Etendue-squeezing illumination optics

• US 7,377,671 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2004
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Light Prescriptions Innovators, LLC
• Original Assignee: Light Prescriptions Innovators, LLC
• Inventors: Falicoff, Waqidi, Benitez, Pablo, Minano, Juan Carlos, Sun, Yupin, Parkyn, William, Alvarez, Roberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi; Jacob Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/772,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20050088758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 362/297, 362/346, 362/518, 362/241, 362/235, 362/240, 362/341, 362/347, 362/800, 362/555, 362/516, 362/545
• US Class Current: 362/297
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/00 Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps reversing lights F21S43/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/141 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/145 the main emission direction of the LED being opposite to the main emission direction of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/148 the main emission direction of the LED being perpendicular to the optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/151 arranged in one or more lines
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/176 Light sources where the light is generated by photoluminescent material spaced from a primary light generating element
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/24 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/285 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S41/24 - F21S41/2805
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/321 the reflector being a surface of revolution or a planar surface, e.g. truncated
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/322 the reflector using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/334 the reflector consisting of patch like sectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/336 with discontinuity at the junction between adjacent areas
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/365 successively reflecting the light
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/47 Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0025 Combination of two or more reflectors for a single light source array of reflectors for a cluster of light sources F21V7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0091 using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/04 Optical design
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2102/135 the light having cut-off lines, i.e. clear borderlines between emitted regions and dark regions
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2102/30 Fog lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2101/00 : Point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 : Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0006 : Arrays G02B3/02, G02B5/188 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0037 : characterized by the distribution or form of lenses

Abstract

In some embodiments, an apparatus for use generating illumination is provided that comprises a reflective base, a first light source positioned proximate the reflective base, and a reimaging reflector positioned partially about the first light source, where a percentage of light emitted from the first light source is reflected from the reimaging reflector to the reflective base adjacent the first light source establishing a first real image. The reimaging reflector can further comprise a first sector of a first ellipsoid and a second sector of a second ellipsoid, where the first and second sectors establish the first and a second real image. Further embodiments provide a lens that includes a reimaging reflector that receives light and reflects the light establishing a first real image. The reimaging reflector can further comprise a plurality of sectors that reflect light to establish first and second real images.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use generating illumination, comprising

a reflective base;

a first light source positioned proximate the reflective base; and

a reimaging reflector positioned partially about the first light source, where a percentage of light emitted from the first light source is reflected from the reimaging reflector to the reflective base and adjacent the first light source, and at least some of the percentage of light reflected from the reimaging reflector defines a first real image having dimensions about equal with dimensions of the light source such that the first real image is adjacent the first light source and the reflective base reflects the light of the first real image;

wherein said reflected light from said first real image is directed into substantially a same solid angle as a solid angle of substantially a remaining portion of light emitted from said first light source that does not strike the reimaging reflector thereby achieving etendue squeezing of said first light source;

wherein the reimaging reflector comprises a first sector of a first prolate ellipsoid and a second sector of a second prolate ellipsoid, where the first and second sectors joined along an axis;

wherein a first percentage of the light reflected from the reimaging reflector is reflected from the first sector to the reflective base adjacent the first light source at the first real image of the first light source adjacent the first light source on a first side of the first light source such that the reflective base reflects the light of the first real image;

a second percentage of the light reflected from the reimaging reflector is reflected from the second sector to the reflective base adjacent the first light source establishing a second real image of the first light source adjacent the first light source such that the reflective base reflects the light of the second real image;

wherein the first sector of the reimaging reflector is defined by a first ellipsoid having first and second foci, and the second sector of the reimaging reflector is defined by a second ellipsoid having third and fourth foci;

the first sector is positioned relative to the first light source such that the first focus is positioned on the first light source and the second focus is positioned to the first side of the first light source proximate the first light source at a position of the first real image; and

the second sector is positioned such that the third focus is positioned on the first light source and the fourth focus positioned to the second side of the first light source proximate the first light source at a position of the second real image.

2. An apparatus for use generating illumination, comprising

a reflective base;

a first light source positioned proximate the reflective base; and

a reimaging reflector positioned partially about the first light source, where a percentage of light emitted from the first light source is reflected from the reimaging reflector to the reflective base and adjacent the first light source, and at least some of the percentage of light reflected from the reimaging reflector defines a first real image having dimensions about equal with dimensions of the light source such that the first real image is adjacent the first light source and the reflective base reflects the light of the first real image;

wherein said reflected light from said first real image is directed into substantially a same solid angle as a solid angle of substantially a remaining portion of light emitted from said first light source that does not strike the reimaging reflector thereby achieving etendue squeezing of said first light source;

wherein the reimaging reflector comprises four sectors distributed along an axis with each of the four sectors defined by four prolate ellipsoids, where a first percentage of light reflected from the reimaging reflector is reflected by a first sector of the reimaging reflector to the reflective base at a first side the first light source establishing the first real image of the first light source, and where a second percentage of light reflected from the reimaging reflector is reflected by a second sector of the reimaging reflector to the reflective base adjacent the first light source on a second side of the first light source establishing a second real image of the first light source adjacent the first light source such that the reflective base reflects the light of the second real image.