US 5,479,545 A · Reverse flared optical coupling member for use with a high brightness light source

Abstract

An optical coupling assembly is useful for coupling a source of light, having high brightness and being non-coherent and focussed at a focal plane, to a plurality of optical light conductors. The coupling assembly includes an elongated light transmissive coupling member which has a central longitudinal axis and is disposed between the focal plane of the light source and leading ends of the optical light conductors. The coupling member includes oppositely flared front and rear end portions and a middle portion disposed along the longitudinal axis, with the middle portion extending between and connected to the front and rear end portions. The coupling member can have either a solid or tubular configuration. The middle portion of the coupling member has cylindrical shape and cross-sectional size of uniform dimensions and being less than the respective cross-sectional sizes of an inlet end of the front end portion and an outlet end of the rear end portion. The front end portion of the coupling member can have either a frusto-conical or parabolic shape, whereas the rear end portion can have a frusto-conical or parabolic shape being oriented in the reverse of the frusto-conical or parabolic shape of the front end portion. The rear end portion has a greater axial length than the front end portion and the outlet end of the rear end portion is larger in size than the inlet end of the front end portion.

Claims27

Dependent claims

An optical coupling member for use in coupling a source of light to a plurality of optical light conductors, said coupling member comprising:

(a) an elongated light transmissive body having a central longitudinal axis and being disposable between the light source and leading ends of the plurality of optical light conductors;
(b) said body including a pair of oppositely flared front and rear end portions and a substantially cylindrically-shaped middle portion disposed along and symmetrically about said longitudinal axis, said front end portion having an input end face and said rear end portion having an output end face, said middle portion extending between and connected to the front and rear end portions and having a length effective for providing improved uniformity of light intensity distribution, mixing of light color, and efficiency of light coupling;
and
(c) wherein said rear end portion is longer than said front end portion.

1 more element

In an optical lighting system including a non-coherent source of light and a plurality of optical light conductors, an optical coupling assembly comprising:

(a) an elongated light transmissive coupling member having a central longitudinal axis and being disposable between the light source and leading ends of the plurality of optical light conductors;
and
(b) means for retaining said coupling member in an optically coupled relationship with the leading ends of said light conductors;
(c) said coupling member including a pair of oppositely flared front and rear end portions and a substantially cylindrically-shaped middle portion disposed along and symmetrically about said longitudinal axis, said front end portion having an input end face and said rear end portion having an output end face, said middle portion extending between and connected to said front and rear end portions and having a length effective for providing improved uniformity of light intensity distribution, mixing of light color, and efficiency of light coupling;
and
(d) wherein said rear end portion is longer than said front end portion

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Reverse flared optical coupling member for use with a high brightness light source

Life of this patent

Reverse flared optical coupling member for use with a high brightness light source

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27