Optical device for repositioning and redistributing an LED's light
First Claim
1. An optical device for spatially displacing and redistributing a radiant output of a light emitter that emits a substantially hemispherical emission of light, the optical device comprising:
- a lower transfer section having a transfer section top end and a transfer section bottom end; and
an upper ejector section disposed upon the transfer section top end,wherein at least a portion of each of the upper ejector section and the lower transfer section is constructed of a transparent dielectric,wherein the light emitter is disposed at the transfer section bottom end,wherein the lower transfer section is adapted to transmit the light emitted by the light emitter substantially via total internal reflection to form a reconstituted emission of light directed into the upper ejector section, andwherein the upper ejector section is adapted to redistribute the reconstituted emission of light into a solid angle of external directions.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optical device is for spatially displacing the output of a light-emitting diode (LED) and coupling the output to a predominantly spherical emission pattern produced at a useftul height above the LED. The device is made of a transparent dielectric material, such as an injection-molded plastic. It comprises a lower transfer section that receives the LED'"'"'s light from below and an upper ejector section that receives the transferred light and spreads it spherically. One or more LEDs. are optically coupled to the bottom of the transfer section, which operates by total internal reflection upon their entire hemispherical emission. One embodiment operates as a flashlight-bulb substitute with the ejector section radiating onto a parabolic reflector, which forms the beam. Thus hemisphencally emitting LEDs can be used in parabolic-mirror flashlights wherein these LEDs by themselves may be unsuitable for that role.
329 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An optical device for spatially displacing and redistributing a radiant output of a light emitter that emits a substantially hemispherical emission of light, the optical device comprising:
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a lower transfer section having a transfer section top end and a transfer section bottom end; and an upper ejector section disposed upon the transfer section top end, wherein at least a portion of each of the upper ejector section and the lower transfer section is constructed of a transparent dielectric, wherein the light emitter is disposed at the transfer section bottom end, wherein the lower transfer section is adapted to transmit the light emitted by the light emitter substantially via total internal reflection to form a reconstituted emission of light directed into the upper ejector section, and wherein the upper ejector section is adapted to redistribute the reconstituted emission of light into a solid angle of external directions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An optical device for distributing a radiant output of a light emitter, comprising:
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an expander section; and a cylindrical ejector section having an ejector section diameter; wherein said expander section is constructed of a substantially transparent material and operable for receiving said radiant output and spatially widening said radiant output while narrowing said radiant output least down to an angular range corresponding to the ejector section diameter substantially via total internal reflection; and wherein said cylindrical ejector section is coupled to said expander section and constructed of substantially transparent material and operable for receiving and ejecting said angularly narrowed radiant output via a graded sub-wavelength surface roughness of the cylindrical ejector section. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. An optical device for spatially displacing and redistributing a radiant output of a light emitter adapted for the substantially hemispherical emission of light, the optical device comprising:
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a lower transfer section having a transfer section top end and a transfer section bottom end; and an upper ejector section disposed upon the transfer section top end, wherein the lower transfer section further comprises a lower minor section with an expanding profile and an upper dielectric section with a contracting profile, wherein at least a portion of the upper dielectric section and at least a portion of the upper ejector section are constructed of a transparent dielectric, wherein the light emitter is disposed at the transfer section bottom end, wherein the lower transfer section is adapted to reconstitute the light emitted from the light emitter into the upper ejector section, and wherein the upper ejector section is adapted to redistribute the reconstituted light into a substantially solid angle of external directions. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification