light source, and a second position in which the dimmer does produce the dimming effect on light output from the light source,

carrying out a dimming operation, by operating to first reduce an output of the light source at a time when dimming is desired, second, after reducing the output of the light source, to move said dimmer from said first position in the path to said second position to create said dimming effect, and then after moving said dimmer system to create said dimming effect, to increase the output of the light source.

12. The method as in claim 11, wherein said controlling the movement comprises rotating a rotatable wheel, between said first position on said rotatable wheel does not create the dimming effect, and the second position on the rotatable wheel does create the dimming effect.

13. The method as in claim 11, wherein first reduce operates to reduce the output of the light source to 50% of its original power.

14. The method as in claim 13, wherein said first reduce comprises controlling an electronic ballast to reduce and increase a power to the light source.

15. A dimmer device, comprising:

a substrate, having first and second oppositely facing surfaces;

at least a first portion of said second substrate having a dimmer function, which dims light which passes therethrough, and a second portion of said second substrate not carrying out said dimmer function,

said first portion formed of a patterned layer formed of a plurality of dot areas in a semi-stochastic intensity pattern where a probability is set for each dot area of dimming in said first portion, according to an amount of dimming such that a probability of a dot area being a dimming area is set to the amount of the amount of dimming, and said dot area in said amount of dimming is defined according to said probability.

16. The dimmer device as in claim 15, further comprising

a roughening layer, located on the first surface, where the first surface is structured to receive and scatter incident light.

17. The dimmer device as in claim 16, wherein said roughening layer is arranged into a pattern which is nonregular, and an amount of roughening is set according to a desired amount of dimming.

18. The dimmer device as in claim 15, wherein said dot areas are areas which cause reflection.