Method and apparatus for a scrollable modifier for a light fixture

• US 8,596,824 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2009
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Syncrolite, L.P.
• Original Assignee: Syncrolite, L.P.
• Inventors: Calmes, Jack
• Primary Examiner(s): Negron, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US12/357,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20090196043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,777 Days
• Field of Search: 362/18, 362/278, 362/284, 362/311, 362/320, 362/323, 362/324, 362/355, 403/61, 405/64, 407/16
• US Class Current: 362/278
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/02 changing colors F21S10/002 - F21S10/007, F21S10/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/006 by means of optical elements, e.g. films, filters or screens, being rolled up around a roller
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/40 with provision for controlling spectral properties, e.g. colour, or intensity
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios

Abstract

A light fixture includes a light source, a first flexible material coupled to a first scrolling mechanism, and a second flexible material coupled to a second scrolling mechanism. The first flexible material includes a first pattern generator and the first scrolling mechanism is operable to move the first pattern generator from a first position to a second position in a beam of light from the light source. The second flexible material includes a second pattern generator and the second scrolling mechanism is operable to move the second pattern generator to a third position in the beam of light. A changing pattern is produced in the beam of light.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use with a light source, the apparatus comprising:

a first flexible material coupled to a first scrolling mechanism, where the first flexible material comprises a first color filter film and the first scrolling mechanism is operable to move the first color filter film from a first position to a second position in a beam of light from the light source;

a second flexible material coupled to a second scrolling mechanism, where the second flexible material comprises a second color filter film and the second scrolling mechanism is operable to move the second color filter film from a third position to a fourth position in the beam of light; and

a third flexible material coupled to a third scrolling mechanism, the third flexible material comprising an array of microlenses configured to receive portions of the beam of light that have passed through the first flexible material and portions of the beam of light that have passed through the second flexible material and blend the portions to produce a substantially uniformly colored light beam, the third flexible material comprising a plurality of diffuser panels arranged in a series, the series of diffuser panels configured to provide a graduated sequence of increasing omni-directional diffusion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first scrolling mechanism is operable to repeatedly move the first flexible material from the first position to the second position and back to the first position in the beam of light.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the diffuser panels are configured to provide differing amounts of divergence in horizontal and vertical directions to thereby generate rectangular beams of differing degrees of divergence.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second scrolling mechanism is operable to move the second flexible material from the third position to the fourth position while the first scrolling mechanism is moving the first flexible material from the first position to the second position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first scrolling mechanism is operable to move the first flexible material from the first position to the second position in a first direction;

the second scrolling mechanism is operable to move the second flexible material from the third position to the fourth position in a second direction; and

the first direction is different than the second direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first scrolling mechanism is operable to move the first flexible material from the first position to the second position at a first speed;

the second scrolling mechanism is operable to move the second flexible material from the third position to the fourth position at a second speed; and

the first speed is different from the second speed.

7. A light fixture, comprising:

a light source;

a first flexible material coupled to a first scrolling mechanism, where the first flexible material comprises a first color filter film and the first scrolling mechanism is operable to move the first color filter film from a first position to a second position in a beam of light from the light source;

a second flexible material coupled to a second scrolling mechanism, where the second flexible material comprises a second color filter film and the second scrolling mechanism is operable to move the second color filter film from a third position to a fourth position in the beam of light; and

a third flexible material coupled to a third scrolling mechanism, the third flexible material comprising an array of microlenses configured to receive portions of the beam of light that have passed through the first flexible material and portions of the beam of light that have passed through the second flexible material and blend the portions to produce a substantially uniformly colored light beam, the third flexible material comprising a plurality of diffuser panels arranged in a series, the series of diffuser panels configured to provide a graduated sequence of increasing omni-directional diffusion.

8. The light fixture of claim 7, wherein the first scrolling mechanism is operable to repeatedly move the first flexible material from the first position to the second position and back to the first position in the beam of light.

9. The light fixture of claim 7, wherein the first flexible material is disposed in front of a first portion of the light source and the second flexible material is disposed in front of a second portion of the light source such that the portions of the beam of light that pass through the first flexible material do not pass through the second flexible material;

and

wherein the third flexible material is configured to receive and blend both portions of the beam of light to produce the substantially uniformly colored light beam.

10. The light fixture of claim 7, wherein the array of microlenses comprises a light shaping diffuser film.

11. The light fixture of claim 7, wherein the second scrolling mechanism is operable to repeatedly move the second flexible material from the third position to the fourth position and back to the third position while the first scrolling mechanism is repeatedly moving the first flexible material from the first position to the second position and back to the first position.

12. The light fixture of claim 7, wherein:

the first scrolling mechanism is operable to move the first flexible material from the first position to the second position in a first direction;

the second scrolling mechanism is operable to move the second flexible material from the third position to the fourth position in a second direction; and

the first direction is different from the second direction.

13. The light fixture of claim 7, wherein:

the first scrolling mechanism is operable to move the first flexible material from the first position to the second position at a first speed;

the second scrolling mechanism is operable to move the second flexible material from the third position to the fourth position at a second speed; and

the first speed is different than the second speed.

14. A method comprising:

scrolling a first flexible material comprising a first color filter film from a first position to a second position in a beam of light from a light source of a light fixture;

scrolling a second flexible material comprising a second color filter film from a third position to a fourth position in the beam of light; and

scrolling a third flexible material comprising an array of microlenses configured to receive portions of the beam of light that have passed through the first flexible material and portions of the beam of light that have passed through the second flexible material and blend the portions to produce a substantially uniformly colored light beam, the third flexible material comprising a plurality of diffuser panels arranged in a series, the series of diffuser panels configured to provide a graduated sequence of increasing omni-directional diffusion.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising repeatedly scrolling the first flexible material from the first position to the second position and back to the first position in the beam of light.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein each of the first color filter film and the second color filter film comprises a plurality of color filter panels arranged in a series, each color filter panel associated with a different color, wherein each two consecutive color filter panels are separated by a clear filter panel.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the second flexible material is scrolling from the third position to the fourth position in the beam of light while the first flexible material is scrolling from the first position to the second position.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the diffuser panels are configured to provide differing amounts of divergence in horizontal and vertical directions to thereby generate rectangular beams of differing degrees of divergence.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the first flexible material is scrolled from the first position to the second position in a first direction;

the second flexible material is scrolled from the third position to the fourth position in a second direction; and

the first direction is different from the second direction.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the first flexible material is scrolled from the first position to the second position at a first speed;

the second flexible material is scrolled from the third position to the fourth position at a second speed; and

the first speed is different than the second speed.