Optic system for light guide with controlled output
First Claim
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1. A light guide system, comprising:
- a light guide comprising a first major surface and a second major surface, wherein light travels along the light guide by total internal reflection at the major surfaces; and
light extracting and reflecting elements, each comprising;
a concave reflector facing the first major surface of the light guide to reflect light extracted from the light guide back through the light guide such that the light exits the light guide through the second major surface with a predetermined direction and pattern, the reflector being optically isolated from the light guide, anda light extracting optical element at the first major surface of the light guide to selectively extract the light from the light guide towards the reflector, the light extracting optical element having a smaller lateral extent than the reflector in a plane parallel to the first major surface of the light guide.
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Abstract
A light guide with optics accurately controls the light exiting the guide. The device achieves accurate control of the reflected light by extracting light from a limited area of the light guide. The configuration of the reflectors used for the selective extraction determines the nature of the output light. The reflectors are preferably located on a side of the light guide opposite to an output side of the light guide.
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31 Claims
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1. A light guide system, comprising:
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a light guide comprising a first major surface and a second major surface, wherein light travels along the light guide by total internal reflection at the major surfaces; and light extracting and reflecting elements, each comprising; a concave reflector facing the first major surface of the light guide to reflect light extracted from the light guide back through the light guide such that the light exits the light guide through the second major surface with a predetermined direction and pattern, the reflector being optically isolated from the light guide, and a light extracting optical element at the first major surface of the light guide to selectively extract the light from the light guide towards the reflector, the light extracting optical element having a smaller lateral extent than the reflector in a plane parallel to the first major surface of the light guide. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification