Light guide illumination device with light divergence modifier
First Claim
1. An illumination device comprising:
- a plurality of light-emitting elements (LEEs), wherein the LEEs are LEDs that emit white light;
a light guide having a pair of opposing surfaces extending in a forward direction from a first end of the light guide to a second end of the light guide, the light guide being positioned to receive at the first end light emitted by the LEEs and configured to guide the light to the second end, wherein divergence of the light received at the first end and divergence of the guided light that reaches the second end are substantially the same;
a light divergence modifier tapered such that an input aperture of the light divergence modifier is larger than an output aperture of the light divergence modifier, the input aperture of the light divergence modifier being optically coupled to the second end of the light guide to receive the guided light, such that a modified divergence of the light provided by the light divergence modifier—
at the output aperture of the light divergence modifier—
is larger than the divergence of the guided light; and
an optical extractor optically coupled to the output aperture of the light divergence modifier, the optical extractor configured to output into the ambient environment light provided by the light divergence modifier as output light in one or more output angular ranges.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An illumination device includes a light-emitting element (LEEs); a light guide extending in a forward direction from a first end to a second end to receive at the first end LEE light and to guide the light to the second end, such that divergence of the light received at the first end and divergence of the guided light that reaches the second end are substantially the same; a light divergence modifier optically coupled to the light guide at the second end to receive the guided light, to modify the divergence of the guided light, such that the light provided by the light divergence modifier has a modified divergence different from the divergence of the guided light; and an optical extractor optically coupled to the light divergence modifier, to output into the ambient environment light provided by the light divergence modifier as output light in one or more output angular ranges.
146 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An illumination device comprising:
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a plurality of light-emitting elements (LEEs), wherein the LEEs are LEDs that emit white light; a light guide having a pair of opposing surfaces extending in a forward direction from a first end of the light guide to a second end of the light guide, the light guide being positioned to receive at the first end light emitted by the LEEs and configured to guide the light to the second end, wherein divergence of the light received at the first end and divergence of the guided light that reaches the second end are substantially the same; a light divergence modifier tapered such that an input aperture of the light divergence modifier is larger than an output aperture of the light divergence modifier, the input aperture of the light divergence modifier being optically coupled to the second end of the light guide to receive the guided light, such that a modified divergence of the light provided by the light divergence modifier—
at the output aperture of the light divergence modifier—
is larger than the divergence of the guided light; andan optical extractor optically coupled to the output aperture of the light divergence modifier, the optical extractor configured to output into the ambient environment light provided by the light divergence modifier as output light in one or more output angular ranges. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An illumination device comprising:
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a plurality of light-emitting elements (LEEs), wherein the LEEs are LEDs that emit white light; a light guide having a pair of opposing surfaces extending in a forward direction from a first end of the light guide to a second end of the light guide, the light guide being positioned to receive at the first end light emitted by the LEEs and configured to guide the light to the second end, wherein divergence of the light received at the first end and divergence of the guided light that reaches the second end are substantially the same; a light divergence modifier having an input aperture and an output aperture, the input aperture of the light divergence modifier being optically coupled to the second end of the light guide to receive the guided light, wherein the light divergence modifier comprises a 3D grating extending along a length of the light divergence modifier, the 3D grating configured such that a modified divergence of the light provided by the light divergence modifier—
at the output aperture of the light divergence modifier—
is one of either smaller or larger than the divergence of the guided light; andan optical extractor optically coupled to the output aperture of the light divergence modifier, the optical extractor configured to output into the ambient environment light provided by the light divergence modifier as output light in one or more output angular ranges. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An illumination device comprising:
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a plurality of light-emitting elements (LEEs), wherein the LEEs are LEDs that emit white light; a light guide having a pair of opposing surfaces extending in a forward direction from a first end of the light guide to a second end of the light guide, the light guide being positioned to receive at the first end light emitted by the LEEs and configured to guide the light to the second end, wherein divergence of the light received at the first end and divergence of the guided light that reaches the second end are substantially the same; an optical extractor; and a light divergence modifier sandwiched between and optically coupled with the second end of the light guide and with the optical extractor to receive the guided light and modify the divergence of the guided light, and provide to the optical extractor light with a modified divergence, wherein the light divergence modifier comprises one of either a convergent lens configured such that the modified divergence of the light provided to the optical extractor is smaller than the divergence of the guided light or a divergent lens configured such that the modified divergence of the light provided to the optical extractor is larger than the divergence of the guided light, and wherein the optical extractor is configured to output into the ambient environment light provided by the light divergence modifier as output light in one or more output angular ranges. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. An illumination device comprising:
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a plurality of light-emitting elements (LEEs), wherein the LEEs are LEDs that emit white light; a light guide having a pair of opposing surfaces extending in a forward direction from a first end of the light guide to a second end of the light guide, the light guide being positioned to receive at the first end light emitted by the LEEs and configured to guide the light to the second end, wherein divergence of the light received at the first end and divergence of the guided light that reaches the second end are substantially the same; an optical extractor; and a light divergence modifier formed at an optical interface between the second end of the light guide and the optical extractor to receive the guided light and modify the divergence of the guided light, and provide to the optical extractor light with a modified divergence, wherein the optical interface of the light guide and the optical extractor comprises a 2D grating, such that the modified divergence of the light transmitted through the optical interface of the light guide and the optical extractor to the optical extractor is one of either smaller or larger than the divergence of the guided light, and wherein the optical extractor is configured to output into the ambient environment light provided by the light divergence modifier as output light in one or more output angular ranges. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. An illumination device comprising:
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a plurality of light-emitting elements (LEEs); one or more optical couplers; a light guide having a pair of opposing surfaces extending in a forward direction from a first end of the light guide to a second end of the light guide, the light guide being positioned to receive at the first end light provided by the LEEs with a first divergence, wherein the optical couplers are arranged to receive the light provided by the LEEs and redirect it to the receiving end of the light guide with a second divergence, and a numerical aperture of the light guide is such that the light received from the optical couplers with the second divergence is guided by the light guide through TIR off the pair of opposing side surfaces such that the second divergence of the light received at the first end and divergence of the guided light that reaches the second end are substantially the same; a light divergence modifier optically coupled to the light guide at the second end to receive the guided light, the light divergence modifier configured to modify the divergence of the guided light, such that the light provided by the light divergence modifier has a modified divergence different from the divergence of the guided light; and an optical extractor optically coupled to the light divergence modifier, the optical extractor configured to output into the ambient environment light provided by the light divergence modifier as output light in one or more output angular ranges. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification