Light-conductive device for illuminating centripetally viewed three-dimensional objects

Illuminating device for a three-dimensional object to be centripetally viewed, comprising

• a. a structure
• i. having a light-conductive wall member adapted to substantially encircle the object to be illuminated along one axis of said object, said wall member having openings along said axis at opposite ends of said wall member and a light-emitting surface facing said object,
• ii. having light-reflective means provided on surfaces of said wall member, but not on said light-emitting surface, so as to reflect light back into said wall member,
• said structure further being characterized by
• iii. a first optical interface on an outward facing surface of said wall member,
• b. a light chamber
• i. comprising a housing adapted to being adhered to said structure and having a transparent wall forming a second optical interface, and
• ii. comprising an artificial light source adapted to transmit light through said second and first optical interfaces into said light-conductive wall member, and
• c. light-shielding means adapted to prevent light in said light chamber from being directly visible, but permitting said light to issue from said light chamber through said second and first optical interfaces into said wall member and to issue through said light-emitting surface in the direction of the object to be illuminated.