Optical waveguides – With optical coupler – Input/output coupler
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-12
2003-10-28
Stafira, Michael P. (Department: 2877)
Optical waveguides
With optical coupler
Input/output coupler
C385S014000, C385S129000, C385S031000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06640029
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the light optical system, especially for information, advertising, illumination or decorative purposes, that consists of at least one light source and at least one light conductor.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
The so far known light informative and illumination devices are arranged e.g. that way that the light source is located inside the said device. Such a way e.g. indicators, company shields, street lamps, and other objects are arranged, based on the light translucence. The drawback of such an arrangement is the fact that dimensions and shape of such devices are determined by the configuration of the light source used. Another, so far used method of informative and advertising devices construction is based on the principle of light guidance within a light conductor, e.g. in a lightguiding plate into which the light is introduced sideways, i.e. through one of its side rims, and it is conducted inside in the mode of absolute reflection. From the light conductor, the light gets off having reflected from the interface between light conductor and a target object. Light rays having reflection angle there that does not meet total reflection condition compose the image to the viewer of the target object that is located inside the light conductor or on its surface. The light conductor can be e.g. plate of organic substance, glass or a material of similar qualities. The light source that is usually a luminescent source of cold light is located along the side rim of the light conductor. With respect to the fact that the light source is an intrinsic part of the device and takes part on its appearance it is usually not possible to provide it with an effective reflector. The rays get off of such a source in all directions and a small amount of them cuts the light conductor side rim. And again, only a small amount of these has the direction meeting the condition necessary for entering the light conductor under the angle that secures light guidance in the mode of absolute reflection. The drawback of such a construction is that only a small amount of light rays that progress along the light conductor in the mode of absolute reflection come to the target object and compose an image. The other rays get absorbed by the device or leave it missing the target.
With respect to the above mentioned facts, the efficiency of so far known optical systems is low, such systems are used marginally as complements to another information systems only.
The aim of the invention is to improve the efficiency of the above described systems, at least to such a degree ensuring that these systems could be used for information, advertising, decorative or illumination purposes to a wide extent.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above mentioned drawbacks do not occur with the light optical system especially for information, advertising, illumination or decorative purposes, that consists of at least one light source and at least one light conductor, especially lightguiding plate or lightguiding fibre, whose principle consists in the fact that it contains at least one optical element of the following set:
i) input element for the compression and/or rectification of light lead to the light conductor, that consists of a compression element and/or light conductor and located between a light source and an injector element that is an injector having input area,
ii) injector element for light introduction from the light source into the light conductor, consisting of at least one injector determined by the input area that projects out from the main surface of the light conductor wherein the surface lines of the injector input area contain an angle &agr; bigger than 0° and equal or smaller than 90° with the main surface of the light conductor, secondary area that contain an angle &bgr; bigger than 0° and smaller than 180° with the input area, and a basis area that is identical with a part of the main surface of the light conductor,
iii) emiter element serving for the output of the light progressing through the light conductor from its main surface, that is composed of at least one emiter determined by its output area that projects out from the main surface of the light conductor wherein the surface lines of the emiter output area contain an angle &agr;′ bigger than 0° and equal or smaller than 90° with the main surface of the light conductor, secondary area that contains an angle &bgr;′ bigger than 0° and smaller than 180° with the output area, and a basis area that is identical with a part of the main surface (P) of the light conductor,
iv) reflecting emiter element serving for the output of the light coming along the light conductor from its main surface, that is composed of at least one reflecting emiter composed of solid lightguiding material having refraction index higher than that of the air, that is determined by free surfaces and the base area that is identical with a part of the main surface of the light conductor, and located on the main surface of the light conductor in the section of the light conductor marked out for the guidance of the light beam wherein at least one reflecting-diffusive area is a part of the reflecting element and the interface between reflecting emiter and light conductor is optically homogeneous with the reflecting emiter and the light conductor,
v) reversing element for reversing the direction of the light travelling along light conductor, that consists of at least one reversing zone having at least one reflecting surface that projects out from the main surface of the light conductor wherein the surface lines of the reflecting surface contain an angle &agr;″ bigger than 0° and smaller than 90° with the main surface of the light conductor, and
vi) reflector element for modification the direction of the light travelling along light conductor by at least one mirror that projects out from the main surface of the light conductor wherein the mirror consists of gradually flecting surface having initial angle &agr;′″ between reflecting element mirror and light conductor main surface that is smaller than or equal to 45°.
It is advantageous to insert an input element between the light source and the injector that consists of a compression element and/or light conductor the output area of which corresponds to the injector size and position wherein in case of the system composed of compression element, light conductor and injector, the light conductor is placed between the compression element output area and the injector input area.
One implementation of a light optical system according to the invention is characterised by the lay-out wherein the input area of an injector composed of a solid lightguiding material having refraction index higher than that of the air projects out of the light conductor main surface outwards the light conductor wherein the interface between injector and light conductor is optically homogeneous with the injector and the light conductor.
Another implementation of a light optical system according to the invention is characterised by the lay-out wherein the input area of an injector projects out of the main surface of the light conductor inwards the light conductor.
Another implementation of a light optical system according to the invention is characterised by the lay-out wherein the output area of an emiter composed of a solid lightguiding material having refraction index higher than that of the air projects out of the main surface of the light conductor outwards the light conductor wherein the interface between emiter and light conductor is optically homogeneous with the emiter and the light conductor.
Another implementation of a light optical system according to the invention is characterised by the lay-out wherein the emiter output area projects out of the main surface of the light conductor inwards the light conductor wherein it contains an angle &agr;′ bigger than 0° and smaller than or equal to 90° with the main surface of the light conductor.
Another implementation of a light optical system acc
Brown & Michaels PC
Eclair, Spol S R.O.
Stafira Michael P.
Valentin II Juan D
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