Fiberoptic lighting system with shaped collector for efficiency
US6942373B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 5, 2004 |
| Grant date | Sep 13, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 24, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/4298
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A fiberoptic lighting system has a light source with a bulbous section and a plurality of plastic light pipes having substantially circular cross sections. A collector has an inlet for receiving light from the light source and an outlet. The collector performs an area-to-angle conversion on light it collects from the light source. A plurality of rods receives light from the collector and passes such light to the plastic light pipes, while thermally isolating the plastic light pipes from the light source. A perimeter of an outlet of the collector has a plurality of shaped portions, each associated with, and each substantially shaped the same as, a substantial portion of an associated perimeter of a respective one of the plurality of rods. The foregoing system delivers a higher percentage of light from a light source into multiple light pipes than in a prior art system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.