Removable lens system for lighting device

Abstract

The invention provides a lighting device and an optical system. The lighting device includes a head and a power circuit configured to provide power to the power circuit of the head. The head includes an optical system having a light source support plate, a support structure movably coupled to the light source support plate, and a lens support assembly removably coupled to the support structure. The light source support plate includes LED light sources each configured to emit a light beam. The support structure includes a plurality of apertures configured to pass a light beam from the LED light source without modifying the light beam. The lens support assembly includes lenses each aligned with an optical axis of one of the LED light sources when the lens support assembly is coupled to the support structure. The lens support assembly can be removed from the head without removing the support structure from the head.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to lighting devices, and more particularly to a system for removable lenses in stage lighting devices. Background Art

[0002] In the entertainment and architectural lighting markets, lighting devices with automatic and remotely controllable capabilities (referred to as automated lighting devices) are well known. Such products are commonly used in theaters, television studios, concerts, theme parks, nightclubs, and other venues. Common automated lighting devices provide control of the output intensity, color, and other functions of the lighting device from a remote location, allowing an operator to control these functions for multiple lighting devices simultaneously. Many automated lighting devices additionally or alternatively provide control of other parameters (such as the position, focus, zoom, beam size, beam shape, and / or beam pattern of one or more beams emitted from the lighting device) from a remote location. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In a first embodiment, an optical system includes a light source support plate, a support structure movably coupled to the light source support plate, and a lens support assembly removably coupled to the support structure. The light source support plate includes a plurality of LED light sources, wherein each light source is configured to emit a beam. The support structure includes a plurality of apertures, wherein each aperture is configured to allow a beam from a corresponding one of the LED light sources to pass therethrough without modifying the beam. The lens support assembly includes a plurality of lenses and can be removed from the support structure without removing the support structure from the light source support plate. When the lens support assembly is coupled to the support structure, each lens is aligned with the optical axis of a corresponding one of the LED light sources.

[0004] In a second embodiment, a lighting device includes a head and a power circuit configured to supply power to the circuitry of the head.

[0005] The head includes a light source support plate, a support structure movably coupled to the light source support plate, and a lens support assembly removably coupled to the support structure. The light source support plate includes a plurality of LED light sources, wherein each light source is configured to emit a beam. The support structure includes a plurality of apertures, wherein each aperture is configured to allow a beam from a corresponding one of the LED light sources to pass therethrough without modifying the beam. The lens support assembly includes a plurality of lenses, wherein when the lens support assembly is coupled to the support structure, each lens is aligned with the optical axis of a corresponding one of the LED light sources. The lens support assembly is removable from the head without removing the support structure from the head. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] To understand the present disclosure more comprehensively, a brief description is provided below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where like reference numerals represent like features.

[0007] Figure 1 Shows a view of a lighting device according to the present disclosure;

[0008] Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 a view of the lighting device in , where some of the outer covers are removed;

[0009] Figure 3 Shows Figure 2 a front oblique exploded view of the head of the lighting device;

[0010] Figure 4 Shows a rear oblique exploded view of a lens support assembly according to the present disclosure; and

[0011] Figure 5 Shows a rear view of a lens support assembly according to the present disclosure. Detailed Description

[0012] The preferred embodiments are illustrated in the figures, and like reference numerals are used to refer to the same and corresponding parts in each figure.

[0013] Some lighting devices according to the present disclosure have a lens system including an array of multiple small lenses. Such lighting devices can be used as variable angle beam or wash lights and can use multiple colors of light emitters under the control of a remotely located lighting console, thereby allowing an operator to control the color and intensity of the emitted light. Users of such lighting devices may wish to clean the array of these lenses to remove accumulated dirt and residues from theatrical performances, fog, smoke, or other sources. The mechanism for moving the lenses to change the beam angle can complicate this cleaning.

[0014] An array of multiple small lenses can be used in lighting devices having multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs) as light sources, especially in such lighting devices compared to those using incandescent or discharge lamps. Each LED is small but not as bright as the light sources in the prior art, so it is advantageous to use an array of them where each LED cluster has its own optical system. Thus, such lighting devices include one or more structures to support and move the array of multiple lenses relative to the LEDs. In some lighting devices, this support and movement structure can complicate the user's task of cleaning and maintaining the lens array.

[0015] The production using such lighting devices can also operate the fog machines or smoke machines of theatrical performances to provide atmosphere and emphasize lighting effects. The fog of these theatrical performances (as well as dust and other substances in the air) will condense on the surfaces of lenses and the like in the lighting device, reducing the light output and beam quality. Such deposits on the lens array can be cleaned off to restore the output of the lighting device. Additionally, cleaning the deposits on the lens support assembly that holds the lens can improve the appearance of the lighting device.

[0016] The present disclosure describes a removable lens support assembly that can remove the lens for cleaning and maintenance with reduced disassembly of the lighting device. Additionally, by allowing the lens and the lens support assembly to be cleaned together in a single process, the materials used in the manufacture of the lens support assembly also simplify the cleaning work. Further, by allowing removal from the lighting device and transportation to a work area of only the lens support assembly rather than the entire lighting device, the lens support assembly simplifies the maintenance of the lens. Once at the work area, the technician can simply disassemble the lens support assembly to replace a damaged lens. This is in sharp contrast to the extensive disassembly of the lighting device required by other lighting device designs to remove a damaged lens.

[0017] Figure 1 A view of a lighting device 100 according to the present disclosure is shown. The lighting device 100 includes a head 102, which in turn includes an array of lenses 112 through which the light beams emitted by corresponding light emitters pass. The lenses 112 are mounted in a lens assembly 110. In the example shown, the lens assembly 110 includes 19 lenses, but other numbers of lenses can be used in other embodiments. The head 102 is mounted in a yoke assembly 104, which in turn is mounted on a base 106. The yoke assembly 104 is rotatably mounted on the base 106 to provide rotation about a panoramic axis, and the head 102 is rotatably mounted in the yoke assembly 104 to provide rotation about a tilt axis. The base 106 includes a power circuit configured to supply power to the circuits in one or more of the base 106, the yoke assembly 104, and the head 102.

[0018] Figure 2 Shown is Figure 1 a view of the lighting device 100 in which some of the outer covers are removed. The lens assembly 110 includes a support structure 114 and a lens support assembly 116. The lenses 112 are mounted in the lens support assembly 116.

[0019] Figure 3 Shown Figure 2Exploded front view of the head 102 of the lighting device 100. The lens support assembly 116 is shown separated from the support structure 114. The lighting device head 102 includes an LED light source 122 mounted on a light source support plate (or PCB) 123. Each LED light source 122 has an associated homogenizing optical system 124. The triangular bottom of the LED light source 122 and its homogenizing optical system 124 is covered by a light shield 125 that reduces light emitted from the triangular bottom of the LED light source 122 and the homogenizing optical system 124 from spilling over and passing through the lens of the lens support assembly 116. Figure 3 The external cover has been removed from the head 102 shown in [Figure] for illustrative purposes only. In some embodiments, the lens support assembly 116 can be decoupled from the support structure 114 without removing the external cover.

[0020] The LED light source 122 can include one or more LED emitters in the same or multiple colors. In some embodiments, the LED emitters can be red, green, blue, and white. In other embodiments, any other mixed colors or white LED emitters can be used. These embodiments can include red, green, blue, or amber LED light emitters, warm white or cool white LED emitters, or an adjustable mix of white LED emitters. The homogenizing optical system 124 can include a light pipe, a lens, a diffusing material, or other optical elements suitable for homogenizing the light from the associated LED light source 122.

[0021] The light beam emitted by each LED light source 122 and its associated homogenizing optical system 124 passes through a corresponding aperture in the support structure 114.

[0022] The light beam is not modified by the aperture of the support structure 114. Then, each light beam passes through a corresponding lens in the lens 112 that is aligned with the optical axis of the LED light source 122 that emits the light beam.

[0023] To change the beam angle of the light output of the lighting device 100, the lens assembly 110 is moved toward or away from the lighting device head 102, such that the lens 112 is moved along its optical axis toward or away from the LED light source 122 and the homogenizing optical system 124. In the illustrated embodiment, this movement is caused by the stepper motor 126 and the associated lead screw 128. The stepper motor 126 is attached to the motor support plate 121. Each stepper motor 126 is coupled to the associated lead screw 128 at its output shaft. The lead screw 128 engages corresponding travel nuts that are fixedly mounted on the support structure 114. When the stepper motor 126 and the lead screw 128 rotate, the support structure 114 moves along the linear support rod 130 toward and away from the light source support plate 123. Thus, the support structure 114 is movably coupled to the light source support plate 123. The linear support rod 130 is fixedly attached to the support structure 114 and slides within the corresponding bearing sleeve 127, which is fixedly mounted on the motor support plate 121.

[0024] The functions of the lead screw 128 and the linear support rod 130 are to maintain the aperture of the support structure 114 and to align the lens 112 with their respective LED light sources 122. In other embodiments, other mechanical systems may be used to move the lens assembly 110 toward or away from the lighting device head 102 while maintaining the aperture of the support structure 114 and aligning the lens 112 with their respective LED light sources 122.

[0025] In some embodiments, the motor support plate 121 is a metal plate made of aluminum or copper (or a similar material with high heat conductivity). In these embodiments, the PCB 123 is mounted on the motor support plate 121 such that heat from the light source 122 and the PCB 123 can be transferred to the heat sink attached to the rear side of the motor support plate 121.

[0026] The lens support assembly 116 is removably coupled to the support structure 114 by one or more releasable fasteners 132. In Figure 3 the illustrated embodiment, the releasable fasteners 132 are screws that pass through the lens support assembly 116 and engage corresponding threaded holes 134 in the support structure 114. In some embodiments, nuts or captive nuts may be used instead of the threaded holes 134. In other embodiments, the releasable fasteners 132 may include other types of releasable fasteners, such as captive screws. In other embodiments, the releasable fasteners 132 may include fasteners that can be loosened without tools (quick-release fasteners), such as clips, slide locks, or quarter-turn fasteners.

[0027] The user unfastens one or more releasable fasteners 132 that couple the lens support assembly 116 to the support structure 114 in order to remove only the lens support assembly 116 for cleaning the lens 112. This allows the entire lens support assembly 116, including the lens 112 (both sides of the lens 112 can be accessed), to be cleaned without further disassembling the illumination device head 102 or the lens support assembly 116. There is no need to disassemble the support structure 114, the lead screw 128, the linear support rod 130, and / or the homogenizing optical system 124 for cleaning the lens support assembly 116 and the lens 112.

[0028] Figure 4 A rear perspective exploded view of a lens support assembly 166 in accordance with the present disclosure is shown. The support structure 114 is shown separated from the head 102 only for context purposes. In use, when the lens support assembly 116 is removed from the head 102 and the illumination device 100, the support structure 114 remains in the head 102, and the lead screw 128 is coupled to its associated stepper motor 126, and the linear support rod 130 engages its respective bearing sleeve 127. The support structure 114 includes a light shield 402 that includes respective circular apertures through which the homogenizing optical system 124 extends.

[0029] The walls of the ribs of the support structure 114 form apertures in the support structure 114. Each homogenizing optical system 124 emits a light beam from its associated LED light source 122. Each light beam passes through a respective aperture of the support structure 114. Then, each light beam passes through a respective lens in the lens 112 that is aligned with the optical axis of the LED light source 122 that emits the light beam. The light beams emitted from the homogenizing optical system 124 are not modified by the apertures of the support structure 114. However, the circular apertures of the light shield 402 and the walls of the ribs of the support structure 114 reduce other light rays that spill into or pass through the lens of the lens support assembly 116 within the head 102.

[0030] As Figure 4 shown, the lens support assembly 116 is disassembled into a rear plate 116a and a front plate 116b (also referred to as a support portion plate), with respective lenses 112 sandwiched between the rear plate 116a and the front plate 116b. The rear plate 116a and the front plate 116b are configured to clamp the respective lenses 112 at their edges to reduce or avoid modification of the light beams passing through the respective lenses 112 and to prevent light from spilling from one lens 112 to another lens 112.

[0031] The rear plate 116a and the front plate 116b of the lens support assembly 116 are at Figure 4The separate display in the middle is only for clarity. The lens support assembly 116 can be kept assembled during cleaning, but the lens support assembly 116 can also be removed for cleaning and / or replacing individual lenses. Thus, the front plate 116b is removably coupled to the rear plate 116a. Similar to coupling the lens support assembly 116 to the support structure 114, the rear plate 116a and the front plate 116b can be coupled by screws or other suitable fasteners (such as Figure 5 the screws 136 visible in

[0032] The support partial plates 116a and 116b are constructed of materials such that the choice of these materials allows the entire lens support assembly 116 including the lenses 112 to be cleaned using the same cleaning materials as for cleaning the individual lenses 112 in a single process. One such process is manual cleaning with a cloth plus a certain cleaning fluid. The fluid can be water, water plus detergent, isopropyl alcohol, or a commercial lens cleaning fluid. Another such process is to wash in a dishwasher with added detergent. In some embodiments, a commercial dishwasher can be used to clean the lenses at a higher temperature and / or for a shorter time than a household dishwasher. This process can be used when the lens support assemblies 116 of a large number of lighting devices are to be cleaned simultaneously.

[0033] The support partial plates 116a and 116b can include a metal (such as a magnesium alloy, aluminum, or aluminum alloy, or other suitable metal) or a plastic material with a heat deflection temperature of at least 125 degrees Celsius (such as nylon 6, polycarbonate, or a polymer filled with or reinforced with glass fibers) to avoid shape deformation during the cleaning process. In a further embodiment, one of the support partial plates 116a and 116b can include a metal material and the other can include a plastic material. Such a combination of materials can reduce cracks in the lenses 112 due to different thermal expansions of the support partial plates 116a and 116b.

[0034] Figure 5 A rear view of the lens support assembly 116 according to the present disclosure is shown. As can be seen from Figure 5 it, the rear surface of the lens 112 can be used for cleaning.

[0035] Some lighting devices only allow the front surface of the lens to be cleaned and require the removal of multiple components of the lighting device head to access the rear side of the lens. To remove the lens from these lighting devices, several steps may be required (such as removing the lighting device head cover, unscrewing the lead screw nut from the lead screw associated with them, and pulling out the linear support rod from its bearing sleeve). This allows access to the rear side of the lens, but the linear support rods still protrude from the rear side of such lens assemblies and have lubrication on their surfaces. Cleaning the lens or disassembling the lens assembly to remove individual lenses for replacement may require removing the linear support rods and / or re-lubricating them after replacement. When the lens assembly is returned to the lighting device, all the linear support rods must be reinserted into their bearing sleeves, the lead screw nut reattached and adjusted to ensure that the lens assembly is parallel to the plane of the lighting device light source, and the lighting device head cover reattached.

[0036] The lighting device according to the present disclosure solves these problems by only requiring the removal of the lens support assembly 116 from the lighting device 100 to clean both sides of the lens and / or replace the lens. Other components of the head 102 do not remain attached to the lens support assembly 116 to interfere with these activities. The support structure 114 remains in the lighting device 100, so the traveling nut remains attached to the lead screw 128 and the linear support rods 130 remain located in the bearing sleeves 127. Further, the lens support assembly 116 is configured to be cleaned in the same process as the lens 112 is cleaned. Additionally, for the replacement of individual lenses, the lens support assembly 116 can be easily removed and placed on a workbench for disassembling and replacing one or more lenses.

[0037] Although only some embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein, those skilled in the art who benefit from the present disclosure will understand that other embodiments can be designed without departing from the scope disclosed herein. Although the present disclosure has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An optical system, comprising: A light source support plate, the light source support plate including a plurality of LED light sources, wherein each light source is configured to emit a light beam; A support structure, the support structure being movably coupled to the light source support plate, wherein the support structure includes a plurality of apertures, each aperture being configured to allow the light beam from a corresponding one of the LED light sources to pass therethrough without modifying the light beam; and A lens support assembly, the lens support assembly being removably coupled to the support structure, wherein: The lens support assembly includes a plurality of lenses, and when the lens support assembly is coupled to the support structure, each lens is aligned with the optical axis of a corresponding one of the LED light sources, and The lens support assembly can be removed from the support structure without removing the support structure from the light source support plate.

2. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein the lens support assembly is removably coupled to the support structure by releasable fasteners.

3. The optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the lens support assembly includes a front plate, the front plate being removably coupled to a rear plate, and the front plate and the rear plate are configured to hold the lenses of the plurality of lenses in place when coupled together.

4. The optical system according to claim 3, wherein the front plate is removably coupled to the rear plate by quick-release fasteners.

5. The optical system according to any one of claims 3 to 4, wherein the front plate and the rear plate include materials selected to allow the front plate, the rear plate, and the plurality of lenses to be cleaned in a single process.

6. The optical system according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein one of the front plate and the rear plate includes metal and the other of the front plate and the rear plate includes plastic.

7. The optical system according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein each of the front plate and the rear plate includes a material having a heat deflection temperature of at least 125 degrees Celsius.

8. A lighting device, comprising: A head, the head including the optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 7; And A power circuit, the power circuit being configured to supply power to the circuitry of the head.

9. The lighting device according to claim 8, further comprising: A yoke assembly, wherein the head is rotatably mounted in the yoke assembly to rotate about a tilt axis.

10. The lighting device according to claim 9, further comprising: A base, wherein the yoke assembly is rotatably mounted to the base to rotate about a panoramic axis.

11. The lighting device according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the lens support assembly is configured to be removed from the head without removing the outer cover of the head.

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