Solid-state light source

• US 8,545,077 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2011
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Kazakevich, Yuri
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US13/099,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20110205751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 362/84, 362554-556, 362572-574, 600/101, 600/108, 600/160, 600/178, 600/179, 600/181, 600/182, 257/79, 257/81, 257/88, 385/54, 385/55, 374/131
• US Class Current: 362/574
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0607 for annular illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0638 providing two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0653 with wavelength conversion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0669 at proximal end of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/07 using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/61 using light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/69 Details of refractors forming part of the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/14 the elements being filters or photoluminescent elements, reflectors and refractors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 2200/30 of light guides doped with fluorescent agents
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0068 Medical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/007 Array of lenses or refractors for a cluster of light sources, e.g. for arrangement of multiple light sources in one plane combination of two or more refractors F21V5/008
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/048 the lens being a simple lens adapted to cooperate with a point-like source for emitting mainly in one direction and having an axis coincident with the main light transmission direction, e.g. convergent or divergent lenses, plano-concave or plano-convex lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0066 specially adapted to cooperate with point like light sources; specially adapted to cooperate with light sources the shape of which is unspecified F21V7/16 - F21V7/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/30 Elements containing photoluminescent material distinct from or spaced from the light source shades F21V1/17; globes, bowls or cover glasses F21V3/08, F21V3/12; refractors F21V5/10; reflectors F21V7/26, F21V7/30; elements with provision for controlling the spectral properties or intensity F21V9/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/20 Lighting for medical use
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/30 Semiconductor lasers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2469 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0006 Coupling light into the fibre in general G02B6/4298
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 : the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/04 : formed by bundles of fibres G02B6/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/241 : Light guide terminations
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2808 : using a mixing element which evenly distributes an input signal over a number of outputs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/40 : having fibre bundle mating means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/403 : of the ferrule type, connecting a pair of ferrules
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4202 : for coupling an active element with fibres without intermediate optical elements, e.g. fibres with plane ends, fibres with shaped ends, bundles
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4206 : Optical features G02B6/4207, G02B6/421 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4212 : the intermediate optical element being a coupling medium interposed therebetween, e.g. epoxy resin, refractive index matching material, index grease, matching liquid or gel
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4214 : the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device G02B6/4246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4248 : Feed-through connections for the hermetical passage of fibres through a package wall see provisionally also G02B6/4428
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4249 : comprising arrays of active devices and fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4298 : coupling with non-coherent light sources and/or radiation detectors, e.g. lamps, incandescent bulbs, scintillation chambers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 : Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details

Abstract

A solid-state light source includes a semiconductor light source for emitting light and an optical system having a fiber optic element. The fiber optic element has an input for receiving emitted light from the semiconductor light source. The fiber optic element also has an output for emitting light received from the solid-state light source. The semiconductor light source and the fiber optic element in aggregate form an illumination path.

Claims

1. A solid-state light source for providing light, the solid-state light source comprising:

two or more semiconductor light sources for emitting light;

a fiber optic element comprising two or more fiber optic bundles having inputs for receiving emitted light from the two or more semiconductor light sources and outputs for the emitting light through a distal end of the fiber optic element, the two or more semiconductor light sources, and the fiber optic element in aggregate providing an illumination path;

a phosphor layer located along the illumination path, beyond the two or more semiconductor light sources, the phosphor layer configured to convert the light generated from the two or more semiconductor light sources to white light; and

a separate encasement around each semiconductor light source and the input of one of the fiber optic bundles, wherein each encasement, semiconductor light source, and input of one of the fiber optic bundles are arranged such that light emitted from the semiconductor light source travels into the input of the fiber optic line,

wherein the two or more fiber optic bundles are configured such that a separation distance between each fiber optic bundle is greater at the inputs than a separation distance between each fiber optic bundle at the outputs, and

wherein the phosphor layer is located outside of each of the separate encasements.

2. The solid-state light source of claim 1, further comprising a semi-transparent medium located within each of the encasements, wherein the semi-transparent medium has a refractive index that is greater than a refractive index of air.

3. The solid-state light source of claim 2, wherein each encasement includes a reflector cup and the corresponding semiconductor light is positioned on top of the reflector cup.

4. The solid-state light source of claim 1, wherein the phosphor layer is located distally from the inputs of the fiber optic bundles.

5. A solid-state light source for providing light, the solid-state light source comprising:

two or more semiconductor light sources for emitting light;

a fiber optic element comprising two or more fiber optic bundles having inputs for receiving emitted light from the two or more semiconductor light sources and outputs for the emitting light through a distal end of the fiber optic element, the two or more semiconductor light sources, and the fiber optic element in aggregate providing an illumination path;

a phosphor layer located along the illumination path, beyond the two or more semiconductor light sources, the phosphor layer configured to convert the light generated from the two or more semiconductor light sources to white light,

a separate encasement around each semiconductor light source and the input of one of the fiber optic bundles, wherein each encasement, semiconductor light source, and input of one of the fiber optic bundles are arranged such that light emitted from the semiconductor light source travels into the input of the fiber optic line, and

wherein the phosphor layer is located outside of each of the separate encasements.

6. The solid-state light source of claim 5, further comprising a semi-transparent medium located within each of the encasements, wherein the semi-transparent medium has a refractive index that is greater than a refractive index of air.

7. The solid-state light source of claim 5, wherein each encasement includes a reflector cup and the corresponding semiconductor light is positioned on top of the reflector cup.

8. The solid-state light source of claim 5, wherein the phosphor layer is located distally from the inputs of the fiber optic bundles.

9. The solid-state light source of claim 5, wherein the fiber optic bundles are bound together at the distal end of the fiber optic element to form an output that is configured to emit light in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fiber optic bundles, wherein the phosphor layer is formed at the output such that the emitted light passes through the phosphor layer.

10. The solid-state light source of claim 5, wherein the two or more semiconductor light sources include two or more light emitting diodes (LEDs), wherein the two or more LEDs are configured to emit blue light, and wherein the light from the phosphor layer results from an overlap of the blue light with red and green light generated by the phosphor layer.

11. The solid-state light source of claim 5, further comprising two or more reflector cups, wherein each of the semiconductor light sources are positioned on top of at least one of the reflector cups.

12. The solid-state light source of claim 5, wherein the solid-state light source is configured to be connected to a proximal end of an endoscope including a shaft, and the fiber optic element is configured to extend through the shaft to a distal end of the endoscope.

13. The solid-state light source of claim 5, further comprising:

a series of lenses extending between the semiconductor light sources and the fiber optic element, and

wherein the series of lens comprises an array of lenses followed by a focusing lens, wherein the array of lenses is formed in a circular-shaped, two-dimensional array of lenses,

wherein each lens in the array of lenses is positioned to collimate the light emitted from a respective semiconductor light source in the two or more semiconductor light sources, and

wherein the focusing lens is configured to receive the collimated light from the array of lenses and focus the collimated light onto the light guide.