Illumination system with light recycling to enhance brightness
US6144536A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 12, 1998 |
| Grant date | Nov 7, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 12, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/0055
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An optical illumination system is comprised of: (a) a light source means having a reflective emitting surface and an intrinsic luminance (brightness), (b) a light transmitting means; (c) a light reflecting means to reflect and recycle a portion of the light emitted by the light source means back to the light source means; and (d) a light extracting means to extract a portion of the light from the light transmitting means and direct the light to the output of the illumination system. The resulting illumination system achieves an enhanced output luminance. Under certain conditions, it is possible to achieve an output luminance that is greater than the intrinsic luminance of the bare light source.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.