Lighting system for transmitting and releasing luminescent radiation
First Claim
1. A lighting system which utilizes fluorescent species to generate fluorescently emitted radiation within a luminescent concentrator, said lighting system comprising:
- a luminescent concentrator containing fluorescent species, an optical conduit optically continuous with the luminescent concentrator, and a luminaire means, optically continuous with said optical conduit, said luminaire means being adapted to be located in an area to be illuminated, wherein light is provided by the fluorescent radiation emitted within said luminescent concentrator, the lighting system being fabricated of light propagating material and having surfaces which define an optically continuous solid optical system for enabling said light to propagate therethrough by total internal reflection off the surfaces, and wherein said luminaire means contains at least one region allowing an internally trapped portion of the fluorescent radiation within the lighting system to acquire an angle of incidence to a surface of the luminaire means that enables release of said internally trapped portion of the fluorescent radiation from the luminaire means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optical conduit (53) for transmitting and releasing luminescent radiation (61, 62, 63) emitted from a luminescent concentrator (51), the luminescent concentrator (51) and optical conduit (52) comprising an optical system which is adapted to release to an area to be illuminated the luminescent radiation which is otherwise trapped in the optical system by total internal reflection. The optical conduit (53) includes a luminaire (57), such as a plurality of scattering regions for scattering trapped light so that the scattered light acquires the angle of incidence required to released from the conduit (53). The scattering regions may be provided by shape irregularities on the surface of the conduit (53) or inhomogeneities within the conduit (53). The conduit (53) may consist of flexible overlaid light guides (65a, 65b and 65c) and a luminaire fitting (55) optically coupled thereto.
55 Citations
13 Claims
-
1. A lighting system which utilizes fluorescent species to generate fluorescently emitted radiation within a luminescent concentrator, said lighting system comprising:
-
a luminescent concentrator containing fluorescent species, an optical conduit optically continuous with the luminescent concentrator, and a luminaire means, optically continuous with said optical conduit, said luminaire means being adapted to be located in an area to be illuminated, wherein light is provided by the fluorescent radiation emitted within said luminescent concentrator, the lighting system being fabricated of light propagating material and having surfaces which define an optically continuous solid optical system for enabling said light to propagate therethrough by total internal reflection off the surfaces, and wherein said luminaire means contains at least one region allowing an internally trapped portion of the fluorescent radiation within the lighting system to acquire an angle of incidence to a surface of the luminaire means that enables release of said internally trapped portion of the fluorescent radiation from the luminaire means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
Specification