Lighting apparatus and method
US5708749A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 13, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jan 13, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 13, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S385/901
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Lighting apparatus and method includes a body of optically transparent material including selected interior and exterior surface portions that are polished or otherwise smoothed to promote internal reflections of light flux and to inhibit lateral emission of internal light flux. Other selected portions of the interior or exterior surfaces are modified from smooth to refract or diffuse internal light flux for lateral emission of light flux from such surface portions of the body. The modified surface portions of the body may include grooved or otherwise roughened regions to a depth that inhibits surface wetting to relatively smooth surface condition which would diminish lateral emission of internal light flux. Alternative surface conditions for refracting or diffusing internal light flux to laterally-emitted light flux may be provided by laminated or layered light diffusers such as plastic tape or adhered glass or plastic beads.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.