Abstract:
A novel light modification device is described that includes an optical wheel having at least two light modification sections, the optical wheel being turned by an electric powered actuator and the electric power used to operate the actuator being provided by a light power to electric power converter. All of the optical wheel, actuator and light power to electric power converter being mounted on a housing. The housing being supported by a mounting mechanism so that light from a light source is aligned to illuminate the optical wheel and the light power to electric power converter.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/537,915 filed on Jan. 22, 2004 and this provisional application in its entirety is incorporated in this non-provisional application by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates generally to a portable device that provides modification of incident light and more specifically to a portable device for projecting light that has been modified by at least two selected modifiers onto a target area with each modified light illuminating the target area for a fixed time. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Light illumination of target display areas using light sources such as projection devices, flood or spot lamps are known. Such lighted displays are used both indoors and outdoors for showing-off advertising signs and other displays, or exhibiting seasonal displays and attractions such as during national holidays, e.g., July 4 th  celebrations, or during sporting events, or at Christmas time. Many of these lighted displays are built to be exhibited for long periods of time on semi-permanent or essentially permanent bases. In particular, the lighted displays installed for long periods of operation involve building light sources that are rugged and durable. These light sources, therefore, require that maintenance be minimized and reliability of course, be maximized. To achieve these dual purposes it has been necessary to eliminate features that could have short lifetimes or short times between required repairs. These requirements have necessitated simplifying light fixture designs. 
   Accordingly, many lighted displays are illuminated with white light or light of a different fixed color. Time variable color lighted target areas have required installation of multiple light projectors for each different color with associated switching devices or alternatively color selector devices that have to be mounted in front of light sources and also have to be powered by electric motors that required separate power lines to be installed. All of these added systems increase costs for installation and maintenance requirements. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In one aspect, the present invention comprises a time variable light modification device, e.g., a device that over time changes the color or other characteristic of light that illuminates a target area. The light illuminating the target area can be emitted from a fluorescent lamp, halogen lamp, incandescent lamp, spotlight lamp or any other source of light that can be directed to illuminate a target area. The device of the invention can comprise a wheel structure having a plurality of sections or plates mounted on the wheel, with each section having different optical properties, so that this optical wheel can be rotated to modify reflected or transmitted light. This device further includes a converter of light power input to electric power output such as a solar panel, or photoelectric or solar cell. Output electric power is directed in accordance with an aspect of the invention to energize an electrically operable actuator. This actuator may be an electric motor such as a direct current (dc) motor. The mechanical rotation output of the motor can be interconnected to power a gear train that can be configured to rotate the optical wheel at a desired speed or at variable speeds so that optical sections mounted on the wheel are illuminated by a light source. The device of this invention further may include a clamping mechanism that can be used to mount the optical wheel, light power to electric power converter, and motor to a support separate from or included with a light source. The device of this invention can be arranged in or about a housing to have necessary mechanical and electrical connections made between components and to provide a platform for mounting interconnected components to a support using a clamping mechanism. According to a feature of the invention, the time variable light modification device according to the invention may comprise an optical wheel that is a color wheel having a plurality of colored transparent sections for projecting transmitted corresponding colors of light onto a target display area. 
   According to another feature of the invention, the time variable light modification device may include a plurality of image forming and/or other optical modification sections such as lenses, prisms, etc. 
   According to another feature of the invention, the time variable light modification device may include one or more variable geometry media such as, e.g., a flexible membrane for forming a prism or lens. 
   According to a further feature of this invention, the mechanically variable light modification device may include a plurality of arms each connected to a light transmitting panel positionable in a path of incident light, each arm positioning the respective light transmitting panel, such as a color filter or prism, in the path of the light. 
   According to another aspect of the invention, the energy converter may comprise a solar panel including one or more photoelectric or “solar” cells for converting light power from a light source to electrical power. The solar panel on the device is positioned such that it is illuminated by light emitted from a preselected light source. A regulator may be included to control voltage and/or current output from the electric power converter that is supplied to an actuator so as to maintain a desired rotation speed of an optical color wheel, and otherwise operate the device over a range of light projection conditions. A control circuit further may be incorporated to provide manual and/or automatic control of rotation speed. For example, the control circuitry may be used to move an optical wheel intermittently so as to provide a desired effect, e.g. color of light, for a desired period prior to advancing to another color. 
   According to another aspect of the invention, a secondary source of power may be included to power an actuator when there is insufficient light available to operate the device. 
   According to another aspect of the invention, a clamping mechanism may be included and the clamping mechanism may include a spring or similar mechanism for biasing a set of jaws close about a support. The clamping mechanism and/or device housing may be made of a thermally tolerant material, such as a high temperature plastic, compatible with temperatures generated by a light, e.g., an incandescent light source such as a floor lamp or spotlight. 
   According to another aspect of the invention, a light projection system including a time variable light modification device according to the present invention can be mechanically coupled to an electrically operable actuator for controlling transmission of light. A power converter receives a portion of the light projection system light to supply electric power to an actuator. A clamping mechanism may be used to mount the aforementioned components to a support and/or a source of light for the light projection system. A housing may contain one or more of the components in operable mechanical and electrical relation with others of the components and provide a platform for mounting the components to the support or light source via a clamping mechanism. 

   
     SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1A  shows a perspective side view of a time variable light modification device according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 1B  shows a perspective side view of an alternative optical wheel according to the present invention; and, 
       FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4  show alternative block diagrams for light modification device component configurations. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is described at least in part in copending provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/537,915 filed on Jan. 22, 2004 from which priority is claimed and which is incorporated in this non-provisional application by reference. 
   A time variable light modification device, according to the present invention, is shown in  FIG. 1A  in perspective view and is designated with the general reference numeral  10 . This light modification device  10  includes at least one optical wheel  12  that includes at least two light modification sections  14 . Each light modification section  14  has a different or alternate optical characteristic so that light transmitted through the light modification sections  14  or reflected from the light modification sections  14  is modified, e.g., the light modification sections  14  can be color tinted clear or color tinted translucent panels, or they can have diffraction patterns or be lenses or prisms, etc. The optical wheel  12  can include a high plurality of light modification sections  14 . An assembled optical wheel  12  can include a collection of alternating colored light modification sections  14 . Alternatively, an assembled optical wheel  12  can include any mixture of colored or optically refracting, reflecting or diffracting light modification sections  14  including light modification sections  14  having images affixed to them, embedded in them or cut out of them. 
   The light modification device  10  shown in  FIG. 1A  also includes a solar panel  16  capable of converting light power to electric power. Electric power output from the solar panel  16  is directed to power an electric motor  18  (not shown in  FIG. 1A , see  FIGS. 2–4 ) that in turn rotates the optical wheel  12 . 
   The optical wheel  12  shown in  FIG. 1A  is mounted from a housing  20  with an electric motor  18  and other associated components utilized to rotate the optical wheel  12  mounted in the housing  20 . In application, the light modification device  10  can be mounted in close proximity to a light source, such as a high intensity incandescent or halogen lamp. Such an arrangement can subject the light modification device  10  to very high temperatures. Accordingly, the housing  20  can be made of heat tolerant materials, such as heat resistant plastic. By making the housing  20  and the contained components of heat tolerant materials, the light modification device  10  can be mounted in close proximity or even contact with a high temperature light source without causing damage to the light modification device  10  or the light source. Preferably, the housing  20  should be made of a durable and lightweight material suitable for use indoors and outdoors. 
   A mounting mechanism  22  is shown extending from the light modification device  10  shown in  FIG. 1A . This mounting mechanism  22  can be a locking grip, strap, belt or other structure for attaching the light modification device  10  to a support, or fixture containing a light source. The mounting mechanism  22  may be in a fixed relationship to the housing  20  of the light modification device  10 , or the mounting mechanism  22  can be attached to the housing  20  by an articulating joint  24  so that the orientation of the mounting mechanism  22  with respect to the housing  20  can be adjusted to optimize a mounting of the light modification device  10  with respect to a light source. 
   In operation, the light modification device  10  is mounted in relation to a light source so that the solar panel  16  and at least a portion of the optical wheel  12  are within a path of light emitted by the light source. Thus at least a portion of the optical wheel  12  is illuminated by light from the light source so that transmitted, reflected or diffracted light is modified in color, etc. and directed to a target area where a display, advertising or other subject matter to be lighted is illuminated. 
   As an alternative aspect of the invention, the optical wheel  12 , instead of being assembled from adjacent abutting mounted light modification sections  14  that are interconnected by an attachment plate  26  to a drive shaft  28 , the optical wheel  12  can be assembled from adjacent mounted light modification sections  12  using arms  29  attached at one end to an attachment plate  26  and at the other to light modification sections  14  (see  FIG. 1B ). The optical wheel  12 , whether made as shown in  FIG. 1A  or  1 B, can be circular in its outside shape or, as one of skill in the art would appreciate, it can have other outside shapes, such as triangular, rectangular or oval. 
   The light modification device  10  may be mounted relative to a light source so that it is in a “high profile” arrangement with about 25 percent of the optical wheel  12  illuminated by a light source at any time. Alternatively, the light modification device  10  can be mounted with an optical wheel  12  arranged in accordance with the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1B , and in this configuration a target area is illuminated on an intermittent or “low profile” basis with light modified by light modification device  10 . 
   Shown in  FIG. 2  is a block diagram with a light source  30 , target area  32  and a light modification device  10 . Components shown in  FIG. 2  for a light modification device  10  include a solar panel  16 , voltage regulator  34 , switch  36 , controller  38 , motor  18 , gearbox  40 , drive shaft  28  and optical wheel  12 . The inclusion and arrangement of components for a light modification device  10  shown in  FIG. 2  permits light from light source  30  to illuminate both optical wheel  12  and solar panel  16 . Light incident on solar panel  16  is converted to electric power that is processed by a voltage regulator  34 , as in known in the art, to provide electric power at selected values usable by other light modification device  10  components. Provision of this regulated electric power is switched to other components using switch  36 , which can be a manual, programmed or remotely operated switch. Output from switch  36  is provided to controller  38  that further processes input electric power to energize and operate electric motor  18 . As such, electric motor  18  is operated to output fixed or variable mechanical rotation power. This output mechanical power is input to gearbox  40  to turn drive shaft  28  and in turn rotate optical wheel  12 . In this combination, light from light source  30  both is modified at timed intervals by optical wheel  12  light modification sections  14  and also is used to power the components of light modification device  10  so that target area  32  is appropriately illuminated. 
   Shown in  FIG. 3  is a block diagram for another aspect of the invention. Here in addition to all components shown in  FIG. 2 , the light modification device  10  includes a position sensor  42  arranged to monitor rotation of optical wheel  12  and output information on such rotation to controller  38  that provides electric power to motor  18  which in response outputs fixed or variable mechanical rotation power to turn optical wheel  12 . In this combination, light from light source  30  also both is modified at timed intervals by optical wheel  12  modification sections  14  and is used to power the components of light modification device  10  so that target area  32  is appropriately illuminated. 
   Shown in  FIG. 4  is a block diagram for another aspect of the invention. Here in addition to all components shown in  FIG. 3 , the light modification device  10  includes a charger  44  and a battery  46 . In this arrangement electric power from voltage regulator  34  is input to charger  44  that in turn charges battery  46 . Power output from battery  46  is provided to switch  36  so that controller  38  and motor  18  can be energized. As such, when insufficient power is provided from solar panel  16  to operate motor  18  there is a back up source of power that can be provided from battery  46 . 
   The description of illustrative aspects and best modes of the present invention is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Various modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents may be employed without departing from the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.