Light source of illumination for light guide

• US 20020064043A1
• Filed: 11/05/2001
• Published: 05/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tb Optical Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Tb Optical Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yagasaki, Fumio, Ariga, Sadakazu
• Application Number:
  US09/991,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20020064043A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/235
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0006 Coupling light into the fibre in general G02B6/4298

Abstract

At a position opposite to a first board 130(a) supporting a fist light-emitting diode group 131 which has light-emitting portions on the same side and is arranged annularly surrounding a light-delivering hole, a concave mirror 150(a) is located so that the focal point thereof would be formed at the position of the light-delivering hole. Behind the concave mirror 150(a), a second board 140 supporting a second light-emitting diode group 141 is located. Light beams emitted from the first light-emitting diode group 131 are reflected by the concave mirror 150 (a) and collected on an optical connector 181, and light beams emitted from the second light-emitting diode group 141 are allowed to pass through a hole formed at the center of the concave mirror 150(a) and directly collected on an optical connector 181. To the optical connector 181, an optical fiber cable as a light guide is connected to form a light source of illumination for a light guide 100.

Claims

1. A light source of illumination for a light guide which comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes supported by a board and arranged such that light-emitting portions of the diodes face the same side;

a concave mirror for reflecting and collecting light beams emitted by the light-emitting diodes; and

an optical connector having an optical fiber cable connected thereto, for introducing the light collected by the concave mirror;

wherein the concave mirror is located at a position opposite to the light-emitting diodes, and the optical connector is located at a focal point of the concave mirror.

2. The light source of illumination for a light guide according to claim 1, wherein a light-delivering hole is formed at the center of the board, and the light-emitting diodes are annularly arranged surrounding the light-delivering hole, by which the light beams reflected by the concave mirror are output to the optical connector through the light-delivering hole.

3. The light source of illumination for a light guide according to claim 2, wherein a hole is formed at the center of the concave mirror, another board is provided at the back side of the concave mirror, another group of light-emitting diodes is supported by and arranged on the another board, the light beams emitted from the another group of light-emitting diodes are directly output to the optical connector through the light-delivering hole of the board.

4. A light source of illumination for a light guide according to claim 1, wherein the concave mirror is located slantwise relative to the optical axis of light beams emitted from the light-emitting diodes located opposite to the concave mirror, the light beams reflected by the concave mirror are collected at a sideward point of the board located opposite to the concave mirror and the optical connector is located at the sideward point.

5. The light source of illumination for a light guide according to claim 1, wherein directions of the plural light-emitting diodes supported by the board are adjusted so that the light beams emitted from the plural light-emitting diodes can be collected at a predetermined angle.

6. A light source of illumination for a light guide according to claim 1, wherein the concave mirror has a non-circular shape.

7. The light source of illumination for a light guide according to claim 1, wherein the concave mirror has a shape obtained by cutting a circle along parallel straight lines each connecting opposite points on a circumference.

8. The light source of illumination for a light guide according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting diodes are arranged in plural steps on the board.

9. A light source of illumination for a light guide, which comprises at least two light source units comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes supported by a board and arranged such that light-emitting portions of the diodes face the same side and a concave mirror for reflecting and collecting light beams emitted by the light-emitting diodes;

a polyhedral reflection mirror which reflects light beams reflected by the respective concave mirrors of the at least two light source units and collect the light beams at one portion; and

an optical connector having an optical fiber cable connected thereto, which is located at a position on which the light is collected by the polyhedral reflection mirror.

10. The light source of illumination for a light guide according to claim 9, wherein a light-delivering hole is formed at the center of the board, and the light-emitting diodes are annularly arranged surrounding the light-delivering hole, by which the light beams reflected by the concave mirror are irradiated on the polyhedral reflection mirror through the light-delivering hole.

11. The light source of illumination for a light guide according to claim 10, wherein a hole is formed at the center of the concave mirror, another board is provided at the back face side of the concave mirror, another group of light-emitting diodes is supported by and arranged on this board, the light beams emitted from the another group of light-emitting diodes are directly irradiated on the polyhedral reflection mirror through the light-delivering hole of the board.

12. The light source of illumination for a light guide according to claim 9, wherein the light-emitting diodes are arranged in plural steps on the board.

13. The light source of illumination for a light guide according to claim 9, wherein the concave mirror has a shape obtained by cutting a circle along parallel straight lines each having opposite points on a circumference.

14. The light source of illumination for a light guide according to claim 9, wherein respective faces of the polyhedral reflection mirror are constituted by a concave curved surface.