US4845596A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Surface illumination device using optical conductors
Assignee: FCI Americas Technology LLC
•
Filing: 1988-07-21
•
Granted: 1989-07-04
•
Expires: 2008-07-21
Abstract
Abstract Illumination device for producing uniform illumination of a surface (10), comprising several parallel optical conductors (1) which are placed above an optically reflecting surface (8), and whose reflecting outside sheath (3) is removed locally at least in such a way that the light (11, 11') thereby emerging from the optical conductor (1) is reflected by the reflecting surface (8) to the surface to be illuminated (10). The optical conductors (1) are spaced at such intervals and placed at such a distance above the reflecting surface (8) that the light reflected (12, 12') by the reflecting surface (8) can reach the surface to be illuminated (10) on the other side of the optical conductors (1) through the space (14) between the optical conductors (1), in such a way that the most uniform possible illumination of said surface (10) obtained.
Inventors
- 👤 Bob Mouissie
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 13:50
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/0001; G02B6/0005; G02B6/001
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
An illumination device for uniformly illuminating a surface comprising: an optically reflective surface, an object containing the surface to be illuminated, a plurality of optical conductors disposed in parallel relation between said optically reflective surface and said surface to be illuminated, a light source disposed at at least one end of said plurality of optical conductors and providing light beams which propagate down each conductor, each of said optical conductors comprising a light conducting core and an outer sheath surrounding said core except lengthwise along a portion of the periphery of said core facing said optically reflective surface, said parallel optical conductors being spaced apart a first predetermined distance and being disposed above said optically reflective surface a second predetermined distance so that light emerging from the conductors along the lengthwise portion of the periphery of each said conductor core without said outer sheath can be reflected by the reflecting surface between said optical conductors toward the surface to be illuminated whereby uniform ilumination of said surface to be illuminated is obtained.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
An illumination device for uniformly illuminating a surface comprising: an optically reflective surface, an object containing the surface to be illuminated, a plurality of optical conductors disposed in parallel relation between said optically reflective surface and said surface to be illuminated, a light source disposed at at least one end of said plurality of optical conductors and providing light beams which propagate down each conductor, each of said optical conductors comprising a light conducting core and an outer sheath surrounding said core except lengthwise along a portion of the periphery of said core facing said optically reflective surface, said parallel optical conductors being spaced apart a first predetermined distance and being disposed above said optically reflective surface a second predetermined distance so that light emerging from the conductors along the lengthwise portion of the periphery of each said conductor core without said outer sheath can be reflected by the reflecting surface between said optical conductors toward the surface to be illuminated whereby uniform ilumination of said surface to be illuminated is obtained.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
An illumination device according to claim 1, further comprising a first layer of virtually optically transparent material disposed between the optical conductors and said reflecting surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
An illumination device according to claim 2, wherein said first layer is an adhesive layer by means of which the optical conductors are bonded to the reflecting surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
An illumination device according to claim 2, further comprising a second layer of virtually optically transparent material disposed between the optical conductors and the surface to be illuminated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
An illumination device according to claim 4, wherein said second layer is an adhesive layer by means of which the optical conductors are bonded to the surface to be illuminated.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
An illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the optical conductors are embedded in a casing of virtually optically transparent material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
An illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the outer sheath decreases gradually in the peripheral direction towards the portion of the optical conductor where there is no sheath.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
106 words
An illumination device according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of parallel optical conductors disposed between said optically reflective surface and said surface to be illuminated are arranged in two groups, one group comprising outgoing optical conductors extending from said light source between said surfaces, and a second group comprising incoming optical conductors which represent the portions of said outgoing optical conductors which have passed between and beyond said surfaces and bent backward so as to extend back between said surfaces in parallel disposition toward said light source where the ends of the conductors of said incoming group may also receive light from said light source.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
86 words
An illumination device according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of optical conductors disposed between said reflective surface and the surface to be illuminated may be divided along a centerline in the lengthwise direction of the optical conductors and wherein the outgoing group of conductors are disposed on one side of the centerline and the incoming group of conductors are disposed on the other side of the centerline, each respective outgoing and incoming conductor assuming the same relative position on their respective side of the centerline.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
An illumination device according to claim 1 wherein the first predetermined distance said optical fibers are spaced apart, as measured between the center-to-center of adjacent optical conductors, is equal to or greater than the external diameter of an optical conductor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
An illumination device according to claim 1 wherein said object containing said surface to be illuminated is a liquid crystal display panel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
An illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the core of each conductor is formed of glass and has an index of refraction relative to that of the outer sheath to provide an otpical conductor with a relatively low numerical aperture so that as much light as possible outside the angle determined by the numerical aperture may be received within the conductor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
An illumination device according to claim 12 wherein the optical conductor is formed of multimode step-index glass to permit as many light modes as possible to be propogated therein.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
An illumination device according to claim 4 wherein said second layer parallely displaces light beams incident therein, thereby providing diffused light in the area above where the optical conductors are located so that very uniform surface lighting reaches the surface to be illuminated.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
An illumination device according to claim 1 wherein the outer sheath is removed lengthwise along each optical conductor along the peripheral portion of said conductor facing said optically reflective surface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
An illumination device according to claim 7, wherein the outer sheath is removed gradually along the periphery of each optical fiber towards the portion directly facing said optically reflective surface where said sheath is completely removed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3718814A
Cited
US3781537A
Cited
US4172631A
Cited
FR2464856A1
Cited
US4598975A
Cited
US4510555A
Cited
US4761047A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-07-03 | 1993-01-02 | 1993-07-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-07-03 | 1997-01-02 | 1997-07-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-07-03 | 2001-01-02 | 2001-07-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |