Layered dimmer system

• US 8,556,468 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2013
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• 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:
  US13/769,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20130154517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 239 Days
• Field of Search: 362/245, 362/276, 362/277, 362/293, 362/295, 362/307, 362/308, 362/311.11, 359/227, 359/599
• US Class Current: 362/307
• 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 system, comprising:

a substrate, having first and second oppositely facing surfaces;

a roughening layer, located on the first surface; and

a patterned reflecting layer, on the second surface;

where both said roughening layer and said reflecting layer are patterned in the same shape, said shape being of a rounded end part with extending fingers.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein said roughening layer is of a type which causes diffusion of incoming light to cause scattering light rays.

3. The system as in claim 2, wherein said roughening layer is formed by frosted glass on said first surface and where the rounded end part of the shape causes more dimming of light passing therethrough and the finger part of the shape causes less dimming of the part passing there through.

4. The system as in claim 1, wherein said reflecting layer is formed in a pattern of discrete dots.

5. The system as in claim 4, wherein does said discrete dots are formed in a location where said roughening layer prevents said dots from being seen.

6. The system as in claim 4, wherein said reflective layer uses halftone intensity gradient patterns which have different sizes to create different amounts of dimming effect.

7. The system as in claim 5, wherein said patterned reflecting layer has a semi-stochastic intensity patterns.

8. The system as in claim 4, wherein said discrete dots are placed at random locations on said substrate.

9. The system as in claim 1, wherein said patterned reflecting layer is a metal layer which is patterned.

10. The system as in claim 9, wherein said patterned reflecting layer also includes a black coating over the metal layer.

11. The system as in claim 10, wherein said black layer is formed of a dark mirror.

12. The system as in claim 1, further comprising at least one anti-reflective coating over the substrate.

13. A system, comprising:

a substrate, having first and second oppositely facing surfaces;

a roughening layer, located on the first surface; and

a patterned reflecting layer, on the second surface;

where both said roughening layer and said reflecting layer are patterned in the same shape, and said shape varies long said surfaces,

wherein said reflecting layer is formed in a pattern of discrete dots, wherein said discrete dots are formed only in locations where said roughening layer prevents said dots from being seen.

14. The system as in claim 13, wherein said shape being of a rounded end part with extending fingers.

15. The system as in claim 13,

wherein said roughening layer is formed by frosted glass on said first surface and where one part of the shape causes more dimming of light passing therethrough and another part of the shape causes less dimming of the part passing therethrough.

16. The system as in claim 13, wherein said reflective layer uses halftone intensity gradient patterns which have different sizes to create different amounts of dimming effect.

17. The system as in claim 16, wherein said patterned reflecting layer has a semi-stochastic intensity patterns.

18. The system as in claim 16, wherein said patterned reflecting layer is a metal layer which is patterned and also includes a black coating over the metal layer.

19. The system as in claim 18, wherein said black layer is formed of a dark mirror.

20. The system as in claim 13, wherein said discrete dots are placed at random locations on said substrate.

21. The system as in claim 18, wherein said patterned reflecting layer is a metallic layer which is patterned.

22. The system as in claim 21, wherein said patterned reflecting layer also includes a black coating over the metallic layer.

23. A lighting system, comprising:

a lighting element;

a dimming element, said dimming element having a substrate, having first and second oppositely facing surfaces, a patterned roughening layer, located on the first surface and having a first pattern, where the first surface is positioned to receive incident light from said lighting element, and a patterned reflecting layer, having a second pattern which is different at different areas of the substrate, said patterned reflecting layer located on the second surface, said second pattern which causes different amounts of reflection on different areas of the surface, wherein said first pattern is such that said roughening pattern is always in a path of said lighting element at locations where said second pattern is causing reflection;

a moving element for said dimming element, which moves said dimming element so that different areas of said substrate are placed within the incident light; and

a controller, which controls said lighting element, and said moving element, to place different areas of said dimming element in said incident light.

24. The system as in claim 23, wherein said substrate is disk shaped, and said patterned reflecting layer has different amounts of patterning at different concentric areas on the disk shaped substrate, and said moving element comprises a part that rotates said disk shaped substrate.

25. The system as in claim 23, wherein said patterned reflecting layer has a halftone pitch which varies at different areas.

26. The system as in claim 23, wherein said patterned reflecting layer has a semi-stochastic intensity pattern.

27. The system as in claim 23, wherein said reflecting layer is formed in a pattern of discrete dots.

28. The system as in claim 27, wherein said discrete dots are placed at random locations on said substrate.

29. A method, of dimming a beam of light, comprising:

forming a beam of light along a path;

at a first time, forming said beam of light at a first intensity;

in a processing element, sensing a request to dim said beam of light;

responsive to said request, said processing element operating according to a stored program to automatically first electronically reduce an intensity of the beam of light, second move a dimmer into the path of said beam of light after said first reduce, and third, after the dimmer has been moved into the path of light, automatically increase the intensity of the beam of light which is in the path.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said dimmer is a device with a light scattering portion on one surface, and a light reflecting portion on the opposite surface.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said beam of light is produced from a light source of more than 700 watts.

32. A system, comprising:

a substrate, having first and second oppositely facing surfaces;

a dimming layer, located on at least one of said surfaces, where said dimming layer has a semi-stochastic intensity pattern of discrete dots, said intensity pattern being light passing where the dots are not located, and being light blocking where the dots are located, where different areas of the dimming layer forming different amounts of dimming,

where each amount of dimming is set by a probability in an area of that area being light blocking,

where said dots are placed in a stochastic pattern based on a probably function, set by said probability.

33. The system as in claim 32, wherein said dimming layer is a light reflecting layer which is located on the first surface.

34. The system as in claim 32, further comprising a scattering layer on the second surface, in locations that prevent from dots from being seen.

35. The system as in claim 32, wherein said discrete dots are placed at random locations on said substrate.