Light assembly for flashlights

• US 8,033,690 B1
• Filed: 11/05/2008
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SureFire LLC (Surefire Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: SureFire LLC (Surefire Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Bortz, John C., Shatz, Narkis E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar; Stephen F
• Application Number:
  US12/290,930
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 362/555, 362/551, 362/29, 362/30, 362/308, 362/309, 362/311.02, 362/317, 362/296.1, 362/326, 362/184
• US Class Current: 362/309
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/005 the device being a pocket lamp F21L4/022, F21L4/045, F21L4/085 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/027 the light sources being a LED
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/006 applied to portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0091 using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/17 forming a single encapsulated light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0028 refractive and reflective surfaces, e.g. non-imaging catadioptric systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0066 in the form of an LED array
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/009 for use with infrared radiation

Abstract

A nonimaging light assembly for flashlights, including a light source and a lens symmetrical about an optical axis for receiving light from the light source and producing therefrom a light beam having concentrated and divergent components resulting in a high intensity core beam surrounded by a smoothly transitioning lower intensity surround beam. In a preferred embodiment utilizing a light emitting diode as the light source, the combined light beam produced by the light assembly has a substantially circular cross section. In a preferred embodiment including a hybrid LED light source having a white-light die and an infrared die, a lens optimized with the white-light die produces a satisfactory IR beam having concentrated and divergent components when used with the IR die.

Claims

1. A nonimaging light assembly, comprising:

a light source; and

a lens symmetrical about an optical axis, including

a first rear surface intersecting said optical axis for receiving a first portion of light emanating from said light source positioned along said optical axis,

a second rear surface extending about said first rear surface for receiving a second portion of light emanating from said light source,

a side surface for total-internally reflecting and substantially collimating light received by said second rear surface, and

a front surface for exiting light reflected from said side surface and light received by said first rear surface;

said lens having an axisymmetric profile substantially described by sample points thereon defined by x,y-coordinate pairs set forth in FIGS. 8a and 8b, incorporated herein by reference, where x represents position along an x-coordinate along said optical axis referenced from said front surface and y represents position along a y-coordinate radially from said optical axis, for exiting at said front surface a composite light beam comprising a first light component diverging from said optical axis produced from light received by said first rear surface combined with a concentrated substantially collimated second light component resulting in a core beam surrounded by a smoothly transitioning lower intensity surround beam.

2. The light assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

the distance between said light source and said first rear surface is selected for allocating to said first rear surface approximately one-third of the light received by said lens from said light source.

3. The light assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

said light source comprises a light emitting diode; and

said composite light beam exiting said front surface has a substantially circular cross-section.

4. The light assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

said light source has an approximately square configuration substantially perpendicular to said optical axis; and

said composite light beam exiting said front surface has a substantially circular cross-section.

5. The light assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

said x-coordinate and said y-coordinate are dimensioned in millimeters.

6. The light assembly according to claim 5, wherein:

the distance between said light source and said first rear surface is approximately 3.5 millimeters.

7. The light assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

said light source comprises a hybrid light emitting diode source including a first die and a second die, said axisymmetric profile of said lens optimized for use with said first die positioned on said optical axis, said light source adapted for replacing said first die with said second die on said optical axis.

8. The light assembly according to claim 7, wherein:

said first die is a white-light die.

9. The light assembly according to claim 8, wherein:

said second die is an infrared die.

10. A nonimaging light assembly, comprising:

a light source; and

a lens symmetrical about an optical axis, including

a substantially circular first rear surface intersecting said optical axis for receiving a first portion of light emanating from said light source positioned along said optical axis,

a second rear surface extending about said first rear surface for receiving a second portion of light emanating from said light source, said second rear surface having an axisymmetric profile substantially described by sample points thereon defined by x,y-coordinate pairs set forth in FIG. 9, incorporated herein by reference, where x represents position along an x-coordinate along said optical axis referenced from a substantially flat front surface and y represents position along a y-coordinate radially from said optical axis,

a side surface having an axisymmetric profile for total-internally reflecting and substantially collimating light received by said second rear surface, and

said substantially flat front surface for exiting light reflected from said side surface and light received by said first rear surface;

the diameter of said first rear surface, said axisymmetric profile of said second rear surface, and said axisymmetric profile of said side surface being related for exiting at said front surface a composite light beam comprising a first light component diverging from said optical axis produced from light received by said first rear surface combined with a concentrated substantially collimated second light component resulting in a core beam surrounded by a smoothly transitioning lower intensity surround beam.

11. The light assembly according to claim 10, wherein:

said diameter of said first rear surface is selected for receiving approximately one-third of the light received by said lens from said light source.

12. The light assembly according to claim 10, wherein:

said light source comprises a hybrid light emitting diode source including a first die and a second die, said lens optimized for use with said first die positioned on said optical axis, said light source adapted for replacing said first die with said second die on said optical axis.

13. The light assembly according to claim 12, wherein:

said first die is a white-light die.

14. The light assembly according to claim 13, wherein:

said second die is an infrared die.

15. The light assembly according to claim 10, wherein:

said first rear surface comprises a refractive surface substantially perpendicular to said optical axis;

said front surface comprises a refractive surface substantially perpendicular to said optical axis;

said second rear surface comprises an aspheric refractive surface; and

said side surface comprises an aspheric total-internal reflective surface, said axisymmetric profile of said side surface substantially described by sample points thereon defined by x,y-coordinate pairs set forth in FIG. 10, incorporated herein by reference, where x represents position along an x-coordinate along said optical axis referenced from said front surface and y represents position along a y-coordinate radially from said optical axis.

16. The light assembly according to claim 15, wherein:

said x-coordinate and said y-coordinate are dimensioned in millimeters.

17. The light assembly according to claim 15, wherein:

said first rear surface is substantially flat.

18. A nonimaging light assembly, comprising:

a light source; and

a lens symmetrical about an optical axis, including

a substantially circular first rear surface intersecting said optical axis for receiving a first portion of light emanating from said light source positioned along said optical axis,

a second rear surface extending about said first rear surface and having an axisymmetric profile for receiving a second portion of light emanating from said light source,

a side surface for total-internally reflecting and substantially collimating light received by said second rear surface, said side surface having an axisymmetric profile substantially described by sample points thereon defined by x,y-coordinate pairs set forth in FIG. 10, incorporated herein by reference, where x represents position along an x-coordinate along said optical axis referenced from a substantially flat front surface and y represents position along a y-coordinate radially from said optical axis,

said substantially flat front surface for exiting light reflected from said side surface and light received by said first rear surface;

the diameter of said first rear surface, said axisymmetric profile of said second rear surface, and said axisymmetric profile of said side surface being related for exiting at said front surface a composite light beam comprising a first light component diverging from said optical axis produced from light received by said first rear surface combined with a concentrated substantially collimated second light component resulting in a core beam surrounded by a smoothly transitioning lower intensity surround beam.

19. The light assembly according to claim 18, wherein:

said diameter of said first rear surface is selected for receiving approximately one-third of the light received by said lens from said light source.

20. The light assembly according to claim 18, wherein:

said x-coordinate and said y-coordinate are dimensioned in millimeters.

21. The light assembly according to claim 18, wherein:

said light source comprises a hybrid light emitting diode source including a first die and a second die, said lens optimized for use with said first die positioned on said optical axis, said light source adapted for replacing said first die with said second die on said optical axis.

22. The light assembly according to claim 18, wherein:

said first die is a white-light die.

23. The light assembly according to claim 22, wherein:

said second die is an infrared die.