| CLAIMS
1. Structure for supporting a light source, characterized in that it includes: a screen which has a substantially planar structure consisting of a substantially rigid frame on which it is fixed a stretched piece of flexible material not opaque to light radiation;
- a light source, provided with a corresponding frame;
- placement means arranged and acting between the frame of the light source and the screen, for varying the relative distance between the source and the screen and/or the angle of a light beam emitted from the source in respect to the surface of said screen.
2. Structure for supporting a light source according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source is a device for rear-projection, said placement means including a frame which is hinged on said device for rear-projection which is positionable in at least two configurations: a first configuration or rest configuration, in which the device which is switched off, and a second configuration in which the light beam emitted is directed on said screen.
3. Structure for supporting a light source according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the light source includes a device for rear-projection and one or more lamps.
4. Structure for supporting a light source according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the placement means includes a frame with variable extension that supports the frame of the screen; said frame of the placement means being moved, in correspondence to the handling of the device for rear- projection, in order to dispose the screen in a position of use, which is more advanced and closer to the user, when the rear-projection device sends its light beam on the screen.
5. Structure for supporting a light source according to one or more of the previous claims, characterized in- that the size of the frame of said screen is reducible.
6. Structure for supporting a light source according to claim 5, characterized in that the frame of the screen is telescopic.
7. Structure for supporting a light source according to one or more of the previous claims, characterized in that the screen is made of elastic material.
8. Structure for supporting a light source according to one or more of the previous claims, characterized in that the screen is made of bi-elastic fabric of acrylic type.
9. Structure for supporting a light source according to one or more of the previous claims, characterized in that it includes a support structure which is connected to the screen frame through one or more connecting rods arranged and interacting between the same frame and teh support structure.
10. Structure for supporting a light source according to one or more of the previous claims, characterized in that the light source is a device for rear-projection and in that said structure for supporting is provided with means of reflection and/or refraction of light interposed between the output of said rear-projection device and said screen. |
TITLE: SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR A LIGHT SOURCE
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DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to a supporting structure for a light source.
In particular, the structure is provided with a screen and the light source supported by the structure of the invention can be a projector or a lamp.
More specifically, the projector can be a device for rear- projection, capable of projecting on one side of the screen
(posterior surface) images that are visible on the other side
(front surface) .
Currently, both the structures that support devices for rear- projection and those that support lamps have drawbacks. The known apparatuses for retro-projection are box-shaped structures with a significant encumbrance. For this reason, these apparatuses can be used only in very large rooms. In addition to the encumbrance, these structures are also characterized by the weight which is relatively high and prevents a lot of possible uses.
Moreover, these known apparatuses suit badly many styles of furniture for the excessive depth of their structures which determines a visual impact which is poorly integrated with other elements of the furniture.
Even the lamps with shades currently marketed have drawbacks. In fact, the lamps, which are essentially composed of a lamp and a lampshade, are characterized by a coupling between the lamp shade and the lamp body which is fixed and it is not changeable. In addition, a lamp equipped with a particular shade can emit the same type of lighting effect, filtering the light in substantially the same manner, being possible, for a few types of lamps, only to vary the light intensity, e.g. by a rheostat. moreover, the shade screen has
essentially the same look.
The aim of this invention is to provide a supporting structure for a light source simple and effective, both when the light source is a device for rear-projection, and when the light source is a lamp; with the present invention is provided a structure that allows to use the rear-projection even when space is very limited, in rooms in which up to now this technique is not usable; the structure of the invention allows the use of rear-projection even in areas difficult to access (e.g. ceiling or the top of the vertical walls), in which up to now this technique is not usable; another aim of the invention is to provide a single structure that can support both devices for rear-projection and lamps. This result was reached in accordance with the invention by adopting the idea of a structure having the features described in independent claims. Other features are described in the dependent claims. Among the advantages of this invention there are:
- it is possible to use the back-projection in small rooms, thanks to the limited depth of the entire structure, in particular configuration of rest (or non active) ;
- it is possible to use very large screens, also more than 60 inches, with extremely low weight structures which allow, among other things, the positioning in areas which now are little used (ceilings, vertical walls, etc.); it is possible to use the same object with the dual function of device for rear-projection and lamp, providing an added value, both technically and aesthetically, surprisingly more than the simple sum of two individual components;
- it is possible to vary the lighting effect provided by the lamp, even with effects of chiaroscuro, or light and shade, for example by differently positioning the screen in respect to the light source;
- the structure ensures high safety during its use (both in the rear-projection use and in the lighting use) , combined with a high ease in the changing operations;
- the structure, even provided with only the lamp, can assume a high number of configurations, different from each other, allowing, in this way, using the same lamp in different situations;
- the structure is relatively easy to assemble/disassemble and it has a very limited encumbrance when it is packaged. These and other advantages and features of the present invention will be more and better understood by means of the description that follows and with the help of the attached drawings, given as a practical exemplification of the invention, but not to be considered limitative, in which:
- Figs. IA, IB show a schematic side view of a possible embodiment of a structure in accordance with the invention, represented, respectively, in a rest configuration (IA) and in configuration of use (IB);
- Figs.2A, 2B show schematically another possible embodiment of a structure in accordance with the invention; in Fig.2A the structure is represented in frontal view and in configuration of use (2A); in Fig.2B it is shown in side view in both the rest configuration, marked "A" in two possible configurations of use, indicated by B and Bl;
- Figs.3A, 3B, 3C show schematically another possible embodiment of a structure in accordance with the invention, represented, respectively, in frontal view (3A) , in top view (3B) and in side view (3C); in Fig.3C "A" indicates the configuration of rest and "B" indicates the configuration active or of use;
- Fig.4 is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the invention;
- Figs.5A, 5B, 5C show schematically another possible
embodiment of a structure in accordance with the invention, represented, respectively, in a perspective view of the whole (5A), in lateral view (5B) and in a perspective view of a particular (5C); in Fig.5B "A" indicates the configuration of rest and "B" indicates the active configuration or of use;
- Figs.βA, 6B, 6C, 6D, 6E, 6F show schematically another possible embodiment of a structure in accordance with the invention; Fig.βA is a perspective view of the whole; Fig.βB is a top view in which the two configurations of rest (A) and use (B) are represented; Figs.βC, 6D represent a side view and a front view of the structure in the rest configuration, in which it can be used as lighting device; Figs.6E, 6F represent a side view and a front view of the structure in the active configuration, in which it can be used as device for rear-projection;
- Figs.7A, 7B, 7C show schematically another possible example of implementation of a structure in accordance with the invention in which the screen frame has a rectangular footprint reducible; Fig.7A is a perspective view of the whole structure with the configuration d 'use, the Fig.7B is a side view in configuration of use; the Fig.7C is a side view in configuration of rest;
- Figs.8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E, 8F schematically show another possible embodiment of a structure in accordance with the invention in which the screen has a rectangular frame, with reducible encumbrance; the Figs .8A, 8B are schematic front view of the structure represented, respectively, in configuration of use (8A) and rest configuration (8B); Figs.δC, 8D are schematic side views of the structure represented, respectively, in configuration of use (8C) and rest configuration (8D); Figs.8E, 8F are schematic frontal view of the screen of the structure represented, respectively, in configuration of use (8E) and rest
configuration (8F);
- Figs.9A, 9B, 9C, 9D, 9E, 9F schematically show another possible embodiment of a structure in accordance with the invention in which the screen has a reducible elliptic frame; Fig.9 is a perspective view of the whole; Figs.9B, 9C, 9D, 9E, 9F are perspective views relating, respectively to the frame in configuration of use (9B) and in rest configuration (9C) and to the screen surface in configuration of use (9E) and rest configuration (9E);
- Figs.1OA, 1OB, 1OC show another embodiment of the invention in which the frame of the screen is removable; Fig.1OA is a schematic front view, in which a particular, relevant to the means of attachment of the cloth screen to- the frame, is represented exploded; Fig.1OB is a partial front view of the frame been removed; Fig. 1OC is a side view of the structure which, in this example, supports a light source formed only by the lamp;
- Figs. HA, HB schematically show respectively a front view and a side view of another embodiment of the invention in which the frame is bound to a support body by means of tie beams;
- Fig.12 shows a further embodiment of the invention in which the light source is a device for rear-projection whose output is directed towards means of reflection / refraction of light interposed between the same device for rear-projection and the screen;
- Figs.l3A, 13B show a possible use of the invention in which the structure is supported by a supporting arm;
- Figs.l4A, 14B, 14C show schematically another possible embodiment of a structure in accordance with the invention; Fig.l4A is a perspective view of the whole; Fig.l4B is a top view which represents both configurations of rest (A) and use
(B); Fig.l4C is a perspective view of a particular of the
support structure;
- Figs.l5A, 15B schematically show another possible embodiment of a structure in accordance with the invention, represented by means of a perspective view of the whole, respectively, in configurations of use (15A) and rest (15B) . With reference to the drawings, the present invention relates to a structure 1 for supporting a light source 3 and/or 4. The structure 1 includes: a screen 2 which has a substantially planar structure consisting of a substantially rigid frame 20 on which it is fixed a stretched piece of flexible material not opaque to light radiation;
- a light source 3 and/or 4, provided with a corresponding frame 30 and/or 40;
- placement means 5 arranged and acting between the frame 30 and/or 40 of the light source 3 and/or 4 and the screen 2, for varying the relative distance between the source 3 and/or 4 and the screen and/or the angle of a light beam emitted from the source 3 and/or 4 in respect to the surface of said screen.
In particular, the light source can ' be a device for rear- projection 3 or one or more lamps 4.
In the case of the device for rear-projection 3, the positioning means 5 includes a frame 30 on which is hinged said device for rear-projection 3 which is positionable in at least two configurations. In practice, there is a firs configuration of rest in which the device is not active and a second configuration in which the relative beam emitted by the device is directed on said screen.
The positioning means 5 also includes an extending frame which supports the frame of the screen and which is moved, correspondingly to the movement of the device for rear- projection, for placing the screen in a position of use,
which is more advanced and closer to the user when the device for rear projection directs its beam on the screen. In many examples of the enclosed drawings the letter "A" shows the configuration of rest, while "B" (or Bl) the active configuration, in which the screen is advanced in respect to the wall or the furniture which supports the structure and, therefore, it is more close to a user, for example, to a person who watches at the images projected by the device for rear-projection.
The frame 20 of the screen 2 may also be of type with reducible encumbrance. In the examples of Figs.7A-C, 8A-F, 9A-F, lOA-C and 15A-B some possible forms of embodiment of this frame are shown.
In particular, referring to the examples of Figs.7A-C, 8A-F, 9A-F, the frame is of type "telescopic", i.e. it is formed by a plurality of tubular portions which are inserted into one another.
In the example of Figs.l5A-B, the screen 2 is supported by two masts 20', on which an articulated structure 200 is acting; said structure 200, by the means of motor means, can be placed in two configurations, respectively of use (Fig.15) and of rest (Fig.15B) . The projector 3 is contained in a piece of furniture 300, which is the base of a vertical shaft 201 which supports said articulated structure 200. The shaft 201 is provided with a telescopic upper end which is connected to the structure 200 in order to determine the opening and closing of the same structure through a sleeve sliding along the same shaft 201.
The screen 2 which, as mentioned above, is not opaque to light radiation can be advantageously made in elastic material, in particular, in bi-elastic fabric like acrylic. Under testing, a tissue type similar to Lycra has produced good results for both the mechanical strength and the optical
properties. Can also be used coupled tissues and tissues treated with resin.
As shown in Figs.2A-B and 11A-B, the support structure 10 of the structure 1, namely the part which allows the attachment to a fixed structure such as, for example, a piece of furniture or a wall, is connected to the perimeter frame 2 by means of one or more rods/tie beams 6 arranged and interacting between the same frame 2 and the structure 10. The example of Figs.3A-C, the structure 1 is provided with means of motorization M acting on the positioning means 5 in order to dispose the structure in one of the configurations which can be possible. In practice, a motor M, controlled by a receiver R, acts on the frame structure so as to have the projector disposed in the configuration in which its beam is directed toward the posterior surface 22 of the screen 2. In the example of these drawings, moreover, the light source is also composed of a plurality of lamps. In particular, there is a pair of lamps provided with cover grids 40 and a series of additional lamps may be colored or designed to emit colored light. This type of lighting can be used for chromotherapy and the like or to enhance the aesthetic effect provided by the structure 1.
Again with reference to Figg.3A-C, the activation of the motor M causes the extension of the telescopic shaft 8, which pushes down a side of the body of the projector 3, body which is hinged in correspondence of the horizontal axis, indicated by X and Y. The lowering of said side of the projector body determines the horizontal positioning of the projector 3 itself, i.e. the positioning in a configuration in which its output 33 projects the beam towards the rear face 22 of the screen 2. The activation in the opposite direction of the motor M causes the return of the ^ projector in the rest position. In this position, denoted by A in Fig.3C, the
screen 2 is placed on the grids 40 covering the lamps. Advantageously, as device for rear-projection can be used a device of the type known as "short-flow projection". Can be used a projector equipped with a spherical mirror reflection within it.
The device for rear-projection can be combined (as shown schematically in Fig.12) to appropriate means of reflection/refraction of light interposed between the output 33 of device 3 and the rear-projection screen 2. Such means are indicated in Fig.12 with 90 and can comprehend a mirror and / or a Fresnel lens. In this figure, the structure 1 includes a support structure or base 10 which may be fixed to a wall or other fixed structure. The support structure 10 is associated with a frame 5 formed, on each side, by a first lever 55a and by a pair of levers 55c and 55d. The first lever 55a is hinged to the structure 10 and to the frame 20 of the screen 2. The levers 55c and 55d are connected to a further lever 55b in order to make the projector 3 hinged to the frame and movable to move from a substantially vertical configuration (rest) to a tilted configuration in which projects toward the mirror 90.
Figs.l3A, 13B show a possible use of the invention in which the structure 1 is supported by a support arm 100, which may in turn be fixed to a wall, floor or ceiling.
In the example of Figs.2A-B is shown a handle 59 which is associated with a rod 60 which is fixed to the frame 5 to move, on which is hinged the projector 3. This example also shows how the screen can be arranged in two operating configurations B and Bl, presenting different angle in respect to the vertical plane.
The example of Fig.4 shows a structure 1 in which there are two side lamps 4, arranged on both sides to the body of the support structure or base 10. Even in this case are- indicated
with arrows the movements performed by the structure to switch between different configurations.
In the example of Figs.5A-C is shown a structure 1 in which the screen 2 is supported by two curved arms 58, pivoted, at their ends, to the frame 20 of the screen 2 and, in correspondence of the middle zone, to a vertical track 57.
The link to the track 57 is best seen in particular in
Fig.5C.
The example of Figs.6A-F shows another embodiment of the structure where the frame 5 includes four articulated arms which allow the horizontal displacement of the screen 2, with the simultaneous rotation of rear-projection configuration.
In the figures is also shown that in the configuration of rest the screen is superimposed on the grids 40 which cover the lamps, copying the profile. Again, also in this case there are additional lights 44.
The example of Figs.l4A-C shows another embodiment of the structure where the frame 5 includes articulated arms which allow the movement of the screen 2, with the simultaneous rotation of rear-projection 3 in the active configuration.
Again, also in this case there are additional lights 44.
In the examples of Figs.7A-10C shows examples of structures with frames with reducible encumbrance.
The example of Figs.llA-B shows a structure provided with only one light source consisting of the lamp. In this example, the tension of the screen is variable acting on one or more tie beams acting between the support structure 10 and the frame 2.
Changes may be made to the form, dimensions, component part locations, and type of materials employed in the embodiment described and illustrated herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention.
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