Patent ID: 6024453
Filing Date: 2000-02-15
Classification: G02B,G03B,H04N

Abstract:
A method of rapidly producing color changes in an optical light path, said method comprising the steps of:a. projecting a light beam along an optical light path;b. providing a disc-shaped carrier having a central axis and an outer periphery, the disc-shaped carrier having a first surface that includes a bonding zone which extends to the outer periphery of the disc-shaped carrier;c. mounting the disc-shaped carrier for rotation about its central axis;d. providing a plurality of planar color filter segments, each of said planar color filter segments including a bonding portion for lying adjacent the bonding zone of the disc-shaped carrier, each of the planar color filter segments being translucent and forming a continuous sheet of material without any apertures formed therein; ande. securing the bonding portion of each planar color filter segment to the bonding zone of the disc-shaped carrier using an epoxy glue adhesive to form a color wheel, each such planar color filter segment being aligned radially to the central axis of the disc-shaped carrier, each of the planar color filter segments extending radially beyond the outer periphery of the disc-shaped carrier for being sequentially inserted into the optical light path as the disc-shaped carrier is rotated, the planar color filter segments forming a ring-shaped translucent area that is arranged concentrically about the central axis of the disc-shaped carrier the ring-shaped translucent area being adapted to extend into the optical light path and being continuously translucent relative to the optical light path as the disc-shaped carrier is rotated, the epoxy glue adhesive being sufficiently strong to allow the color wheel to withstand centrifugal accelerations of over 300 g, wherein g designates acceleration due to gravity; andf. rapidly rotating the disc-shaped carrier about its central axis to rapidly produce color changes in the optical light path.