Light emitting medium and illumination system

• US 7,213,934 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2004
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brandon Jonathan Zarian, James Rouben Zarian
• Original Assignee: Brandon Jonathan Zarian, James Rouben Zarian
• Inventors: Zarian, James Rouben, Zarian, Brandon Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi; Ali
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sawhney; Hargobind S.
• Application Number:
  US10/984,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20060098422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 362/556, 362/582, 362/101, 385/125
• US Class Current: 362/101
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• 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 6/02033 Core or cladding made from organic material, e.g. polymeric material G02B1/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/032 with non solid core or cladding G02B6/02295 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4202 for coupling an active element with fibres without intermediate optical elements, e.g. fibres with plane ends, fibres with shaped ends, bundles

Abstract

The present invention relates to a light emitting medium which includes a container and a liquid core. In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, the liquid core includes an aqueous solution or mixture of a water-soluble polymer. The refractive indices of the liquid core and that of the container may be different. However, the aqueous solution or mixture may have a lower or higher refractive index than that of the container. The mixture may be completely transparent or translucent and have a color other than clear. The container may be of any material that is translucent or transparent and be of any color.

The raw materials for the light emitting medium in accordance with the present invention are less costly than known light guides and offer numerous advantages when compared to other illumination light guides. Water advantageously is a major raw material of the present invention. The water-soluble polymer component may be used in relatively minute amounts. For example, a liquid core in accordance with the present invention can be formed from up to 99.9% water and 0.01% water-soluble polymers, although higher amounts of water-soluble polymer may result in better characteristics. The container material may be formed from typically available polymers, such as polyvinyl chloride, acrylics and methacrylics or polyolefins and be formed by commonly known processes, such as extrusion, blow-molding and injection molding.

In one embodiment of the invention, the light emitting medium in accordance with the present invention is combined with at least one light emitting diode (LED), a power source and a switching device to form a self contained illumination device. In another embodiment of the invention, images are formed on the container in different colors. Multiple LEDs of various wavelengths are selectively illuminated to simulate motion of the images.

Claims

1. A light emitting medium comprising:

a container which acts as a cladding;

a core disposed within said container, said core formed from a mixture of a water soluble polymer;

at least one light source which includes a plurality of LEDs, wherein the viewing angles of said plurality of LEDs is different.