Focusing lens system

• US 8,371,710 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2010
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coast Cutlery Co.
• Original Assignee: Coast Cutlery Co.
• Inventors: Gupta, Anurag, Windom, Gregory David, Dukelow, Owen W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Application Number:
  US12/960,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20110080736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 362/187, 362/326, 362/800, 359/387, 359/392
• US Class Current: 362/188
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/005 the device being a pocket lamp F21L4/022, F21L4/045, F21L4/085 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/06 by movement of refractors in vehicle head lamps F21S41/635
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/065 in portable lighting devices
• 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 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 19/0061 the light source comprising a LED semiconductor devices with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier specially adapted for light emission H01L33/00

Abstract

A lens for a flashlight or other lighting unit provides for focusing light from a source, such as an LED, to provide a light beam adjustable between a spot beam and a wide beam. The lens includes a lens body with a front face, a rear LED-receiving well, and a side surface extending between the front face and the rear well. The front face includes a central surface surrounded by an annular concave surface. The rear well includes a space for the LED to be adjusted in position. The rear well space is defined by a concavely-curved sidewall and a concavely-curved base. The concave curvature of the sidewall and base may be Bezier curves.

Claims

1. A lens system, comprising:

a housing including a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is configured to move relative to the second portion;

a lens coupled to the second portion, wherein the lens includes an annular surface and a void sidewall that define, in cross-section, concave curves; and

a light source coupled to the first portion, wherein the light source is configured to interact with the lens to provide a light beam.

2. The lens system of claim 1, wherein the lens further includes a void base, the void sidewall and the void base defining a void configured to receive the light source.

3. The lens system of claim 2, wherein the void base defines, in cross-section, a flat surface.

4. The lens system of claim 2, wherein the void base includes a convex focusing element that has a diameter less than a diameter of the void base.

5. The lens system of claim 4, wherein the convex focusing element is disposed coaxially with the light source.

6. The lens system of claim 1 wherein the annular surface is disposed on a front facing portion of the lens, and the front facing portion of the lens further includes a convex central surface.

7. The lens system of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes an adjustment element configured to move the first portion relative to the second portion.

8. The lens system of claim 1, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode (LED), and wherein the LED and the lens are configured to produce a diode image.

9. The lens system of claim 1, wherein the lens defines an optical axis and the first portion is configured to move about 5 millimeters along the optical axis relative to the second portion.

10. The lens system of claim 1, wherein the concave curve of the void sidewall is substantially arcuate with a radius of about 38 millimeters.

11. A lens, comprising:

a front face having a convex central surface disposed coaxially with an annular surface, wherein the annular surface defines, in cross-section, a concave curve; and

a rear face having a light emitting diode (LED) receiving well, wherein the LED receiving well is defined by a well base and a well sidewall, and wherein the well sidewall defines, in cross-section, a concave curve.

12. The lens of claim 11, wherein the well base defines, in cross-section, a flat surface.

13. The lens of claim 11, wherein the well base includes a convex focusing element, wherein the convex focusing element has a diameter that is less than a diameter of the well base.

14. The lens of claim 13, wherein the convex focusing element is disposed coaxially with the well base.

15. The lens of claim 13, wherein an area of the well base between the sidewall and convex focusing element is substantially flat.

16. The lens of claim 11, further comprising a side surface interconnecting the front face and the rear face, wherein the side surface defines, in cross-section, an elliptical curve.

17. The lens of claim 11, wherein the annular surface forms a front rim that extends farther than the convex central surface.

18. The lens of claim 11, wherein the concave curve of the annular surface is a Bezier curve.

19. The lens of claim 11, wherein the concave curve of the well sidewall is a Bezier curve.

20. The lens of claim 18, wherein the LED receiving well includes a rim defining a reference line, and further wherein the Bezier curve of the well sidewall defines a first angle adjacent the base of the LED receiving well of about 74°

relative to the reference line and a second angle adjacent the rim of about 90°

relative to the reference line.