Lamp-to-light guide coupling arrangement for an electrodeless high intensity discharge lamp
First Claim
1. A lamp-to-light guide coupling arrangement for an electrodeless discharge lamp having an arc tube containing an ionizable fill which is excitable so as to produce a light generating arc discharge and has associated therewith, certain thermal and electrical operating properties, said coupling arrangement comprising:
- (a) a coupling device disposed in close proximity to said discharge lamp and being of a generally tubular, hollow construction having an inlet end for receiving light from said arc discharge and a larger, output end, said inlet end having an area which is substantially the same as a cross sectional area of said discharge lamp and said larger output end having a diameter which is approximately 2 to 3 times the diameter of said discharge lamp;
(b) reflector means disposed on at least a portion of a surface of said hollow coupling device and being effective for reflecting light interiorly of said coupling device;
(c) wherein said coupling device is shaped so as to receive light at one solid angle over an area of said inlet end and to transmit light through said outlet end at a smaller angle but over a larger area of said outlet end;
(d) at least one light guide coupled to said outlet end of said coupling device; and
,(e) wherein said coupling device with said reflector means being disposed thereon, is effective so that, when in such close proximity to said discharge lamp, the thermal and operating properties of said discharge lamp remain substantially unaffected by said coupling device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lamp-to-light guide coupling arrangement includes an electrodeless high intensity discharge lamp comprising an arc tube with an ionizable fill, and an excitation circuit for electrically exciting the ionizable fill to induce therein a light-producing arc discharge. The coupling arrangement further includes a coupling device comprising a generally tubular, hollow body that has an inlet end for receiving light from the arc discharge and a larger, outlet end. The coupling device further comprises an interiorly directed reflector on a surface of the hollow body for reflecting visible light. Such coupling device is shaped so as to receive light at one solid angle over an area of the inlet end and to transmit light at a smaller solid angle but over a larger area of the outlet end. The coupling device is preferably formed from dielectric material. The reflector preferably comprises a refractory optical interference filter.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A lamp-to-light guide coupling arrangement for an electrodeless discharge lamp having an arc tube containing an ionizable fill which is excitable so as to produce a light generating arc discharge and has associated therewith, certain thermal and electrical operating properties, said coupling arrangement comprising:
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(a) a coupling device disposed in close proximity to said discharge lamp and being of a generally tubular, hollow construction having an inlet end for receiving light from said arc discharge and a larger, output end, said inlet end having an area which is substantially the same as a cross sectional area of said discharge lamp and said larger output end having a diameter which is approximately 2 to 3 times the diameter of said discharge lamp; (b) reflector means disposed on at least a portion of a surface of said hollow coupling device and being effective for reflecting light interiorly of said coupling device; (c) wherein said coupling device is shaped so as to receive light at one solid angle over an area of said inlet end and to transmit light through said outlet end at a smaller angle but over a larger area of said outlet end; (d) at least one light guide coupled to said outlet end of said coupling device; and
,(e) wherein said coupling device with said reflector means being disposed thereon, is effective so that, when in such close proximity to said discharge lamp, the thermal and operating properties of said discharge lamp remain substantially unaffected by said coupling device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A light distribution arrangement for transmitting light output from an electrodeless high intensity discharge lamp to at least one remote location, said light distribution arrangement comprising:
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(a) said electrodeless high intensity discharge lamp including an arc tube with an ionizable fill; (b) an excitation coil surrounding said arc tube for electromagnetically exciting said ionizable fill to induce therein a light-producing arc discharge; (c) a coupling device comprising; (i) a generally tubular body having an inlet end for receiving light from said arc discharge and a larger, outlet end; (ii) wherein said coupling device is solid in construction and has total internal reflectance properties associated therewith, said total internal reflectance properties being achieved without the use of an electrically conducting material; (iii) said coupling device being shaped so as to receive light at one solid angle over an area of said inlet end and to transmit light at a smaller solid angle but over a larger area of said outlet end; and (d) at least one light guide coupled to said outlet end of said coupling device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification