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US 5,335,152 AGranted
Nonimaging optical illumination system
AssigneeNiOptics Corporation
InventorRoland Winston
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A nonimaging illumination optical device for producing selected intensity output over an angular range. The device includes a light reflecting surface (24, 26) around a light source (22) which is disposed opposite the aperture opening of the light reflecting surface (24, 26). The light source (22) has a characteristic dimension which is small relative to one or more of the distance from the light source (22) to the light reflecting surface (24, 26) or the angle subtended by the light source (22) at the light reflecting surface (24, 26).
Claims11
A nonimaging illumination optical device for producing a selected far field illuminance output I(.theta.) over an angular range .theta., comprising:
- a source of light having a surface and a characteristic luminance L(.theta.) and related to said selected far field illuminance output I(.theta.) by the expression:
- L(.theta..sub.i)R.sub.i sin(.phi..sub.i -.theta..sub.i)Q(.theta..sub.i)=I(.theta..sub.i) (A)
- where R.sub.i is a radius vector from a point within said source of light, .phi..sub.i is an angle between said radius vector and a direction 180.degree. from direct forward illumination output from said nonimaging illumination optical device, .theta..sub.i is an angle between direct forward illumination and light rays reflected once from a light reflecting surface having an aperture opening and a spatial position and also disposed at least partially around said light source and said light source disposed opposite the aperature opening of said light reflecting surface and G(.theta..sub.i) is a geometrical factor that is a function of the geometry of said light source;
- and
- the spatial position of said light reflecting surface for producing said selected far field illuminance output I(.theta..sub.i) being defined in terms of said R.sub.i, .phi..sub.i and .theta..sub.i and said R.sub.i functionally describing a profile for said spatial position of said light reflecting surface and varying as a function of said angle .phi..sub.i in accordance with the expression:
- R.sub.i =(const.)exp {.intg. tan [(.phi..sub.i -.theta..sub.i)/2]d.phi..sub.i } (b)
- and said light reflecting surface satisfying equations (a) and (b) simultaneously.
4 more elements
A nonimaging illumination optical device for producing a selected far field illuminates output I(.theta.) over an angular range .theta., comprising:
- a source of light having a characteristic luminance L(.theta..sub.i) and related to said I(.theta.) by the expression:
- L(.theta..sub.i)R.sub.i sin (.phi..sub.i -.theta..sub.i) cos.sup.11 .theta..sub.i =I(.theta..sub.i) (a)
- where R.sub.i is a radius vector from a point within said source of light, .phi..sub.i is an angle between said radius vector and a direction 180.degree. from direct forward illumination output from said device, n is a number determined by the geometry of said light source and .theta..sub.i is an angle between direct forward illumination and light rays reflected once from a light reflecting surface having an aperature opening and a spatial position and also positioned at least partially around said light source and said light source disposed opposite the aperature opening of said light reflecting surface;
- and
- the spatial position of said light reflecting surface for producing said selected far field illuminance output I(.theta..sub.i) being defined in terms of said R.sub.i, .phi..sub.i, and .theta..sub.i and said R.sub.i functionally describing a profile for said spatial position of said light reflecting surface varying as a function of said angle .phi..sub.i in accordance with the expression:
- R.sub.i =(const.)exp {.intg. tan [(.phi..sub.i -.theta..sub.i)/2]d.phi..sub.i } (b)
- and said light reflecting surface satisfying equations (a) and (b) simultaneously.
4 more elements
A nonimaging illumination optical device for producing a selected far field illuminance output I(.theta.) over an angular range .theta., comprising:
- a light reflecting surface having an aperature opening and a spatial position and also a light source having a surface and disposed opposite the aperature opening of said light reflecting surface, said light source having a characteristic luminance L(.theta..sub.i) and related to said selected far field illuminance output I(.theta.) by the expression:
- L(.theta..sub.i)R.sub.i sin (.phi..sub.i -.theta.i)G(.theta..sub.i)=I(.theta..sub.i) (a)
- where R.sub.i is a radius vector from a point within said light source, .phi..sub.1 is an angle between said radius vector and a direction 180.degree. from direct forward illumination output from said nonimaging illumination optical device, .theta..sub.i is an angle between direct forward illumination and light rays reflected once from said light reflecting surface and G(.theta..sub.i) is a geometrical factor that depends on the geometry of said light source;
- and
- the spatial position of said light reflecting surface for producing said selected far field illuminance output I(.theta..sub.i) being defined in terms of said R.sub.i, .psi..sub.i and .theta..sub.i and said R.sub.i functionally describing a profile for said spatial position of said light reflecting surface and varying as a function of said angle .phi..sub.i in accordance with the expression:
- R.sub.i =(const.) exp {.intg. tan[(.phi..sub.i -.theta..sub.i)/2]d.phi..sub.i } (b)
- with said light reflecting surface satisfying equations (a) and (b) simultaneously.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.