Patent · US Expired

Reflective light coupler

US7403680B2 · kind B2 · utility

20Cited by
75References
32Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 2, 2003
Grant dateJul 22, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 1, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B27/0983
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An illumination system has individual light emitting diodes (LEDs) that are optically coupled via reflective couplers to respective optical fibers. The respective optical fibers may then be bundled. The shape of the reflective coupler may be selected to increase the coupling efficiency between the LED and its optical fiber. The reflective coupler may be formed as an aperture through a sheet, having a first shape at the input side and a second shape, different form the first shape, at the second side. The reflective coupler may be formed as an aperture through a body, where at least a first portion of the interior surface of the aperture conforms to a two-dimensional (2-D) surface and at least a second portion of the interior surface conforms to a three-dimensional (3-D) surface.

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