Lighting system
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorDavid R. Nowak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lighting system is provided to transmit light from a light source through a prism. The prism includes a light receiving edge surface, a curved edge surface and a light exiting edge surface. The light source is positioned to transmit a beam of light through the light receiving edge surface of the prism. The prism is configured such that the beam of light travels through the prism to strike the curved edge surface. The beam of light is then reflected off of the curved edge surface such that the beam of light changes direction and continues to travel through the prism until such time as it passes through the light exiting edge surface. The lighting system is adapted to provide a substantially uniform light distribution from the light exiting edge surface.
Claims21
A lighting system comprising:
- a prism having a light receiving edge surface, a curved edge surface spaced from the light receiving edge surface, and a light exiting edge surface spaced apart from the curved edge surface and the light receiving edge surface;
- and
- a light source focused to shine a beam of light through the light receiving edge surface at a position that causes the beam of light to travel through the prism and strike the curved edge surface at a proper angle so as to be reflected in such a manner to provide a substantially uniform light distribution from the light exiting edge surface.
A lighting system comprising:
- a prism having a first portion including a first light receiving edge surface, a first curved edge surface spaced from the first light receiving edge surface, and a first light existing edge surface spaced apart from the first curved edge surface and the first light receiving edge surface, and a second portion adjacent to the first portion such that the second portion can be considered a mirror image of the first portion, wherein the second portion includes a second light receiving edge surface, a second curved edge surface spaced from the second light receiving edge surface, and a second light existing edge surface spaced apart from the second curved edge surface and the second light receiving edge surface;
- a first light source focused to shine a first beam of light through the first light receiving edge surface at a position that causes the first beam of light to travel through the prism and strike the first curved edge surface at an angle of incidence that is greater than the critical angle so as to be reflected in such a manner to provide a first substantially uniform light distribution from the first light exiting edge surface;
- and
- a second light source focused to shine a second beam of light through the second light receiving edge surface at a position that causes the second beam of light to travel through the prism and strike the second curved edge surface at an angle of incidence that is greater than the critical angle so as to be reflected in such a manner to provide a second substantially uniform light distribution from the second light exiting edge surface;
- wherein the first light exiting edge surface and the second light exiting edge surface are adjacently disposed in such a manner that portions of the first and second substantially uniform light distributions combine together a short distance beyond the two light exiting edge surfaces to effectively provide a single substantially uniform light distribution pattern.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.