Efficient arrangement for coupling light between light source and light guide

An efficient arrangement for coupling light between a light source and at least one light guide, comprising:

• a) a light source with a bulbous region containing a generally linear light-emitting region;
• b) a generally tubular, hollow coupling device with an interior light-reflective surface for receiving light from the source at an inlet and transmitting it to an outlet;
• the coupling device increasing in cross sectional area from inlet to outlet in such manner as to reduce the angle of light reflected from the surface as it passes through the device;
• the cross-sectional area of the bulbous region filling the majority of the planar region which is radially bounded by the inlet end of the curved light-reflective surface of the device;
• and
• c) a thermal-isolating region having an inlet positioned in proximity to an outlet of the coupling device and having an outlet for passing light to an optical member;
• the thermal-isolating region comprising one or more members;
• and
• d) the inlet of the coupling device having a pair of recesses extending in the main direction of light propagation;
• e) the light source comprising a pair of opposite ends respectively adapted to pass through the recesses in such manner that one longitudinal section of each end is at least partially exposed to an outside surface of the coupling device and a substantial part of an adjacent longitudinal section of such end is not exposed to the outside surface;
• f) the recesses being so positioned that the light-emitting region is positioned approximately in a plane of the inlet of the coupling device.

An efficient arrangement for coupling light between a light source and at least one light guide, comprising:

• a) light source with a bulbous region containing a generally linear light-emitting region;
• b) a generally tubular, hollow coupling device with an interior light-reflective surface for receiving light from the source at an inlet and transmitting it to an outlet;
• the coupling device increasing in cross sectional area from inlet to outlet in such manner as to reduce the angle of light reflected from the surface as it passes through the device;
• the cross-sectional area of the bulbous region filling the majority of the planar region which is radially bounded by the inlet end of the curved light-reflective surface of the device;
• c) the light source comprising a pair of in-leads projecting from opposite ends of the light source;
• d) the entire portions of the in-leads exposed to the inlet of the coupling device being encapsulated in material of the light source;
• e) a thermal-isolating region having an inlet positioned in proximity to an outlet of the coupling device and having an outlet for passing light to an optical member;
• the thermal-isolating region comprising one or more members;
• and
• f) the tubular coupling device having a cross section transverse to the direction of light propagation that more closely conforms to the shape of the bulbous region than a circular cross section and that is shaped to be substantially more curved than generally rectangular, with the light-emitting region being generally parallel to the maximum dimension of such cross section.

An efficient arrangement for coupling light between a light source and at least one light guide, comprising:

• a) a light source with a bulbous region containing a generally linear light-emitting region;
• b) a generally tubular, hollow coupling device with an interior light-reflective surface for receiving light from the source at an inlet and transmitting it to an outlet;
• the coupling device increasing in cross sectional area from inlet to outlet in such manner as to reduce the angle of light reflected from the surface as it passes through the device;
• the cross-sectional area of the bulbous region filling the majority of the planar region which is radially bounded by the inlet end of the curved light-reflective surface of the device;
• and
• c) a thermal-isolating region having an inlet positioned in proximity to an outlet of the coupling device and having an outlet for passing light to an optical member;
• the thermal-isolating region comprising one or more members;
• d) the inlet of the coupling device having a pair of recesses extending in the main direction of light propagation for receiving opposite ends of the lamp;
• e) the light source comprising a pair of opposite ends respectively adapted to pass through the recesses in such manner that one longitudinal section of each end is at least partially exposed to an outside surface of the coupling device and a substantial part of an adjacent longitudinal section is not exposed to the outside surface and in such manner that the light-emitting region is positioned approximately in a plane of the inlet of the coupling device;
• and
• f) the tubular coupling device having a cross section transverse to the direction of light propagation that more closely conforms to the shape of the bulbous region than a circular cross section and that is shaped to be substantially more curved than generally rectangular, with the light-emitting region being generally parallel to the maximum dimension of such cross section.

An efficient arrangement for coupling light between a light source and at least one light guide, comprising:

• a) a light source having a bulbous region and electrical in-leads extending into the bulbous region;
• b) a generally tubular, hollow coupling device with an interior light-reflective surface for receiving light from the source at an inlet and transmitting it to an outlet;
• the coupling device increasing in cross sectional area from inlet to outlet in such manner as to reduce the angle of light reflected from the surface as it passes through the device;
• the cross-sectional area of the bulbous region filling the majority of the planar region which is radially bounded by the inlet end of the curved light-reflective surface of the device;
• and
• c) a thermal-isolating region having an inlet positioned in proximity to an outlet of the coupling device and having an outlet for passing light to an optical member;
• the thermal-isolating region comprising one or more members.