Apparatus for transporting and distributing light using multiple light fibers
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorDavid J. Lundin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A light transport device comprises light fibers that individually have predetermined cross sections at one end that may be bundled together to provide a continuous plane, suitable for light input or output, that is substantially free of voids and free of non-light-transmitting materials. The other end of the individual light fibers has a cross section that is useful for injection or emission of light from a single fiber.
Claims23
A method for making an optical device, comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of N light guides, wherein N is an integer greater than 1, each of said light guides terminating in a first end, wherein each of said light guides has a cross-sectional shape essentially defining a sector wherein each sector subtends an angle φ;
- and
- assembling the plurality of light N guides so that the light guides are in direct contact with each other, the light guides being assembled essentially without deformation and being essentially free of cladding materials where they are in direct contact, the first ends of the light guides being assembled to provide a surface that is essentially free of voids.
A method for making an optical device, comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of light guides each terminating in a first end;
- assembling the plurality of N light guides essentially without deformation so that the light guides are in direct contact with each other and are essentially free of cladding materials where they are in direct contact, the first ends of the light guides being assembled to provide a surface that is essentially free of voids, wherein N is an integer greater than 1 and wherein each of said N light guides has a cross-sectional shape that essentially defines a sector;
- and
- wherein a first of said sectors subtends an angle φ1, and wherein a second of said sectors subtends an angle φ2, and wherein φ1≠φ2.
A method for making an optical device, comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of light guides G1, . . . , GN, wherein, for k=1 to N, the kth light guide terminates in a planar first end which essentially defines a sector Sk which subtends an angle φk, and wherein φ1+ . . . +φk=2π radians;
- and
- assembling said light guides so that they are in direct contact with one another and are essentially free of cladding materials where they are in contact, the first ends of the assembled light guide providing a substantially coplanar arrangement, thereby forming a light input surface.
A method of making an optical device comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of light guides n1 . . . nk, wherein k is an integer greater than or equal to two, wherein each of the light guides has first planar contacting end with a cross-sectional shape corresponding to a sector with an arc length a;
- which subtends an angle φ1 and wherein φ1+ . . . φk=2π radians;
- and
- assembling the light guides so they are in direct contact with one another and arc essentially free of cladding materials where they are in contact, the first ends of the assembled light guides providing a substantially coplanar arrangement;
- thereby forming a light input surface wherein a first of the sectors and a second of the sectors subtend an angle such that φ1≠φ2.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.