FLUORESCENT VOLUME LIGHT SOURCE WITH REFLECTOR
First Claim
1. An illumination system, comprising:
- a source of incoherent light capable of generating light in a first wavelength range;
an elongate body that emits light in a second wavelength range when illuminated by light in the first wavelength range, the body having a length dimension, a width dimension and a height dimension, at least a portion of the body being tapered so as to increase in width and/or height along the length dimension, the body further including an extraction surface and a first non-extraction surface extending along at least a portion of the length of the body and disposed so as to share a common edge with the extraction surface;
wherein at least some of the light at the second wavelength is totally internally reflected at the non-extraction surface; and
at least one external reflector disposed proximate to the non-extraction surface so as to create a gap between the external reflector and the non-extraction surface.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An embodiment of the invention is an illumination system including a source of incoherent light capable of generating light in a first wavelength range and an elongate body that emits light in a second wavelength range when illuminated by light in the first wavelength range. The body has a length dimension, a width dimension and a height dimension. At least a portion of the body is tapered so as to increase in width and/or height along the length dimension. The body further includes an extraction surface. A first non-extraction surface extends along at least a portion of the length of the body and is disposed so as to share a common edge with the extraction surface. At least some of the light at the second wavelength is totally internally reflected at the non-extraction surface. At least one external reflector is disposed proximate to the non-extraction surface so as to create a gap between the external reflector and the non-extraction surface.
109 Citations
30 Claims
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1. An illumination system, comprising:
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a source of incoherent light capable of generating light in a first wavelength range; an elongate body that emits light in a second wavelength range when illuminated by light in the first wavelength range, the body having a length dimension, a width dimension and a height dimension, at least a portion of the body being tapered so as to increase in width and/or height along the length dimension, the body further including an extraction surface and a first non-extraction surface extending along at least a portion of the length of the body and disposed so as to share a common edge with the extraction surface; wherein at least some of the light at the second wavelength is totally internally reflected at the non-extraction surface; and at least one external reflector disposed proximate to the non-extraction surface so as to create a gap between the external reflector and the non-extraction surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification