Separate optical device for directing light from an LED
First Claim
1. An optical device comprising:
- an entrance surface to receive light from a light source;
an exit interface; and
a set of shaped sidewalls, wherein each sidewall has a plurality of sections, each section of the plurality of sections defined by a differently contoured surface and adapted to reflect light with a direct transmission path from the entrance surface to that section such that light is reflected to the exit interface to be incident on the exit interface at less than or equal to a critical angle at the exit interface, and wherein;
an area of the exit interface,a distance between the entrance surface and exit interface, anda sidewall shape, are selected so that the optical device is configured to;
emit from the exit interface, in a selected half angle, at least 65% of light entering the optical device through the entrance surface.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide separate optical devices operable to couple to a separate LED, the separate optical device comprising an entrance surface to receive light from a separate LED when the separate optical device is coupled to the separate LED, an exit surface opposite from and a distance from the entrance surface and a set of sidewalls. The exit surface can have at least a minimum area necessary to conserve brightness for a desired half-angle of light projected from the separate optical device. Furthermore, each sidewall is positioned and shaped so that rays having a straight transmission path from the entrance surface to that sidewall reflect to the exit surface with an angle of incidence at the exit surface at less than or equal to a critical angle at the exit surface.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An optical device comprising:
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an entrance surface to receive light from a light source; an exit interface; and a set of shaped sidewalls, wherein each sidewall has a plurality of sections, each section of the plurality of sections defined by a differently contoured surface and adapted to reflect light with a direct transmission path from the entrance surface to that section such that light is reflected to the exit interface to be incident on the exit interface at less than or equal to a critical angle at the exit interface, and wherein; an area of the exit interface, a distance between the entrance surface and exit interface, and a sidewall shape, are selected so that the optical device is configured to; emit from the exit interface, in a selected half angle, at least 65% of light entering the optical device through the entrance surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An optical system comprising:
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an array of light sources; and an array of optical devices, wherein at least one optical device comprises; an entrance surface to receive light from one or more of the light sources of the array; an exit interface; and a set of shaped sidewalls, wherein each sidewall has a plurality of sections, each section of the plurality of sections defined by a differently contoured surface and adapted to reflect light with a direct transmission path from the entrance surface to that section such that light is reflected to the exit interface to be incident on the exit interface at less than or equal to a critical angle at the exit interface, and wherein; an area of the exit interface, a distance between the entrance surface and exit interface, and a sidewall shape, are selected so that the optical device is configured to; emit from the exit interface, in a selected half angle, at least 65% of light entering the optical device through the entrance surface. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A separate optical device comprising:
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an entrance surface to receive light from a light source; an exit interface; and a set of shaped sidewalls, wherein each sidewall has a plurality of sections, each section of the plurality of sections defined by a differently contoured surface and oriented such that each sidewall comprises a superposition of multiple contoured surfaces, each section adapted to reflect light with a direct transmission path from the entrance surface to that section such that light is reflected to the exit interface to be incident on the exit interface at less than or equal to a critical angle at the exit interface, and wherein; an area of the exit interface, a distance between the entrance surface and exit interface, and a sidewall shape, are selected so that the separate optical device is configured to; emit from the exit interface, in a selected half angle, at least 65% of light entering the optical device through the entrance surface, wherein the selected half angle is a half angle from 20 to 60 degrees.
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Specification