Patents Assigned to Colortran, Inc.
  • Patent number: 5004957
    Abstract: A circuit and a method for controlling the dimming of incandescent lights using a pair of antiparallel connected SCRs which are fired at the same frequency as the frequency of the AC line power to achieve phase control of the power supplied to the light. Only one SCR of the pair is utilized in the 0% to 50% brightness range while both SCRs are utilized in the 51% to 100% brightness range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1991
    Assignee: Lee Colortran, Inc.
    Inventor: David W. Cunningham
  • Patent number: 4977484
    Abstract: A dimmer rack for mounting a plurality of modular units called dimmer modules is disclosed. Each of the modules is used to provide dimming control for each lighting circuit in a lighting system. The rack is a vertical enclosure and utilizes a plurality of modular shelving elements attached to the sides of each file to define individual receptacles for each module. Tabs in the shelving register with grovoes on the external housing of the dimmer modules, whereby precise tongue and groove mounting of each dimmer module is obtained. The rack provides vertical input power and control signal busses which are mounted side by side at the rear of the rack which register with and are engaged by first mating connectors on the rear of each of the dimmer modules at one end therof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1990
    Assignee: Lee Colortran Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Cunningham, Gregory F. Esakoff
  • Patent number: 4972125
    Abstract: A dimmer module including a dimmer circuit for use in controlling lighting used in theatrical and architectural operations. The module features a low cost, compact, thermally efficient design incorporating circuit breakers, a power device including solid state switches, and toroidal chokes, all components being interconnected using with prefabricated tooled interconnections eliminating conventional wiring in a housing adapted to make all external connections on a plug in basis. The housing structure incorporates a built-in handle and a plurality of parallel air flow paths to maximize cooling efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Lee Colortran, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Cunningham, Gregory F. Esakoff
  • Patent number: 4703412
    Abstract: A self-contained portable unit for use with theater and television dimming systems and, in particular, with one control console of a microprocessor-based lighting control system having a data display device such as a CRT. The unit includes a digitizer tablet, a stylus and an overlay to be placed on the tablet. The keyboard of the console is reproduced in the overlay in the form of keys replicating indicia printed or silk-screened on the overlay. An area is also provided on the overlay for placement of the designer's lighting pattern layout. Lighting pattern information and lighting levels are entered into the system by the unit by touching the stylus to specific points in the layout and to specific key indicia selected by the user. Initially, each symbol on the lighting pattern layout is defined by using the unit or the console to enter the channel, the light level in each channel, cueing instructions, or other information which the symbol represents into the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1987
    Assignee: Lee Colortran, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Cunningham, Gregory F. Esakoff
  • Patent number: 4232359
    Abstract: A spotlight includes a housing with an illumination source moveably mounted therein and a lens assembly moveably mounted therein. One or more lenses are mounted in the lens assembly, each in one of a plurality of predetermined positions. Independent movement of the source and lenses conveniently provides a variety of field angles, light outputs, or other illumination characteristics. A reflector, framing shutters, iris, pattern grids, and color filter gels may also be used as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1980
    Assignee: Berkey-Colortran, Inc.
    Inventors: Gordon T. Leon, Joseph L. Byron
  • Patent number: 4187534
    Abstract: A lens casting or housing provides a series of grooves for selective mounting of various lenses to achieve various beam spreads. By spacing lenses in the housing, it is possible to reduce the diameter and thickness of the lens nearer the light source with consequent improvement in thermal characteristics as well as efficiency in light transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1980
    Assignee: Berkey-Colortran, Inc.
    Inventors: Clyde L. Tichenor, Craig LeVasseur
  • Patent number: 4061912
    Abstract: A spotlight housing has a rear section in which a lamp socket is accommodated. The lamp projects forwardly through the back of a reflector. The lamp socket is mounted on a heat sink. A coil spring is interposed between the heat sink and the rear section of the follow spot housing. A screw threaded rod projects from the back of the heat sink, through the spring and through a large clearance opening in the rear section of the housing where it connects with a positioning knob. The knob is urged against the outside surface of the housing, which is spherically formed with a geometric center located near the access opening to the reflector. By shifting the knob along the surface, the lamp filament can be moved laterally in any direction relative to the reflector axis or focus. By rotating the knob, the rod length changes as the spring compresses and expands, thus moving the filament more or less into the reflector housing as the heat sink limits rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1976
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1977
    Assignee: Berkey-Colortran, Inc.
    Inventor: Craig Levasseur
  • Patent number: D247689
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1976
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1978
    Assignee: Berkey-Colortran, Inc
    Inventor: Craig LeVasseur
  • Patent number: RE30119
    Abstract: A theatrical follow spot utilizes elliptic reflective optics to achieve compact size and non-astigmatic projection. A source lamp is situated in front of the mirror, sufficiently offset to one side thereof so as to be out of the path of reflected light. The mirror has the shape of an ellipsoid of revolution, the mirror section being entirely on one side of a meridian plane of the ellipsoid. The axis of light from the source lamp is coincident with a line through the near focus of the ellipsoid and the center of the mirror. This insures that an image in the near focal plane, such as the circular opening of an iris, will be projected at the distant focal plane of the ellipsoid, without distortion of shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1979
    Assignee: Berkey-Colortran, Inc.
    Inventor: Clyde L. Tichenor
  • Patent number: D258314
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1981
    Assignee: Berkey-Colortran, Inc.
    Inventor: Gordon T. Leon
  • Patent number: D278997
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1985
    Assignee: Colortran, Inc.
    Inventors: Denis G. Wolfe, Thomas S. Young, Arnold S. Wasserman, Edward Lawing
  • Patent number: D279928
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1985
    Assignee: Colortran, Inc.
    Inventors: Ira G. McNabb, Denis G. Wolfe, Robert G. Fischette