Optical waveguides – With optical coupler
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-12
2001-02-27
Healy, Brian (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
With optical coupler
C385S027000, C385S038000, C385S055000, C385S115000, C385S901000, C362S551000, C362S553000, C362S554000, C362S556000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06195477
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to fiber optic systems, and more particularly to a lighting distribution system which is a hybrid of dual optical fiber media.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As motor vehicles become increasingly sophisticated, there is an attendant need for distributed lighting to a variety of locations of the motor vehicle. While discrete conventional light sources, such as incandescent bulbs, may be placed wherever lighting is desired, there are distinct disadvantages to this mode of lighting. For example, each illumination location (illumination feature) requires a separate bulb and bulb fixture, as well as a separate power lead. These requirements of discrete conventional light sources are undesirably complex and costly, and involve excessive maintenance and increased vehicular weight.
It would, therefore, be a major benefit if a fiber optic distributed lighting system could be used in place of a multiplicity of discrete light sources. However, fiber optic distributed lighting has the draw back that a source of light having sufficient brilliance to adequately illuminate a number of illumination features would require high temperature tolerant fiber optic media. Unfortunately, although available, such fiber optic media are prohibitively expensive to use throughout the fiber optic lighting distribution system.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a fiber optic lighting distribution system which is high temperature tolerant only where required, is inexpensive and easily maintained.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a robust hybrid fiber optic lighting distribution system which incorporates a light source and two fiber optic media to thereby provide high temperature tolerance adjacent the light source and inexpensive and easily maintained light distribution to geographically independent illumination features downstream from the light source.
The hybrid fiber optic distribution system according to the present invention is composed generally of a light source, a plurality of multi-stranded glass optical fiber (GOF) leads forming part of an optical jumper optically interfaced with the light source, and a plurality of solid core plastic optical fiber (POF) leads forming part of an optical distributor optically interfaced with the optical jumper.
The light source is preferably composed of a self contained module providing a high intensity light, such as for example a halogen light source module. The light source module produces substantial heat and operates at elevated temperature. One end of the GOF leads provides a heat tolerant fiber optic media at the optical interface with the light source module. The POF leads are optically interfaced with the other end of respective GOF leads a safe distance from the heat of the light source module. The POF leads then provide light distribution to various illumination features throughout the motor vehicle.
While the prior art alternative, as shown at
FIG. 1
, is a fiber optic light distribution system
10
incorporating exclusively GOF leads
12
or exclusively special high temperature tolerant POF leads
12
′ for distributing light from a light source
14
to geographically remote illumination features
16
, these fiber optic media are prohibitively expensive and suffer from a variety of other difficulties, including manufacture and installation complexity, light discoloration, and insufficient robustness.
However, by combining GOF leads and POF leads into one fiber optic light distribution system, a number of benefits are enjoyed:
the high temperature tolerance of the GOF leads allows for a wide latitude of light source module optimization;
the GOF leads provide safe geographic separation of the temperature intolerant POF leads from the proximity of the light source module;
optimization of the fiber optic media reduces cost and enhances performance;
dual fiber optic media provides simplified servicing, as for example the entire optical jumper may be replaced, and POF leads may be individually replaced;
variability of the diameter of individual glass optical fiber leads with the number of individual fiber optic strands in each lead allows core diameter optimization for maximum light transmission;
the grouping of bundled GOF leads is shape optimizable for transmission of light from the light source module into the optical jumper; and
manufacturability of individual POF leads in an automated manner without necessity to group the POF leads into a common ferrule at the light source.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a dual optical fiber media light distribution system.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a high temperature tolerant optical jumper for optical interface with a high intensity light source module.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a high temperature intolerant optical distributor for light distribution to geographically remote illumination features downstream of the optical jumper.
These, and additional objects, advantages, features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4860172 (1989-08-01), Schlager et al.
patent: 4887190 (1989-12-01), Sadamune et al.
patent: 5000535 (1991-03-01), Churchill
patent: 5042894 (1991-08-01), Swemer
patent: 5365413 (1994-11-01), Krammer
patent: 5436805 (1995-07-01), Hsu et al.
patent: 5661837 (1997-08-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 6071001 (2000-06-01), Denuto et al.
Denuto John V.
Mrakovich Matthew S.
Toot Alan B.
Delphi Technologies Inc.
Healy Brian
Jones Richard A.
LandOfFree
Hybrid fiber optic lighting distribution system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Hybrid fiber optic lighting distribution system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Hybrid fiber optic lighting distribution system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2573792