Fiber bundle illumination system

Claim 1

A system for projecting uniform illumination for visual observation, comprising: a flexible, elongated light guide comprising a bundle or relatively small, discrete clad fibers, said bundle having an input end adapted to receive light from a primary light source, and an output end from which light is transmitted, said fibers of said bundle along their length being independent from one another to permit flexing, output end portions of said fibers being joined together into an array to cooperatively define an output face of said fiber bundle, said system causing the ends of the individual clad fibers to transmit light through said output face with non-uniform brightness across said face, a clad cane element having an input face and an output face, said cane element input face corresponding to said output face of said fiber bundle in size and positioned to receive substantially all light transmitted through said output face of said fiber bundle, said output face of said cane element adapted to direct light through the remaining part of said illumination system, said cane element comprising a transparent homogeneous core, sized to receive substantially all light transmitted through said output face of said fiber bundle, the substance of said core having a relatively high refractive index, the exterior of said core being surrounded with a relatively thin clad layer of substance having a relatively low refractive index whereby light proceeding through said core is subject to internal reflection from the clad, said cane element having a predetermined length enabling light rays entering said core to be internally mixed to provide uniform brightness across said output face of said clad cane element, a first lens means located downstream from said output face of said clad cane element at a distance therefrom at least equal to the effective focal length of said lens means, said first lens means receiving said light of uniform brightness projected from said output face of said cane element and focusing the image of said output face of said cane element to provide a projected beam for illumination of an object to be viewed.

Claim 2

A system for projecting uniform illumination for visual observation, comprising: a flexible, elongated light guide comprising a bundle or relatively small, discrete clad fibers, said bundle having an input end adapted to receive light from a primary light source, and an output end from which light is transmitted, said fibers of said bundle along their length being independent from one another to permit flexing, output end portions of said fibers being joined together into an array to cooperatively define an output face of said fiber bundle, said system causing the ends of the individual clad fibers to transmit light through said output face with non-uniform brightness across said face, a clad cane element having an input face and an output face, said cane element input face corresponding to said output face of said fiber bundle in size and positioned to receive substantially all light transmitted through said output face of said fiber bundle, said output face of said cane element adapted to direct light through the remaining part of said illumination system, said cane element comprising a transparent homogeneous core, sized to receive substantially all light transmitted through said output face of said fiber bundle, the substance of said core having a relatively high refractive index, the exterior of said core being surrounded with a relatively thin clad layer of substance having a relatively low refractive index whereby light proceeding through said core is subject to internal reflection from the clad, said cane element having a predetermined length enabling light rays entering said core to be internally mixed to provide uniform brightness across said output face of said clad cane element, a first lens means located downstream from said output face of said clad cane element at a distance therefrom at least equal to the effective focal length of said lens means, said first lens means receiving said light of uniform brightness projected from said output face of said cane element and focusing the image of said output face of said cane element to provide a projected beam for illumination of an object to be viewed.

Claim 15

A system for projecting uniform illumination for visual observation, comprising: a flexible, elongated light guide, said guide having an input end adapted to receive light from a primary light source, and an output end from which light is transmitted, a clad cane element having an input face and an output face, said cane element input face corresponding to said output end and positioned to receive substantially all light transmitted through said output end of said guide, said cane element internally mixing the light rays from said guide to provide uniform brightness across said output face of said clad cane element, a first lens means attached to the output face of said clad cane element, said first lens means constructed to reduce the angle of the uniform light directed downstream, a second lens means located downstream from said output face of said clad cane element at a distance therefrom at last equal to the effective focal length of said second lens means, said lens means capturing said light of uniform brightness projected from said output face of said cane element and narrowed by said first lens means, and said second lens means focusing the image of said output face of said cane element to provide a projected beam of well-defined illumination for an object to be viewed.

Claim 16

A system for projecting uniform illumination for visual observation, comprising: a flexible, elongated light guide, said guide having an input end adapted to receive light from a primary light source, and an output end from which light is transmitted, a clad cane element having an input face and an output face, said cane element input face corresponding to said output end and positioned to receive substantially all light transmitted through said output end of said guide, said cane element internally mixing the light rays from said guide to provide uniform brightness across said output face of said clad cane element, a first lens means attached to the output face of said clad cane element, said first lens means constructed to reduce the angle of the uniform light directed downstream, a second lens means located downstream from said output face of said clad cane element at a distance therefrom at last equal to the effective focal length of said second lens means, said lens means capturing said light of uniform brightness projected from said output face of said cane element and narrowed by said first lens means, and said second lens means focusing the image of said output face of said cane element to provide a projected beam of well-defined illumination for an object to be viewed.

Claim 17

A system for projecting uniform illumination for visual observation, comprising: a flexible, elongated light guide, said guide having an input end adapted to receive light from a primary light source, and an output end from which light is transmitted, a clad cane element having an input face and an output face, said cane element input face corresponding to said output end and positioned to receive substantially all light transmitted through said output end of said guide, said cane element internally mixing the light rays for said guide to provide uniform brightness across said output face of said clad cane element, said clad cane element being tapered to reduce the angle of the uniform light exiting therefrom and directed downstream, a lens means located downstream from said output face of said clad cane element at a distance therefrom at least equal to the effective focal length of said lens means, said lens means disposed to capture said light of uniform brightness projected from said output face of said cane element and narrowed by said tapered cane element, and said lens means adapted to focus the image of said output face of said cane element to provide a projected beam of well-defined illumination for an object to be viewed.

Claim 18

A system for projecting uniform illumination for visual observation, comprising: a flexible, elongated light guide, said guide having an input end adapted to receive light from a primary light source, and an output end from which light is transmitted, a clad cane element having an input face and an output face, said cane element input face corresponding to said output end and positioned to receive substantially all light transmitted through said output end of said guide, said cane element internally mixing the light rays for said guide to provide uniform brightness across said output face of said clad cane element, said clad cane element being tapered to reduce the angle of the uniform light exiting therefrom and directed downstream, a lens means located downstream from said output face of said clad cane element at a distance therefrom at least equal to the effective focal length of said lens means, said lens means disposed to capture said light of uniform brightness projected from said output face of said cane element and narrowed by said tapered cane element, and said lens means adapted to focus the image of said output face of said cane element to provide a projected beam of well-defined illumination for an object to be viewed.

Claim 19

A system for projecting uniform illumination for visual observation, comprising: a flexible, elongated light guide comprising a bundle of relatively small, discrete clad fibers, said bundle having an input end adapted to receive light from a primary light source, and an output end from which light is transmitted, output end portions of said fibers being joined together into an array to cooperatively define an output face of said fiber bundle, a clad coupling element having an input face and an output face, said coupling element input face corresponding to said output face of said fiber bundle in size and positioned to receive substantially all light transmitted through said output face of said fiber bundle, said output face of said coupling element adapted to direct light through the remaining part of said illumination system, said coupling element comprising a transparent homogeneous core of relatively high refractive index, surrounded with a relatively thin clad layer of relatively low refractive index, said coupling element having a predetermined length enabling light rays entering said core to be internally mixed to provide uniform brightness across said output face of said clad coupling element, lens means located downstream from said output face of said clad coupling element at a distance therefrom approximately equal to the effective focal length of said lens means.

Claim 20

A system for projecting uniform illumination for visual observation, comprising: a flexible, elongated light guide comprising a bundle of relatively small, discrete clad fibers, said bundle having an input end adapted to receive light from a primary light source, and an output end from which light is transmitted, output end portions of said fibers being joined together into an array to cooperatively define an output face of said fiber bundle, a clad coupling element having an input face and an output face, said coupling element input face corresponding to said output face of said fiber bundle in size and positioned to receive substantially all light transmitted through said output face of said fiber bundle, said output face of said coupling element adapted to direct light through the remaining part of said illumination system, said coupling element comprising a transparent homogeneous core of relatively high refractive index, surrounded with a relatively thin clad layer of relatively low refractive index, said coupling element having a predetermined length enabling light rays entering said core to be internally mixed to provide uniform brightness across said output face of said clad coupling element, lens means located downstream from said output face of said clad coupling element at a distance therefrom approximately equal to the effective focal length of said lens means.