CONTOURS"

DESCRIPTION

The present invention operates in the field of optical technologies and, more in particular, the invention relates to a device for projecting a light shape with exactly outlined contours onto a generic surface in order to identify in a virtual way or to highlight a real object, bringing it out among a plurality of similar objects present in the same area of observation.

PRIOR ART

Ever since electrical lighting exists, it has been common practice to use light for lighting up selectively one area over other areas in a situation of low brightness, in the penumbra or during the night or in closed environments and environments with poor lighting, as likewise for bringing out certain details also in environments with high brightness. We may recall, for example, the cone of light directed onto a specific area of a painting in an art gallery or museum or else onto a table in a working environment or again the indications for supplying useful information in every-day life to enable people to move around and work effectively and safely. Finally, we may recall that by playing around with the lighting it is possible to obtain particularly pleasant special effects, with considerable aesthetic and chromatic features when coloured lights are used.

Up to the present day these results have been achieved with the use of spotlights and light projectors by shaping the beam with shutter blades assisted by a wide range of optical elements, this leads to complex and very costly structures and devices.

This being said, the present applicant has found a new way for generating the light effects referred to above, using very simple devices, which are easy to produce and set in operation, at an extremely reduced cost. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the invention is to provide a highly versatile device for projecting a light shape with clear and exactly outlined contours that will present modest costs, ease of use, and long service life.

According to a first aspect thereof, the invention consequently regards a device for projecting a light shape with clear and precise contours onto a generic surface, said device including a casing comprising a light emitter, which is inserted in a point of the surface and faces the inside of said casing and emits a light beam towards the facing surface, which is provided with a through hole for the passage of said light beam, and a heat sink for dissipating the heat produced by said emitter, said device being characterized in that said casing has its inner surface that is matt black, in that said emitter is a punctiform source of light, preferably a laser or an LED, in that said light beam is a substantially directional beam, and in that said through hole has a contour that delimits the shape that the device intends to project.

The angle comprised between the axis of said light beam and the straight line that identifies the distance between said emitter and the centre of said through hole may vary between 0° and 90° but, more preferably, is contained between 0° and 20° and, even more preferably, is substantially equal to 0°; i.e., said axis and said straight line coincide.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In any case, a better understanding of the present invention may be obtained from the ensuing description with the aid of the annexed drawings, which are provided exclusively by way of non-limiting example since other embodiments are in any case possible, without thereby departing from the scope of the objects of the invention according to the ensuing claims.

Figure 1 illustrates the device in a preferred embodiment thereof; Figure 2 illustrates a plurality of light shapes generated with the device according to the invention;

Figure 3 illustrates a light shape generated with the device according to the invention, comprising a combination of the shapes of Figure 2 and designed to create, on the projection surface, the optical illusion of the presence of an object that in actual fact is not present;

Figure 4 illustrates a light shape with an indicating function generated with the device according to the invention;

Figure 5 illustrates a light shape with an information function generated with the device according to the invention;

Figure 6 illustrates a light shape with a functional purpose generated with the device according to the invention.

With reference to Figure 1 , the device according to the invention comprises a casing 1 of a parallelepipedal shape which has three pairs of mutually parallel opposite faces, 2a and 2b, 3a and 3b, 4a and 4b. In actual fact, the casing may have any shape but on its inner surface two axially opposite facing points A and B must be identifiable. Set in the point A is a substantially punctiform light emitter 5, which emits a substantially directional light beam F, i.e., a beam oriented in a single direction or, in other words, a beam that generates a cone of light having an aperture not greater than 120° and preferably not greater than 40°. Preferably, said emitter is a laser light source or an LED, which is preferably very small, preferably recessed in the wall of the casing, with the lighting body in view or, alternatively, even practically invisible.

On the axially opposite surface, in point B, a through hole is made for the passage of the aforesaid light beam.

In the sequel of the present description, the above hole will be referred to as "window" and denoted by W and may have any shape, as will be seen more clearly hereinafter. In particular, said window has a contour that defines the geometrical figure that the device is to project.

The light beam emitted by the emitter 5, passing through the window W, projects onto any surface set in front of said window a light shape correlated with the right section of the window.

The casing should preferably have very thin walls: in particular, the surface portion of the casing, within which the window is made, must be as thin as possible since the thickness of this wall determines the sharpness of the light effect. The thickness of the aforesaid surface portion is preferably comprised between 1 nm (nanometre) and 3 mm. Alternatively, according to the invention, it has been found that said surface may even be formed by a thin glass and, in this case, be preferably painted.

The aforesaid casing is preferably completely closed, and its inner surface is matt black, i.e., having a degree of reflectivity not higher than 0.3%. This degree of black, if alternatively measured on a grey scale must be not less than 70% Black and, preferably equal to 100% Black.

The casing 1 is made of a material that is able to dissipate the heat emitted by the emitter in order to guarantee the safety and duration of the device. Preferably, the casing is connected to another heat-dissipating structure having a dissipating surface preferably greater than that of the casing: said structure is preferably a metal structure and, preferably, the metal structure itself forms part of the casing. In Figure 1 the aforesaid heat-sink structure is a metal strip 6, which also provides a support for the casing, of which it constitutes the wall 2a, and which extends for a certain stretch on both sides of the casing.

On the other hand, the casing may be used in any possible way according to the need, as a hanging light, a recessed light, a ceiling-mounted light, a wall light, a floor light, a lampshade, etc. Preferably, the metal strip 6 is made of aluminium, but other materials may be used, such as metal or non-metal, that are able to effectively dissipate heat and provide the mechanical strength required by the type of device may be used.

The device according to the invention is based upon the concept of a punctiform light source and of a window having an aperture that modifies the light beam into a desired geometrical shape.

The smaller the size of the light source and the greater its distance from the window, the better will be the definition of the stretch of separation between light and shade. Preferably, the distance between the emitter and the window is comprised between 5 mm and 50 mm.

The enlargement of the shape depends upon the angle of output of the light from the window. Regular plane geometrical shapes may be obtained even on surfaces that are not orthogonal to the axis of projection by appropriately deforming the contour of the aperture window. The angle comprised between the aforesaid axis of projection, i.e., the axis of the light beam, and the straight line that identifies the distance between the emitter and the centre of the window may vary between 0° and 90° but, normally, it is substantially equal to 0°, i.e., said axis and said straight line coincide, and only in particular conditions is it preferably contained between 0° and 20°.

The intensity of the light beam that is projected depends upon the power of the light source used, in particular of the LED: in relation to the desired results, the persons skilled in the sector will have no difficulty in determining what is the optimal intensity required.

The device just described projects onto any surface a light shape with clear and precise contours, which reproduce the section of the window W. The aesthetic and functional effect is all the more important the darker the environment in which the device is operating. The device according to the invention can be used also in modular form, providing a plurality of casings arranged side by side so as to project complex figures obtained by setting side by side a number of figures generated by windows different from one another.

The invention described affords important advantages. In fact, there are innumerable possible uses of the invention, in a plurality of environments and for applications of an aesthetic nature, a decorative nature, for information purposes, for providing indicators and warning lights, and for various functional purposes as desired, in so far as the shape of the light in the generation of figures may be easily personalised.

Figure 2 illustrates a plurality of projected shapes according to the invention; proceeding from left to right there may be noted a circular shape, a square shape (corresponding to the window illustrated in Figure 1 ), a trapezial shape, a free shape, and a rectangular shape.

Figure 3 shows the shape corresponding to a vase or cup or bowl, as are at times present on a table, which is generated by associating together the three left-hand shapes of Figure 2. The projection of this shape, for example on the wall of a room, and preferably in a position higher than the line corresponding to the surface of a table, generates the optical illusion of the presence of said vase on the table even though the vase, in actual fact, is absent. The invention has created on the wall of the room a virtual decorative effect irrespective of the presence of the real object.

Figure 4 shows the invention used for indicating purposes for projecting a compulsory direction signal, for example in corridors of the Metropolitan Underground. The invention enables elimination of the corresponding signs, with saving in terms of the relative costs of production, installation, and maintenance.

Figure 5 shows the device according to the invention used for information purposes. The figure projected could be the sign indicating a bar or an automatic vendor of drinks. The wording on the bottle is easily produced by introducing the corresponding wording in the aperture of the window, taking of course into account the necessary dimensional variations.

Figure 6 illustrates the device according to invention being used for a functional purpose, i.e., to highlight the brightness of a particular area within an environment in penumbra. The environment of Figure 6 is a bar, or perhaps a restaurant, or else a tearoom, but could equally be an office, an exhibition stand, or similar premises.

A major characteristic of the invention is that in none of these applications are optical components used for generating the desired figures so that the problem of decay of the lighting system usually due to ageing of the optical materials is eliminated, and also the colour temperature remains unaltered over time.

In the present description, all the possible structural and dimensional alternatives to the embodiments of the invention specifically described have normally not been illustrated: it has not in fact appeared necessary to expand the constructional details of the system according to the invention in so far as any person skilled in the art, following the instructions provided herein, will have no difficulty, by adequately choosing materials and dimensions, in designing the most advantageous technical solution. These variants are, however, understood as also being comprised within the sphere of protection of the present patent, it being possible for the above alternative embodiments to be in themselves easily derived from the description presented herein of the relationship that links each embodiment with the results that the invention wishes to obtain.