Miniaturized fiberoptic illuminating device

• US 5,217,290 A
• Filed: 12/20/1991
• Issued: 06/08/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Windross, Gene R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cole, Richard R.
• Application Number:
  US07/811,791
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 362/32, 362/61, 362/282, 362/322, 362/326, 362/332
• US Class Current: 362/554
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0011 with light guides for distributing the light between several lighting or signalling devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre

Abstract

A miniaturized fiberoptic illuminating device, includes fiberoptic cables providing a plurality of optical fibers for conducting light and ferrules inserted over end portions of the cables. Apertures which are formed from the output ends of each optical fiber pass the light from the optical fibers. The device also includes a single optical lens, which may be a cylindrical lens or a modified cylindrical lens having different lens shapes formed into the surface thereof, aligned with the apertures for receiving light emitted from the optical fibers and passed through the apertures. The lens focuses the light in a desired pattern and may be rotated to clean the lens and/or adjust the beam pattern. The device also includes a housing having a row of spaced apart cavities receiving and supporting the ferrules and a single cavity spaced forwardly of and extending transversely to the row of cavities which contains the lens. The single cavity is spaced forwardly from forward ends of the row of cavities. The housing also has an elongated slot which intersects forward ends of row of cavities and a rear side of the single large cavity and is disposed between the row of cavities and the large cavity for providing a passage from the apertures to the lens to pass light emitted from the optical fibers through the apertures to the lens.

Claims

1. A miniaturized fiberoptic illuminating device, comprising:

means providing a plurality of optical fibers for conducting light, said optical fibers having output ends for emitting light;

means defining a plurality of apertures each formed from said output ends of each optical fiber for passing light from said optical fiber; and

a single, cylindrical optical lens being elongated along a central axis, said axis being aligned with said apertures for receiving light emitted from said optical fibers and passed through said apertures and focusing the light in a desired pattern.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a housing defining a plurality of spaced apart first cavities receiving and supporting end portions of said optical fibers which terminate at said output ends thereof.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said housing also defines an elongated second cavity containing said cylindrical lens and spaced forwardly from and extending in transverse relation to said first cavities.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said housing further defines an elongated slot intersecting forward ends of said first cavities and a rear side of said second cavity and disposed between said first cavities and said second cavity for providing a passage between said apertures and said cylindrical lens to pass light emitted from said optical fibers through said apertures to said cylindrical lens.

5. The device of claim 1 further including:

a means to rotate said cylindrical lens about its axis.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical lens has different lens shapes formed into the surface thereof.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said means providing said plurality of optical fibers is a plurality of fiberoptic cables.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said means defining said plurality of apertures is a plurality of ferrules inserted over end portions of said respective fiberoptic cables containing said output ends of said optical fibers.

9. The device of claim 8 further comprising a housing defining a plurality of spaced apart first cavities receiving and supporting said ferrules, an elongated second cavity containing said lens and spaced forwardly from and extending in transverse relation to said first cavities, and an elongated slot intersecting forward ends of said first cavities and a rear side of said second cavity and disposed between said first cavities and said second cavity for providing a passage between said apertures and said lens to pass light emitted from optical fibers through said apertures to said lens.

10. A lighting system, comprising:

a source of light;

means defining a plurality of optical fibers for conducting light, said optical fibers coupled to said light source for receiving light and having output ends for emitting light;

means defining a plurality of apertures each formed from said output ends of each optical fiber for passing light from said optical fiber;

a single, cylindrical optical lends aligned with said apertures for receiving light emitted from said optical fibers and passed through said apertures and focusing the light in a desired pattern; and

means for rotating said lens about its axis.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

a housing defining a plurality of spaced apart first cavities receiving and supporting end portions of said optical fibers which terminate at said output ends thereof.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said housing also defines an elongated second cavity containing said cylindrical lens and spaced forwardly from and extending in transverse relation to said first cavities.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said housing further defines an elongated slot intersecting forward ends of said first cavities and a rear side of said second cavity and disposed between said first cavities and said second cavity for providing a passage between said apertures and said lens to pass light emitted from said optical fibers through said apertures to said cylindrical lens.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein said cylindrical lens has different lens shapes formed into the surface thereof.

15. A miniaturized fiberoptic illuminating device, comprising:

means providing a plurality of optical fibers for conducting light, said optical fibers having output ends for emitting light;

means defining a plurality of apertures formed from said output ends of each optical fiber for passing light from said optical fiber;

a single, cylindrical optical lens aligned with said apertures for receiving light emitted from said optical fibers and passed through said apertures and focusing the light in a desired pattern;

a housing defining a plurality of spaced apart first cavities receiving and supporting end portions of said optical fibers which terminate at said output ends thereof;

said housing also defining an elongated second cavity containing said cylindrical lens and spaced forwardly from and extending in transverse relation to said first cavities;

said housing further defining an elongated slot intersecting forward ends of said first cavities and a rear side of said second cavity and disposed between said first cavities and second cavity for providing a passage between said apertures and said cylindrical lens to pass light emitted from said optical fibers through said apertures to said cylindrical lens; and

means for rotating said cylindrical lens about its axis within said second cavity.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein said housing includes a gasket or grommet therein which is in contact with said cylindrical lens.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein said cylindrical lens has different lens shapes formed into the surface thereof.