Light fixture and method for operating said light fixture

A light fixture may include a casing and a support assembly configured to support and move the casing. The light fixture may include a light source assembly housed inside the casing and configured to generate visible light radiation of different colours. The light fixture may further include a control device configured to control the light source assembly based on the position or the movement of the casing or based on a parameter correlated to the position or the movement of the casing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Patent Application claims priority from Italian Patent Application No. 102019000004799 filed on Mar. 29, 2019, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a light fixture, such as a light fixture for stage, and a method for operating said light fixture.

BACKGROUND ART

Light fixtures are used in the entertainment industry to create stage effects using light beams.

The entertainment industry is always looking for new stage effects that can be obtained by means of light fixtures that are increasingly powerful and high performing and, at the same time, easy and economical to produce.

SUMMARY

In accordance with these purposes, a light fixture, such as a light fixture for stage, may be able to generate new stage effects and which, at the same time, is high performing and easy and economical to produce.

In accordance with these purposes, a light fixture may include:a casing;a support assembly configured to support and move the casing and to enable the casing to rotate about a first axis and a second axis, which is orthogonal to the first axis;at least one light source assembly housed inside the casing and configured to generate visible light beams of different colours;a control device configured to control the position of the casing via the adjustment of the support assembly and to control the colour of the beam emitted by the light source assembly based on the position or the movement of the casing or based on a parameter correlated to the position or the movement of the casing.

Thanks to this type of light source assembly control, it is possible to obtain innovative stage effects. In particular, it is possible to produce a light beam that changes colour during movement. For example, it is possible to project a beam wherein a gradual variation in colour or a variation in colours with a “rainbow” effect is perceptible during the movement of the casing (and, therefore, of the beam itself). Additional innovative stage effects can be achieved by synchronising the change in beam colour with certain movements carried out by the casing.

The effect combinations that can be achieved are countless and can be modified simply by controlling the light source assembly without the need to include specific devices within the light fixture, which would increase its size and cost.

According to a non-limiting embodiment, the control device is configured to control the colour of the beam emitted by the light source assembly based on the position or movement signals of the support assembly.

In this way, the control device is able to adjust the beam colouring quickly, achieving surprising stage effects that are synchronised with the movement of the casing.

According to a non-limiting embodiment, the light source assembly comprises at least two light sources, which are configured to generate visible light radiation of different colours.

According to a non-limiting embodiment, the support assembly comprises a base and a fork; the fork being coupled to the base so that it rotates about the first axis and the fork supporting the casing so that it rotates about the second axis. In this way, the casing (and the emitted beam) has a wide freedom of movement.

According to a non-limiting embodiment, the control device is configured to control at least one of the light sources of the light source assembly based on the position or movement of the casing or based on a parameter correlated to the position or movement of the casing.

According to a non-limiting embodiment, the control device is configured to control the activation of each light source and/or the intensity of the light radiation emitted by each light source. In this way, it is possible to obtain beams wherein the light intensity and the colour of the beam can be adjusted as desired. This enables stage effects to be achieved wherein the projected beam has particular colour effects that are synchronised with the movement of the light beam.

According to a non-limiting embodiment, the control device can also be managed remotely.

It is also possible to provide a method for operating a light fixture in order to generate particular and innovative stage effects.

Elements which are the same or of the same type, or which have the same effect, are provided with the same references in the figures.

The figures are respectively schematic representations and therefore not necessarily true to scale. Rather, relatively small elements, and in particular layer thicknesses, may be represented exaggeratedly large for illustration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

InFIG.1, the reference number1indicates a light fixture, such as for stage.

The light fixture1comprises a casing2and a support assembly3configured to support the casing2, a light source assembly4(only visible inFIG.2) housed inside the casing2and a control device5(only visible inFIG.2).

The casing2extends along a longitudinal axis A and is provided with a first closed end7and a second end8, opposite the first closed end7along the axis A, and provided with a projection hole9. In the non-limiting example described and shown herein, the projection hole9has a substantially circular cross-section.

The support assembly3is configured to support and move the casing2.

In the industry, the casing2is often referred to as the “moving head” due to the presence of the support assembly3.

The support assembly3is configured to enable the casing2to rotate about two orthogonal axes, commonly known as PAN and TILT.

In particular, the support assembly3comprises a base11and a fork12. The fork12is coupled to the base11so that it rotates about the PAN axis. The fork12supports the casing2so that it rotates about the TILT axis.

The actuation of the support assembly3is adjusted by the control device5as we will see in detail below.

With reference toFIG.2, the light fixture1is provided with at least one beam processing assembly15and at least one optical assembly16, which are housed inside the casing2.

The light source assembly4is located inside the casing2at the closed end7of the casing2. The beam processing assembly15is located between the light source assembly4and the optical assembly16.

The optical assembly16is a lens optical assembly, such as located at the projection hole9so as to be a final output optical assembly.

The light source assembly4, the beam processing assembly15and the optical assembly16are schematically represented inFIG.2.

The light fixture1also comprises a frame (not visible in the attached figures) that is integral with the casing2and is provided with a plurality of elements coupled to one another and configured to define a support structure for the components located within the casing2, namely the light source assembly4, the beam processing assembly15, and the optical assembly16.

The light source assembly4is configured to generate a light beam.

The light source assembly4is configured to generate light beams of different colours (i.e. light beams with different emission spectra). In the non-limiting example described and shown herein, the light source assembly4comprises a plurality of light sources18(schematically represented with a block), at least two of which are configured to generate visible light radiation of different colours.

In other words, at least two light sources18are configured to generate light beams that have different emission spectra.

In the non-limiting example described and shown herein, there are three light sources18and they are RGB (Red Green Blue) sources.

The light sources18can be of the LED type or they may comprise laser diodes of different colours.

According to one variant, the light source assembly4may also comprise at least one LARP (Laser Activated Remote Phosphor) type source connected to a phosphor wheel to enable the colour of the light radiation emitted by the LARP source to be varied.

Other variants require that the light source assembly4comprise halogen or discharge lamps.

The light source assembly4comprises, in addition, an optical device19located downstream of the light sources18along the emission direction so as to intercept the light radiation emitted by the light sources18and is configured to conveniently process the light radiation emitted by the light sources18and to generate a single light beam along an optical axis O. In more detail, the optical device19is configured to process at least a portion of the light radiation emitted by the light sources18so as to form a light beam extending substantially along the optical axis O.

The optical device19is configured to concentrate the beam on a given point (called the point of focus).

In the non-limiting example described and shown herein, the optical axis O coincides with the longitudinal axis A of the casing2.

Each of the light sources18is adjustable independently of the control device5. As we will see in detail below, the control device5can adjust the light source assembly4based on the position or movement of the casing2.

In particular, the control device5may adjust the activation of each source18and/or the intensity of the light radiation emitted by each source18and/or the modulation of the light radiation emitted by each source18and/or the colour of the light radiation emitted by each source18and/or the duty-cycle of each light source18and/or the polarisation of the radiation emitted by each light source18.

The control device5may also adjust parameters and elements of the optical device19located downstream of the light sources18.

The control device5may also make adjustments to one light source18correlated to the conditions of at least one other light source18of the light source assembly4. For example, the control device5may make adjustments based on position relationships or curves defined by the International Commission on Illumination (Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage, CIE) and/or on the complementary of colours emitted by the light sources18.

The beam processing assembly15is located downstream of the light source assembly4and comprises at least one beam processing element that is configured to process the light beam emitted by the light source assembly4so as to achieve one or more stage effects. In particular, the beam processing element is supported and/or configured so as to selectively intercept the light beam in order to only modify the light beam when needed.

The beam processing assembly15may include a plurality of beam processing elements.

The position of each of the beam processing elements is adjusted by the control device5.

The beam processing assembly15may comprise one or more gobos devices and/or a frost assembly and/or a prismatic element and/or an optical assembly and/or a zoom device, etc.

It is understood that the beam processing assembly15may comprise additional beam processing elements that are not listed here.

The control device5is configured to control the light sources18based on the position of the casing2or based on the movement of the casing2(e.g. based on the speed and/or acceleration of the casing2).

In the non-limiting example described and shown herein, the control device5is configured to control the light sources18based on the movement of the casing2about the PAN and/or about the TILT axis.

In other words, the control device5is configured to control the light sources18based on the position or movement signals of the support assembly3.

Normally the position signals are imparted to the support assembly3in a controlled way thanks to macros stored and activated automatically, or under the manual control of an operator through a remote interface (normally a console).

As already mentioned, the control device5is able to adjust the activation and intensity of the light radiation emitted by the light sources18.

The control device5may also be managed remotely, such as using the DMX protocol communications.

The independent control of the light sources18, according to the position of the casing2, advantageously enables innovative stage effects to be achieved.

The position of the casing2is, in fact, indicative of the position of the light beam coming out of the projection hole9.

It is possible, therefore, to produce beams that change colour and intensity during movement.

It is also possible to project a beam wherein a gradual variation in colour or a variation in colours with a “rainbow” effect is perceptible during the movement of the casing2(and, therefore, of the beam itself).

Special stage effects can be achieved by synchronising the change in beam colour with certain movements carried out by the casing2.

High speed casing2movement can also take advantage of the persistence of the retinal image to achieve special stage effects.

Lastly, it is clear that modifications and variations may be made to the light fixture and method described herein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.