US 12,704,228 B2Granted

Variable light pipe illumination width levels

AssigneeFlex-N-Gate Advanced Product Development, LLC

InventorTodd Nykerk

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Abstract

A lit light pipe apparatus comprises several elements: at least two light sources, at least two clear diffusion sheets, a mask, and a light pipe. An edge of each of the clear diffusion sheets is aligned with one of the arrays of light sources to provide independent edge lighting of each diffusion sheet. Each clear diffusion sheet emits a homogeneous light through its façade. The mask is aligned with the façades of the clear diffusion sheets and positioned between the sheets and the light pipe. The mask features a clear slot area through which the altered light shines when illuminated. A light source associated with a specific clear diffusion sheet may be activated while the remaining light sources are deactivated. An apparent width of the resultant light pipe illumination will vary depending on the distance from the specific clear diffusion sheet and the mask.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A light pipe apparatus, comprising:

at least two clear diffusion sheets aligned adjacent each other, wherein each clear diffusion sheet comprises an edge and a façade;
at least two light sources, where each light source is configured to illuminate a respective one of the at least two clear diffusion sheets via the edge such that light is emitted from the façade;
a mask disposed adjacent a first sheet of the at least two clear diffusion sheets, wherein the mask comprises a slot aligned with a façade of the first sheet such that light emitted from the façade passes through the slot;
and
a light pipe aligned with the slot such that light passing through the slot illuminates at least a portion of the light pipe;
wherein the light pipe is an elongated optical member of a cylindrical or oval cross-sectional shape;
wherein the slot comprises a longitudinal shape configured to substantially align with the light pipe;
and
wherein the longitudinal shape of the slot comprises an opening through the mask that substantially spans a length of the at least two clear diffusion sheets and the light pipe.

6 more elements

A method of projecting light from a light pipe apparatus, the method comprising:

emitting light from at least two light sources, where each light source is configured to illuminate a respective one of at least two clear diffusion sheets via an edge of each clear diffusion sheet such that light is emitted from a façade of each clear diffusion sheet;
filtering light emitted from the at least two clear diffusion sheets via a mask disposed adjacent a first sheet of the at least two clear diffusion sheets, wherein the mask comprises a slot aligned with a façade of the first sheet such that lighted emitted from the façade passes through the slot;
and
projecting light from a light pipe being an elongated optical member of a cylindrical or oval cross-sectional shape and being aligned with the slot such that light passing through the slot illuminates at least a portion of the light pipe;
wherein filtering light via the mask comprises filtering light in a longitudinal shape via the slot such that filtered light substantially aligns with the light pipe;
and
wherein projecting light from the light pipe comprises projecting light having a longitudinal shape that substantially spans a length of the light pipe.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 19/043,942Filed 3 Feb 2025 · us provisional application
Priority: 8 Feb 2024
Published: US 2025/0257853 A114 Aug 2025
Granted: 11 Aug 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

F21K 9/69
Optical arrangements integrated in the light source, e.g. for improving the colour rendering index or the light extraction: details of refractors…
G02B 6/0076
Arrangements of multiple light guides: stacked arrangements of multiple light guides of the same or different cross-sectional area
F21K 9/61
Optical arrangements integrated in the light source, e.g. for improving the colour rendering index or the light extraction: using light guides
F21K 9/66
Optical arrangements integrated in the light source, e.g. for improving the colour rendering index or the light extraction: details of globes or…