GB2290133A - Lighting effect producing device - Google Patents

Abstract

A lighting effect producing device comprises a supporting frame or enclosure 2 in which a disc of circular flexible plastic 1, 8, 12 fitted with a rigid hub 5, can be inserted and freely rotate by the means of an electric motor 16 mounted on the frame. That the supporting frame or enclosure can be attached to a projector or Luminaire 7 so that the beam of light passes through the flexible plastic disc, the projected light therefore being affected by the various translucent qualities of the plastic. <IMAGE>

Description

ADAPTABLE ROTATING LIGHTING EFFECT This invention relates to an Adaptable Rotating Lighting Effect.

Rotating Lighting effects, projection, Colour Filter selection discs are in common use within the Entertainment,Arts, and leisure Industries. They provide the means to change the quality of, or animate ,a beam of projected light.

They are normally mounted to the front of a projector/Luminaire, either between the light source and the lens assembly or beyond the focusing lens.

The Disc driven by an electric motor rotates through the beam of light,The beam is therefore affected by the light transmission qualities of the Disc.

The Discs or frames are constructed from rigid materials such as glass where the image to be projected is applied to the surface, or sheet metal where the design is cut or etched into the material.

There are also discs which support flexible plastic colour filter media (Colour Wheels), The filter is clamped in segments between two discs of sheet metal or applied to a single supporting disc by tape or fasteners. The assembly has normally five apertures cut out ,to permit the light to pass through each colour filter as the disc rotates.

Such lighting effects discs although in some cases interchangeable are however relatively expensive, and very difficult for the end user to adapt or manufacture. Each particular design maybe seldom used beyond the presentation it was purchased for.

'Colour Wheels' because of the metal between apertures do not produce a smooth mix between one colour and the next when rotating, and cannot provide a static mix between colours.

According to the present invention there is provided, an Adaptable Rotating Lighting Effect, a multi purpose means for the user to create a rotary lighting effect,or 'Colour Wheel.

The invention comprises a static frame or enclosure that will support a rotating single or multiple disc of flexible plastic sheet.The disc maybe either a single piece or segments / shapes ,with various inherent or applied optical qualities, attached to each other to form a single circular shape. This disc is attached to a rigid hub that connects it to a motor driven spindle mounted through the frame. The frame has an aperture to allow the light to pass through the rotating disc and a mounting to connect it to the front of the projector / Luminaire. The motor is driven by an electronic circuit, which can control, speed, direction,and stop-start functions, of the rotating disc.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which; Figure I shows in perspective, the supporting frame with an effects disc fitted, Mounted to the front of a Luminaire Figure 2 Shows The supporting Frame detail Figure 3 Shows an example of a 'Colour Wheel' disc and Hub Figure 4 Shows an example of an animation Disc and Hub Figure 5 Shows detail of the Hub Figure 6 Shows in perspective a second example of a supporting frame Figure 7 Shows the rear of the second example supporting frame Referring to the drawings the Adaptable Rotating Lighting Effects Disc comprises a circular Disc of flexible Plastic ( Colour Filter Material) 1, designed and provided by the user, which is mounted within a rectangular formed sheet metal frame 2,The centre of the Disc 1 supported by a cardboard hub 5 and connected to the protruding Motor spindle coupler 4.

Light from the Luminaire 7 is projected through the Filter Material Disc 1 via the Frame aperture 3. The Filter Material Disc 1 is free to rotate within the Frame 2 therefore changing the quality of light projected. removal and fitting of the Disc I is achieved by unlocking the cardboard Hub 5 from the spindle coupler 4 through the aperture 6 and moving the disc through the top or bottom opening in the frame 2. The thin cardboard Hub 5 is a circular shape, its size is governed by the size and position of the aperture 3, it has a slot 10 cut through its centre to locate with the motor spindle coupler Key way 4. In figure 3 a disc has been constructed from six segments of colour filter material 8 attached to each other by film splicing tape 11, the hub 5 has been fixed to the centre of the disc with metal staples 9.In figure 4 a disc has been constructed from a complete circular shape of clear flexible plastic 12 , with a cardboard Hub 5 attached by staples 9, an opaque hatch design has been applied to the surface of the plastic 12 to create a rippling effect to the light beam when rotated.

Referring to the drawings in figure 6 and 7 a second example of an Adaptable Rotating Lighting Effect supporting frame is shown. where the rectangular sheet metal frame in figure 1 (2) has been replaced by two pieces of flat sheet metal rear 13, front 14, Held apart and joined to each other by metal support pillars 15 to form the Disc mounting frame. All the other features are the same except in that an additional aperture 17 has been cut to reduce weight.

Figure 7 shows detail of the reverse side of the mounting frame. The Printed circuit board 16 supports the Motor and control circuitry and is fixed to the rear of the frame, four holes 18 have been provided around the aperture 3 to connect the frame to the front of a Luminaire.

Claims (4)

1) An Adaptable Rotating Lighting Effect comprising a rigid supporting frame or enclosure to be attached to the front of a Luminaire, provided with an Electric Motor to facilitate the rotation of an interchangeable flexible translucent Plastic disc within the frame and through the beam of projected light.

2) An Adaptable Rotating Lighting Effect as claimed in claim 1 wherein the interchangeable circular piece of flexible translucent plastic is connected to the Motor output spindle and held in position by a removable rigid hub affixed to its centre of rotation.

3) An Adaptable Rotating Lighting Effect as claimed in claim 1 and 2, wherein the circular piece of flexible translucent plastic can be constructed from single or multiple sections of differing optical qualities.

4) An Adaptable Rotating Lighting Effect as claimed in claim 3 wherein the differing optical qualities can be inherent or applied to the base material.