Double refraction and total reflection solid nonimaging lens
First Claim
1. A traffic signal light comprising:
- a plurality of nonimaging lens mounted laterally adjacent to each other; and
a plurality of light beam sources (a) each producing a directional light beam formed of generally parallel light rays and (b) each associated with one of said nonimaging lens;
wherein each of said nonimaging lens comprises a solid body of light-propagating material defining;
a first light-refracting surface receiving the directional light beam of the associated source and having a configuration adapted to cause divergence of the generally parallel light rays of the received light beam by refraction, the divergent light rays propagating within the solid body; and
a second light-reflecting surface positioned to receive the divergent light rays and having a configuration adapted to reflect said divergent light rays;
wherein the configuration of said light-refracting surface and the configuration of said light-reflecting surface are selected to redirect the generally parallel light rays from the associated light beam source into an enlarged light beam propagating in a given direction and visible over a given viewing angle.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A nonimaging lens consists of a solid body of light-propagating material defining a first light-refracting surface, a second light-reflecting surface and a third light-refracting surface. To redirect the generally parallel light rays of a directional light beam, the first light-refracting surface diverges the light rays of this beam, the second surface reflects the divergent light rays, and the third surface refracts these reflected light rays. To concentrate dispersed light rays into a generally directional light beam, the third surface first refracts the light rays, the second light-reflecting surface converges these refracted light rays, and the first surface refracts the convergent light rays toward the generally directional light beam. In accordance with one embodiment, the first light-refracting surface and the second light-reflecting surface are conical, open out in opposite directions, and respectively define skewed refraction and reflection axes.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A traffic signal light comprising:
-
a plurality of nonimaging lens mounted laterally adjacent to each other; and a plurality of light beam sources (a) each producing a directional light beam formed of generally parallel light rays and (b) each associated with one of said nonimaging lens; wherein each of said nonimaging lens comprises a solid body of light-propagating material defining; a first light-refracting surface receiving the directional light beam of the associated source and having a configuration adapted to cause divergence of the generally parallel light rays of the received light beam by refraction, the divergent light rays propagating within the solid body; and a second light-reflecting surface positioned to receive the divergent light rays and having a configuration adapted to reflect said divergent light rays; wherein the configuration of said light-refracting surface and the configuration of said light-reflecting surface are selected to redirect the generally parallel light rays from the associated light beam source into an enlarged light beam propagating in a given direction and visible over a given viewing angle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A nonimaging lens for receiving generally parallel light rays of a directional light beam propagating outside but toward said lens and for redirecting said light rays to produce an enlarged light beam propagating in a given direction and visible over a given viewing angle, said nonimaging lens comprising a solid body of light-propagating material defining:
-
a first light-refracting surface receiving the directional light beam and having a configuration adapted to cause divergence of said generally parallel light rays by refraction, the divergent light rays propagating within the solid body; and a second light-reflecting surface positioned to receive the divergent light rays and having a configuration adapted to reflect said divergent light rays; wherein the configuration of said light-refracting surface and the configuration of said light-reflecting surface are selected to redirect said generally parallel light rays into said enlarged light beam propagating in said given direction and visible over said given viewing angle. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method for redirecting generally parallel light rays of a directional light beam into an enlarged light beam propagating in a given direction and visible over a given viewing angle, comprising the steps of:
-
refracting said generally parallel light rays through a light-refracting surface of a solid body made of light propagating material, to diverge said generally parallel light rays of the directional beam, the divergent light rays propagating within the solid body; and reflecting the divergent light rays on a light-reflecting surface of said solid body; wherein said light-refracting and light-reflecting surfaces have respective configurations selected to redirect said generally parallel light rays into said enlarged light beam propagating in said given direction and visible over said given viewing angle. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
Specification