Annular light system
First Claim
1. A beacon that emits a substantially flat horizontal disk of light along a horizontal plane, comprising:
- a top cover and a bottom cover, each situated to be centered on a vertical axis of the beacon;
a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in a ring situated between said top cover and said bottom cover, and each of said light-emitting elements having a light-emitting surface (LES) facing radially outward in respect to said vertical axis;
upper and lower reflective surfaces integrated into the lower side of the top cover and into the upper side of the lower cover, respectively;
each of said reflective surfaces being a surface of rotation, about said vertical axis, of a horizontal parabola whose focus lies substantially on said ring of said light-emitting elements; and
a cylindrical collimating lens centered on said vertical axis and lying radially outside said ring of said light-emitting elements, said cylindrical collimating lens having an upper limit and a lower limit, wherein said upper and lower reflective surfaces extend radially beyond said cylindrical collimating lens and are spaced above and below said upper and lower limits thereof, respectively, such that the lens collimates a center portion of the light emanating from the LES of said light-emitting elements onto said horizontal plane, and light thereof outside said center portion and above said upper limit and below said lower limit impinging upon said upper and lower reflective surfaces, respectively, and being directed therefrom substantially parallel to said horizontal plane.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A beacon or annular light generator assembly includes a top cover and an associated bottom cover centered on a vertical axis with a ring of light-emitting elements situated between the top and bottom covers. Upper and lower reflectors are integrated into the lower side of the top cover and into the upper side of the lower cover. These reflectors are surfaces of rotation, about the vertical axis, of a horizontal parabola whose focus lies substantially on the ring of light-emitting elements. A cylindrical collimating lens lies radially outside the ring of light-emitting elements, and concentrates the center portion of the light onto the horizontal plane. Light outside the center portion is redirected by the upper and lower reflectors parallel to the horizontal plane. A multiple array may be formed of two or more such annular light generator assemblies stacked upon one another.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A beacon that emits a substantially flat horizontal disk of light along a horizontal plane, comprising:
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a top cover and a bottom cover, each situated to be centered on a vertical axis of the beacon; a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in a ring situated between said top cover and said bottom cover, and each of said light-emitting elements having a light-emitting surface (LES) facing radially outward in respect to said vertical axis; upper and lower reflective surfaces integrated into the lower side of the top cover and into the upper side of the lower cover, respectively;
each of said reflective surfaces being a surface of rotation, about said vertical axis, of a horizontal parabola whose focus lies substantially on said ring of said light-emitting elements; anda cylindrical collimating lens centered on said vertical axis and lying radially outside said ring of said light-emitting elements, said cylindrical collimating lens having an upper limit and a lower limit, wherein said upper and lower reflective surfaces extend radially beyond said cylindrical collimating lens and are spaced above and below said upper and lower limits thereof, respectively, such that the lens collimates a center portion of the light emanating from the LES of said light-emitting elements onto said horizontal plane, and light thereof outside said center portion and above said upper limit and below said lower limit impinging upon said upper and lower reflective surfaces, respectively, and being directed therefrom substantially parallel to said horizontal plane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A beacon that emits substantially flat upper and lower horizontal disks of light along two or more respective horizontal planes, comprising:
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a first top cover and a first bottom cover, each situated to be centered on a vertical axis of the beacon; a first plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in a first ring situated between said first top and bottom covers, and each of said light-emitting elements thereof having a light-emitting surface (LES) facing radially outward in respect to said vertical axis; first upper and lower reflective surfaces integrated into the lower side of the first top cover and into the upper side of the first lower cover, respectively;
each of said first reflective surfaces being a surface of rotation, about said vertical axis, of a horizontal parabola whose focus lies on said ring of said light-emitting elements;a first cylindrical collimating lens centered on said vertical axis and lying radially outside said ring of said first plurality of light-emitting elements, said first cylindrical collimating lens having an upper limit and a lower limit, wherein said first upper and lower reflective surfaces extend radially beyond said first cylindrical collimating lens and are spaced above and below said upper and lower limits thereof respectively such that the lens collimates a center portion of the light emanating from the LES of said light-emitting elements onto the first horizontal plane, and with light thereof outside said center portion impinging upon said first upper and lower reflective surfaces and being directed therefrom substantially parallel to said first horizontal plane; at least a second top cover and a second bottom cover, each situated to be centered on the vertical axis of the beacon, said second top cover being situated adjacent the first lower cover; at least a second plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in a second ring which is situated between said second top and bottom covers, and each of said light-emitting elements thereof having a light-emitting surface (LES) facing radially outward in respect to said vertical axis; second upper and lower reflective surfaces integrated into the lower side of the second top cover and into the upper side of the second lower cover, respectively, each of said second reflective surfaces being a surface of rotation, about said vertical axis, of a horizontal parabola whose focus lies substantially on said second ring of said light-emitting elements; at least a second cylindrical collimating lens centered on said vertical axis and lying radially outside said second ring of said second plurality of light-emitting elements, said second cylindrical collimating lens having an upper limit and a lower limit, wherein said second upper and lower reflective surfaces extend radially beyond said second cylindrical collimating lens and are spaced above and below said upper and lower limits thereof, respectively such that the second cylindrical collimating lens collimates a center portion of the light emanating from the LES of said light-emitting elements onto the second horizontal plane, and with light thereof outside said center portion impinging upon said second upper and lower reflective surfaces and being directed therefrom substantially parallel to said second horizontal plane. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification