Illumination – Light fiber – rod – or pipe
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-15
2001-07-31
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Light fiber, rod, or pipe
C362S560000, C362S577000, C362S581000, C362S287000, C385S901000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267492
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to side emitting light guides useful in connection with illumination devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Illumination devices such as tasklights or worklights are used in many different situations where illumination of an area is required to allow an individual to perform a task, e.g., repair or install a component, or for other purposes. These devices typically use incandescent or fluorescent light sources, both of which suffer from a variety of problems. For example, incandescent lights are easily broken, generate considerable heat that can burn skin, upholstery, etc., and may be a fire hazard around fuels such as gasoline. Incandescent lights may also pose a shock hazard around water or when used in wet areas.
Fluorescent lights tend to be cooler than incandescent lights, but remain fragile and are typically too large to insert or place in areas with limited clearance. Furthermore, fluorescent lights typically do not offer the ability to provide focused, or at least collimated, light energy to allow for more detailed visual inspection.
In some situations where incandescent or fluorescent worklights are not practicable, flashlights may be used to provide the desired illumination. However, flashlights are often too large to be placed in positions where they can illuminate the desired areas. If the flashlights are small enough to be placed in the proper positions, they often cannot provide enough light energy to provide the desired illumination.
Attempts to use optical light fibers or other light guides as worklights or task lights have focused on the use of end-emitting fibers to provide spot illumination of relatively small areas. Where general area illumination is required, a different worklight is used or the light guide is removed from the light source and the light source alone is used to provide the desired general illumination.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention exploits the properties of side emitting light guides to provide illumination devices, light guide systems, and tasklight illumination kits that provide unique advantages. Among the advantages of the invention are the ability to use a remote light source located at one end of the light guide. Where the light guide is long enough, the light source may be located outside of a hazardous area to reduce electrical or fire hazards associated with the light source.
The side emitting light guides may be provided in a form that provides bright directional light, or they may be provided in forms that provide diffuse light. In either case, the light emitted from the light guides is preferably bright enough to provide sufficient illumination for a variety of tasks.
The light guides of the present invention are preferably flexible to allow for insertion into tortuous passageways. The light guides may also have a relatively small profile, allowing the light guide to be inserted through small orifices to provide desired illumination within, for example, an automobile door, an engine compartment, engine port, the housing of a piece of equipment, etc.
The light guides are also preferably provided with solid cores to improve durability. A solid core light guide may, for example, resist failure under compression when, for example, the light guide is stepped on, run over by a vehicle, etc.
Light guides that provide the desired flexibility and durability are preferably manufactured of polymeric compositions that are substantially optically transparent and/or are capable of transmitting light of the desired wavelength or wavelengths.
Furthermore, the light guides may include components that allow an operator the ability to convert the light guides from side emitting to end emitting in order to provide brighter, more focused illumination in a particular area to perform some tasks. When completed, the user has the option of re-configuring the light guide for side emission to provide general area illumination.
In kit form, the side emitting light guides of the present invention can be provided with various lateral angular distribution characteristics to provide illumination over desired areas. For example, a narrower lateral angular distribution of light from a side emitting light guide may provide brighter light in a smaller area for the performance of critical tasks. Conversely, a broader lateral angular distribution of light from a side emitting light guide may be useful for more general area lighting where higher illumination levels are not required. In some situations it may be desired to provide a side emitting light guide that emits light in a full 360 degree arc around the light guide.
In one aspect, the present invention provides an illumination device including a light source and a light guide extending along a longitudinal axis. The light guide includes an input end adapted for connection to the light source and a light emitting region directing light traveling through the light guide from the light source out of at least a portion of at least one surface of the light guide in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the light guide. The light source and the light guide are rotatably connected such that the light emitting region of the light guide can be rotated relative to the light source about the longitudinal axis.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a tasklight including a light source and a light guide extending along a longitudinal axis. The light guide includes an input end adapted for connection to the light source and a light emitting region directing light traveling through the light guide from the light source out of at least a portion of at least one surface of the light guide in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the light guide. The light source and the light guide are rotatably connected such that the light emitting region of the light guide can be rotated relative to the light source about the longitudinal axis.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a worklight including a light source and a light guide extending along a longitudinal axis. The light guide includes an input end adapted for connection to the light source and a light emitting region directing light traveling through the light guide from the light source out of at least a portion of at least one surface of the light guide in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the light guide. The light source and the light guide are rotatably connected such that the light emitting region of the light guide can be rotated relative to the light source about the longitudinal axis.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a light guide system including a core extending along a longitudinal axis. The core includes an input end adapted for connection to a light source; and a light emitting region directing light traveling through the core out of at least a portion of at least one surface of the core in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis. The light guide system also includes a shade moveable between a closed position, where the shade is located over substantially all of the light emitting region, and an open position, where the shade is removed from substantially all of the light emitting region.
In another aspect, the present invention provides an illumination kit for an illumination device including a first light guide having a core extending along a longitudinal axis. The first light guide includes an input end adapted for connection to a light source and a light emitting region directing light traveling through the light guide from the light source out of at least a portion of at least one surface of the light guide in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis. The light emitted from the first light guide has a first lateral angular distribution. The kit also includes a second light guide including a core extending along a longitudinal axis and an input end adapted for connection to a light source. The second light guide also includes a light emitting region direc
Lundin David J.
Reid Thomas J.
3M Innovative Properties Company
Alavi Ali
O'Shea Sandra
Pribnow Scott R.
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