Illumination – Plural light sources – With modifier
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-25
2001-08-28
Sember, Thomas M. (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Plural light sources
With modifier
C362S016000, C362S414000, C362S249070, C362S322000, C362S301000, C362S282000, C362S018000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06280055
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a light weight light modifier having a single-piece molded housing capable of supporting several strobe-light heads, tungsten lights, HMI lights, barndoors, filter holders, diffusers, and other accessories as well as being adaptable for mounting a camera for shadow free photography.
2. Description of Prior Art
One of the most important aspects of photography is the ability to control light. Any device used to control light, its intensity or direction, is called a light modifier. Those used in photography are broadly classified as follows:
a) Bounce umbrellas (modifiers) having reflective under-surface ranging from white to gold or silver metallic. The light source is reversibly mounted under the concave center of the open umbrella bouncing the light back from the reflective surface.
The problem associated with the bounce umbrella is the difficulty in attaching filters for color correction or the inability to attach barndoors or other directional light control devices.
Some of the better known umbrella designs are made and marketed by Lowell, Photogenic, Profoto, and other quality manufacturers.
a) Parabolic and ellipsoidal reflectors. These basic reflectors (modifiers) are usually employed with a single light source. The light bulb or a strobe light is positioned near the base of the reflector, facing the opening. The light reflects from the sides of the reflector to the area being illuminated. This type of reflector is usually made from light weight aluminum by metal spinning. Ideally the inside surface of the reflector is made of highly polished material, preferably with a textured pattern to diffuse the light and avoid hot spots.
However, because the spinning process forces the textured surface against a tool, much of this highly reflective surface is damaged, causing less effective, uneven illumination. Typical parabolic and ellipsoidal reflectors are made and marketed by Speedotron, Norman, Profoto, and other quality manufacturers.
b) Soft boxes. These modifiers are made of soft, light weight fabric, supported by a framework of rods. The inside of the box is typically lined with reflective fabric and the front portion is covered with a translucent fabric. The outer-shell sides and rear portion are covered with a black fabric. The light source is mounted on the back of the box, facing the translucent front panel. The soft boxes typically employ either a single strobe light or a continuous light source, usually quartz halogen.
This light weight design is usually attached to a light fixture as an accessory and has no independent means for mounting on a stand. Due to its soft design, it has no hard points onto which accessories such as bardoors or filters can be readily added. Well-known soft boxes designs are made and marketed by Lowell, Photogenic, Profoto, Chimera, Westcott, and other quality manufacturers.
c) Fresnel lens equipped light modifiers deliver a direct light beam, which feathers from a hard center toward a softer edge. These lights are typically made with a metal housing and have brackets for attaching accessories such as barndoors, diffusers, and filter holders.
While this light modifier successfully projects a highly controllable light beam, it is limited to a single-point light source, either a strobe or a light bulb. Only a more powerful strobe unit or a higher wattage bulb can gain additional light.
Makers of fresnel lens equipped lights include Mole-Richardson Co., Profoto, Admagic, Sinar Bron, Elinchrom, and other quality manufacturers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention represents an improvement in the field of studio or location lighting for photographers. The design is a rugged, light weight package, made of high density plastic housing and highly reflective inside panels which enable multiple lights, either strobe or continuous lights, to be utilized and their collective output directed to the area being illuminated.
The development of a of light modifier combining multiple light sources to boost overall light output, and delivering a more even light, represents a significant improvement in photographic lighting and would satisfy a long-felt need of studio or location photographers.
While the above mentioned models all have their place in photographic lighting, the present invention offers advantages for studio and location lighting not found in the above described light modifiers. Several objects and advantages of the present invention are:
a) to enable multiple lights, either strobe based, or continuous source, to be mounted onto a single light-modifier to obtain a maximum, uniform, light from their collective output;
b) to provide photographers with a light-modifier, which accepts variety of commercially available lights which, are easily mounted with adapter plates;
c) to provide an economical light-modifier with a single-piece, rigid, platform capable of supporting barndoors, filters, and diffusers, and having a pivotable yoke for mounting on a stand;
d) to provide a single-piece molded housing which forms a rigid platform allowing the inside of the housing to be lined with reflective panels for maximum light reflection without distorting their intended shape.
e) to provide a method for mounting a camera for shadow free lighting.
Further objects and advantages of the invention are to provide a light modifier equipped with adjustable barndoors whose inner surfaces are lined with reflective material for further light-path manipulation. By reflecting the light from upper bardoor reflectors, foreground illumination can be extended or, conversely, the opposite effect can be achieved when the light is reflected from the lower reflector. Similar effects are achieved by manipulating the side reflectors.
The inner surface of the barndoors is also covered with the similar reflective material. The single-piece-molded housing can be made with complex geometry, difficult or impossible to fabricate from metal. The housing comes off the mold, dimensionally stable and needs no painting.
By removing the baffle plate a camera mount can be attached behind the center hole for camera placement. In this configuration the unit is turned into a shadowless “ring” light.
The yoke-supported light modifier can be mounted on conventional light stand or suspended, inverted, from a boom-arm stand or a ceiling mount.
The rigid platform makes it easy to attach filters, diffusers, and other accessories for added light control.
An appreciation of the other aims and objectives of the present invention and a more complete and comprehensive understanding of it may be achieved by referring to the accompanying drawings and by studying the following description of the preferred embodiment.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4052607 (1977-10-01), Larson
patent: 4504888 (1985-03-01), Rosenthal
patent: 4788628 (1988-11-01), Farrall
patent: 5519588 (1996-05-01), Sobeck et al.
patent: 5950340 (1999-09-01), Woo
patent: 6106137 (2000-08-01), Adams et al.
“Balcar Super Diamond Box” Calumet Catalog 1999-2000 p. 54.
Light Tech Catalog Fluorescent Fill Light p. 10 p. 12.
Elinchrom Square Reflector Catalog p. 10.
Combo Light Cool-Lux Catalog p. 4.
Aura-Soft By Optex Optex Catalog p. 1-4.
Molequartz Overhead—Mole-Richardson Catalog p. 4.
Soft-Lights—Lowel Catalog p. 57.
Balcar Powerflux Calumet Catalog p. 87.
Balcar Fluorescent Fixtures Calumet Catalog p. 86.
Sinar Bron Light Banks Catalog '97 p. 49.
Merko Andy
Sember Thomas M.
Townsley Norton
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