Projecting illumination device with multiple light sources

1. A method for designing an illumination device to illuminate an optical gate and to project an image of the optical gate toward a target surface, where the illumination device comprises:

a light source module comprising a number of light sources and a number of collectors, where said collectors each include:

a central lens comprising a central entrance surface and a central exit surface; and

a peripheral lens comprising a peripheral entrance surface, a peripheral exit surface, and a peripheral reflective surface;

a projecting system positioned along a primary optical axis of the illumination device, said projecting system having an entrance pupil adapted to collect at least part of said light generated by said light sources and to project said collected light toward a target surface; and

an aperture positioned between said light source module and said entrance pupil of said projecting system;

where the method comprises the steps of:

aligning said central lens along a source optical axis of said respective light source;

aligning said peripheral lens to at least partially surround said central lens;

positioning said collectors to collect and convert light from at least one of said light sources into a source light beam that propagates at least partially along a primary optical axis;

positioning said central lens to collect and convert a first part of said light from a respective light source and to image said first part of said light at a position between said aperture and said entrance pupil;

positioning said peripheral lens to collect and convert a second part of said light from said respective light source and to concentrate said second part of said light at a position approximately between said aperture and said entrance pupil; and

positioning said projecting system to collect light passing through said aperture and to project said light passing through said aperture toward a target surface.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein to image said first part of said light at a position between said aperture and said entrance pupil is defined as to image said first part of said light in a position starting for a small distance in front of said aperture and ending at a small distance after said entrance pupil, wherein said small distance in front of said aperture does not exceed a cross section of said aperture and said small distance after said entrance pupil does not exceed a cross section of said entrance pupil.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said image of said first part of said light is positioned proximate to said aperture.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein positioned proximate to said aperture is defined as not exceeding a distance in front of said aperture larger than a cross section of said aperture and a distance after said aperture larger than a diameter of said aperture.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said image of said first part of said light is positioned proximate to said entrance pupil.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein positioned proximate to said entrance pupil is defined as not exceeding a distance in front of said entrance pupil larger than a cross section of said aperture and a distance after said entrance pupil larger than a diameter of said aperture.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said second part of said light is concentrated proximate to said aperture while said image of said first part of said light is positioned proximate to said entrance pupil.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said second part of said light is concentrated proximate to said entrance pupil.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a divergence angle relative to said source optical axis of said first part of said light collected and converted by said central lens is smaller than an acceptance angle of said projecting system where said acceptance angle is defined by the resulting focal length of said projecting system and the resulting acceptance area of said projecting system; and said first part of said light collected and converted by said central lens hits said entrance pupil within said resulting acceptance area of said projecting system.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein a divergence angle relative to said source optical axis of said second part of said light collected and converted by said peripheral lens is smaller than an acceptance angle of said projecting system where said acceptance angle is defined by the resulting focal length of said projecting system and the resulting acceptance area of said projecting system; and said second part of said light collected and converted by said peripheral lens hits said entrance pupil within said resulting acceptance area of said projecting system.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said light sources is positioned at a source height offset relative to said primary optical axis and angled relative to said primary optical axis.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said number of light sources are arranged such that said source optical axis of each light source meet in a common area along said primary optical axis, between said aperture and said entrance pupil.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said common area is an area near said primary optical axis where at least one source optical axis intersects a plane through said primary optical axis, and where at least one source optical axis intersects a plane through at least another source optical axis.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said image of said first part of said light positioned proximate said aperture is smaller than said aperture.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least part of said second part of said light is offset relative to said image of said first part of said light at said aperture plane.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein said central lens further comprises an extension part positioned between said central entrance surface and said central exit surface, where said extension part protrudes from said peripheral exit surface and elevates said central exit surface a distance above said peripheral exit surface.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of positioning a digital imaging device at said aperture to project an image generated by said digital imaging device toward said target surface, wherein said aperture is defining an object plane and is limiting an object diameter.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the illumination device is housed within a head of a moving head light fixture, the moving head light fixture further comprising a base, a yoke rotatably connected to said base, and said head rotatably connected to said yoke, wherein said digital imaging device is at least one GOBO device.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second part of said light, collected and converted from said peripheral lens, enters said peripheral lens through said entrance surface, is reflected by said reflection surface, and exits said peripheral lens through said exit surface, wherein said first part of said light and said second part of said light have different divergence angles and intensity distributions in said aperture.

20. A method for designing an illumination device to illuminate an optical gate and to project an image of the optical gate toward a target surface, where the illumination device comprises:

a light source module comprising a number of light sources and a number of collectors, where said collectors each include:

a central lens comprising a central entrance surface and a central exit surface; and

a peripheral lens comprising a peripheral entrance surface, a peripheral exit surface, and a peripheral reflective surface;

a projecting system positioned along a primary optical axis of the illumination device, said projecting system having an entrance pupil adapted to collect at least part of said light generated by said light sources and to project said collected light toward a target surface; and

an aperture positioned between said light source module and said entrance pupil of said projecting system;

where the method comprises the steps of:

positioning at least one of said light sources at a source height offset relative to said primary optical axis and angled relative to said primary optical axis;

aligning said central lens along a source optical axis of said respective light source;

aligning said peripheral lens to at least partially surround said central lens;

positioning said collectors to collect and convert light from at least one of said light sources into a source light beam that propagates at least partially along said primary optical axis;

positioning said central lens to collect and convert a first part of said light from a respective light source and to image said first part of said light at a position between said aperture and said entrance pupil;

positioning said peripheral lens to collect and convert a second part of said light from said respective light source and to concentrate said second part of said light at a position between said aperture and said entrance pupil, wherein said second part of said light enters said peripheral lens through said entrance surface, is reflected by said reflection surface, and exits said peripheral lens through said exit surface;

arranging said number of light sources such that said source optical axis of each light source meet in a common area along said primary optical axis, between said aperture and said entrance pupil, where said first part of said light and said second part of said light have different divergence angles and intensity distributions in said aperture; and

positioning said projecting system to collect light passing through said aperture and to project said light passing through said aperture toward a target surface.