Patent Description:
This invention relates to a light fixture, preferably a light fixture for stage, and a method for operating said light fixture.

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. <CIT> discloses a light fixture.

In accordance with these purposes, this invention relates to a light fixture, preferably for stage, which is 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, this invention relates to a light fixture comprising:.

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, thanks to this invention, 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 the invention, 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 imparted to 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 preferred 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 preferred 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 preferred 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 preferred 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 preferred embodiment, the control device can also be managed remotely.

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

In accordance with these purposes, this invention relates to a method for operating a light fixture as claimed in claim <NUM>.

It is also a purpose of this invention to provide a computer program and a computer-readable storage medium as claimed, respectively in claims <NUM> and <NUM>.

Additional features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description of a non-limiting embodiment thereof, with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, wherein:.

In <FIG>, the reference number <NUM> indicates a light fixture, preferably for stage.

The light fixture <NUM> comprises a casing <NUM> and a support assembly <NUM> configured to support the casing <NUM>, a light source assembly <NUM> (only visible in <FIG>) housed inside the casing <NUM> and a control device <NUM> (only visible in <FIG>).

The casing <NUM> extends along a longitudinal axis A and is provided with a first closed end <NUM> and a second end <NUM>, opposite the first closed end <NUM> along the axis A, and provided with a projection hole <NUM>. In the non-limiting example described and shown herein, the projection hole <NUM> has a substantially circular cross-section.

The support assembly <NUM> is configured to support and move the casing <NUM>.

In the industry, the casing <NUM> is often referred to as the "moving head" due to the presence of the support assembly <NUM>.

The support assembly <NUM> is preferably configured to enable the casing <NUM> to rotate about two orthogonal axes, commonly known as PAN and TILT.

In particular, the support assembly <NUM> comprises a base <NUM> and a fork <NUM>. The fork <NUM> is coupled to the base <NUM> so that it rotates about the PAN axis. The fork <NUM> supports the casing <NUM> so that it rotates about the TILT axis.

The actuation of the support assembly <NUM> is adjusted by the control device <NUM> as we will see in detail below.

With reference to <FIG>, the light fixture <NUM> is preferably provided with at least one beam processing assembly <NUM> and at least one optical assembly <NUM>, which are housed inside the casing <NUM>.

The light source assembly <NUM> is located inside the casing <NUM> at the closed end <NUM> of the casing <NUM>. The beam processing assembly <NUM> is located between the light source assembly <NUM> and the optical assembly <NUM>.

The optical assembly <NUM> is a lens optical assembly, preferably located at the projection hole <NUM> so as to be a final output optical assembly.

The light source assembly <NUM>, the beam processing assembly <NUM> and the optical assembly <NUM> are schematically represented in <FIG>.

The light fixture <NUM> also comprises a frame (not visible in the attached figures) that is integral with the casing <NUM> and is provided with a plurality of elements coupled to one another and configured to define a support structure for the components located within the casing <NUM>, namely the light source assembly <NUM>, the beam processing assembly <NUM>, and the optical assembly <NUM>.

The light source assembly <NUM> is configured to generate a light beam.

The light source assembly <NUM> is preferably 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 assembly <NUM> comprises a plurality of light sources <NUM> (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 sources <NUM> are configured to generate light beams that have different emission spectra.

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

The light sources <NUM> can be of the LED type or they may comprise laser diodes of different colours.

According to one variant, the light source assembly <NUM> may 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 assembly <NUM> comprise halogen or discharge lamps.

The light source assembly <NUM> comprises, in addition, an optical device <NUM> located downstream of the light sources <NUM> along the emission direction so as to intercept the light radiation emitted by the light sources <NUM> and is configured to conveniently process the light radiation emitted by the light sources <NUM> and to generate a single light beam along an optical axis O. In more detail, the optical device <NUM> is configured to process at least a portion of the light radiation emitted by the light sources <NUM> so as to form a light beam extending substantially along the optical axis O.

The optical device <NUM> is preferably 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 casing <NUM>.

The optical device <NUM> may comprise optical assemblies such as zoom, focus, filters, polarisers, condensers, or mixers, etc..

Each of the light sources <NUM> is adjustable independently of the control device <NUM>. As we will see in detail below, the control device <NUM> can adjust the light source assembly <NUM> based on the position or movement of the casing <NUM>.

In particular, the control device <NUM> may adjust the activation of each source <NUM> and/or the intensity of the light radiation emitted by each source <NUM> and/or the modulation of the light radiation emitted by each source <NUM> and/or the colour of the light radiation emitted by each source <NUM> and/or the duty-cycle of each light source <NUM> and/or the polarisation of the radiation emitted by each light source <NUM>.

The control device <NUM> may also adjust parameters and elements of the optical device <NUM> located downstream of the light sources <NUM>.

The control device <NUM> may also make adjustments to one light source <NUM> correlated to the conditions of at least one other light source <NUM> of the light source assembly <NUM>. For example, the control device <NUM> may 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 complementarity of colours emitted by the light sources <NUM>.

The beam processing assembly <NUM> is located downstream of the light source assembly <NUM> and comprises at least one beam processing element that is configured to process the light beam emitted by the light source assembly <NUM> so 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 assembly <NUM> preferably comprises a plurality of beam processing elements.

The position of each of the beam processing elements is adjusted by the control device <NUM>.

The beam processing assembly <NUM> may 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 assembly <NUM> may comprise additional beam processing elements that are not listed here.

The control device <NUM> is configured to control the light sources <NUM> based on the position imparted to the casing <NUM> or based on the movement imparted to the casing <NUM> (e.g. based on the speed and/or acceleration of the casing <NUM>).

In the non-limiting example described and shown herein, the control device <NUM> is configured to control the light sources <NUM> based on the movement imparted to the casing <NUM> about the PAN and/or about the TILT axis.

In other words, the control device <NUM> is configured to control the light sources <NUM> based on the position signals or movement signals imparted to the support assembly <NUM>.

Normally the position signals are imparted to the support assembly <NUM> in 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 device <NUM> is able to adjust the activation and intensity of the light radiation emitted by the light sources <NUM>.

The control device <NUM> may also be managed remotely, preferably using the DMX protocol communications.

The independent control of the light sources <NUM>, according to the position of the casing <NUM>, advantageously enables innovative stage effects to be achieved.

The position of the casing <NUM> is, in fact, indicative of the position of the light beam coming out of the projection hole <NUM>.

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 casing <NUM> (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 casing <NUM>.

High speed casing <NUM> movement can also take advantage of the persistence of the retinal image to achieve special stage effects.

Claim 1:
A light fixture comprising:
• a casing (<NUM>);
• a support assembly (<NUM>) configured to support and move the casing (<NUM>) and to enable the casing (<NUM>) to rotate about a first axis (PAN) and about a second axis (TILT), which is orthogonal to the first axis (PAN);
• at least one light source assembly (<NUM>) housed inside the casing (<NUM>) and configured to generate visible light beams of different colours;
the light fixture being characterized by comprising a control device (<NUM>) configured to control the position of the casing (<NUM>) via the adjustment of the support assembly (<NUM>) and to control the colour of the beam emitted by the light source assembly (<NUM>) based on the position or the movement imparted to the casing (<NUM>) or based on a parameter correlated to the position or the movement imparted to the casing (<NUM>); wherein the control device (<NUM>) is configured to control the colour of the beam emitted by the light source assembly (<NUM>) based on the position signals or the movement signals imparted to the support assembly (<NUM>).