Divergent angle rotator system and method for collimating light beams
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A light beam divergent angle rotating assembly, comprising:
- (a) a prism having opposing top and bottom surfaces which define the thickness of said prism, opposing sides which define the width of said prism, and opposing ends which define the length of said prism;
(b) means for directing light into the said prism in a predetermined manner so that it has a mean light propagation direction; and
(c) an arrangement on at least one of said opposing surfaces including adjacent microstructures in rows extending approximately in the mean light propagation direction of the light in said prism, wherein said microstructures are randomly distributed.
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Abstract
An assembly for frontlighting or backlighting a display or other such arrangement requiring frontlighting or backlighting is disclosed herein. The assembly uses a light pipe with a set of specially configured microprisms to rotate the divergent angle of light. The divergent angle rotator is used with a flat collimator assembly for efficient display illuminating with light of a controllable degree of collimation in both dimensions.
338 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A light beam divergent angle rotating assembly, comprising:
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(a) a prism having opposing top and bottom surfaces which define the thickness of said prism, opposing sides which define the width of said prism, and opposing ends which define the length of said prism; (b) means for directing light into the said prism in a predetermined manner so that it has a mean light propagation direction; and (c) an arrangement on at least one of said opposing surfaces including adjacent microstructures in rows extending approximately in the mean light propagation direction of the light in said prism, wherein said microstructures are randomly distributed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A beam expanding assembly to expand a light of a point-like light source into a line light source having a mean propagation direction or expand the light of a line-like light source into a plane light source having a mean propagation direction, comprising:
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(a) a light pipe having opposing top and bottom surfaces which define the thickness of said light pipe, opposing sides which define the width of said light pipe, and opposing ends which define the length of said light pipe; (b) a light source for directing light into said light pipe, said light having a mean light propagation direction, and (c) elongated microprisms extending approximately in said mean light propagation direction on said top surface configured to rotate the divergent angles of light beams in a predetermined way. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A lighting light pipe assembly comprising:
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(a) opposing top and bottom surfaces which define the thickness of said lighting light pipe, opposing sides which define the width of said lighting light pipe, and opposing ends which define the length of said lighting light pipe, said length further defining a mean light propagation direction; (b) means for directing light into said lighting pipe assembly; (c) elongated microstructures extending approximately in said mean light propagation direction on said top surface configured to rotate the divergent angles of light beams in a predetermined way; and (d) said lighting light pipe having a lengthwise axis and an arrangement of immediately adjacent microprisms in rows extending normal to said lengthwise axis of said lighting light pipe on the bottom surface of said lighting light pipe, each of said microprisms having its vertex extending downward from a rectangular base so as to define said vertex an upwardly angled light reflecting surface segment for reflecting light within said lighting light pipe upwards through its top surface in a generally collimated manner. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method for providing a light beam divergent angle rotating assembly, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a prism having opposing top and bottom surfaces which define the thickness of said prism, opposing sides which define the width of said prism, and opposing ends which define the length of said prism; (b) providing a light directing assembly which directs light into the said prism in a predetermined manner; and (c) providing an arrangement on at least one of said opposing surfaces including adjacent microstructures in rows extending approximately in the mean light propagation direction of the light in said prism, wherein said microstructures are randomly distributed.
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46. A method for providing a beam expanding assembly to expand a light of a point-like light source into a line light source having a mean propagation direction or expand the light of a line-like light source into a plane light source having a mean propagation direction, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a light pipe having opposing top and bottom surfaces which define the thickness of said light pipe, opposing sides which define the width of said light pipe, and opposing ends which define the length of said light pipe; (b) providing a light source for directing light into said light pipe, said light having a mean light propagation direction, and (c) providing elongated microprisms extending approximately in said mean light propagation direction on said top surface configured to rotate the divergent angles of light beams in a predetermined way. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48)
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49. A method for providing a lighting light pipe assembly, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing opposing top and bottom surfaces which define the thickness of said lighting light pipe, opposing sides which define the width of said lighting light pipe, and opposing ends which define the length of said lighting light pipe, said length further defining a mean light propagation direction; (b) providing a light directing assembly which directs light into said lighting pipe assembly; and (c) providing elongated microstructures extending approximately in said mean light propagation direction on said top surface configured to rotate the divergent angles of light beams in a predetermined way; and (d) providing said lighting light pipe having a lengthwise axis and an arrangement of immediately adjacent microprisms in rows extending normal to said lengthwise axis of said lighting light pipe on the bottom surface of said lighting light pipe, each of said microprisms having its vertex extending downward from a rectangular base so as to define said vertex an upwardly angled light reflecting surface segment for reflecting light within said lighting light pipe upwards through its top surface in a generally collimated manner.
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Specification