US6473554B1 — Lighting apparatus having low profile

Claim 1

Independent Claim 135 words

An illumination device, comprising: a waveguide having an illumination coupler embedded in an interior region of said waveguide, said illumination coupler adapted to receive light from a point source within said interior region, and to direct light between generally parallel top and bottom surfaces outside said interior region, said illumination coupler comprising a refractive index interface which is inclined relative to at least one of said top and bottom surfaces said interface being configured to reflect light rays emitted by the point source which propagate along a line that forms less than the critical angle of total internal reflection with respect to a line lying in one of said top and bottom surfaces, such that light rays which would otherwise pass out of said waveguide are captured for propagation between said top and bottom surfaces.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 135 words

An illumination device, comprising: a waveguide having an illumination coupler embedded in an interior region of said waveguide, said illumination coupler adapted to receive light from a point source within said interior region, and to direct light between generally parallel top and bottom surfaces outside said interior region, said illumination coupler comprising a refractive index interface which is inclined relative to at least one of said top and bottom surfaces said interface being configured to reflect light rays emitted by the point source which propagate along a line that forms less than the critical angle of total internal reflection with respect to a line lying in one of said top and bottom surfaces, such that light rays which would otherwise pass out of said waveguide are captured for propagation between said top and bottom surfaces.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 23 words

The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein said illumination coupler comprises a surface configured for total internal reflection of light incident thereon.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 33 words

The illumination device of claim 2 , comprising a point source of light disposed at least partially within a cavity in said waveguide, said cavity being adjacent to said total internal reflecting surface.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 24 words

The illumination device of claim 3 , comprising display elements on one of said top and bottom surfaces for ejecting light from said waveguide.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 19 words

The illumination device of claim 3 , comprising diffusive reflective material on one of said top and bottom surfaces.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 22 words

The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide and illumination coupler are integrally formed from a single piece of material.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 109 words

An illumination device comprising, in combination, a) a waveguide for light, and defining a substantially flat light travel channel, b) an LED closely associated with the waveguide, c) and there being a surface on the waveguide curving toward the LED to receive impingement of light from the LED, said surface being a TIR surface with respect to said impingement of light from the LED, for re-directing such light to travel along said light travel channel, said surface defining a cusp directed toward the LED, said LED having an end terminating in alignment with said cusp to direct substantially all light from the LED directly toward and adjacent the cusp.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 109 words

An illumination device comprising, in combination, a) a waveguide for light, and defining a substantially flat light travel channel, b) an LED closely associated with the waveguide, c) and there being a surface on the waveguide curving toward the LED to receive impingement of light from the LED, said surface being a TIR surface with respect to said impingement of light from the LED, for re-directing such light to travel along said light travel channel, said surface defining a cusp directed toward the LED, said LED having an end terminating in alignment with said cusp to direct substantially all light from the LED directly toward and adjacent the cusp.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 20 words

The device of claim 7 wherein said LED has a light-emitting portion located within a boundary defined by said waveguide.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 20 words

The device of claim 7 wherein said waveguide has a body and said surface is concave adjacent the waveguide body.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 13 words

The device of claim 7 wherein said surface is concave toward said channel.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 15 words

The device of claim 7 wherein said surface defines an axis directed toward the LED.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 18 words

The device of claim 11 wherein said surface defines an axis that intersects said cusp and said LED.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 36 words

The device, as defined in claim 7 , and comprising: said waveguide is an optical waveguiding layer; and including display elements formed on said waveguiding layer to cause light to be emitted from said waveguiding layer.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 38 words

The device of claim 13 , wherein: said display elements are formed as concave channels within the surface of the waveguiding layer, and external surfaces of said channels are either smooth or rough to promote diffuse output radiation.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 27 words

The device of claim 14 , wherein: said concave channels of said display elements have depths across said waveguiding layer that compensate for differences in said illumination.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 43 words

The device of claim 15 , wherein: said concave channels of said display elements are deeper towards outer portions on said waveguiding layer of said display device than are said concave channels towards central portions of said waveguiding layer of said display device.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 30 words

The device of claim 13 , wherein: each of said display elements is a polygon solid having an apex or a vertex on a line normal to said waveguiding layer.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 26 words

The device of claim 13 , wherein: each of said display elements has the form of a polygon solid having two or more equilateral side faces.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 19 words

The device of claim 13 , including: a lens element incorporated integrally to the surface of said waveguiding layer.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 21 words

The device of claim 13 , wherein: said waveguiding layer has an overall shape that is thin relative to its length.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 15 words

The device of claim 13 , wherein: said display elements are arranged in alphanumeric patterns.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 17 words

The device of claim 13 , wherein: said LED is a bullet lens package light emitting diode.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 20 words

The device of claim 13 , wherein: there is an air gap formed between said LED and said waveguiding layer.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 29 words

The device of claim 13 , wherein: said LED is embedded in said waveguiding layer by optically coupling said LED to said waveguiding layer with an optical coupling agent.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 24 words

The device of claim 24 , wherein: said optical coupling agent is one of the following: a silicone adhesive, gel, grease, an epoxy polymer.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 36 words

The device of claim 13 , wherein: said display elements are concentric circular grooves in a surface of the waveguiding layer, said concentric circular grooves being present only in areas corresponding to symbolic or nonsymbolic characters.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 15 words

The device of claim 7 , wherein: said display elements are retroreflective corner cube elements.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 156 words

An optical apparatus, comprising: an LED; an optical element having generally parallel top and bottom opposing sides and an edge extending between the top and bottom opposing sides, said LED mounted at a predetermined location adjacent a central portion of one of said opposing sides such that light from the LED enters the optical element, said optical element including a TIR surface spaced from said one opposing side and extending from a point adjacent the predetermined location of the LED outwardly towards said edges such that said light entering the optical element is directed against said TIR surface, said TIR surface curving in the vicinity of the LED so as to form a cusp adjacent the LED, the curving TIR surface having a curvature which totally internally reflects light rays incident on said TIR surface and redirects such light rays through said optical element, whereby such light rays do not pass through the other opposing surface.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 156 words

An optical apparatus, comprising: an LED; an optical element having generally parallel top and bottom opposing sides and an edge extending between the top and bottom opposing sides, said LED mounted at a predetermined location adjacent a central portion of one of said opposing sides such that light from the LED enters the optical element, said optical element including a TIR surface spaced from said one opposing side and extending from a point adjacent the predetermined location of the LED outwardly towards said edges such that said light entering the optical element is directed against said TIR surface, said TIR surface curving in the vicinity of the LED so as to form a cusp adjacent the LED, the curving TIR surface having a curvature which totally internally reflects light rays incident on said TIR surface and redirects such light rays through said optical element, whereby such light rays do not pass through the other opposing surface.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 17 words

The apparatus of claim 28 , wherein the cusp is in the form of an equiangular spiral.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 131 words

An optical apparatus, comprising: a light emitting diode (LED); an optical element having top and bottom opposing sides and an edge extending between the top and bottom opposing sides, said LED mounted at a predetermined location beneath a central portion of said optical element such that light from the LED enters the optical element, said optical element including a TIR surface spaced from said bottom side and extending from a point above the LED outwardly towards said edges, said TIR surface positioned to receive light emitted by the LED, said TIR surface curving towards the LED so as to form a cusp above the LED, the curving TIR surface totally internally reflecting light rays such that reflected light rays propagate from the TIR surface towards the edge of the optical element.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 131 words

An optical apparatus, comprising: a light emitting diode (LED); an optical element having top and bottom opposing sides and an edge extending between the top and bottom opposing sides, said LED mounted at a predetermined location beneath a central portion of said optical element such that light from the LED enters the optical element, said optical element including a TIR surface spaced from said bottom side and extending from a point above the LED outwardly towards said edges, said TIR surface positioned to receive light emitted by the LED, said TIR surface curving towards the LED so as to form a cusp above the LED, the curving TIR surface totally internally reflecting light rays such that reflected light rays propagate from the TIR surface towards the edge of the optical element.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 14 words

The optical apparatus of claim 30 , wherein said TIR surface is circularly symmetric.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 15 words

The optical apparatus of claim 31 , wherein said TIR surface has a vortex-like shape.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 24 words

The optical apparatus of claim 30 , wherein said TIR surface is leaky such that some light emitted by the LED is transmitted therethrough.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 21 words

The optical apparatus of claim 33 , wherein said cusp is contoured to permit leakage of light through said TIR surface.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 21 words

The optical apparatus of claim 34 , wherein said cusp is rounded to permit leakage of light through said TIR surface.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 14 words

The optical apparatus of claim 30 , wherein said optical element comprises polymeric material.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 22 words

The optical apparatus of claim 36 , wherein said optical element comprises material selected from the group comprising acrylic, polycarbonate, and silicone.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 91 words

An optical apparatus, comprising: a light emitting diode (LED); an optical element positioned to receive light from the light emitting diode, said element comprised of a refractive index interface having a curved shape that is symmetrical about an axis and converges to a location in a central portion of the optical element, said location and said light emitting diode lying substantially on said axis, said interface being shaped and positioned relative to said LED to reflect a substantial portion of light from said LED in a direction transverse to said axis.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 91 words

An optical apparatus, comprising: a light emitting diode (LED); an optical element positioned to receive light from the light emitting diode, said element comprised of a refractive index interface having a curved shape that is symmetrical about an axis and converges to a location in a central portion of the optical element, said location and said light emitting diode lying substantially on said axis, said interface being shaped and positioned relative to said LED to reflect a substantial portion of light from said LED in a direction transverse to said axis.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 15 words

The optical apparatus of claim 38 , wherein said refractive index interface is circularly symmetric.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 18 words

The optical apparatus of claim 39 , wherein said curved shape conforms to the shape of a vortex.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 22 words

The optical apparatus of claim 38 , wherein said refractive interface surface converges to form a cusp which terminates at said location.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 26 words

The optical apparatus of claim 41 , wherein said cusp is contoured to permit leakage of light through said central portion of said refractive index interface.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 26 words

The optical apparatus of claim 42 , wherein said cusp is rounded to permit leakage of light through said central portion of said refractive index interface.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 19 words

The optical apparatus of claim 38 , wherein said refractive index interface has a shape of an equiangular spiral.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 26 words

The optical apparatus of claim 38 , wherein said refractive index interface is leaky such that some light emitted by the light emitting diodes transmitted therethrough.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 14 words

The optical apparatus of claim 38 , wherein said optical element comprises polymeric material.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 22 words

The optical apparatus of claim 46 , wherein said optical element comprises material selected from the group comprising acrylic, polycarbonate, and silicone.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 16 words

The optical apparatus of claim 46 , wherein said refractive index interface comprises an air/polymer interface.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2005-10-28	2006-04-29	2006-10-29	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2009-10-28	2010-04-29	2010-10-29	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2013-10-28	2014-04-29	2014-10-29	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Lighting apparatus having low profile

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