Fibre optic waveguide illuminating elements
First Claim
1. A fibre optic element comprising a sheet moulded from synthetic plastic material having high light transmissivity, two opposite edges of the sheet each having a coplaner extension formed with grooves or slots dividing the extensions into a plurality of separable flexible filaments extending longitudinally from said edges of the sheet, and the sheet and extension being substantially covered, except for distal ends of said filaments and at least one area on at least one side of the sheet via which light can escape, by an internally reflective layer which constrains light entering the element through said filamwents to propagate longitudinally of the filaments and in the plane of the sheet.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fibre optic element is disclosed capable of a wide range of uses, including illumination, lighted fixed or variable signs, and decorative applications. The element is formed in one piece of transparent material and has one or more generally planar areas with integral extensions from one or opposite sides formed as a number of separable filaments such that the filaments can be bunched to form a flexible light conducting cable. Except for light escape zones via which light can escape from the planar area or areas, and the distal ends of the filaments, the element is covered by an internally reflective cladding layer such as to enable propagation of light through the filaments from the light source and in the plane of the planar areas, which rather than being strictly planar can be curved into various shapes. The light escape zones may be formed by replacing the cladding layer in those zones by a transparent layer of higher refractive index than the material of the element, or by using a diffusive or phosphorescent layer to divert or reradiate light out of the plane of the element.
-
Citations
33 Claims
- 1. A fibre optic element comprising a sheet moulded from synthetic plastic material having high light transmissivity, two opposite edges of the sheet each having a coplaner extension formed with grooves or slots dividing the extensions into a plurality of separable flexible filaments extending longitudinally from said edges of the sheet, and the sheet and extension being substantially covered, except for distal ends of said filaments and at least one area on at least one side of the sheet via which light can escape, by an internally reflective layer which constrains light entering the element through said filamwents to propagate longitudinally of the filaments and in the plane of the sheet.
- 2. A fibre optic element comprising a sheet moulded from synthetic plastic material having high light transmissivity, at least one edge of the sheet having an integral coplanar extension moulded with slots dividing the extension into a plurality of separable generally circular flexible filaments extending longitudinally from said one edge of the sheet, and the sheet and the extension being substantially covered, both on their outer surfaces and within the slots, save only for distal ends of said filaments and at least one area on at least one side of the sheet via which light can escape, by an internally reflective layer which constrains light entering the element through said filaments to propagate longitudinally of the filaments and in the plane of the sheet, means being provided adjacent and coextensive with said at least one area to promote the escape of light through said area.
- 19. A lamp, comprising a sheet of transparent material curved so that its surfaces form inner and outer surfaces of a hollow body, with the radius of curvature of the sheet being very large compared with the thickness of the sheet, at least one edge of the sheet at an extremity of the body being extended into a plurality of integral elongated filaments grouped in parallel to form a light guide, the sheet and the filaments being covered, except for distal ends of said filaments and at least one area on at least one side of the sheet via which light can escape, by an internally reflective layer which constrains light entering the element through said filaments to propagate longitudinally of the filaments and parallel to the surface of the sheet.
Specification