Dimmer for fiber optic light transmission systems

Claim 1

A dimmer to attenuate the light provided to an input end of a fiber optic bundle, said driver attenuating light in a focused beam from a constant-intensity light source, said beam having an optical axis, said dimmer comprising: an opaque vane with a control area disposed in said beam, normal to said optical axis, so disposed and arranged that the beam focuses a spot on said control area, said control area having a movement axis always coincident with said optical axis, said control area having a first band on one side of the movement axis, and a second band on the other side thereof, said first band having a substantial imperforate portion extending along said movement axis, whereby to block substantially 50% of the light in the spot, and an open portion extending along said movement axis for passing said 50% of the light, blockage or transmission being a function of the location of said first band relative to said spot, said second band, along portions adjacent to said imperforate portion of said first band, having slots extending therethrough, interspersed with opaque bars, the width and spacing of said slots and bars being such as to provide increasing transmission of light through said second band when the vane is moved so as to move the control area relative to the spot, toward the open portion of the first band, until adjacent to the location where the imperforate and open portions of the first band join one another, the second band transmits substantially 50% of the light of the beam, and along the portIon of the second band adjacent to the open portion of the first band, the second band has slots interspersed with bands, whose width and spacing successively change such that with additional movement of the vane, the light transmitted by the second band gradually increases, being additive to the light transmitted by the open portion of the first band.