IP Library Granted Patent US 11,703,213
Granted Patent B2
US 11,703,213 · App. 17/200,477 · Granted Jul 18, 2023

Braking system for an automated luminaire

Inventors: Pavel Jurik (Prostredni Becva, CZ); Jindrich Vavrik (Zubri, CZ); Josef Valchar (Prostredni Becva, CZ)
Assignee: Robe Lighting s.r.o.
F21V21/15F21V14/02F21V21/30F21V23/003F21W2131/406
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,703,213
App. No.
17/200,477
Granted
Jul 18, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A luminaire is provided that includes a head, a movement system, and a control system. The movement system rotates the luminaire head around an axis of rotation. The movement system includes a motor and a braking system. The motor moves a luminaire mechanism. The luminaire mechanism may be a gobo wheel, a lens, or other optical device of the luminaire, or it may be the luminaire head or the luminaire yoke. The control system determines whether the motor is rotating and engages the braking system when the motor is not rotating. When the motor is stopped, the control system may store in non-volatile memory a current absolute position of the luminaire mechanism.

Claims (62)

1. A luminaire comprising:

a luminaire head comprising one or more optical devices;

a movement system mechanically coupled to the luminaire head and configured to rotate the luminaire head around an axis of rotation, the movement system comprising:

a motor comprising a motor shaft having a first part extending from a first side of the motor, the first part of the motor shaft coupled via a first mechanical coupling to the luminaire head and configured to cause rotation of the luminaire head about the axis of rotation;

a braking system coupled via a second mechanical coupling to the motor shaft and configured to inhibit rotation of the luminaire head; and

a control system comprising a processor electrically coupled to the motor and the braking system, the control system configured to engage the braking system by:

determining whether the motor is rotating;

engaging the braking system when it is determined that the motor is not rotating; and

removing power from the motor after engaging the braking system.

2. The luminaire of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to disengage the braking system by:

causing power to be applied to the motor;

determining whether power has been applied to the motor; and

disengaging the braking system when it is determined that power has been applied to the motor.

3. The luminaire of claim 2 , wherein the control system is configured to determine whether power has been applied to the motor by sensing a current applied to the motor.

4. The luminaire of claim 2 , wherein the control system is configured to receive a Motion command via a data link and rotate the motor in response to the Motion command only when the braking system is disengaged.

5. The luminaire of claim 1 , wherein the braking system is coupled to the first part of the motor shaft.

6. The luminaire of claim 1 , the motor shaft having a second part extending from a second side of the motor, wherein the braking system is coupled to the second part of the motor shaft.

7. The luminaire of claim 1 , wherein the braking system is coupled directly to the motor shaft.

8. The luminaire of claim 1 , wherein the braking system is configured to inhibit rotation of the luminaire head when the luminaire ceases to receive electrical power.

9. The luminaire of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to:

receive a Braking Friction command via a data link, the Braking Friction command comprising data representing a desired amount of braking friction of the braking system; and

adjust a braking friction of the braking system electrically in response to the data of the Braking Friction command.

10. A luminaire comprising:

a luminaire head comprising one or more optical devices;

a movement system mechanically coupled to a first optical device of the one or more optical devices and configured to move the first optical device, the movement system comprising:

a motor comprising a motor shaft having a first part extending from a first side of the motor, the first part of the motor shaft coupled via a first mechanical coupling to the first optical device and configured to cause motion of the first optical device;

a braking system coupled via a second mechanical coupling to the motor shaft and configured to inhibit movement of the first optical device; and

a control system comprising a processor electrically coupled to the motor and the braking system, the control system configured to engage the braking system by:

determining whether the motor is rotating;

engaging the braking system when it is determined that the motor is not rotating; and

removing power from the motor after engaging the braking system.

11. The luminaire of claim 10 , wherein the braking system is coupled to the first part of the motor shaft.

12. The luminaire of claim 10 , the motor shaft having a second part extending from a second side of the motor, wherein the braking system is coupled to the second part of the motor shaft.

13. The luminaire of claim 10 , wherein the braking system is coupled directly to the motor shaft.

14. The luminaire of claim 10 , wherein the braking system is configured to inhibit movement of the first optical device when the luminaire ceases to receive electrical power.

15. The luminaire of claim 10 , wherein the control system is configured to disengage the braking system by:

causing power to be applied to the motor;

determining whether power has been applied to the motor; and

disengaging the braking system when it is determined that power has been applied to the motor.

16. A luminaire comprising:

a luminaire head comprising one or more optical devices;

a movement system mechanically coupled to a luminaire mechanism of the luminaire and configured to move the luminaire mechanism, the movement system comprising:

a motor comprising a motor shaft having a first part extending from a first side of the motor, the first part of the motor shaft coupled via a first mechanical coupling to the luminaire mechanism and configured to cause motion of the luminaire mechanism;

a braking system coupled via a second mechanical coupling to a shaft of the motor and configured to inhibit movement of the luminaire mechanism; and

a control system comprising a processor electrically coupled to the motor, the braking system, and a non-volatile memory, the control system configured to engage the braking system by:

determining whether the motor is rotating; and

upon determining that the motor is not rotating:

engaging the braking system;

removing power from the motor after engaging the braking system; and

storing in the non-volatile memory a current absolute position of the luminaire mechanism.

17. The luminaire of claim 16 , wherein the control system is configured to disengage the braking system by:

causing power to be applied to the motor;

determining whether power has been applied to the motor; and

disengaging the braking system when it is determined that power has been applied to the motor.

18. The luminaire of claim 17 , wherein the control system is configured to prepare the movement system for motion by, prior to disengaging the braking system:

reading the current absolute position of the luminaire head from the non-volatile memory; and

initializing a motion control system with the current absolute position.

19. The luminaire of claim 18 , wherein the control system is configured, in response to an Enable Calibration command previously received by the control system via a data link, to cause the motion control system to perform a position calibration process when it is determined that power has been applied to the luminaire.

20. The luminaire of claim 16 , wherein the braking system is coupled to the first part of the motor shaft.

21. The luminaire of claim 16 , the motor shaft having a second part extending from a second side of the motor, wherein the braking system is coupled to the second part of the motor shaft.

22. The luminaire of claim 16 , wherein the braking system is coupled directly to the motor shaft.

23. The luminaire of claim 16 , wherein the braking system is configured to inhibit movement of the luminaire mechanism when the luminaire ceases to receive electrical power.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 7, 2021
From: JURIK, PAVEL; VAVRIK, JINDRICH; VALCHAR, JOSEF
To: ROBE LIGHTING S.R.O.
Reel/Frame 056457/0681 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part 17011554 · Sep 3, 2020
Provisional Application 62895361 · Sep 3, 2019
Related Publication 20210199273A1 · Jul 1, 2021