Lighting system for increasing brightness to a light guide
US5526237A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 10, 1993 |
| Grant date | Jun 11, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 10, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/4298
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A light source includes an integral reflective coating on a portion of its envelope for reflecting light back through the source. The light from the source is directed by a reflector toward a focus thereof at which is located an input end of a light guide. The integral reflective coating allows a half ellipsoidal reflector to be used in one embodiment without depreciable loss of light. Accordingly, a pair of light sources can be arranged with a common focus to substantially double the brightness in the light guide. Alternatively, the light sources can provide a primary and redundant arrangement, or used to provide two levels of light in another arrangement. According to another embodiment, a hemispherical reflector is used to obtain unit magnification and increase the angular range through which light may enter the light guide.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.