Patent · US Expired

Distributed light illumination system

US6966685B2 · kind B2 · utility

30Cited by
21References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 26, 2004
Grant dateNov 22, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 26, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/001
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An illumination system employs a light distribution cylinder with an exterior surface in the form of a plurality of progressively smaller-diameter cylindrical steps. The outside surface of each cylindrical step is interrupted by V-shaped grooves perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder. Each surface of these V-shaped grooves acts to internally reflect divergent light from a light source positioned at the end of the tube. The light distribution cylinders may be solid or hollow and configured with bilateral symmetry to receive light from either end. The illumination system rearranges divergent directional light from a light source into non-directional light emitted in a cylindrical pattern useful for area illumination.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.