LED light source for fiber optic cable
First Claim
1. A high efficiency fiber optic illuminator comprising a light emitting source and an elongated fiber optic waveguide having an input end confronting the source and an output end to be mated with a fiber optic device, wherein the waveguide tapers outwardly between the input end and the output end.
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Abstract
A high efficiency fiber optic illuminator comprises a light emitting device with wide angular light distribution, such as an LED, and an outwardly tapered fiber optic waveguide rod with a large calculated numerical aperture, preferably equal to or greater than 0.7 and a ratio of the output diameter to the input diameter of between 1.4:1 and 2.2:1. The smaller, input end of the tapered rod is supported close to the light emitting surface so as to collect the maximum amount of energy. The input end is capable of accepting light at very high angles of incidence, and reducing those angles of incidence so that when the light exits the larger, output end the light may be accepted by standard fiber optic devices with typical numerical aperture values ranging between 0.4 and 0.7.
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Citations
21 Claims
- 1. A high efficiency fiber optic illuminator comprising a light emitting source and an elongated fiber optic waveguide having an input end confronting the source and an output end to be mated with a fiber optic device, wherein the waveguide tapers outwardly between the input end and the output end.
Specification