METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DIRECTING LIGHT AROUND AN OBSTACLE USING AN OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE FOR UNIFORM LIGHTING OF A CYLINDRICAL CAVITY
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for guiding light to avoid an obstacle in order to uniformly light a cylindrical surface enclosing the obstacle comprising:
- an optical wave guide arranged inside the cylindrical surface, the optical wave guide comprising an inner portion, the inner portion comprised of a material having a first index of refraction and a textured outer portion having a second index of refraction, wherein the optical wave guide comprises polycarbonate material and is configured in an aspherical form.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for directing light from a light source along a trajectory to avoid particular obstacles and provide uniform illumination of a surface having a particular geometry such as a cylindrical geometry is described. The surface may enclose components such as PCBs that provide particular functionality that operate as obstacles to a light beam.
69 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for guiding light to avoid an obstacle in order to uniformly light a cylindrical surface enclosing the obstacle comprising:
an optical wave guide arranged inside the cylindrical surface, the optical wave guide comprising an inner portion, the inner portion comprised of a material having a first index of refraction and a textured outer portion having a second index of refraction, wherein the optical wave guide comprises polycarbonate material and is configured in an aspherical form. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for guiding light to avoid an obstacle and uniformly light a cylindrical surface enclosing the obstacle comprising:
arranging an optical wave guide inside the cylindrical surface, wherein the optical wave guide comprises polycarbonate material and an inner portion, the inner portion comprised of a material having a first index of refraction and a textured outer portion having a second index of refraction, wherein the optical wave guide is configured in an aspherical form. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A lighted entertainment device, comprising:
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a first cylindrical member, wherein the first cylindrical member comprises a material that transmits light; a second cylindrical member, wherein the second cylindrical member comprises a material that does not transmit light, wherein the opaque member includes a surface having at least one portion removed to form a respective window; wherein the second cylindrical member is arranged to be inside the first cylindrical member; a PCB comprising an antenna for receiving an RF signal; a first LED (“
Light Emitting Diode”
);a second LED; a first optical wave guide comprising polycarbonate material arranged inside the cylindrical surface, the first optical wave guide further comprising an inner portion, the inner portion comprising a material having a first index of refraction, the first optical wave guide further comprising a textured outer portion having a second index of refraction, wherein the optical wave guide is configured in an aspherical form, wherein the first LED light source is arranged so that it directs light into the first optical wave guide using a direct input coupling geometry; a second optical wave guide arranged inside the cylindrical surface, the second optical wave guide comprising an inner portion, the inner portion comprising a material having a first index of refraction, the second optical wave guide further comprising a textured outer portion having a second index of refraction, wherein the optical wave guide is configured in an aspherical form, wherein the second LED light source is arranged so that it directs light into the second optical wave guide using a direct input coupling geometry; wherein the first and second optical wave guides are arranged to direct light around the PCB. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification