Illuminator optical fiber rod
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An illuminator comprising:
- an elongated optically transmissive body characterized by substantially total internal reflection having formed therein one or more recesses, which recesses are defined by two opposing surfaces which angle inwardly from an exterior surface of said body toward each other for a distance substantially equivalent to from about two to about eighty percent of said body cross-sectional distance to define therebetween an included angle, which included angle is from about seventy to about one hundred ten degrees.
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Abstract
An illuminator formed from an optically transmissive body which is characterized by internal reflection and which has formed at discrete locations along its length one or more recesses. Each of these recesses includes two opposing surfaces which depend angularly inward from the body to define an included angle therebetween. This illuminator may be used in conjunction with a panel formed with discrete locations of transparency which are positioned contiguous to one or more of the recesses to insure that light passing out from the illuminator will be directed through the transparent location of the panel.
220 Citations
36 Claims
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1. An illuminator comprising:
an elongated optically transmissive body characterized by substantially total internal reflection having formed therein one or more recesses, which recesses are defined by two opposing surfaces which angle inwardly from an exterior surface of said body toward each other for a distance substantially equivalent to from about two to about eighty percent of said body cross-sectional distance to define therebetween an included angle, which included angle is from about seventy to about one hundred ten degrees. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A device comprising:
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a panel which, while being substantially opaque, is formed with at least a first discrete area of transparency; at least a first optically transmissive body characterized by substantially total internal reflection, which body is formed with at least a first defined region of a series of contiguously positioned recesses, each of said recess regions being aligned with one of said discrete areas of transparency and each of said recesses defined by two opposing surfaces which angle inwardly from an exterior surface of said body toward each other for a distance substantially equivalent to from about two to about twenty-six percent of said body cross-sectional distance to define therebetween an included angle, which included angle is from about seventy to about one hundred ten degrees. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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- 34. A device comprising two or more optically transmissive bodies characterized by substantially total internal reflection, which bodies are formed with at least a first defined region of a series of contiguously positioned recesses, wherein each of said recesses are defined by two opposing surfaces which angle inwardly from an exterior surface of said body toward each other for a distance substantially equivalent to from about two to about twenty-six percent of said body cross-sectional distance to define therebetween an included angle, which included angle is from about eighty-five to about ninety-five degrees.
Specification