Etendue-squeezing illumination optics

• US 7,347,599 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2005
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Light Prescriptions Innovators, LLC
• Original Assignee: Light Prescriptions Innovators, LLC
• Inventors: Miñano, Juan C., Falicoff, Waqidi, Parkyn, William A., Benitez, Pablo, Sun, Yupin, Alvarez, Roberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi; Jacob Y.
• Application Number:
  US11/040,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20050129358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 362/487, 362/507, 362/509, 362/511, 362/521, 362/543, 362/545, 362/547, 362/549, 362/800, 362/555, 362/310, 362/268, 362/297, 362/311, 362/339, 362/307, 362/317
• US Class Current: 362/511
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/00 Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps reversing lights F21S43/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/141 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/145 the main emission direction of the LED being opposite to the main emission direction of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/148 the main emission direction of the LED being perpendicular to the optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/151 arranged in one or more lines
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/176 Light sources where the light is generated by photoluminescent material spaced from a primary light generating element
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/24 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/285 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S41/24-F21S41/28
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/321 the reflector being a surface of revolution or a planar surface, e.g. truncated
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/322 the reflector using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/334 the reflector consisting of patch like sectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/336 with discontinuity at the junction between adjacent areas
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/365 successively reflecting the light
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/47 Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0025 Combination of two or more reflectors for a single light source array of reflectors for a cluster of light sources F21V7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0091 using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/04 Optical design
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2102/135 the light having cut-off lines, i.e. clear borderlines between emitted regions and dark regions
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2102/30 Fog lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2101/00 : Point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 : Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0006 : Arrays G02B3/02, G02B5/188 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0037 : characterized by the distribution or form of lenses

Abstract

In some embodiments, an apparatus for use generating illumination is provided that comprises a reflective base, a first light source positioned proximate the reflective base, and a reimaging reflector positioned partially about the first light source, where a percentage of light emitted from the first light source is reflected from the reimaging reflector to the reflective base adjacent the first light source establishing a first real image. The reimaging reflector can further comprise a first sector of a first ellipsoid and a second sector of a second ellipsoid, where the first and second sectors establish the first and a second real image. Further embodiments provide a lens that includes a reimaging reflector that receives light and reflects the light establishing a first real image. The reimaging reflector can further comprise a plurality of sectors that reflect light to establish first and second real images.

Claims

1. A vehicle headlight comprising at least one headlight unit, said at least one headlight unit including an optical structure, said at least one headlight unit further including a plurality of spaced apart primary optic lenses optically coupled to a front face of the optical structure, said at least one headlight unit further including a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) assemblies, where a single LED assembly is provided for each lens, wherein each LED assembly emits a beam of light that is focused and directed by the primary optic lenses and is collected and directed by the optical structure to be emitted from the front face of the optical structure as a single beam of light, wherein each LED assembly in the plurality of LED assemblies provides a portion of the intensity of the entire light pattern.

2. The headlight according to claim 1 wherein each of the primary optic lenses is an elongated lens including a head portion and a body portion.

3. The headlight according to claim 2 wherein each elongated lens is molded to the LED assembly so that the head portion is positioned directly over the LED assembly.

4. The headlight according to claim 2 wherein each elongated lens includes a shoulder separating the head portion and the body portion.

5. The headlight according to claim 1 wherein each primary optic lens is in contact with the LED assembly so that there is not an air gap between the lens and the LED assembly.

6. The headlight according to claim 1 wherein each primary optic lens is an injection molded lens.

7. The headlight according to claim 1 wherein each primary optic lens includes a reflective metallic surface.

8. The headlight according to claim 7 wherein the reflective metallic surface is formed to the lens when the lens is molded.

9. The headlight according to claim 1 wherein at least one primary optic lens is an injection molded dome.

10. The headlight according to claim 1 wherein the optical structure includes a phosphor material for converting light from the LED assembly to white light.

11. The headlight according to claim 1 wherein each lens directs part of the light received from the LED assembly back to the LED assembly to be reflected therefrom as a virtual image.

12. The headlight according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of LED assemblies and lenses is six lenses and six LED assemblies.

13. The headlight according to claim 1 wherein each LED assembly includes an LED semiconductor chip that emits blue light and phosphors that convert the blue light to white light.

14. The headlight according to claim 13 wherein a light beam cutoff pattern of the LED assembly is formed by the phosphors.

15. The headlight according to claim 1 wherein each LED assembly includes an LED semiconductor chip that is a rectangular chip.

16. The headlight according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of LED assemblies is mounted to a common carrier.

17. The headlight according to claim 16 wherein the carrier includes a heat sink.

18. A vehicle headlight comprising at least one headlight unit, said at least one headlight unit including an optical prism and a plurality of spaced apart molded elongated lenses optically coupled to a front face of the prism, each elongated lens including a head portion and a body portion, said at least one headlight unit further including a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) assemblies, where a single LED assembly is provided for each lens, said LED assembly including a base substrate, wherein each LED assembly emits a beam of light that is focused and directed by the elongated lens and is collected and directed by the prism to be emitted from the front face of the prism as a single beam of light.

19. The headlight according to claim 18 wherein each molded lens is an injection molded lens.

20. The headlight according to claim 18 wherein each molded lens is in contact with the LED assembly so that there is not an air gap between the lens and the LED semiconductor chip.

21. The headlight according to claim 18 wherein each elongated lens is molded to the base substrate and completely encapsulates a submount substrate and the LED assembly.

22. The headlight according to claim 18 wherein the head portion of each lens includes a reflective metallic surface.

23. The headlight according to claim 22 wherein the reflective metallic surface is formed on each lens when each lens is molded.

24. The headlight according to claim 18 wherein each lens includes a shoulder separating the head portion and the body portion.

25. The headlight according to claim 18 wherein each lens directs part of the light received from the LED assembly back to the LED assembly to be reflected therefrom as a virtual image.

26. The headlight according to claim 25 wherein the light directed back to the LED assembly is reflected off of a surface of a submount substrate.

27. The headlight according to claim 26 wherein the surface of the submount substrate includes a metalized reflective layer.

28. The headlight according to claim 18 wherein each LED assembly further includes phosphors deposited over the LED semiconductor chip, said LED semiconductor chip emitting blue light and said phosphors converting the blue light to white light.

29. The headlight according to claim 18 wherein the LED semiconductor chip is a rectangular chip.

30. The headlight according to claim 18 wherein the plurality of LED assemblies provide a predetermined light pattern, and wherein each LED assembly in the plurality of LED assemblies provides a portion of the intensity of the entire light pattern.

31. The headlight according to claim 18 wherein all of the LED assemblies are mounted to a common carrier.

32. The headlight according to claim 31 wherein the carrier includes a heat sink.