JP2001134173A - Morning/evening glow projector for planetarium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a morning/evening glow projector for a planetarium which makes it possible to obtain arbitrary patterns with a compact device and facilitates maintenance. SOLUTION: A lamp house 8 is divided into blocks (a), (b), (c) and (d) and respective three light emitting diodes 10 are arranged on arcs in the respective blocks by changing their directions slightly each. The light emitted by the light emitting diodes 10 is diffused by a diffusion plate 11 and radiated from transmission windows 9 to shine the parts near the horizon of the inside wall surface of a dome. The light emitting diodes 10 have directivity in a direction shown by an arrow 12. The plural light emitting diodes are capable of controlling light individually or independently by each group.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for projecting a sunrise or sunset in a planetarium (hereinafter referred to as a "morning / sunset projection apparatus").

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A well-known planetarium morning and evening glow projection apparatus mainly uses an incandescent light bulb as a light source and uses it for lighting the whole or a part of a dome screen. For example, FIG. 8A shows an example of a known morning and evening glow projection device for obtaining a morning and evening glow effect, and FIG. A semi-moon-shaped transmissive window 2 representing a pattern of a morning glow or a sunset is provided in a part of the cylindrical lamp house 1, and a diffusing plate 4 for appropriately diffusing light is arranged in the transmissive window 2.
The diffusion plate 4 is colored as necessary, or a colored filter is affixed thereon. An incandescent lamp 3 serving as a light source is accommodated in the lamp house 1.

[0003] Light from a light bulb 3 passes through a diffusion plate 4 of a transmission window and illuminates the vicinity of the horizon of the dome. Reference numeral 5 denotes a light shielding plate for preventing extra light from reaching below the horizon. FIG. 9 shows the effect of this device. On the horizon 6 set in advance in the dome, a hazy light was projected as shown by the contour of 7, creating an effect that looks like a sunrise or sunset. Furthermore, a colored diffusion plate 4 is attached to the transmission window 2, for example, and the color tone and the degree of diffusion of light are adjusted to obtain an effect similar to a real sunrise or sunset.

[0004]

However, there are the following problems in the morning and sunset projector. In other words, incandescent bulbs emit light almost uniformly in all directions, so when light is extracted through a half-moon window with this device,
The light passing through the window is only a small part of the total amount of light emitted by the incandescent lamp, and most of the light is wasted inside the morning and sunset projector. For this reason, the amount of light reaching the dome screen was not sufficient, and there was a defect that a bright and clear morning glow and sunset glow could not be reproduced. In addition, in order to obtain a sufficient amount of light, it is necessary to use a high-output bulb, which causes problems such as an increase in power consumption and heat generation. Furthermore, when a light bulb with a reflecting mirror or an external reflecting mirror is used to improve the directivity problem, there is a disadvantage that the shape of the reflecting mirror is bulky.

[0005] Since the light obtained from the incandescent lamp is white light, a color filter must be separately used for expressing colors, which complicates the structure and increases the amount of light radiated from the incandescent lamp. The disadvantage is that the efficiency is reduced because parts are lost in the filter. The incandescent lamp has a drawback that it is difficult to arrange a large number of incandescent lamps in a limited space because of its large shape, and it is difficult to obtain an illumination effect in an arbitrary pattern by combining a large number of light sources. In addition, incandescent lamps have a short life span, so they need to be replaced regularly, which requires the provision of a mechanism such as a window for replacing the light bulbs. This has the disadvantage of complicating the device and complicating maintenance. there were. Since the color tone of the light of the incandescent lamp changes depending on the dimming, when a single color or a plurality of colors are used at the same time, the color tone of the obtained light is different from the originally desired color, and there is a drawback that the effect of the effect is hindered.

An object of the present invention is to provide a planetarium morning and sunset glow projection apparatus which can obtain an arbitrary pattern with a compact apparatus and which is easy to maintain.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, a sunrise / sunset projector according to the present invention is directed to a planetarium morning / sunset projector for projecting a sunrise or sunset on an inner wall surface of a substantially hemispherical dome. And a plurality of light emitting diodes having the following configuration are arranged so as to face the projection inner wall surface. Further, the plurality of light emitting diodes in the present invention are arranged at different angles, and the light amount of each is individually or dimmed in several groups to form a sunset or sunrise pattern of any shape. It is configured. Further, the plurality of light emitting diodes in the present invention are formed of light emitting diodes of different emission colors, and are configured to project the inner wall surface in an arbitrary color tone pattern.

[0008]

According to the above arrangement, the loss of light amount can be suppressed small, and the sunrise and sunset can be projected on the screen of the substantially hemispherical dome with high efficiency. Further, by combining light emitting diodes of a plurality of colors, it is possible to project an image with an arbitrary hue and saturation (hereinafter referred to as “color tone”) and an illuminance pattern.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a morning and evening glow projection apparatus according to the present invention. (A) is a cross-sectional view as viewed from above, (B) is a cross-sectional view as viewed from the side, and (C) is a front view. The lamp house 8 is divided into sections a, b, c, and d. In each section, three light emitting diodes 10 are arranged in an arc while slightly changing the direction. 1A emits red light, G emits green light, and B emits blue light. These R, G, and B color elements are alternately arranged.

Light emitted from the light emitting diode 10 is appropriately diffused by the diffusion plate 11 and emitted from the transmission window 9 to illuminate the vicinity of the horizon on the dome screen.
The light of different colors is mixed on the dome screen by the function of the diffusion plate 11. Further, the diffusion plate 11 has a function of adjusting the directivity of light and eliminating fine illumination unevenness of the light emitting diode 10. The light of the light emitting diode 10 has directivity in a direction separated by an arrow 12, as shown in FIG. Therefore, the light emitting diode 1
Most of the light obtained from 0 can pass through the transmission window 9. The light emitting diodes 10 are wired so as to be capable of dimming individually or independently for each group.

The hue, saturation and lightness of the sunrise and sunset on the dome screen can be freely changed by individually changing the light amounts of the R, G and B colors. Also, by changing the light amount ratio for each section, the pattern shape such as sunrise on the screen can be changed. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an illumination pattern obtained by the device of the present invention. For example, if all of the sections a, b, c, and d have the same light amount, an illumination pattern such as a wide sunrise such as 13 can be obtained. If only the sections b and c are lit, a narrow illumination pattern such as 14 can be obtained. Is obtained.

In this embodiment, an example is shown in which a single lamp house accommodates light-emitting diodes of three colors R, G, and B. For example, three lamp houses are stacked, and R, G, and R are respectively housed. Of course, the B light emitting diodes may be accommodated separately for each color. Alternatively, the type of the diffusion plate and the shape of the transmission window of each of the plurality of lamp houses can be changed. The colors of the light emitting diodes are not limited to the three colors of R, G, and B. Needless to say, Y (yellow) and W (white) may be used. This morning sunset projector
Two planetariums may be used in one set, and the sunrise direction of the sun, that is, eastward, may be used as a device for sunrise in advance, and the other unit may be used westward, and used as a device for sunset. Alternatively, only one unit may be provided and installed using a rotation mechanism so as to be directed to the direction of sunrise and sunset.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the morning and evening glow projection apparatus according to the present invention, in which the apparatus is mounted on a rotating device. On the gantry 15 there is a gear 17 driven by a motor 16, which provides a
Can be oriented in any direction. If this device is controlled so as to follow the direction of the sun using a computer, one device can be used for both sunrise and sunset, contributing to simplification and downsizing of the entire device.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the morning and evening glow projection apparatus according to the present invention, in which the apparatus is mounted on a star projection apparatus. The star projector 21 is rotatable about the azimuth axis 20 with respect to the pedestal 19. A morning and evening glow projection device 22 is mounted below the star projector 21, and is configured to be rotatable independently of the star projector 21 by a rotation axis concentric with the azimuth axis of the star projector 21. According to the configuration of this embodiment, there is no danger of vignetting by the stellar projector 21 and it is possible to reproduce the morning and evening glow equally in all directions. For example, it is effective for the production of polar nights.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an application example of the morning glow projection apparatus according to the present invention, and shows an embodiment of the morning glow projection apparatus capable of projecting the glow in all directions. (A) is an external perspective view. There is a transmission window 24 that goes around the lamp house 23. Reference numeral 25 denotes a light shielding plate for preventing light from reaching below the horizon. FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of this embodiment viewed from above. Surrounding symbols E, N, W, and S indicate directions around the device.
A large number of light emitting diodes 26 are arranged in the device in an arc shape, and the light of the light emitting diodes 26 is extracted from the transmission window 24 to the outside.

The light-emitting diodes are divided into groups (hereinafter referred to as azimuth groups) for each azimuth, and are individually dimmable. This embodiment is divided into the following eight groups. E: East EN: Northeast N: North WN: Northwest W: West WS: Southwest S: South ES: Southeast

By using this device to turn on the light emitting diodes in a desired azimuth group, it becomes possible to project a sunrise or sunset in a desired azimuth. Also,
When a plurality of adjacent groups are turned on, a wider pattern can be reproduced. For example, if only the group E is turned on, a narrow glow in the east can be reproduced. If ES and EN are added to this and turned on, a wide pattern in the east can be reproduced. When all the directions are turned on, it is possible to illuminate all around the horizon. According to this embodiment, it is possible to represent the haze near the horizon seen in the night or daytime sky, or to reproduce the phenomenon that sunset-like light is seen in all directions in the scene of a total solar eclipse. it can.

In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the number of groups is divided into eight groups has been described. However, if the number of groups is increased, the direction can be set more finely so that the sunrise or sunset can be reproduced. Further, by changing the light amount ratio between the groups, it is possible to more finely adjust the illumination pattern and to make the apparent azimuth smaller. According to the method of this embodiment,
Not only can a sunrise or sunset be reproduced without using a rotating mechanism, but also a haze near the horizon can be reproduced.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing another application example of the present invention, in which not only the azimuth but also the angle from the horizon, that is, the illuminance for each altitude can be individually set. The surface of the hemispherical device 27 is divided into a plurality of cells 28, and one or more light emitting diodes 29 having directivity are accommodated in each cell. A diffusion plate is attached to the outside of the light emitting diode 29 as needed. The individual light emitting diodes are wired so as to be dimmable for each cell. By arbitrarily dimming each, it becomes possible to illuminate any position on the dome screen with any brightness, hue, and saturation.

In the above embodiment, the method of changing the drive voltage or the current in order to dimming each light emitting diode or repeating the energization-de-energization in a fast cycle, and the time ratio between energized and de-energized states Any method can be used, such as an intermittent control method for changing the (duty ratio) (for example, pulse width modulation = PWM), and a method based on a combination thereof. These dimming commands can be performed by manual operation or control of a microprocessor.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a dimming circuit based on the PWM method. Microprocessor 30
Command is transmitted from the PWM signal generator 32 by the bus line 31.
Conveyed to. The PWM signal generator 32 generates a PWM signal having a frequency at which flicker does not occur visually, for example, a frequency of 100 Hz or more. The PWM signal is amplified by the amplifier 34 through the wiring 33, and the light emitting diode 35 is illuminated with a brightness based on the duty ratio of the PWM signal. According to this method, the apparent light quantity is exactly proportional to the duty. In addition, the light emission color of each light emitting diode is constant irrespective of the apparent light amount. By installing a plurality of circuits 31 to 35, a plurality of light emitting diodes can be individually adjusted.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The following various effects can be obtained. By utilizing the directivity of the light emitting diode, the light amount loss can be reduced, so that the power consumption per light amount can be reduced, which contributes to the reduction of the power consumption of the entire system. Further, heat generation is reduced, which contributes to downsizing of the apparatus.
Since the size of each element is very small and the arrangement and shape of each element can be freely set, it contributes to space saving and improvement of the degree of freedom in device design. Even when dimming is performed, there is little change in the emission color, and the proportional relationship between the command value and the light amount can be accurately determined by a method such as PWM, so that the synthesized color tone and illuminance can be accurately controlled, thereby contributing to the improvement of the effect. . By individually controlling the individual light emitting diodes, the illumination pattern can be arbitrarily changed, and a variety of illumination effects can be obtained depending on the scene. The light emitting diode has a much longer life than an incandescent light bulb, so that maintenance work and cost can be reduced, and a maintenance mechanism and the like can be simplified, contributing to a reduction in the size and weight of the device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a morning and evening glow projection apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an illumination pattern obtained by the device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a morning and evening glow projection apparatus according to the present invention, in which the apparatus is mounted on a rotating device.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the morning and evening glow projection apparatus according to the present invention, in which the apparatus is mounted on a star projection apparatus.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are views showing an application example of the morning and evening glow projection apparatus according to the present invention, wherein FIG. 5A is a perspective view and FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing another application example of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a PWM used in the morning and evening glow projection apparatus according to the present invention.
It is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a light control circuit by a system.

8A and 8B are views showing an example of a known morning and evening glow projection device for obtaining a morning and evening glow effect, wherein FIG. 8A is a perspective view, and FIG.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a rendering effect of the device of FIG. 8;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,8,23 ... Lamp house 2,9,24 ... Transmissive window 3 ... Incandescent lamp 4,11 ... Diffusion plate 5,25 ... Shade plate 6 ... Horizon 7 ... Outline 10,26,29,35 ... Light emitting diode 13, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 14 ... Illumination pattern 15 ... Stand 16 ... Motor 17 ... Gear 18 and 22 ... Morning and sunset glow projection apparatus 19 ... Pedestal 20 ... Azimuth axis 21 ... Stellar projector 27 ... Hemispherical apparatus 28 ... Cell 30 ... Microprocessor 31, 33 ... Bus line 32 ... PWM signal generator 34 ... Amplifier

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A planetarium sunrise / sunset projector for projecting a sunrise or sunset on an inner wall surface of a substantially hemispherical dome, wherein a plurality of light emitting diodes having directivity as light sources are arranged so as to face the inner wall surface of the projection. A planetarium morning and sunset projector. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes are arranged at different angles, and the light amount of each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is adjusted individually or divided into several groups to form a sunset / sunrise pattern of an arbitrary shape. Features a planetarium morning and sunset projector. 3. A planetarium morning and evening glow projection apparatus, wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes are formed of light emitting diodes of different emission colors, and project the inner wall surface in an arbitrary color tone pattern.