Active and passive holographic optical based curved surface elements

• US 6,285,472 B1
• Filed: 10/29/1999
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Luckoff Display Corporation
• Original Assignee: Luckoff Display Corporation
• Inventors: Odhner, Jefferson E., Cullen, Donald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): HENRY, JON W
• Application Number:
  US09/430,720
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 359/1, 359/2, 359/3, 359/567, 359/572, 359/8, 362/806
• US Class Current: 359/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1842 Gratings for image generation G02B5/1847 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/32 Holograms used as optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/0244 Surface relief holograms replicating hologram without interference recording G03H1/0276
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/0248 Volume holograms
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/028 by embossing
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/2249 Holobject properties
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/24 using white light , e.g. rainbow holograms
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/0055 in advertising or decorative art
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/0224 Active addressable light modulator, i.e. Spatial Light Modulator [SLM]
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/043 Non planar recording surface, e.g. curved surface
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2234 Transmission reconstruction
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2268 Rainbow hologram
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/262 not in optical contact G03H1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2210/30 3D object
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2223/16 Optical waveguide, e.g. optical fibre, rod
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2225/23 Grating based SLM
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2227/06 Support including light source
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2270/21 Curved bearing surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/806 Ornamental or decorative

Abstract

Disclosed is a curved surface element (e.g., light bulb, ornament, light pipe, etc.) which has at least a portion thereof (inner or outer surface) covered with a holographic diffraction grating which was constructed to be essentially distortion free on said curved surface, whereby such diffraction grating diffracts light to emit color to the observer. The diffraction grating can take for form of a holographic optical element (HOE) attached to the curved surface or a diffractive holographic optical pattern (HOP) embossed into the curved surface.

Claims

1. An orb having at least a portion thereof covered with a holographic optical element (HOE) diffraction grating which was constructed so that is it essentially distortion free when applied on said curved surface, whereby such diffraction grating diffracts light to emit color to the observer.

2. The orb of claim 1, wherein substantially all of said surface is covered with said diffraction grating.

3. The orb of claim 1, wherein said diffraction grating diffracts the same wavelength of energy to emit the same color to an observer.

4. The orb of claim 1, wherein said diffraction grating diffracts different wavelengths of energy to emit a rainbow of colors to the observer.

5. The orb of claim 1, wherein a light source is associated with said orb.

6. The orb of claim 5, wherein said light source is housed within said orb.

7. The orb of claim 1, wherein said HOEs range in size from about 0.1 to 10 mm.

8. The orb of claim 1, which has an inner and an outer surface, at least one of such surfaces being at least partly covered with said HOE diffraction grating.

9. The orb of claim 1, which has an inner and an outer surface, at least one of such surfaces covered with said diffraction grating.

10. The orb of claim 1, wherein said diffraction grating comprises a plurality of small diffractive HOEs.

11. The orb of claim 1, which is glass or plastic.

12. An orb having at least a portion embossed with a holographic optical pattern (HOP) which is constructed to be essentially distortion free on said curved surface, whereby such HOP diffracts light to emit color to the observer.

13. The orb of claim 12, wherein substantially all of the surface is embossed with said diffractive HOP.

14. The orb of claim 12, wherein said HOP diffracts the same wavelength of energy to emit the same color to an observer.

15. The orb of claim 12, wherein HOPs which diffract different wavelengths of energy are embossed into the outer surface of said ornament to emit a rainbow of colors to the observer.

16. The orb of claim 12, wherein a light source is associated with said orb.

17. The orb of claim 16, wherein said light source is housed within said orb.

18. The orb of claim 12, which has an inner and an outer surface, at least one of such surfaces is at least partly covered with said HOP.

19. The orb of claim 12, which has an inner and an outer surface, at least one of such surfaces being covered with said HOP.