Illumination device for simulation of neon lighting

• US 6,592,238 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2001
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Luminii Purchaser, LLC
• Original Assignee: Light Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Hulse, George R., Eriksson, Eric Olav, Cleaver, Mark Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US09/982,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20020191386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 362/235, 362/249, 362/252, 362/800, 362/219, 362/240, 362/267
• US Class Current: 362/246
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/26 of rope form, e.g. LED lighting ropes, or of tubular form
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/036 by means of a rigid support, e.g. bracket or arm
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/013 the housing being an extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0407 for flashing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/04 Provision of filling media
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/00 Refractors for light sources characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/504
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0001 specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0021 for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0065 Manufacturing aspects; Material aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0073 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

An illumination device for simulating neon lighting comprising a plurality of space point light sources positioned adjacent a lateral light receiving surface of a substantially rod-like waveguide. The waveguide is made of a material that preferentially scatters light entering the light receiving surface such that the light intensity pattern exiting a lateral light emitting surface of the waveguide has a substantially uniform light intensity pattern.

Claims

1. A method of making an illumination device capable of simulating neon lighting, comprising the steps of:

forming an essentially solid rod with a predetermined length and a pair of lateral surfaces from material having optical waveguide and light scattering properties such that light entering a first of said lateral surfaces is caused to form an essentially elliptically shaped light intensity pattern that has a major axis in a direction substantially parallel to said predetermined length;

placing a housing having a pair of spaced walls defining a volume in connected relationship with said first lateral surface;

bending said rod and said housing into a desired shape;

positioning a plurality of spaced point light sources connected to a flexible electrical connecting member within said volume between said side walls; and

essentially filling said volume with a potting material transmitting light.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said rod and housing are formed as an integral unit.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said side walls have interior surfaces that are light reflecting.

4. The method of claim 1 in which said point light sources are LEDs.

5. The method of claim 4 in which said LEDs have transparent housings and said potting compound has an index of refraction essentially matching an index of refraction of said transparent housings.

6. The method of claim 4 in which said LEDs have tinted housings.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said side wails have exterior surfaces that are light absorbing.

8. An illumination device for simulating neon lighting, comprising:

a substantially rod-like member having a predetermined length with a lateral light receiving surface and a lateral curved light emitting surface having a predetermined circumferential width, said member being comprised of a material that has both optical waveguide and light scattering properties tat preferentially scatters light entering said light receiving surface into an elongated light intensity pattern on said light emitting surface with a major axis extending along said predetermined length;

an elongated light source extending along and positioned adjacent said light receiving surface and spaced from said light emitting surface a sufficient distance to allow said light intensity pattern on said emitting surface to have a minor axis extending substantially the entire circumferential width of said light emitting surface;

a housing in which said light source is positioned, said housing extending along said light receiving surface and having a pair of side walls, each with an interior light reflecting surface and an exterior light absorbing surface; and

an electric connecting member positioned within said housing and adapted to connect said light source to a remote power source.

9. The illumination device of claim 8 in which said elongated light source is a multiplicity of spaced point light sources arranged in a line extending substantially along said light receiving surface.

10. The illumination device of claim 9 in which said point light sources are light emitting diodes.

11. The illumination device of claim 10 in which said light emitting diodes have an oval shape with a major axis extending in a direction along said line.

12. The illumination device of claim 10 wherein the light emitting diodes have housings aligned in an essentially upright position wit an apex of each housing juxtaposed to said light receiving surface of said waveguide.

13. The illumination device of claim 10 wherein the light emitting diodes have housings tilted with respect to the length of the waveguide.

14. The illumination device of claim 10 wherein the light emitting diodes have housings arranged in an inverted positions with respect to said light receiving surface.

15. The illumination device of claim 8 in which said housing comprises a flexible material, and said electrical connecting member is sufficiently flexible so as to be bent to conform to any non-linear shape Conned by said housing.

16. The illumination device of claim 15 in which said electric connecting member is a flexible ribbon.

17. The illumination device of claim 8 including a light transmitting material filling an interior space of said housing to maintain positioning of said light source and electric connecting member within said housing.

18. The illumination device of claim 17 in which said light transmitting material is transparent.

19. The illumination device of claim 17 in which said light transmitting material has light scattering characteristics.

20. The illumination device of claim 17 which said light source is comprised of a plurality of light emitting diodes, and said light transmitting material has an index of refraction essentially matching the index of refraction of said light emitting diodes.

21. The illumination device of claim 17 in which said light transmitting material forms a bottom wall extending along the length of said housing, said bottom wall having a light reflecting bottom surface for reflecting light incident thereon into said waveguide.

22. The illumination device of claim 17 in which said light transmitting material is a heat conductor.

23. The illumination device of claim 9 including a light transmitting spacer member positioned between said light source and said light receiving surface and in an substantially abutting relationship wit said light source.

24. The illumination device of claim 8 in which said waveguide and said housing are integral and comprised of an impact resistant material.

25. An illumination device for simulating neon lighting, comprising:

a light transmitting member of a predetermined length having a substantially curved front surface and a light receiving lateral surface, said member being comprised of a material tat has both optical waveguide and light scattering properties that preferentially scatters light entering said light receiving surface into an elongated light intensity pattern on said light emitting surface with a major axis extending along said predetermined length;

a housing having spaced side walls abutting said light receiving lateral surface and defining a volume extending along said predetermined length of said light transmitting member, said side walls having light reflecting interior surfaces and a light absorbing exterior surfaces; and

a multiplicity of spaced point light sources housed within said volume and extending along said predetermined length, said spaced point light sources positioned a distance from said curved front surface sufficient to allow a light intensity pattern from each of said point light sources to overlap neighboring light intensity patterns so that the light intensity pattern collectively emitted from said front surface appears uniform.

26. The illumination device of claim 25 in which the interior of said surfaces of said side walls are covered with a light reflecting material and exterior surfaces are covered with a light absorbing material.

27. The illumination device of claim 25 including a spacer member made of transparent material positioned and filling a portion of the volume between said point light sources and said member.

28. The illumination device of claim 27 including a spacer member made of transparent material positioned and filling a portion of the volume between said point light sources and said member.

29. The illumination device of claim 25 in which said point light sources are LEDs.

30. The illumination device of claim 29 in which said electrical member is connected to a processor programmed to cause said LEDs to flash independently.

31. The illumination device of claim 30 in which the LEDs flash in a timed sequence.

32. The illumination device of claim 30 in which said LEDs are flashed in successive groups along the length of the first string thereby simulating movement.

33. The illumination device of claim 32 in which said LEDs of said first string are alternatively positioned along the length of said housing with said LEDs of said second string.

34. The illumination device of claim 27 including a multiplicity of LEDs mounted in a second string positioned within said volume and extending in the direction of elongation of said housing, said second string connected with said electrical member so as to be independently energized.

35. The illumination device of claim 34 in which said LEDs of said first string emit a different color of light from the LEDs of said second string.