Side lighting optical conduit
US5987199A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 21, 1998 |
| Grant date | Nov 16, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 21, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/241
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An optical fiber conduit (32) comprising an optical fiber core (22) surrounded by a cladding (24) with a reflective material or holder and/or reflector (34) attached adjacent to or in contact with the cladding (24) covered optical fiber core (22) along its longitudinal length and includes a plurality of illuminators (28-30) that are formed by uniform cuts (41) in the optical fiber core (22) emit reasonably even light perpendicularly along the length of the conduit (32) outwardly. The light pattern can be made to emit various beam patterns from very narrow to very wide by altering the shape of the optical fiber core (22) and/or by the cuts (41). The cut optical fiber is embedded in a clear environmentally protective coating to protect the cuts (41) from dust and moisture and to maintain the alignment of the holder and/or reflector (34) with optical elements (106) and the optical fiber core (22).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.