Abstract:
A light reflector for photographing, filming or taping, especially for outdoor shooting, includes a plurality of panels of identical size and having at least one reflecting side, and connectors for butt-jointing the panels to one another. Abutting panels are joined together at their edges by connectors of U-shaped configuration, whereas the interconnection of four contiguous panels is realized in the center by connectors in the form of two metal plates which are secured to one another by a central screw bolt.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the priority of German Patent Application Serial No. 299 00 991.2, filed Jan. 21, 1999, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates, in general, to a light reflector for use in photographing, filming or taping, especially for outdoor shooting. 
     The use of collapsible reflectors of metallized fabric is known in the art. These types of reflectors have only a slight flexural strength and thus are not sufficiently stable to realize a secure and constant brightening of an object being shot so that their outdoor use is rather limited in view of possible exposure to extreme wind and weather conditions. The problem of lacking stability of such collapsible reflectors could be overcome by employing large, rigid reflectors. As a consequence of their great dimensions, these reflectors are, however, unsuitable for a rapid, mobile use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an improved light reflector, obviating the afore-stated drawbacks. 
     In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved light reflector, which is sufficiently rigid to withstand weather influences and wind influences while yet is suitable for rapid, mobile use. 
     These objects, and others which will become apparent hereinafter, are attained in accordance with the present invention by a light reflector, which includes a plurality of panels of same size and having at least one reflecting side, and connectors butt jointing the panels to one another. 
     A light reflector according to the present invention is thus designed as a modular system, which exhibits a high flexural strength in view of the panel construction and thus is suitable for outdoor use even at extreme weather conditions. The light reflector can be dismantled without effort and thus is easy to transport and suitable for mobile use as a consequence of its modular configuration. 
     According to another feature of the present invention, the panels may be of rectangular configuration, and may be made of rigid foam. Panels of rigid foam are relatively light and yet display a sufficient flexural strength. 
     A desired reflective capability of the reflector can be accomplished by laminating a reflecting film at least on one side of the panels. Suitably, both sides of the panels are so configured that their reflective capabilities are different. This may be realized, for example, by laminating reflecting films of varying reflective characteristics on both sides of the panels. Thence, the light reflector according to the present invention offers a wide variety of applications. 
     According to another feature of the present invention, the panels are each enclosed by frames of profiled strips to enhance the stability of the light reflector and to protect the edges of the panels. The profiled strips may have a U-shaped configuration and may be made of aluminum that is light, exhibits a stable shape and is reflective. 
     The connection of abutting panels may be realized by connectors of U-shaped configuration which can be pushed over the edges of abutting panels and thereby bridge the joint therebetween. The U-shaped connectors may be attached to the panels in a form-fitting manner, or may be swingably mounted to one end of the panels. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, each of the panels has in each of its edges a bore in the area of each corner, and each of the connectors includes two bores which are spaced at a distance which is twice the distance from the panel bore to the nearest corner, so that the bores of the connectors can be brought into alignment with the bores of the panels for engagement of suitable cotter pins. 
     According to another feature of the present invention, the connection between adjoining panels may also be realized by a tension lever type locking mechanism. 
     A further stability of the light reflector can be realized by interconnecting four or more panels in their center, or in the area where their corners meet, with two metal plates between which the panel corners are disposed and which serve as central connector. 
     According to another feature of the present invention, the corners of all panels are slanted, and the metal plates are clamped to one another by a central screw bolt. As a consequence of the slanted configuration of the corners of each panel, there is always an opening in the area where the corners of four contiguous panels meet, for passage of the screw bolt, regardless of the orientation of a single panel. 
     Suitably, one of the metal plates has eight pins for traversal of eight bores, respectively provided in the borders of four adjoining corner areas of the panels and for insertion in aligned holes formed in the other metal plate. 
     Optionally, the light reflector according to the present invention may include a mounting for attachment to a head portion of a stand, tripod and/or other auxiliary parts. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent upon reading the following description of preferred exemplified embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a top view of a light reflector according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the light reflector of FIG. 1, taken along the line II—II in FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded, perspective illustration, on an enlarged scale, of a central connector for interconnecting panels of the light reflector of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Throughout all the Figures, same or corresponding elements are generally indicated by same reference numerals. 
     Turning now to the drawing, and in particular to FIG. 1, there is shown a top view of a light reflector according to the present invention, including four rectangular panels  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  which are preferably made of rigid foam and have opposite sides laminated with reflective films  31 ,  32 . The reflective capability of the films  31 ,  32  may be the same or different. The panels  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  have a same size and may have outer dimensions of, e.g., 60×80 cm and a width of 1 cm. 
     Each of the panels  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  is enclosed by a frame comprised of a continuous profiled strip  5  or of four individual profiled strips  5 , which may be made, for example, of aluminum, and are slanted at the corners at an angle of 45°. In symmetry to their corners, the profiled strips  5  and the panels  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  are formed with bores  7 . The profiled strips  5  may be pushed onto the panels  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  in a form-fitting manner. 
     In the area of their outer edges, the panels  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  are interconnected by U-shaped connectors which may also be made of aluminum. These connectors may be configured in various manner, as shown in FIG. 1 with reference to four different embodiments. Persons skilled in the art will understand that the common depiction of four types of connectors in FIG. 1 is done for illustrative purposes only. 
     A first embodiment is shown by way of example for interconnection of the panel  1  with the panel  2  by using a U-shaped connector  6  which is of such design that it can simply be pushed in a form-fitting manner over adjoining profiled strips  5 . 
     A second embodiment is shown by way of example for interconnection of the panel  3  with the panel  1  by using a U-shaped connector  61  which has one end swingably mounted at  71  to the respective profiled strip  5 , as also shown in FIG.  2 . At its other end, the U-shaped connector  61  is connected to a short bracket  61 ′ for engagement of a long, forked bracket  111  of a tension lever  110 . The tension lever  110  is swingably mounted at  112  to the respective profiled strip  5  of the panel  3 . 
     A third embodiment is shown by way of example for interconnection of the panel  2  with the panel  4  by using a U-shaped connector  62  which is swingably mounted to the profiled strip  5  of the panel  2  for rotation about a pivot axis  72  in the direction of arrow  63 . The U-shaped connector  62  has a bore  64  which can be brought into alignment with a bore  7  in the profiled strip  5  of the panel  4 , when pivoting the connector  62  inwardly toward the panel  4 , for insertion of a safety bolt, cotter pin or like element. 
     A fourth embodiment is shown by way of example for interconnection of the panel  3  with the panel  4  by using a U-shaped connector  65  which has two bores  66  which are spaced from one another at a distance which is twice the distance of the bores  7  (not visible in the illustration of FIG. 1) to a nearest corner of the panels. Thus, the bores  66  can be brought into alignment with two bores  7  of abutting profiled strips  5  for insertion of cotter pins. Cotter pins are generally known in the art and come in various configuration and thus are not shown in detail for the sake of simplicity. 
     As further shown in FIG. 1, the panels  1 ,  2 ,  3   4  are additionally interconnected in the center of the light reflector, i.e. the area of the contiguous four slanted corners, by two metal plates  11 ,  14  which are shown in more detail in FIG.  3 . The lower metal plate  11 , which is also shown by way of broken lines in FIG. 1, supports in the center a central threaded bolt  12  and is formed about the perimeter with eight upright pins  13  which are in alignment with the bores  7  in the four corner areas of the panels  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 . The upper metal plate  14  is formed with eight holes  15  which are in alignment with the pins  13  and the bores  7 . In addition, the upper metal plate  14  has a central opening  20  for passage of the threaded bolt  12 . A clamping of the upper metal plate  14  to the lower metal plate  11 , after proper positioning in conjunction with the four panels  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 , is realized by a threaded sleeve  16  which can be rotated onto the threaded bolt  12 . 
     In order to permit an attachment of the light reflector to a stand, tripod and/or other auxiliary parts, the threaded sleeve  16  includes a transverse bore  17  by which the light reflector can be secured, e.g. to the head portion of the stand. The threaded bolt  12  has also a threaded bore  12 ′ for attachment of a screw bolt  18  which is formed with a transverse bore  19  to provide another option for attachment of the light reflector to the head portion of a stand. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a light reflector, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.