Optical waveguide illumination and signage device and method for making same
First Claim
1. A device for displaying illuminated indicia comprising an optical waveguide having an end surface and a predetermined length along which light entering said waveguide through said end surface is directed, said waveguide having a first surface area provided with a first set of indicia located intermediate said predetermined length, said indicia having an optically altered state causing a portion of the light incident thereon to be reflected out through a second surface area of said waveguide located intermediate said length thereby rendering said indicia visible to a viewer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An illuminating device comprising an optical waveguide having at least one set of LEDs positioned adjacent one end surface and having a portion of the surface area treated so as to cause a portion of the light directed along the length of the waveguide to be reflected out of the waveguide through a second surface area located intermediate the length of the waveguide. Indicia may be located within the treated portion of the surface area so as to be illuminated and made visible to a viewer through the second surface area.
110 Citations
28 Claims
- 1. A device for displaying illuminated indicia comprising an optical waveguide having an end surface and a predetermined length along which light entering said waveguide through said end surface is directed, said waveguide having a first surface area provided with a first set of indicia located intermediate said predetermined length, said indicia having an optically altered state causing a portion of the light incident thereon to be reflected out through a second surface area of said waveguide located intermediate said length thereby rendering said indicia visible to a viewer.
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9. An illumination device comprising:
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an optical waveguide of predetermined length, a first housing enclosing one end of said optical waveguide, having at least one high intensity light emitting diode (LED) positioned within said housing and emitting light into said end of the waveguide, a reflecting member extending substantially the length of a waveguide with an open area juxtaposed to said flat wall causing the light to be directionally reflected out of the waveguide, and at least a portion of the surface area of said waveguide being optically treated so as to have light altering characteristics and causing a portion of said light traversing said waveguide to be reflected out of said waveguide through a second surface area located intermediate the length of the waveguide, said waveguide being rotatable relative to said housing so as to change the direction of the light reflected through the second area, and an indicia positioned adjacent to said waveguide in a region to be illuminated by said LED.
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10. An illumination device comprising:
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an optical waveguide of predetermined length having a V-shaped notch defined by two inclining walls intermediate to each other at one end and opposite ends converging into a substantially flat wall arranged essentially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said waveguide, a first housing for enclosing one end of said optical waveguide having at least one high intensity light emitting diode (LED) positioned within said housing and emitting light into said end of the waveguide, a second housing for enclosing an opposite end of said waveguide having at least one second high intensity LED positioned within said housing and emitting light into said opposite end of said waveguide, a reflecting member extending substantially the length of said waveguide with an open area juxtaposed to said flat wall causing the light to be directionally reflected out of the waveguide, at least one third LED positioned adjacent said flat wall and said open area defined by said reflecting member for causing light to be emitted upward through said flat wall in a direction similar to light reflected by said reflecting member thereby reducing attenuation of traversely emitting light occurring intermediate said one and opposite ends of said optical waveguide and masking said V-shape notch, and at least a portion of the surface area of said waveguide being optically treated so as to have light altering characteristics and causing a portion of said light traversing said waveguide to be reflected out of said waveguide through a second surface area located intermediate the length of the waveguide, said waveguide being rotatable relative to said housing so as to change the direction of the light reflected through the second area. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. An illumination device comprising:
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a first optical waveguide of predetermined length with a first reflecting member extending substantially the length of said waveguides causing the light to be directionally reflected out of the first waveguide, a second optical waveguide of predetermined length with a second reflecting member extending substantially the length of said waveguides causing the light to be directionally reflected out of the second waveguide similar to the light directionally reflected out of the first waveguide, and a housing for enclosing one end of said first optical waveguide, having at least one first high intensity LED positioned within said housing and emitting light into said end of the first waveguide, and for enclosing one end of said second optical waveguide, having at least one second high intensity LED positioned within said housing and emitting light into said end of the second waveguide, said housing having at least a portion thereof which permits light to be transmitted out of the housing in a direction similar to that caused by the first and second reflecting members so as to reduce the appearance of a light attenuated region between said first and second waveguides. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method of fabricating an illuminating device comprising the steps of
providing an optical waveguide with a pair of end surfaces and flattening a portion of said waveguide to form an essentially flat surface from one end surface to the other end surface optically altering said flat surface so that some light incident upon said flat surface is reflected out of said waveguide through a surface area of said waveguide positioned between said end surfaces, forming embossed characters in said flat surface, and thereafter optically altering said embossed characters so as to be distinguishable visually from light reflected by said flat surface.
- 16. A sign device for providing illuminated indicia viewable between end surfaces of an optical waveguide in which at least one set of LEDs is positioned adjacent one of said end surfaces for directing light into said waveguide through said one end surface, said waveguide having a first and second surface areas positioned between said end surfaces, said first surface area treated so as to reflect a portion of the light incident thereupon with a first set of optical characteristics out through said second surface, said waveguide further having indicia associated with a surface region within said first surface area and having a second set of optical characteristics visually distinguishable from said first set through said second surface.
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25. An illumination device comprising:
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(a) a waveguide rod assembly comprising at least one waveguide rod and means associated with said rod for causing light to be emitted out of a portion of its lateral surface;
(b) an LED juxtaposed adjacent each and of said waveguide rod;
(c) means enclosing each LED and said associated end and causing light emitted from said LED to be directed into said associated end; and
(d) at least one LED positioned adjacent an intermediate point along the length of said waveguide assembly, said assembly having a light diffusing means associated with said one LED for causing light emitted from said one LED to enter into said assembly and be diffused within said assembly before being emitted out of said portion of said lateral surface thereby minimizing attenuation of light along a region of said portion midway between said ends. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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Specification