Moving head light fixture with illuminating spherical shaped head and yoke
10641463 ยท 2020-05-05
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
F21V23/003
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21Y2115/15
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21Y2107/20
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21S2/005
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V14/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V3/049
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V3/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21Y2115/10
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V15/01
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V21/14
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21W2131/406
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V21/30
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21S10/00
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V21/15
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
F21V21/00
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V21/30
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V23/00
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V3/04
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V3/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Abstract
The present invention relates to a moving head light fixture comprising a base, a yoke and a head. The yoke is rotatable in relation to the base around a yoke axis. The head is rotatable around a head axis in relation to the yoke and comprises at least one beam light source arranged in the head housing where the beam light source generates a light beam exiting the housing. A part of the head housing and/or the said yoke shell is illuminated at least one pixel light source and form an illuminating part formed in a transparent material allowing light from the pixel light source to pass through the illuminating part and the illuminating part is substantially rotational symmetric in relation to said yoke axis. A plurality of such moving head can from a graphical display.
Claims
1. A moving head light fixture comprising: a base; a yoke rotatable connected to said base, where at least one actuator rotates said yoke around a yoke axis, said yoke comprises at least one yoke shell configured to enclose at least one yoke element; a head rotatably connected to said yoke, where at least one actuator rotates said head around a head axis, said head comprises at least one beam light source arranged in a head housing, said beam light source generating a light beam exiting said head housing through a light beam window in said head housing; wherein said moving head light fixture comprises at least one pixel light source configured to illuminate at least one of: a part of the inside of said head housing; and a part of the inside of said yoke shell; the parts of said head housing and said yoke shell that are illuminated by said pixel light source form an illuminating part formed in a transparent material allowing light from said pixel light source to pass through said illuminating part and said illuminating part is substantially rotationally symmetric in relation to said yoke axis and said head axis.
2. The moving head light fixture according to claim 1 wherein said, illuminating part formed in said head housing is substantially rotationally symmetric in relation to said head axis.
3. The moving head light fixture according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of said illuminating part of said head housing and yoke shell form a continuous surface.
4. The moving head light fixture according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of said illuminating part is shaped as part of a sphere, where the center point of said sphere is coincident with said yoke axis.
5. The moving head light fixture according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of said illuminating part is shaped as part of a sphere, where the center point of said sphere is coincident with said head axis.
6. The moving head light fixture according to claim 1, wherein said yoke axis and said head axis are perpendicular and at least a part of said illuminating part is shaped as part of a sphere, where the center point of said sphere is coincident with the intersection between said head axis and said yoke axis.
7. The moving head light fixture according to claim 1, wherein said illuminating part is configured to scatter light received from said pixel light sources into many directions outside said illuminating part.
8. The moving head light fixture according to claim 1, wherein said transparent material comprises a frosted region.
9. The moving head light fixture according to claim 1, wherein said pixel light source comprises at least a red emitter configured to emit red light, a green emitter configured to emit green light and a blue Miner configured to emit blue light.
10. A graphical display system comprising: a plurality of illuminating pixels; and a control system configured to send pixel data to said plurality of illuminating pixel, said pixel data indicates the color of each of said illuminating pixels, wherein said illuminating pixels are provided as a moving head light and wherein said pixel light source of said moving head light fixture is controlled based on said pixel data; said moving head light fixture having: a base; a yoke rotatable connected to said base, where at least one actuator rotates said yoke around a yoke axis, said yoke comprises at least one yoke shell configured to enclose at least one yoke element; a head rotatably connected to said yoke, where at least one actuator rotates said head around a head axis, said head comprises at least one beam light source arranged in a head housing, said beam light source generating a light beam exiting said head housing through a light beam window in said head housing, wherein said moving head light fixture comprises at least one pixel light source configured to illuminate at least one of: a part of the inside of said head housing; and a part of the inside of said yoke shell; the parts of said head housing and said yoke shell that are illuminated by said pixel light source form an illuminating part formed in a transparent material allowing light from said pixel light source to pass through said illuminating part and said illuminating part is substantially rotationally symmetric in relation to said yoke axis and said head axis.
11. The graphical display system according to claim 10 wherein said control system is configured to send light effect parameters indicative of at least one beam effect parameter related to said light beam and at least one position parameter related to at least one of the position of said head in relation to said base and the position of said yoke in relation to said base.
12. The graphical display system according to claim 11 wherein said control system comprises a pixel controller configured to generate said pixel data and a light controller configured to generate said beam effect parameter and said position parameter.
13. A method of providing a visual effect said method comprises at least one of the following steps: illuminating a part of the inside of a head housing of a moving head light fixture using a pixel light source; and illuminating a part of the inside of a yoke shell of a moving head light fixture using a pixel light source; where said moving bead head light fixture comprises: a base; a yoke rotatably connected to said base, said yoke is rotatable around a yoke axis and comprises said yoke shell; and a head rotatably connected to said yoke, said head is rotatable around a head axis and comprises at least one beam light source arranged in said head housing, said beam light source generating a light beam exiting said head housing through a light beam window in said head housing; the parts of said head housing and said yoke shell that are illuminated by said pixel light source form an illuminating part formed in a transparent material allowing light from said pixel light source to pass through said illuminating part and said illuminating part formed in said head housing is substantially rotationally symmetric in relation to said yoke axis and said head axis.
14. The method according to claim 13 comprising a step of venerating midair light effects in the air outside said moving head light fixture using said light beam light source.
15. The method according to claim 13 comprising at least one of the steps of: rotating said head around said head axis using an actuator; and rotating said yoke around said yoke axis using an actuator.
16. The method according to claim 13 comprising a step of providing a plurality of said moving heads light fixtures and for at least some of said moving heads light fixture performing at least one of the steps of: illuminating a part of the inside of said head housing of a moving head light fixture using a pixel light source; and illuminating a part of the inside of said yoke shell of a moving head light fixture using a pixel light source; generating midair in the air outside said moving head light fixture using, said light beam light source; rotating said head around said head axis using an actuator; and rotating said yoke around said yoke axis using an actuator.
Description
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(9) The present invention is described in view of exemplary embodiments only intended to illustrate the principles of the present invention. The skilled person will be able to provide several embodiments within the scope of the claims. In the illustrated embodiments the illustrated light beams and optical means do only serve to illustrate the principles of the invention rather than illustrating exact and precise light beams and optical means. Throughout the description the reference numbers of similar elements providing similar effects have the same last two digits.
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(11) The yoke comprises a number of pixel light sources 119 configured to illuminate 118 at least a part of the yoke shell 121 and a part of the yoke shell is formed of a transparent material (illustrated in doffed lines) allowing at least a part of the light from the pixel light source to pass through the transparent parts of the yoke shell housing as illustrated by arrows 120. The transparent material also can be configured to scatter/diffuse the light hitting the transparent material in many directions; as a consequence the transparent parts of the yoke shell will appear as an illuminating part when illuminated by light from the pixel light sources 119.
(12) The head comprises a number of pixel light sources 119 configured to illuminate 122 a pan of the head housing 123 and a part of the head housing is formed of a transparent material (illustrated in dotted lines) allowing at least a part of the light from the pixel light source to pass through the transparent parts of the head housing as illustrated by arrows 124. The transparent material also can be configured to scatter/diffuse the Light hitting the transparent material in many directions: as a consequence, the transparent parts of the head housing will appear as an illuminating part when illuminated by light from the pixel light sources 119.
(13) The illuminating parts of the head housing and the yoke shell are substantially rotational symmetric in relation to the yoke axis 141. As illustrated in
(14) Additionally the illuminating part of the head housing is substantially rotational symmetric in relation to the head axis 143. As illustrated in
(15) The illuminating part of the yoke shell and head housing and the pixel light source allows the moving head light fixture to function as a pixel. As the moving head light fixture moves, the illuminating parts seems to remain static leaving the impression that the pixel is stationary. The moving head light fixture can thus be used as a pixel in a group of several similar moving head light fixtures creating a graphical display upon which graphical content can be shown. The light beam 115 can be used to enhance the experience by creating midair effects or similar effects as known in the art of stage lighting and the rotational symmetric illuminating parts allows the light beam to be directed in different directions without changing the visual appearance of the illuminating part of the head housing and yoke shell.
(16) As known in the prior art the moving head light fixture receives electrical power 129 from an external power supply (not shown). The electrical power is received by an internal power supply 131 which adapts and distributes electrical power through internal powerlines (not shown) to the subsystems of the moving head. The internal power system can be provided in many different ways for instance by connecting all subsystems to the same power line. The skilled person will however realize that some of the subsystems in the moving head need different kind of power and that a ground line also can be used. The light source will for instance in most applications need different kind of power than the step motors and driver circuits.
(17) The moving head light fixture also comprises a controller 133 which controls the components (other subsystems) in the moving head light fixture based on an input signal 135 indicative of light effect parameters, such as beam effect parameters, position parameters and other parameters related to the moving head lighting fixture. The beam effect parameters relate to the light effects that the light beam should generate and may for instance be color, dimming level, prism effects, gobo effects, iris effects animation effects etc. It is noticed eventual components generating these light effects have not been shown.
(18) The controller receives the input signal from a light controller (not shown) as known in the art of intelligent and entertainment lighting for instance by using a standard protocol like DMX, ArtNet, RDM, Ethernet, or a video signal such as a HDMI, DVI MP4 etc. signal. The input signal is indicative of at least one beam effect parameter related to the light beam 115, at least one position parameter related to the position of the moving head light fixture and at least one pixel effect parameter related to the pixel light sources 119. The input signal can also be provided as two separate signals (not shown) one comprising light effect parameters related to the general control of the moving head light fixture like light beam effect parameters, lamp position parameters etc., and the other signal comprising the pixel effect parameters for the pixel sources for example as pixel data indicative of the color of the pixel light source in form of a video feed. It should be noted that the above is just examples of input signals, the input signal can be designed any way that fits for a moving head light fixture with pixel light sources. The controller is adapted to send commands and instructions to the different subsystems of the moving head through internal communication lines (not shown). The internal communication system can be based on a various type of communications networks/systems.
(19) The moving head light fixture can also comprise user input means 137 enabling a user to interact directly with the moving head instead of a light controller to communicate with the moving head. The user input means can for instance be buttons, joysticks, touch pads, keyboard, mouse etc. The user input means can also be supported by a display 139 enabling the user to interact with the moving head light fixture through a menu system shown on the display using the user input means. The display device and user input means can in one embodiment also be integrated as a touch screen.
(20) The pixel light source can comprise at least a red emitter configured to emit red light, a green emitter configured to emit green light and a blue emitter configured to emit blue light. The pixel light source can thus illuminate the head housing and the yoke shell with red, green and blue light which can be combined into many different colored by varying the intensity of the red, green and blue light in relation to each other as known in the art of additive color mixing. As a consequence the color of the illuminating parts of the head housing and toke shells can be varied.
(21) In an alternative embodiment the non-illuminated parts of the yoke shell which are not illuminated by the pixel light source is provided in a clear transparent material allowing the viewer to observe the illuminating parts through the clear transparent of the non-illuminated parts of the yoke shell. As a consequence eventual visual blocking in relation to the illuminated parts of the moving head light fixture by non-illuminate part of the yoke can be reduced.
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(23) The moving head light fixture 201 is similar to the moving head light fixture illustrated in
(24) The rotation of the head in relation to the yoke around the head axis is illustrated by arrows 247 and the angle of rotation is indicated besides the arrow. A head angle of 0 degrees corresponds to the position where the light beam is directed along the yoke axis and away from the yoke and base. In other word the light beam is directed straight upwards when the moving head light fixture is standing on the base. The light beam can be tilted by rotating the head in relation to the head axis
(25) The rotation of the yoke in relation to the base around the yoke axis is illustrated by arrows 249 and the angle of rotation is indicated besides the arrow. In the illustrated embodiment a yoke angle of 0 degrees corresponds to a position where the yoke arms are aligned with the sides of the base. The light beam can be panned by rotating the yoke in relation the yoke axis.
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(38) The control system comprises a pixel data controller configured to send pixel data through a signal line 559 to the interface 555. The pixel data can be any kind of video and picture format like JPEG, PNG, GIF, MPEG, AVI etc. and the signal line can both be wired or wireless. The pixel data controller can for instance be provided as a media server.
(39) The interface 555 can be implemented as a separate device as shown in this embodiment or it can be implemented directly into the moving head lighting fixtures 201. The interface merges the signal from the light controller 551 and the pixel controller 557 and it distributes the pixel data to the individual moving head light fixtures 201. The merged signal 561 can either be a complete signal indicative of exactly how the individual lighting fixtures should behave or the merged signal 561 can comprise a media feed with data from the light controller indicative of some post processing that the individual lighting fixtures needs to perform. One of the advantages gained from post processing could be higher performance at fixture level since the throughput of the merged signal usually is tied up to the frame rate of the media for instance 24 Hz.
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(44) The transparent illuminating part of the head housing 709 is shaped as a spherical segment having center point at the intersection 771 between the head axis and the yoke axis and the transparent illuminating parts of the yoke arms are shaped a spherical cap having center point at the intersection 771 between the head axis and the yoke axis. The spherical segment of the head housing and spherical cap of the yoke arms have the same radius. As a consequence, the illuminating parts of head and yoke arms form a substantial sphere which is illuminated by the pixel light sources 719. The illuminating parts will thus appear as a uniform sphere independent of the position of the head in relation the head axis and the position of the yoke in relation to the yoke axis.
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(46) In this embodiment the yoke is formed as a one-armed yoke comprising one yoke arm 806 carrying the head 809.
(47) The transparent illuminating part of the head housing 809 is shaped as a spherical boule/ball having center point at the intersection 771 between the head axis and the yoke axis and the transparent illuminating parts of the yoke arm is shaped a spherical cap having center point at the intersection 771 between the head axis and the yoke axis. The spherical boule/ball of the head housing and spherical cap of the yoke arms has the same radius. As a consequence the illuminating parts of head and yoke arm form a substantial sphere which is illuminated by the pixel light sources 719. The illuminating parts will thus appear as a uniform illuminating sphere independent of the position of the head in relation the head axis and the position of the yoke in relation to the yoke axis.
(48) Throughout the figures the pixel light sources illuminating the head housing have been arranged in the head, however it is noticed that it also is possible to arrange the pixel light sources illuminating head housing in the yoke, for instance by arranging the pixel light source near the junction between the head and yoke and arrange the pixel light sources such that a part of the light will be transmitted through the junction and into the head where it can illuminate the head housing. It is also possible to provide the parts of the head housing and the parts of the yoke shell that faces other in transparent material allowing light from the pixel light sources arranged in the yoke to be emitted into the head where it can illuminate the head housing. Alternatively the light from a pixel light source in the head can also be emitted to the yoke through openings in the parts of the head and yoke which face each other. Likewise the pixel light sources illuminating the yoke shell also can be arranged in the head where the light can be emitted from the head and into the yoke where it illuminate the yoke shell.