Structure for achieving a linear light source geometry

• US 6,299,328 B1
• Filed: 10/06/2000
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Wilson, John Colvin
• Primary Examiner(s): SIKDER, MOHAMMAD YUNUS
• Application Number:
  US09/684,319
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 362/223, 362/32, 362/330, 362/339, 362/327, 362/331, 362/332, 362/333, 359/48, 359/599
• US Class Current: 362/223
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/043 the lens having cylindrical faces, e.g. rod lenses, toric lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/005 with an elongated shape to cooperate with linear light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/22 characterised by materials, surface treatments or coatings, e.g. dichroic reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8806 Specially adapted optical and illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/001 the light being emitted along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/003 Lens or lenticular sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/542 for copying cameras, reflex exposure lighting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/02815 Means for illuminating the original, not specific to a particular type of pick-up head
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0285 in combination with at least one reflector which is in fixed relation to the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/02855 in combination with a light guide, e.g. optical fibre, glass plate light-guides per se G02B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0286 in combination with a light integrating, concentrating or defusing cavity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0287 using a tubular lamp or a combination of such lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/02895 Additional elements in the illumination means or cooperating with the illumination means, e.g. filters H04N1/02885 takes precedence; optical elements other than lenses per se G02B5/00

Abstract

Improved linear illumination sources which utilize external, highly reflective enclosures containing one or more linear openings and thereby achieve improved source efficiency, output irradiance and/or output radiance. Such improved illumination sources may be combined with additional optical elements to produce more complex illumination systems.

Claims

1. A housing for an illumination system comprising:

(a) a reflective linear enclosure having a linear aperture wherein the linear aperture has a maximum width which is less than an inside width of said linear enclosure, and

(b) an optical element having a light input end juxtaposed to said aperture, and a light output end opposite to and spaced from the input end, which output end has a faceted output surface, and wherein the linear aperture, the light input end and the light output end are in alignment, and wherein said light input end spans across the width of the linear aperture.

2. The housing of claim 1, wherein the reflective enclosure has an inside surface which comprises a reflective material having a reflectivity R≧

90%.

3. The housing of claim 1, wherein the reflective enclosure has an inside surface which comprises a reflective material having a reflectivity R≧

95%.

4. The housing of claim 1 having a pluarlity of members for receiving an optical element juxtaposed to said aperture.

5. The housing of claim 1 wherein the optical element is a lens.

6. The housing of claim 5 wherein said lens is a cylindrical rod lens.

21. The housing of claim 1 further comprising a linear light source within said housing.

24. The housing of claim 1 wherein the optical element comprises a cylinder.

25. The housing of claim 1 wherein the optical element comprises a cylinder, the light input end comprises an part of the cylinder which is smaller than the width of the linear aperture, and the light output end comprises a part of the cylinder which is larger than the width of the linear aperture.

7. A housing for an illumination system comprising:

(a) a linear reflective enclosure having a linear aperture along its long axis, and

(b) said enclosure having a member for receiving an optical element juxtaposed to said aperture so that upon receiving said optical element, said member contacts said optical element at more than one point, said optical element having a light input end juxtaposed to said aperture, and a light output end opposite to and spaced from the input end, which output end has a faceted output surface, and wherein the linear aperture, the light input end and the light output end are in alignment, and wherein said light input end spans across the width of the linear aperture.

8. The housing of claim 7, wherein the reflective enclosure has an inside surface which comprises a reflective material having a reflectivity R≧

90%.

9. The housing of claim 7, wherein the reflective enclosure has an inside surface which comprises a reflective material having a reflectivity R≧

95%.

10. The housing of claim 7, wherein said optical element is a lens.

11. The housing of claim 10, wherein said lens is a cylindrical rod lens.

12. The housing of claim 7 having a plurality of members for receiving an optical element juxtaposed to said aperture.

22. The housing of claim 7 further comprising a linear light source within said housing.

26. The housing of claim 7 wherein the optical element comprises a cylinder.

27. The housing of claim 7 wherein the optical element comprises a cylinder, the light input end comprises an part of the cylinder which is smaller than the width of the linear aperture, and the light output end comprises a part of the cylinder which is larger than the width of the linear aperture.

13. A housing for a linear illumination system comprising

(a) a reflective linear enclosure having a linear aperture wherein the maximum width of said linear aperture is less than the maximum inside width of said linear enclosure, and

(b) said linear enclosure having at least one integrated member for receiving and holding an optical element juxtaposed to said aperture, said optical element having a light input end juxtaposed to said aperture, and a light output end opposite to and spaced from the input end, which output end has a faceted output surface, and wherein the linear aperture, the light input end and the light output end are in alignment, and wherein said light input end spans across the width of the linear aperture.

14. The housing of claim 13, wherein said linear aperture has a maximum width which ranges from about 3% to about 75% of the maximum inside width of said linear enclosure.

15. The housing of claim 13, wherein said linear aperture has a maximum width which ranges from about 5% to about 50% of the maximum inside width of said linear enclosure.

16. The housing of claim 13 having a plurality of members for receiving and holding an optical element juxtaposed to said aperture.

17. The housing of claim 13, wherein the reflective material of said reflective enclosure has a reflectivity R≧

90%.

18. The housing of claim 13, wherein the reflective material of said external reflective enclosure has a reflectivity R≧

95%.

19. The housing of claim 13 wherein the optical element is a lens.

20. The housing of claim 19 wherein said lens is a cylindrical rod lens.

23. The housing of claim 13 further comprising a linear light source within said housing.

28. The housing of claim 13 wherein the optical element comprises a cylinder.

29. The housing of claim 13 wherein the optical element comprises a cylinder, the light input end comprises an part of the cylinder which is smaller than the width of the linear aperture, and the light output end comprises a part of the cylinder which is larger than the width of the linear aperture.