Light source
First Claim
1. A linear light source, comprising,an elongated light source providing a radiation pattern in the form of an elongated cylinder, anda fluorescent-dyed polymeric sheet wrapped to form a hollow, elongated, cylindrical tube about said light source generally equal in length to said radiation pattern, said polymeric sheet generally enclosing said light source, and having an exposed linear edge,said polymeric sheet containing a fluorescent dye that is responsive to radiation from said light source, said fluorescent dye responding to radiation from said light source and operating to generate fluorescent light within said polymeric sheet, and said fluorescent light being transmitted through said polymeric sheet to said linear edge, whereat said fluorescent light exits said polymeric sheet as a line of light.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fluorescent dyed polymer member and a light source are structurally arranged in a manner to efficiently gather light from the light source and then transmit the gathered light to a light utilization device. Light from the light source is gathered over a large area that is occupied by the polymer member. This gathered light is transmitted through the polymer member to an edge portion thereof having a relatively small light emitting area. Light is then emitted as an external beam having a cross section that corresponds to the physical shape of the edge of the polymer member, for example a straight of linear footprint of light. The area brightness of this external beam is greater than the area brightness of the initial light source.
82 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A linear light source, comprising,
an elongated light source providing a radiation pattern in the form of an elongated cylinder, and a fluorescent-dyed polymeric sheet wrapped to form a hollow, elongated, cylindrical tube about said light source generally equal in length to said radiation pattern, said polymeric sheet generally enclosing said light source, and having an exposed linear edge, said polymeric sheet containing a fluorescent dye that is responsive to radiation from said light source, said fluorescent dye responding to radiation from said light source and operating to generate fluorescent light within said polymeric sheet, and said fluorescent light being transmitted through said polymeric sheet to said linear edge, whereat said fluorescent light exits said polymeric sheet as a line of light.
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10. In combination;
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a light source providing light radiation of a first spectral characteristic, and in a pattern that generally surrounds said light source, and a polymeric sheet wrapped to surround said light source, said polymeric sheet having an externally exposed edge portion, said polymeric sheet containing a radiation sensitive material that responds to said radiation of said first spectral characteristic and operates to generate light radiation of a second spectral characteristic within said polymeric sheet, and said generated light of said second spectral characteristic being transmitted to said edge portion, whereat said generated light of said second spectral characteristic exits said polymeric sheet as a beam whose cross section conforms to the shape of said edge portion. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for providing a light beam to a utilization device that requires a beam intensity of at least N light units per given beam area, comprising the steps of;
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providing low intensity light source means for emitting light over a relatively large area, the intensity of said emitted light over said relatively large area being less than said N light units per given area, providing a polymer member structurally arranged with said light source means to occupy said relatively large area in a manner to gather substantially all of the light that is emitted by said light source means, said polymer member having an exposed edge portion, tapering said exposed edge portion in a manner to provide an external beam having a beam intensity that is equal to at least N light units per given beam area, and transmitting said gathered light through said polymer member to said exposed edge portion, whereat light is emitted as an external beam having a cross section that corresponds to the physical shape of said exposed edge portion, said external beam having a beam intensity that is equal to at least N light units per given beam area. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A unit area light amplifier, comprising;
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light source means operable to emit a surface of light having a given light intensity per unit area of said surface, fluorescent dyed polymer means arranged to encircle said light source means, to thereby receive substantially all of the light within said surface of light, edge means formed as portion of said polymer means, said edge means having a cross sectional area that is less than the area of said surface of light, and wherein said light source means comprises a linear lamp, wherein said surface of light comprises a cylindrical surface of light surrounding said lamp, said cylindrical surface of light having an axis corresponding generally to the position of said lamp, and wherein said polymer means comprises a hollow cylinder surrounding said lamp, said hollow polymer cylinder having an axis corresponding generally to the position of said lamp, and said hollow polymeric cylinder having at least one exposed edge portion comprising said edge means. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. In combination;
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a plurality of linear light sources, each of said light sources having a central axis, said plurality of light sources being mounted with the plurality of central axes thereof arranged to be mutually parallel, and said plurality of central axes occupying a cylindrical volume having a central axis, a like plurality of fluorescent dyed polymeric sheets, each sheet of which is located between two adjacent ones of said plurality light sources, so as to receive light from said adjacent light sources, each of said plurality of polymeric sheets including a linear extending edge portion extending parallel to the central axis of said cylindrical volume, said plurality of edge portions being positioned such that if said plurality of edge portions were extended said plurality of edge portions would meet at the central axis of said cylindrical volume, and light gathering means positioned at said central axis of said cylindrical volume, the light gathering means being operable to gather light emitted by said plurality of edge portions. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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Specification