Reflective light coupler
First Claim
1. An optical system, comprising:
- a first reflecting coupler disposed generally along a reflector axis, and formed from a body having an aperture extending therethrough from a first side to a second side, an interior surface of the aperture being reflective, at least a first portion of the interior reflective surface conforming to a two-dimensional (2-D) surface and at least a second portion of the interior reflective surface conforming to a three-dimensional (3-D) surface, the 2-D surface extending at least partially between the first and second sides of the body;
a first light source disposed proximate the first side of the body so as to emit light into the aperture; and
a first optical fiber having an entrance face disposed proximate the second side of the body so as to receive light through the aperture from the first light source.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An illumination system has individual light emitting diodes (LEDs) that are optically coupled via reflective couplers to respective optical fibers. The respective optical fibers may then be bundled. The shape of the reflective coupler may be selected to increase the coupling efficiency between the LED and its optical fiber. The reflective coupler may be formed as an aperture through a sheet, having a first shape at the input side and a second shape, different form the first shape, at the second side. The reflective coupler may be formed as an aperture through a body, where at least a first portion of the interior surface of the aperture conforms to a two-dimensional (2-D) surface and at least a second portion of the interior surface conforms to a three-dimensional (3-D) surface.
145 Citations
32 Claims
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1. An optical system, comprising:
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a first reflecting coupler disposed generally along a reflector axis, and formed from a body having an aperture extending therethrough from a first side to a second side, an interior surface of the aperture being reflective, at least a first portion of the interior reflective surface conforming to a two-dimensional (2-D) surface and at least a second portion of the interior reflective surface conforming to a three-dimensional (3-D) surface, the 2-D surface extending at least partially between the first and second sides of the body; a first light source disposed proximate the first side of the body so as to emit light into the aperture; and a first optical fiber having an entrance face disposed proximate the second side of the body so as to receive light through the aperture from the first light source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A reflecting coupler, comprising:
a sheet of material having an aperture extending therethrough from a first surface of the sheet to a second surface of the sheet, a first aperture edge at the first surface of the sheet defining a first perimeter shape having a first number of sides and a second aperture edge at the second surface of the sheet defining a second perimeter shape having a second number of sides, the first number of sides being different from the second number of sides, the aperture having an interior reflective surface extending between the first and second aperture edges, wherein a first portion of the interior reflective surface conforms to a 2-D surface and a second portion of the interior reflective surface conforms to a 3-D surface. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 30)
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19. An optical system, comprising:
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a first reflecting coupler disposed generally along a reflector axis, and formed from a sheet of material having an aperture extending therethrough from a first surface of the sheet to a second surface of the sheet, a first aperture edge at the first side of the sheet defining a first perimeter shape having a first number of sides and a second aperture edge at the second side of the sheet defining a second perimeter shape having a second number of sides, the first number of sides being different from the second number of sides, the aperture having an interior reflective surface extending between the first and second aperture edges; a first light source disposed proximate the first aperture edge; and a first optical fiber having an entrance face disposed proximate the second aperture edge. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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- 25. A reflecting coupler comprising a body having an aperture extending therethrough from a first side to a second side, wherein an interior surface of the aperture is reflective, wherein a first portion of the interior reflective surface conforms to a two-dimensional (2-D) surface and a second portion of the interior reflective surface conforms to a three-dimensional (3-D) surface, wherein the 2-D surface is an aspheric cylinder, wherein the 2-D surface extends at least partially between the first and second sides of the body, and further wherein the first portion is disposed proximate the first side of the body and the second portion is disposed proximate the second side of the body.
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29. A reflecting coupler comprising a body having an aperture extending therethrough from a first side to a second side, wherein an interior surface of the aperture is reflective, wherein a first portion of the interior reflective surface conforms to a two-dimensional (2-D) surface and a second portion of the interior reflective surface conforms to a three-dimensional (3-D) surface, wherein the 2-D surface extends at least partially between the first and second sides of the body, wherein the first portion is disposed proximate the first side of the body and the second portion is disposed proximate the second side of the body, and further wherein the reflective surface conforms substantially to four aspherically cylindrical surfaces proximate the first side and a surface of revolution proximate the second side.
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31. An optical system, comprising:
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a reflecting coupler comprising a body having an aperture extending therethrough from a first side to a second side, wherein a reflector axis is defined longitudinally along the center of the aperture between the first and second sides, wherein an interior surface of the aperture is reflective, wherein a first portion of the interior reflective surface conforms to a two-dimensional (2-D) surface formed with respect to a 2-D surface axis that is non-coincident with the reflector axis, wherein a second portion of the interior reflective surface conforms to a three-dimensional (3-D) surface, wherein the 2-D surface extends at least partially between the first and second sides of the body, and further wherein the first portion is disposed proximate the first side of the body and the second portion is disposed proximate the second side of the body; and a light emitting diode LED disposed at the first side of the body to emit light into the aperture, the LED having a first emitting surface non-perpendicular to the reflector axis, the 2-D surface axis passing through the first emitting surface. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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Specification