Optical fiber lighting apparatus and method

Optical lighting apparatus comprising:

• a set of a plurality of optical fibers, each fiber including a core of material that is transparent to radiation in a selected waveband, and including a layer of cladding material surrounding the core;
• said set of a plurality of optical fibers being assembled in contiguous relationship along the length thereof to form a cable, and being adapted to receive light flux at at least one end thereof for laterally emitting light flux received thereby substantially along the length thereof from said end,
• a sheath of light-transmissive material disposed about the cable to retain the set of optical fibers in the contiguous relationship, said sheath including a layer of web material wound in overlapping relationship about the cable;
• and
• an outer layer of light-transmissive material disposed to enclose the cable and sheath over the length thereof.

Optical lighting apparatus comprising:

• a set of a plurality of optical fibers, each fiber including a core of material that is transparent to radiation in a selected waveband, and including a layer of cladding material surrounding the core;
• said set of a plurality of optical fibers being assembled in continuously wound contiguous relationship along the length thereof to form a cable as a substantial spiral of optical fibers with length along the cable;
• one subset of said set of a plurality of optical fibers being oriented substantially centrally in the cable with another subset of said set of a plurality of optical fibers being wound around the one subset and forming an outer set of optical fibers;
• said set of a plurality of optical fibers being adapted to receive light flux at at least one end thereof for laterally emitting light flux received thereby substantially along the length thereof from said end;
• a sheath of light-transmissive material disposed about the cable to retain the set of optical fibers in the contiguous relationship;
• and
• an outer layer of light-transmissive material disposed to enclose the cable and sheath over the length thereof.

Optical lighting apparatus comprising:

• a set of a plurality of optical fibers, each fiber including a core of material that is transparent to radiation in a selected waveband, and including a layer of cladding material surrounding the core;
• said set of a plurality of optical fibers being assembled in continuously wound relationship along the length thereof to form a cable as a substantial spiral of optical fibers with length along the cable, said spiral of said set of optical fibers being oriented in one rotation direction;
• a plural number of sets of additional optical fibers, each fiber including a core of material that is transparent to radiation in the selected waveband, and including a layer of cladding material surrounding the core, each of said sets of additional optical fibers being assembled in continuously wound relationship forming a substantial spiral with length along the cable oriented in said one rotation direction;
• all of said sets of additional optical fibers being assembled in continuously wound relationship forming a substantial spiral with length along the cable oriented in a rotation direction opposite said one rotation direction to form a composite cable of optical fibers adapted to receive light flux at at least one end thereof for laterally emitting light flux received thereby along the length thereof from said end.

Optical lighting apparatus comprising:

• a set of a plurality of optical fibers, each fiber including a core of material that is transparent to radiation in a selected waveband, and including a layer of cladding material surrounding the core;
• said set of a plurality of optical fibers being assembled in continuously wound relationship along the length thereof to form a cable as a substantial spiral of optical fibers with length along the cable;
• a central set of a plurality of optical fibers, each including a core of material that is transparent to radiation in the selected waveband, said central set of optical fibers being assembled in continuously wound relationship forming a substantial spiral with length along the cable oriented in one rotation direction;
• additional sets of plural optical fibers assembled in continuously wound relationship around said central set for forming substantial spirals with length along the cable oriented in a rotation direction opposite said one rotation direction to form a composite cable;
• said composite cable being adapted to receive light flux at at least one end thereof for laterally emitting light flux received thereby substantially along the length thereof from said end;
• a sheath of light-transmissive material disposed about the cable to retain the sets of optical fibers in the contiguous relationship;
• and
• an outer layer of light-transmissive material disposed to enclose the cable and sheath over the length thereof.

Optical lighting apparatus comprising:

• a set of a plurality of optical fibers, each fiber including a core of material that is transparent to radiation in a selected waveband, and including a layer of cladding material surrounding the core;
• said set of a plurality of optical fibers being assembled in continuously wound relationship along the length thereof to form a cable as a substantial spiral of optical fibers with length in contiguous relationship along the cable;
• said set of a plurality of optical fibers being adapted to receive light flux at at least one end thereof for laterally emitting light flux received thereby substantially along the length thereof from said end;
• and
• a layer of light-transmissive material disposed about the cable over the length thereof to retain the set of optical fibers in the contiguous relationship.