Light coupler

• US 5,560,700 A
• Filed: 08/05/1994
• Issued: 10/01/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Levens, Kurt A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HEYMAN, LEONARD
• Application Number:
  US08/286,276
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 362/31, 362/32, 362/26, 362/297, 362/298, 362/346, 362/347, 385/900, 385/31, 385/15, 385/33
• US Class Current: 362/558
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 11/00 Non-electric lighting devices or systems using daylight roofs with sky-light opening E04D13/03; sun blinds for windows with means for redirecting light onto ceiling of a room E06B9/00; hybrid lighting devices combining artificial and natural light F21S19/00; solar heat collectors F24S; solar cells or solar cell modules H01L31/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 19/005 Combining sunlight and electric light sources for indoor illumination
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/00 Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups F21S4/00 - F21S10/00 or F21S19/00, e.g. of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/28 characterised by coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/04 for filtering out infrared radiation dichroic reflectors F21V7/22; using liquid-filled chambers F21V9/12
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0005 the light guides being of the fibre type G02B6/0003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 385/90 Solar collector or transmitter

Abstract

A light coupler includes an array of non-imaging optical microcollectors. Each of the microcollectors has an entrance aperture for receiving light emitted from a source, an optical axis, and an exit aperture for emitting the light received by the entrance aperture. The array of non-imaging optical microcollectors are adapted and arranged such that the entrance apertures together subtend an acceptance angle for accepting divergent light emitted from the source and such that the optical axes of the non-imaging optical microcontrollers converge. The acceptance angle preferably is substantially matched to a divergence angle of the source. The entrance apertures can be mapped to a portion of a spherical surface (e.g., a hemisphere) which has a radial center at an apparent or actual center of the source. Alternatively, the entrance apertures can be mapped to a portion of a parabolic surface which has a focus at an apparent or actual center of the source. In general, the entrance apertures can be mapped onto any hollow volume.

Claims

1. A light coupler, comprising

an array of non-imaging optical microcollectors, each of the non-imaging optical microcollectors having an entrance aperture for receiving light emitted from a source, an optical axis, and an exit aperture for emitting the light received by the entrance aperture, the entrance apertures of the non-imaging optical microcollectors being mapped to a portion of a spherical surface having a radial center at an apparent center of the source,

wherein the non-imaging optical microcollectors are adapted and arranged such that the entrance apertures of the non-imaging optical microcollectors together subtend an acceptance angle for accepting divergent light emitted from the source and such that the optical axes of the non-imaging optical microcollectors converge, the acceptance angle being substantially matched to a divergence angle of the source.

2. The light coupler of claim 1, further comprising

a light conductor coupled to the exit aperture of one of the non-imaging optical microcollectors for conducting the light emitting from the exit aperture of that non-imaging optical microcollector to a remote location.

3. The light coupler of claim 2, wherein the light conductor comprises a single optical fiber.

4. The light coupler of claim 2, wherein the light conductor comprises a plurality of optical fibers.

5. The light coupler of claim 2, wherein the light conductor comprises a Prism Light Guide (PLG) tube.

6. The light coupler of claim 1, wherein at least one of the non-imaging optical microcollectors comprises a refractive medium.

12. The light coupler of claim 4, wherein at least one of the non-imaging optical microcollectors comprises a refractive medium.

7. A light coupler, comprising

an array of non-imaging optical microcollectors, each of the non-imaging optical microcollectors having an entrance aperture for receiving light emitted from a source, an optical axis, and an exit aperture for emitting the light received by the entrance aperture, the entrance apertures of the non-imaging optical microcollectors being mapped to a portion of a parabolic surface having a focus at an apparent center of the source,

wherein the non-imaging optical microcollectors are adapted and arranged such that the entrance apertures of the non-imaging optical microcollectors together subtend an acceptance angle for accepting divergent light emitted from the source and such that the optical axes of the non-imaging optical microcollectors converge, the acceptance angle being substantially matched to a divergence angle of the source.

8. The light coupler of claim 7, further comprising

a light conductor coupled to the exit aperture of one of the non-imaging optical microcollectors for conducting the light emitting from the exit aperture of that non-imaging optical microcollector to a remote location.

9. The light coupler of claim 8, wherein the light conductor comprises a single optical fiber.

10. The light coupler of claim 8, wherein the light conductor comprises a plurality of optical fibers.

11. The light coupler of claim 8, wherein the light conductor comprises a Prism Light Guide (PLG) tube.

15. The light coupler of claim 11, wherein the source comprises a plurality of the inverted non-imaging optic concentrators for partitioning and substantially collimating the light from the artificial source.

13. A light coupler, comprising

an array of non-imaging optical microcollectors, each of the non-imaging optical microcollectors having an entrance aperture for receiving light emitted from a source, an optical axis, and an exit aperture for emitting the light received by the entrance aperture,

wherein the non-imaging optical microcollectors are adapted and arranged such that the entrance apertures of the non-imaging optical microcollectors together subtend an acceptance angle for accepting divergent light emitted from the source and such that the optical axes of the non-imaging optical microcollectors converge, the acceptance angle being between 10°

and 40°

.

14. A light coupler, comprising

an array of non-imaging optical microcollectors, each of the non-imaging optical microcollectors having an entrance aperture for receiving light emitted from a source, an optical axis, and an exit aperture for emitting the light received by the entrance aperture,

wherein the non-imaging optical microcollectors are adapted and arranged such that the entrance apertures of the non-imaging optical microcollectors together subtend an acceptance angle for accepting divergent light emitted from the source and such that the optical axes of the non-imaging optical microcollectors converge, the source comprising an inverted non-imaging optic concentrator for substantially collimating light from an artificial light source.

16. A light coupler, comprising

an array of non-imaging optical microcollectors, each of the non-imaging optical microcollectors having an entrance aperture for receiving light emitted from a source, an optical axis, and an exit aperture for emitting the light received by the entrance aperture,

wherein the non-imaging optical microcollectors are adapted and arranged such that the entrance apertures of the non-imaging optical microcollectors together subtend an acceptance angle for accepting divergent light emitted from the source and such that the optical axes of the non-imaging optical microcollectors converge, the source comprising an output aperture of a light conductor.

17. A light coupler, comprising

an array of non-imaging optical microcollectors, each of the non-imaging optical microcollectors having an entrance aperture for receiving light emitted from a source, an optical axis, and an exit aperture for emitting the light received by the entrance aperture, the entrance apertures of the non-imaging optical microcollectors being mapped to a portion of a spherical surface having a radial center at a center of the source,

wherein the non-imaging optical microcollectors are adapted and arranged such that the entrance apertures of the non-imaging optical microcollectors together subtend an acceptance angle for accepting divergent light emitted from the source and such that the optical axes of the non-imaging optical microcollectors converge, the acceptance angle being substantially matched to a divergence angle of the source.

18. The light coupler of claim 17, further comprising

a light conductor coupled to the exit aperture of one of the non-imaging optical microcollectors for conducting the light emitting from the exit aperture of that non-imaging optical microcollector to a remote location.

19. The light coupler of claim 18, wherein the light conductor comprises a single optical fiber.

20. The light coupler of claim 18, wherein the light conductor comprises a plurality of optical fibers.

21. The light coupler of claim 18, wherein the light conductor comprises a Prism Light Guide (PLG) tube.

22. The light coupler of claim 17, wherein at least one of the non-imaging optical microcollectors comprises a refractive medium.

23. A light coupler, comprising

an array of non-imaging optical microcollectors, each of the non-imaging optical microcollectors having an entrance aperture for receiving light emitted from a source, an optical axis, and an exit aperture for emitting the light received by the entrance aperture, the entrance apertures of the non-imaging optical microcollectors being mapped to a portion of a parabolic surface having a focus at a center of the source,

wherein the non-imaging optical microcollectors are adapted and arranged such that the entrance apertures of the non-imaging optical microcollectors together subtend an acceptance angle for accepting divergent light emitted from the source and such that the optical axes of the non-imaging optical microcollectors converge, the acceptance angle being substantially matched to a divergence angle of the source.

24. The light coupler of claim 23, further comprising

a light conductor coupled to the exit aperture of one of the non-imaging optical microcollectors for conducting the light emitting from the exit aperture of that non-imaging optical microcollector to a remote location.

25. The light coupler of claim 24, wherein the light conductor comprises a single optical fiber.

26. The light coupler of claim 24, wherein the light conductor comprises a plurality of optical fibers.

27. The light coupler of claim 24, wherein the light conductor comprises a Prism Light Guide (PLG) tube.

28. The light coupler of claim 23, wherein at least one of the non-imaging optical microcollectors comprises a refractive medium.