Optical attachment for a light-emitting diode and brake light for a motor vehicle

• US 6,536,923 B1
• Filed: 12/17/1999
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sidler GmbH & Company
• Original Assignee: Sidler GmbH & Company
• Inventors: Merz, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, Y MY QUACH
• Application Number:
  US09/446,179
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 362/237, 362/241, 362/244, 362/245, 362/308, 362/309, 362/327, 362/329, 362/335, 362/336, 362/338, 362/800, 362/299
• US Class Current: 362/327
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/26 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/315 using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0091 using total internal reflection

Abstract

An optical attachment 10 for a light source, in particular for a light-emitting diode 12, exhibits an inner lens area 14 which surrounds an optical axis 13 of the optical attachment 10 for inner light beams 15 emitted from the light source and an outer reflector area 16 for outer light beams 17 of the light source which surrounds the inner lens area 14 in a ring-like manner. Due to this combination of refraction in the inner lens area and reflection in the outer reflector area, the dimensions of the optical attachment can be kept relatively small and, in comparison to a lens or a reflector, more light can be collected and the point-shaped light diode can be imaged on the exiting side as a large area light appearance.

Claims

1. An optical attachment for a light source, the light source having a focal point, the optical attachment having a center and an optical axis, the optical axis passing though the focal point and the center, the optical attachment comprising:

an azimuthally asymmetric inner lens for inner light beams emitted by the light source, said inner lens containing the center and surrounding the optical axis; and

an azimuthally asymmetric outer reflector for outer light beams from the light source, said outer reflector surrounding said inner lens in a ring-like manner, wherein said inner lens and said outer reflector are formed by mutually adjacent individual angular sectors distributed azimuthally about said optical axis with each angular sector having a substantially constant axial cross-section in a plane passing though said angular sector and containing the optical axis, wherein axial cross-sections of separate angular sectors differ by a scaling with respect to the focal point of the optical attachment in dependence on a radial extension of a respective angular sector.

2. The optical attachment of claim 1, wherein said outer reflector is directly adjacent to said inner lens.

3. The optical attachment of claim 1, wherein said inner lens is a focussing lens.

4. The optical attachment of claim 3, wherein said inner lens is a stepped Fresnel lens.

5. The optical attachment of claim 1, wherein inner peripheral walls of said outer reflector define an input opening in front of said inner lens, said input opening being open towards the light source, wherein said outer light beams are introduced into said outer reflector through said inner peripheral wall.

6. The optical attachment of claim 1, wherein said outer reflector comprises an outer peripheral area to reflect said outer light beams in a forward direction.

7. The optical attachment of claim 6, wherein said outer peripheral area extends radially from the optical axis in at least one of parabolic and in straight line segments.

8. The optical attachment of claim 1, wherein said outer reflector defines a central opening located on a light exiting side of the optical attachment adjacent said inner lens.

9. The optical attachment of claim 1, further comprising a middle cylinder proximate said inner lens and extending coaxially to the optical axis.

10. The optical attachment of claim 1, further comprising means defining a break light for a motor vehicle and further comprising additional light sources disposed next to the light source and next to each other, wherein the optical attachment is disposed in front of each additional light source.

11. The optical attachment of claim 1, wherein said outer reflector is directly adjacent to said inner lens, wherein said inner lens is a stepped Fresnel focussing lens, and with an input opening in front of said inner lens, said input opening being open towards the light source, wherein said outer light beams are introduced via an inner peripheral wall of said input opening and into said outer reflector and with an outer peripheral area of said outer reflector to reflect said outer light beams which are introduced into said outer reflector to a front, wherein said outer peripheral area of said outer reflector is one of parabolic and straight-line segment shaped with respect to the optical axis, and having a central opening located on a light exit side of the optical attachment and with a middle cylinder proximate in said inner lens and extending coaxially to the optical axis.