Abstract:
A lighting unit with a replaceable and rotatable lens. The lens unit can be removed and replaced. A lens rotating motor is off axis, and is counterbalanced by the light bulb holding structure that is located at the other side of the lighting unit.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Application Ser. No. 60/724,493, filed on Oct. 6, 2005. The disclosure of the prior application is considered part of (and is incorporated by reference in) the disclosure of this application. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Moving lights are generally known in which the light is remotely controllable to allow the light to move to, and hence point at, a number of different locations. The directions of movement of the light is generally referred to as pan and a substantially orthogonal tilt direction. By moving in both pan and tilt, a properly adjusted light can generally move in more or less any direction. 
     Many features are often placed in these lights, causing different kinds of problems. The complication of these lights also leads to extremely high cost. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present application describes a relatively simplified moving light with replaceable parts. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an overall diagram of the lamp as assembled and hanging. 
         FIG. 2  shows a front view of the lamp; 
         FIG. 3  shows a side view of the lamps; 
         FIG. 4  shows a detailed close-up of the upper enclosure connection of the lamps; 
         FIG. 5  shows up beam adjustment control system; 
         FIG. 6  shows a connection of data in a daisy chain configuration; 
         FIG. 7  shows a menu display on the yoke of the lamps; 
         FIG. 8  shows the exploded version of the lamp head; 
         FIG. 9  shows the different lenses which may be available as a kit; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a removable lens and shell holder; and 
         FIG. 11  shows a lens rotating part. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The general structure and techniques, and more specific embodiments which can be used to effect different ways of carrying out the more general goals, are described herein. 
     The basic system of the embodiment is a movable lamp of the type shown in  FIG. 1 . The overall device includes three basic parts: the lamp housing  108 , the yoke  105  which allows moving the lamp housing in generally orthogonal pan and tilt directions, and a cooled upper enclosure part  110  which includes the controller part. The upper enclosure  110  includes the ballast as well as the electronic controls as described herein. The upper enclosure also includes at least one mounting part  111 , but preferably two symmetrical mounting parts  111 ,  112  which allow connection of truss hooks shown as  113 . The truss hooks connect to the connection parts such as  111 , and enable hanging the light on a truss  114 . 
     The yoke part  105  includes motors therein which move the position of the lamp unit  100  based on an applied command. In the embodiment, the pan and tilt motion is controlled by three-phase stepper motors. 
     In the embodiment, colors projected by the device are not remotely selectable. However, the device also includes a gel frame holder, formed of gel frame retaining parts  121 ,  122 ,  123 , at three edges surrounding the area where the light beam shines. These parts  121 ,  122 ,  123  form surfaces that hold a coloring gel into place, and facilitate inserting a gel  126  of any desired color into the area of the beam. A handle  103  forms the final area retaining the gel, maintaining the gel in place. 
     The gel  126  can be removed by sliding out the gel under the inner surfaces of the retaining parts such as  121 . 
     The gel frame can receive standard colored gels, thereby enabling changing the color of the projected light. 
     In addition, a lens area  102  holds a lens, which is also held in place by handle  103 . Handle  103  allows compressing a spring that can be used to release the lens. 
     Different glass lenses may be included in the lens area  102 , which enable different effects as described herein. Exemplary lenses may include a narrow spot lens, a very narrow spot lens, and lenses with different lenticular characteristics. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a view from the opposite side of the unit. A reflector assembly  251  surrounds the lamp, and reflects the light therefrom along an optical axis which passes through the lens and area of the color gel and passes through the front face  250 .  FIG. 2  shows how the rear side of the controller part  110  includes a power connection  200  as well as DMX in  210  and DMX out  211 .  FIG. 4  shows a detailed view of the upper enclosure connections.  FIG. 21  also shows a lens rotation motor  255  which is located on an extending portion of the front surface of the lamp. The lens  102  can be rotated by the rotation of motor  255 . 
     In the embodiment, the rear part of the light,  255  includes a back assembly which includes beam adjustment controls and access to lamp for replacement. 
     The yoke assembly may also hold a master control board, and may have a menu display thereon.  FIG. 3  illustrates the side view of the yoke  105  showing the menu display  300  which is used to configure the luminaire as necessary. This may provide the DMX address, as well as other status information of various types. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a detailed view of the beam address adjustment control module. In addition, since the beam adjustment control module is on a completely different side of the lamp, it tends to balance against the front end, and allow compensating the extra weight and unbalance in the front that is caused by the nonsymmetrical placement of motor  255 . In an embodiment, the beam adjustment control module is sized to substantially balance an imbalance caused by the nonsymmetrical front surface. 
     Beam adjustment is carried out by changing the position of the beam adjustment screws  500 ,  501 ,  502 . In addition, the cover  505  can be removed in order to obtain access to the lamp, as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     Hence, the upper enclosure  110  includes the connections, cooling and ballast. A connection area on both sides of the upper enclosure  111 ,  112  allows connection of hooks in a symmetrical way. Another connection area at the bottom of the enclosure is shown as  260 , and connects between the upper enclosure  110  and the yoke assembly  105 . The yoke assembly includes an area  300  for the menu display, allowing this to be separated from the heat and connections. In addition, the lamp assembly  220  is connected to the yoke  105  assembly, and power thereby. 
     The upper enclosure connection also includes AC power connector  400 , as well as data in  405  and data out  410 . The connectors which are used in this embodiment are five pin XLR connectors, and form daisy-chain connections. The data connection may use the DMX  512  specification. As well known, this may include a female data in connector  405 , and a male data through connector  410 . Each of the connectors includes a shield at pin  1 , twisted-pair  1  across pin  2 / 3  with positive on pin  3 , and twisted pair wire  2  on pin  4 / 5  with positive on pin  5 . As conventional, an XLR termination connector needs to be placed across the termination connector  410  if no additional luminaires will be daisychained into the chain. Resistors need to go between pins  2 / 3  and  4 / 5 ; each resistor being a 120 ohm resistor. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary daisychain connection, with unit  600  receiving the data in  605  from the console/controller, daisychained through  610  to the power in of unit  605 , daisychained out at  617  through the daisychained connection  622  to the data-in connection  625  of unit  630 . 
     As described above, the yoke  105  includes menu display  300 . The menu display can show various information including status of the unit, and others.  FIG. 7  illustrates a detailed view of the menu. The menu unit  300  includes four buttons, menu  700 , enter  705 , up  710 , and down  715 . Upon power up, the display menu typically displays “status okay”, and then after a few seconds automatically changes to a DMX address or the words “no,” if an address has not been set or no DMX signal is detected. The lamp can be struck remotely by entering the DMX address from the console. 
     In addition, the DMX starting address can be set, by entering the menu function, scrolling to the DMX menu, scrolling to the address menu, and entering the edit mode. Other menu functions may include the status of the fixture, and its serial number, software version, and total operation hours, calibration status, DMX menu, address menu, the reverse tilt option which changes the sense of tilt to the opposite sense that is commanded, the reverse pan option which allows setting the menu to the opposite pan sense to that actually received, and the timing channel mode. 
     The different DMX start addresses effect the way the addresses are interpreted. Tables 1 and 2 illustrates the basic profile both with no timing channels, and with timing channels. Tables 1 and 2 illustrate DMX start address of 1, but different start addresses can be used which lead to different channels. Note that the timing channels may include focus time and beam time. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 DMX Channel 
                 Function 
                 Default 
                 Virtuoso ® Control 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 1 
                 Intensity 
                 0 
                 (dummy channel) 
               
               
                 2-3 
                 Pan 
                 32767 
                 Pan 
               
               
                 4-5 
                 Tilt 
                 32767 
                 Tilt 
               
               
                 6 
                 Lens 
                 0 
                 Beam 
               
               
                 7 
                 Control 
                 0 
                 Start/Douse/Reset 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 DMX Channel 
                 Function 
                 Default 
                 Virtuoso ® Control 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 1 
                 Intensity 
                 0 
                 (dummy channel) 
               
               
                 2-3 
                 Pan 
                 32767 
                 Pan 
               
               
                 4-5 
                 Tilt 
                 32767 
                 Tilt 
               
               
                 6 
                 Lens 
                 0 
                 Beam 
               
               
                 7 
                 Focus Time 
                 0 
                 (timing channel) 
               
               
                 8 
                 Beam Time 
                 0 
                 (timing channel) 
               
               
                 9 
                 Control 
                 0 
                 Start/Douse/Reset 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Special control channels are also supported. For example, reset turns off all luminaire mechanisms. Douse turns the lamp off and start strikes the land. Each of these functions can be controlled remotely. 
     The timing channel control may allow for a smoother transition and movement of the mechanisms in the luminaire. For example, a timing control channel may allow the luminaire to use its timing channel to calculate a smooth and continuous movement for different time and transition. Alternatively, the console may calculate this timing and transition; for example, the console may calculate the time duration between the increments to be sent for time and transition. Either timing channel or console timing may be used. 
     A timing value of zero in the embodiment may correspond to full speed, and a timing value of 100%, DMX value of 255, allows the parameter to follow the console time rather than the timing channel itself. Values between those values may also be used. For example, DMX value 20 is 8% value, and corresponds to four seconds to make a move. DMX value 61 corresponds to 24%, or 14 seconds. DMX vale 252 corresponds to 99% or 310 seconds. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a detailed view of the head assembly  220 . The head assembly as previously described includes the front portion  225 , and the back  255 . The head assembly also pivots on arms  212 ,  213  under control of the yoke. 
     The backcap assembly  255  includes an opening  799  into which the lamp  800  is located. In the embodiment, the lamp is an MSR 700 W lamp. The lamp is held within a socket  810 , which is attached to the back portion of the back assembly. Screws  816 ,  817  hold the back assembly into place. Note also that the screws such as  501  are on the back adjustment, and operate to allow alignment of the lamp. In operation, the adjustments should attempt to align the hotspot within the beam. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates the different lenses which may be used including a very narrow lens, a narrow lens, and an 8-Row lenticular lens and a 12-Row lenticular lens, as shown in  FIG. 9 . These lenses may be included as part of a kit that is provided with the unit. The different lenses provide different beam lengths and beam angles, as shown in table 3. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 3 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                 BEAM 
                   
                 FIELD 
                   
               
               
                   
                 CANDELA 
                 ANGLE 
                 BEAM 
                 ANGLE 
                 FIELD 
               
               
                 LENS 
                 (cd)** 
                 (degrees) 
                 (Tn)* 
                 (degrees) 
                 (Tn)* 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 VNSP 
                 1,625,000 
                  5° 
                 0.087 
                 14° 
                 0.246 
               
               
                 NSP 
                 1,155,000 
                 7.5°  
                 0.131 
                 15° 
                 0.263 
               
               
                 8-Row Horiz 
                   360,000 
                 18° 
                 0.317 
                 31° 
                 0.555 
               
               
                 8-Row Vert 
                   360,000 
                 12° 
                 0.210 
                 23° 
                 0.407 
               
               
                 12-Row Horiz 
                   140,000 
                 31° 
                 0.555 
                 50° 
                 0.933 
               
               
                 12-Row Vert 
                   140.000 
                 21° 
                 0.371 
                 33° 
                 0.592 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 *Multiply throw distance by Tn to determine coverage 
               
               
                 
                   
                     
                       
                         
                           
                             
                               
                                 
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                                 ⁢ 
                                 calculate 
                                 ⁢ 
                                 
                                     
                                 
                                 ⁢ 
                                 center 
                                 ⁢ 
                                 
                                     
                                 
                                 ⁢ 
                                 beam 
                                 ⁢ 
                                 
                                     
                                 
                                 ⁢ 
                                 illuminance 
                                 ⁢ 
                                 
                                     
                                 
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                                   ( 
                                   I 
                                   ) 
                                 
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                                 ⁢ 
                                 a 
                                 ⁢ 
                                 
                                     
                                 
                                 ⁢ 
                                 specific 
                                 ⁢ 
                                 
                                     
                                 
                                 ⁢ 
                                 distance 
                                 ⁢ 
                                 
                                     
                                 
                                 ⁢ 
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   D 
                                   ) 
                                 
                                 ⁢ 
                                 
                                   : 
                                 
                               
                             
                           
                           
                             
                               
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                 if (D) is in feet. (I) is in foot candles 
               
               
                 if (D) is in meters. (I) is in lux 
               
             
          
         
       
     
       FIG. 10  illustrates the front face of the head assembly  220 . The front face has is formed of a symmetrical part and an asymmetrical part. The symmetrical part is symmetrical relative to the lens opening. There are two parallel sides  1001 ,  1002  and a substantially perpendicular part  1004  extending between those two sides. Each of the sides  1001 ,  1002 ,  1004  are more or less uniformly separated from the lens opening. 
     The lens is located within a substantially round hole within the front surface  1000 . The lens removal part  103  which includes spring-loaded tangs as shown in the picture. The springs,  1021 ,  1022  can be compressed using the handle  103 . After the part  103  is pressed, the securing ring  1024  is removed, and then the lens  102  can be also removed and a new lens can be inserted. The lens has raised areas on the back of the lens which are aligned with the notches in the lens installation ring. Then the ring is reinstalled and the handle is reinserted. 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 10 , the front surface of the light forms a first symmetrical part, e.g., a square, and a second assymetrical part, called an additional extra area  1010 . Extra area  1010  may be a trapezoidal shaped area that makes the overall shape of the front surface asymmetrical, and provides a location for mounting of the lens rotation motor  255 .  FIG. 11  shows the lens rotation motor  255  mounted in its mounted location on the assymetrical portion. The rear portion of extra area  1010  effectively forms a mounting surface  1105 , allowing the lens rotation motor  255  to be mounted in a location where it can move the lens. Also, importantly, the back assembly can offset at least some of the weight imbalance that would otherwise be caused by the non-symmetrical shape and mounting of the front face. Other balancing can also be made. 
     The general structure and techniques, and more specific embodiments which can be used to effect different ways of carrying out the more general goals are described herein. 
     Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, other embodiments are possible and the inventor (s) intend these to be encompassed within this specification. The specification describes specific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may be accomplished in another way. This disclosure is intended to be exemplary, and the claims are intended to cover any modification or alternative which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skill in the art. For example, different controls and effects may also be possible. Also, other balancing structures that compensate completely or partially for the weight imbalance may be used to compensate for the non-symmetrical arrangement and structure of the front face. 
     Also, the inventor intends that only those claims which use the words “means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intended to be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expressly included in the claims. The computers described herein may be any kind of computer, either general purpose, or some specific purpose computer such as a workstation. 
     The computer which operates the console and/or the lights may be a Pentium class computer, running Windows XP or Linux, or may be a Macintosh computer or a controller chip. The programs may be written in C, or Java, or any other programming language. The programs may be resident on a storage medium, e.g., magnetic or optical, e.g. the computer hard drive, a removable disk or other removable medium. The programs may also be run over a network, for example, with a server or other machine sending signals to the local machine, which allows the local machine to carry out the operations described herein.