WO2005038339A1

WO2005038339A1 - Rainbow projector

Info

Publication number: WO2005038339A1
Application number: PCT/GB2004/004408
Authority: WO
Inventors: James Richard Harries; Clive Mortimer; Phillip Godwin
Original assignee: James Richard Harries; Clive Mortimer; Phillip Godwin
Priority date: 2003-10-18
Filing date: 2004-10-18
Publication date: 2005-04-28
Also published as: GB2407174A; GB0324435D0

Abstract

A light projector which directs light from either the sun or an electrically powered source (2) through a focusing unit (4) and a transparent prism (5) splitting it into a rainbow beam which passes either directly onto the mirror (6) or through an intervening shutter mechanism (11) by which either the full range of light in the visible spectrum, or some segment thereof, may be moved across a target area, either directly, or through some distorted transparent medium, glass or similar, to produce a range of coloured light patterns.

Description

RAINBOW PROJECTOR

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the field of coloured light projection, primarily for recreational or therapeutic purposes.

Background to the Invention

Recreational and therapeutic use of colour has been an area of specific commercial and medical exploration for several decades. From lava lamps to optic fibre displays the range of invention is enormous. However, nearly all such systems utilise coloured gels or monotonic/single frequency light generators to achieve these effects. For example, the coloured lights used in theatres pass white light through a tinted acetate gel, and alternative therapists have made use of low voltage lights shining through red filters in place of needles in acupuncture.

The research leading to this invention has been concerned with escaping the limitations of the technologies described above, to make use of as much of the complete visible light spectrum as possible, whether using sunlight direct or artificial sources, whilst also making the resulting beam of light mobile; suitable for projection of patterns of coloured light onto the walls of a room or directly at people.

Furthermore, the limited research carried out by the inventors indicates that some therapeutic value can be obtained by passing a beam of light which has been split into a rainbow, across a persons body. It is likely that this type of treatment (using the full spectrum, rather than using single colours) has not previously been explored, because no theoretical framework has existed until recently, to suggest that any benefit would arise. Furthermore, modern low voltage light sources of the kind envisaged for this application have only become widely available in recent years.

The present invention makes use of a number of existing technologies, but arranges them in a unique and original manner to provide a projector that is unique and well- suited to its intended purpose. Prior rainbow projector devices, such as described in FR-2635726 and US-2002/0159260A provide a rudimentary rainbow light effect but do not provide special recreational and therapeutic stimulation. Summary of the Invention

This invention is a mechanism for generating, transmitting and directing a moving beam of full spectrum prismatic light (a "rainbow") at a target, which may be a person, or the walls of the room. Either natural light from the sun, or that generated from an artificial electrical source (such as a light bulb) is passed through a focusing mechanism, (which may be as simple as a narrow slot in an opaque divider). This gives rise to a narrow beam of light, which is passed through a transparent equilateral prism splitting it into the full prismatic range of the visible spectrum (a rainbow). The beam is then directed onto a mirror, which, in turn, moves in use to direct the beam across the target. The mirror itself may be moved either manually or by means of a motor and has a drive mechanism to oscillate the mirror and hence the beam of light back and forth across the target in use. Preferably the apparatus comprises a drive motor linked to the drive mechanism to power the drive mechanism to oscillate the mirror.

Suitably the apparatus is provided with a control for adjusting the rate of operation of the motor to thereby adjust the rate of oscillation of the mirror.

By configuring/ shaping the mirror to a convex curve it is also possible to widen the beam of split light over a given range. Thus preferably the mirrored surface is curved whereby the split light beam is reflected to spread over a greater or lesser area.

Also, by directing the light through a shaped transparent medium; glass, acrylic or similar, the moving light beam can be distorted to produce moving patterns of colour.

In a preferred embodiment the mirror is configured to oscillate through an arc of motion about a pivotal axis that is substantially orthogonal to the beam of split light.

The apparatus suitably further comprises an adjustable shutter positioned relative to the beam of split light in order to selectively adjust the portion of the spectrum of the split light beam that is projected by the apparatus. The adjustable shutter may comprise one or more opaque shutter elements pivotally mounted in the apparatus and a mechanism to move the element(s) about the pivot(s) to allow selection of the required portion of the spectrum. By addition of a movable shutter, mounted between the prism and the mirror, or upon the mirror itself, a particular range of coloured light, e.g. red to orange or blue to green can be selected for transmission, rather than the whole spectrum.

Suitably the apparatus has an outlet aperture through which the light beam passes to be projected on to the target surface and wherein the outlet aperture comprises a window that is transparent or semi-transparent and has means to distort the beam of light so as to diffuse it and to break it up. The distortion means of the outlet aperture is preferably adjustable so as to adjust the pattern of the projected light. The distorting means may be adjusted by a motor. Suitably a processor is provided to control the adjustment of the motorised distortion means.

The light projector suitably has a motor to power the oscillation drive mechanism for the mirror and further comprises a processor for automatic control of the motor.

Preferably the apparatus comprises a shutter to select a portion of the spectrum of the beam of split light and further comprises a motor to power the adjustment mechanism for adjusting the shutter and a processor to control the motor/ adjustment mechanism. Suitably the motor to power the oscillation drive mechanism is the same as the motor to power the adjustment of the distorting means.

Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and claims hereinafter.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation view of the interior of a first preferred embodiment of the light projection apparatus for projecting a rainbow;

Figure 2a is a side elevation view of an adjustable pivotally mounted shutter for the apparatus, and Figures 2b and 2c are, respectively, a front elevation view, and a side elevation view of the same, the latter showing the shutter housed in the housing and the handle end of the adjustment lever of the shutter protruding through an arcuate slot in the housing; and

Figure 3a is a side elevation view of an alternative embodiment of the projector, having a combination drive mechanism for driving oscillation of both the mirror and a moving distortion medium. Figure 3b is a front elevation view of the mirror, distortion member and combination drive mechanism.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

In figure 1 , the device has a rectangular box-shaped housing 1. An incandescent electric light bulb 2 at the bottom of the unit produces a beam of white light, which is passed through a focusing mechanism 4 (in this case, a lens mounted over a slot in a transverse divider) to be split into its full spectrum through a prism 5.

The beam of split light 3, having left the prism 5, strikes a mirror 6 to exit the device through an exit opening 10 in the housing 1. The mirror 6 is pivotally mounted within the housing 1 by a pivot pin 7. A motor 8 and drive linkage 9 are provided to move the mirror 6 through a limited arc in an oscillating manner whereby the projected light beam 3 may be swept back and forth, the rate of the oscillating movement being controlled by the speed of operation of the motor 8 and the extent of movement being dictated by the configuration of the drive linkage 9.

A shutter or gate mechanism 11 is movable to interrupt the beam 3, restricting the range of spectral colour bands emitted from the device to, say, orange through to green, according to the preference of the user. The shutter or gate mechanism 11, suitably comprises an arcuate foil 11a pivotally mounted to the housing by a pivot pin 16 to pivot through an arc of adjustment movement across the path of the beam 3 and is externally adjustable to the desired angular position across the beam 3 by a lever arm 17. The arcuate foil 11a has two or more parallel slits 18a, 18b therethrough each at a different angular position on the arc of the arcuate foil 11 a to allow a different band/ portion of the beam 3 therethrough (see Figure 2b).

For manual user adjustment of the shutter 11 a handle part 17a of the lever arm 17 projects through an arcuate slot 20 in the sidewall of the housing 1 (see figure 2c). The handle part 17a also functions as a dial and is lockable at a chosen angular position by a locking screw 21 on the handle part 17a.

On the shutter foil 11a, the number of slits 18, their respective position and width of each is preselected to give a desired selection of bands in the projected beam. Suitably the foil 11a is demountable and interchangeable with other such foils each with a different slit arrangement to give the user maximum choice. In an alternative embodiment the foil 11a may be modified to have an arrangement in which the number, position and/or width of slits is adjustable in situ. Furthermore, although described here as an arcuate foil, the shutter may take a number of different suitable physical forms.

In a further refinement to the device, the exit opening 10 is shown as covered by a distortion element 12 that may, for example, be a window of distorted glass so as to break the moving beam, as it is projected, into a variety of patterns. In the figure 1 embodiment the distortion element/ window 12 is static but it may, alternatively be configured to move. A moving embodiment of the distortion element/ window 12 is illustrated in Figures 3a and 3b, in which an offset cam member 13 that drives the drive linkage 9 for oscillation of the mirror 6 is mounted on the same drive shaft 14 from the motor 8 as drives a drive wheel 15a for driving rotation of the translucent circular disc-shaped distortion element/ window 12. A further wheel 15b supports the distortion element/window 12.

Claims

1. A light projector apparatus for projecting light as a rainbow pattern on to a target surface, the apparatus comprising an optical dispersive element to split light into a spectrum of colours and having a mirror to direct the split light toward a target surface, the mirror being mounted in the apparatus to be movable to oscillate and the apparatus comprises a drive mechanism to drive the mirror to oscillate in use whereby the beam of split light may be moved back-and-forth across the selected target surface in use.

2. A light projector as claimed in Claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a drive motor linked to the drive mechanism to power the drive mechanism to oscillate the mirror.

3. A light projector as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the apparatus has a control for adjusting the rate of operation of the motor to thereby adjust the rate of oscillation of the mirror.

4. A light projector as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mirror is configured to oscillate through an arc of motion about a pivotal axis that is substantially orthogonal to the beam of split light.

5. A light projector as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus further comprises an adjustable shutter positioned relative to the beam of split light in order to selectively adjust the portion of the spectrum of the split light beam that is projected by the apparatus.

6. A light projector as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the adjustable shutter comprises one or more opaque shutter elements pivotally mounted in the apparatus and a mechanism to move the element(s) about the pivot(s) to allow selection of the required portion of the spectrum.

7. A light projector as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mirrored surface is curved whereby the split light beam is reflected to spread over a greater or lesser area.

8. A light projector as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus has an outlet aperture through which the light beam passes to be projected on to the target surface and wherein the outlet aperture comprises a window that is transparent or semi-transparent and has means to distort the beam of light so as to diffuse it and to break it up.

9. A light projector as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the distortion means of the outlet aperture is adjustable so as to adjust the pattern of the projected light.

10. A light projector as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the distorting means is adjusted by a motor.

11. A light projector as claimed in Claim 10, wherein a processor is provided to control the adjustment of the motorised distortion means.

12. A light projector as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the light projector has a motor to power the oscillation drive mechanism for the mirror and further comprises a processor for automatic control of the motor.

13. A light projector as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus comprises a shutter to select a portion of the spectrum of the beam of split light and further comprises a motor to power the adjustment mechanism for adjusting the shutter and a processor to control the motor/ adjustment mechanism.

14. A light projector as claimed in claim 2 and claim 1, wherein the motor to power the oscillation drive mechanism is the same as the motor to power the adjustment of the distorting means

15. A light projector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.