Image reflecting light guide

• US 5,537,297 A
• Filed: 07/21/1994
• Issued: 07/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shemke; Editha S.
• Original Assignee: Shemke; Editha S.
• Inventors: Ghandehari, Abbas
• Primary Examiner(s): Cole, Richard R.
• Application Number:
  US08/278,727
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 362/32, 362/208, 362/157, 362/298
• US Class Current: 362/560
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/001 the light being emitted along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0096 the lights guides being of the hollow type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/032 with non solid core or cladding G02B6/02295 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4298 coupling with non-coherent light sources and/or radiation detectors, e.g. lamps, incandescent bulbs, scintillation chambers

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for reflecting light, and includes a transparent tube having two end surfaces and a cylindrical side wall. A light source includes both an illuminating light beam and a tube holding member that holds at least one of the end surfaces close to the light source so that the light beam propagates through at least one of the end surfaces and then along the tube. A color light filter may be positioned between the light source and at least one end surface of the tube so that the color of the light beam is selectable. At least one opaque thin film strip is adhered to or etched into a minor portion of the circumference of the outer surface for reflecting a portion of the light beam transversely through the tube such that the portion of the light beam is visible along the side wall of the tube.

Claims

1. A light reflecting device comprising:

a transparent tube having a side wall including an outer surface, an inner surface and opposing end surfaces, the end surfaces defining an overall length of the side wall, the outside and inside diameters of the tube being formed in the ratio of 2;

1;

a light source providing an illuminating light beam directed through at least one of the end surfaces and thence along the tube;

at least one opaque thin film strip means adhered to a minor portion of the circumference of the outer surface for reflecting a portion of the light beam transversely such that said portion of the light beam is visible through the tube side wall as two reflected images of the strip means when the thin film strip is viewed through the tube.

2. The light reflecting device of claim 1 wherein the tube is formed into a closed figure with the two end surfaces oriented mutually adjacent and coplanar such that the light beam enters through both end surfaces of the tube simultaneously.

3. The light reflecting device of claim 1 wherein the strip means has a width, the width varying with distance from, and being most narrow adjacent to, the light source.

4. The light reflecting device of claim 1 wherein the light source is positioned adjacent to one of the end surfaces of the tube, and further including a reflecting means positioned adjacent to the other of the end surfaces for reflecting the light beam from the light source, back into the tube.

5. The light reflecting device of claim 1 wherein two light sources are included, one of the light sources being positioned adjacent to each one of the end surfaces.

6. The light reflecting device of claim 1 further including a light filter means positioned between the light source and the end surface of the tube whereby the color of the light beam is selectable by choice of said filter means.

7. The light reflecting device of claim 1 wherein the film strip means comprises a plurality of separate strip portions such that the portion of the light beam reflected transversely is visible only at the portions of the tube wherein said separate portions of the film strip means are positioned.

8. The light reflecting device of claim 1 wherein the film strip means is produced by a process taken from the group of processes including painting, coloring, etching, abraiding, and bonding.

9. A light reflecting device comprising:

a transparent tube having a side wall including an outer surface, an inner surface and opposing end surfaces, the end surfaces defining an overall length of the side wall, the outside and inside diameters of the tube being formed in the ratio of between 1.5 and 6 to 1;

a light source providing an illuminating light beam directed through at least one of the end surfaces and thence along the tube,

at least one opaque thin film strip means adhered to a minor portion of the circumference of the outer surface for reflecting a portion of the light beam transversely such that said portion of the light beam is visible through the tube side wall as two reflected images of the strip means when the thin film strip is viewed through the tube.