Lighting device having highly diffuse light emission

• US 6,042,256 A
• Filed: 01/26/1998
• Issued: 03/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Locke Consulting Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: David L. Gothard
• Inventors: Gothard, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Falke, Erich
• Application Number:
  US09/012,876
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 362/267, 362/551, 362/310, 362/307, 362/153, 362/355, 362/356, 362/364, 362/558, 362/583, 362/293, 362/800, 362/555
• US Class Current: 362/558
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre

Abstract

A light device which is capable of generating a very diffuse light emission and, thus, avoids emission of a beam-light or a concentrated light. The device is highly effective as a personnel location indicator or decorative architectural item, since there is effectively no significant light beam. The light device is preferably designed for ground mounted use so as to serve as an indicator of a desired movement path or the like. The light devices comprises an outer housing with a source of light mounted within that housing. One of unique aspects of this lighting device is that it relies upon a fiber optic cable section which functions as a lens or filter through which light from the light source will pass. As the light passes through this lens, it becomes highly diffuse and, therefore, does not generate a light beam or source of concentrated light, as such. Rather, it merely generates a light at a ground level or other surface in which the device is mounted.

Claims

1. A lighting device for generation of a light source without significant generation of any beam of light, said lighting device comprising:

a) an outer canister-type housing having an elongate central axis;

b) a light generating means located within said housing in proximity to (an) a first end thereof;

c) a transparent or translucent end cap capable of permitting passage of light at an opposite second end of the housing; and

d) a section of a fiber optic cable which had an axial extent while in said cable and being located within said housing intermediate the light generating means and the end cap and where the axial extent of that section is parallel to the elongate central axis, said section serving as a filter for causing a high degree of light diffusion from the light generating means.

2. The lighting device of claim 1 further characterized in that said filter extends fully across the housing that all light from the light generating means passes through said filter.

3. The lighting device of claim 2 further characterized in that said housing is a tubular canister-type housing having an enclosed end wall in proximity to said section of fiber optic cable and distal to said end cap.

4. The lighting device of claim 3 further characterized in that said enclosed end wall and end cap are sealed to said housing so that said housing is generally sealed to an external environment.

5. The lighting device of claim 4 further characterized in that said lighting device is used in in-ground mounting in a position that the end cap is exposed to the environment above the ground.

6. The light device of claim 1 further characterized in that said light generating means comprises a plate mounted in said housing and a light emitting diode located thereon.

7. An improvement in ground mounted lighting devices having an outer housing and a source of light in the housing and a transparent or translucent end cap extending over an end thereof and located to permit passage of light from the source of light, the improvement comprising:

a) a lens located in said housing intermediate the source of light and the end cap, said lens being comprised of a section of fiber optic cable cut from a cable as a slice transverse to its central axis and which is effective to provide a high degree of diffusion of light passing therethrough.

8. The improvement in the ground mounted light of claim 7 further characterized in that said improvement comprises said lens extending fully across said housing perpendicular to a center axis of said housing.

9. The improvement in the ground mounted light of claim 7 further characterized in the source of light is a light emitting diode.

10. A method of creating a light source with an almost complete absence of any culminated beam of light, said method comprising:

a) generating light from a source of light in a tubular housing having an elongate central axis and allowing the light to pass through the housing;

b) passing all of the light to be emitted from the housing through a section of a fiber optic cable which had an axis extent while in said cable and being located within the housing for causing a high degree of light diffusion in the generated light without any significant culminated beam of light, and where the axial extent of the section is parallel to the elongate central axis; and

c) allowing the diffused light to pass outwardly of the housing through a transparent or translucent lens on the housing.

11. The method of creating a light source of claim 10 further characterized in that said method comprises generating the light from the source beneath a ground surface.

12. A lighting device for generation of a light source without significant generation of any beam of light, said lighting device comprising:

a) an outer canister-type housing having an elongate axis;

b) a light generating means located within said housing in proximity to a first end thereof;

c) a transparent or translucent end cap capable of permitting passage of light at an opposite second end of the housing; and

d) a lens located within said housing intermediate the light generating means and the end cap and said lens being comprised of a section of fiber optic cable cut from a cable as a slice transverse to its central axis and which is effective to provide a high degree of diffusion of light from the light generating means passing therethrough.

13. The lighting device of claim 12 further characterized in that said lens extends fully across the housing such that all light from the light generating means passes through said filter.

14. The lighting device of claim 13 further characterized in that said housing is a tubular canister-type housing having an enclosed end wall in proximity to said section of fiber optic cable and distal to said end cap.

15. The lighting device of claim 14 further characterized in that said enclosed end wall and end cap are sealed to said housing so that said housing is generally sealed to an external environment.

16. The lighting device of claim 15 further characterized in that said lighting device is used in in-ground mounting in a position that the end cap is exposed to the environment above the ground.

17. The lighting device of claim 12 further characterized in that said light generating means comprises a plate mounted in said housing and a light emitting diode located thereon.