Patent EP0198977A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0704655A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0704655A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Light guide lighting system for forming a thin lighting device
Assignee: Marelli Europe SpA
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Filing: 1995-09-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-09-28
Abstract
Abstract A lighting system presenting at least one pair of light guides (1, 2) defined between a number of pairs of facing surfaces; and a light source (7) for generating a stream of substantially parallel rays (8), the direction of which forms a predetermined angle of over 90° with the aforementioned surfaces; the system being characterized in that, between the facing surfaces (3-4, 5-6) in each pair, there is provided an at least partly transparent material, the structural characteristics of which differ from those of the material between the facing surfaces in the following pair in the direction of the rays, so that a first portion of the light impinging on the interface between the layer and the facing surfaces in each pair is transmitted to the following pair of facing surfaces substantially in the direction of the rays, whereas a predetermined second portion of the light is reflected in a direction substantially perpendicular to that of the rays.
Inventors
- 👤 Stefania Masuelli
- 👤 Piero Perlo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 09:28
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/0001; G02B6/0011; G02B6/0033; G02B6/005; G02B6/0055; F; F21; F21V; F21V5/00; F21V5/002; G02B6/0005; G02B6/001; G02B6/0075; G02B6/0076; G02B6/24; G02B6/42; G02B6/4298; G02B6/0013; G02B6/0023; G02B6/003
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
A lighting system comprising: at least a pair of light guides (1, 2; 1a, 2a)) defined between a number of pairs of facing surfaces (3-4, 5-6); and a light source (7) for generating a stream of substantially parallel rays (8), the direction of said rays forming a predetermined angle with the surfaces in said pairs; characterized in that, between the facing surfaces (3-4, 5-6) in each said pair, there is provided a partly transparent material, so that each pair of facing surfaces defines the interface between said light guides and said material; the structural characteristics of said material differing from those of the material between the facing surfaces in the following pair in the direction of said rays, so that a first portion of the light impinging on said facing surfaces in each pair is transmitted to the following pair of facing surfaces substantially in the direction of said rays, whereas a predetermined second portion of said light is reflected in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of said rays.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
45 words
A lighting system as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an assembly (18) of microlenses located along the path of said predetermined second portion of the light reflected by said interfaces, so that the rays from said assembly present a predetermined divergence.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A lighting system as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the thickness of said material (11a, 11b, 11c) between said pairs of facing surfaces varies in predetermined manner in the direction of said rays.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A lighting system as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the refraction index of said material (11a, 11b, 11c, ...) between said pairs of facing surfaces varies in predetermined manner in the direction of said rays.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A lighting system as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that the reflectance of said material (11a, 11b, 11c, ...) between said pairs of facing surfaces varies in predetermined manner in the direction of said rays.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
A lighting system as claimed in Claim 5, characterized in that said microlenses (21) are refractive.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A lighting system as claimed in Claim 5, characterized in that said microlenses (21) are diffractive-refractive.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A lighting system as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that diffraction gratings (14) are provided at said interfaces..
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
A lighting system as claimed in Claim 8, characterized in that each diffraction grating comprises a supporting layer (16) from which project diffracting projections (15) with a spacing p ranging between 0.5 and 0.7 micron; the ratio of the height of said diffracting projections to the thickness of said supporting layer ranging between 0.5 and 2.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
A lighting system as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that it comprises a reflecting surface (17) so located and formed as to receive said light reflected towards one side of the light guides, and to reflect it towards the opposite side.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A lighting system as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said pairs of facing surfaces (3-4) are flat and substantially parallel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
A lighting system as claimed in Claim 11, characterized in that said pairs of facing surfaces (3-4) are curved; said curvature being so calculated that the rays of said predetermined second portion of reflected light present a predetermined divergence.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
168 words
A lighting system as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims from 2 to 12, characterized in that it comprises a transparent screen (180) presenting said microlens assembly (18); a panel (170) facing and a given distance from said screen; and an undulated element (11) located between and parallel to said panel and said screen and in said direction of said rays; said undulated element (11) being defined by said pairs of facing surfaces (3-4, 5-6) by which it is divided into a number of adjacent portions (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, ...) inclined in relation to said direction of said rays and presenting alternate opposite angles; each said portion being formed from said material, which presents different structural characteristics from one portion to another; and said light guides being defined by respective gaps (1a, 2a) either empty or filled with transparent fluid, in particular ambient air, and defined respectively between said undulated element (11) and said panel (170), and between said undulated element (11) and said screen (180).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
A lighting system as claimed in Claim 13, characterized in that said undulated element is made in one piece and comprises appropriately molded PMMA.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
50 words
A lighting system as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims from 1 to 12, characterized in that said light guides (1, 2) are made of plastic or glass material, and define said pairs of facing surfaces (3-4, 5-6); each pair being defined by one surface of the two guides.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
81 words
A lighting system as claimed in Claim 15, characterized in that each said light guide comprises a flat supporting element (30) from which project prismed portions (31), each presenting a profile substantially in the form of an isosceles triangle with a constant angle at the apex; said prismed portions of the two light guides generating pairs of facing surfaces (3-4, 5-6) for alternately reflecting said second portion of the light towards one side and towards the opposite side of the guides.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
A lighting system as claimed in Claim 16, characterized in that said prismed portions (31) increase in height in the direction of said rays.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
A lighting system as claimed in Claim 16 or 17, characterized in that said prismed portions (31) are straight with parallel axes.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
A lighting system as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims from 16 to 18, characterized in that said prismed portions (31) are circular and coaxial; said light source comprising a number of emitters arranged peripherally about said guides and for generating light in a substantially radial direction towards said prismed portions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
42 words
A lighting system as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims from 16 to 19, characterized in that said facing surfaces (3-4, 5-6) of said light guides (1, 2) lie in the same plane in relation to the direction of said rays.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
A lighting system as claimed in Claim 20, characterized in that said facing surfaces (3-4, 5-6) are curved.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
48 words
A lighting system as claimed in Claim 20 or 21, characterized in that said facing surfaces (3-4, 5-6) are formed on two light guide assemblies (32, 33); each assembly comprising two light guides with semicircular facing surfaces; and said two assemblies being connected at a diametrical surface (34).
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
40 words
A lighting system as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that, between said light source and said light guides, a separating grating (39) is provided for separating and appropriately directing the infrared rays emitted by the source.
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