Flashlight producing uniform high brightness
OwnerRobert E. Fischer, David Kappel +1inventors
InventorsRobert E. Fischer, David Kappel, Greg Moeller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flashlight that generates a flashlight beam to illuminate an object at a selectable distance from the flashlight by imaging a uniformly bright pattern of light onto the object. A light modifying component can be used to manipulate the pattern of light into particular shapes and images. In one embodiment, light from a light source is coupled into a light pipe. The light is homogenized as it travels along the light pipe. The light exits the light pipe with a more uniform intensity than when it entered. The light exiting the light pipe is then reimaged by an imaging lens onto an object. Yet in other embodiments, one or more lens arrays having two or more lenlets are used to homogenize the light originating from the light source.
Claims25
A flashlight for uniformly illuminating an object to be viewed, comprising:
- a light source;
- a light homogenizer arranged to receive light from the light source at an input face and adapted to output uniformized light at an output face, wherein the light homogenizer includes i) a light pipe or ii) one or more lens arrays;
- and
- an imaging lens arranged adjacent the output face and at an output end of the flashlight to create a flashlight beam that forms an image of the output face at a distance from the output end of the flashlight so as to uniformly illuminate the object when the object is located at said distance.
A method of forming a flashlight beam to uniformly illuminate an object at a selectable distance from the flashlight comprising:
- generating light from a light source;
- homogenizing the light by passing the light through a light homogenizer that includes i) a light tunnel or ii) one or more lens arrays;
- receiving the homogenized light from an output face of the light homogenizer with an imaging lens;
- and
- using the imaging lens, focusing the received light as a flashlight beam to form a uniform image at the object.
A flashlight that creates uniform illumination at a selectable distance from the flashlight, comprising:
- a light source connected to one or more batteries for powering the light source;
- a light homogenizer optically coupled to the light source and adapted to uniformize light from the light source and output uniformized light at an output face, wherein the light homogenizer is one selected from the group of light homogenizers comprising:
- (a) a light pipe, (b) a single lens array having two or more lenslets, and (c) a double lens array wherein each lens array in the double lens array includes two or more lenslets;
- an imaging lens adapted to receive the uniformized light and create a flashlight beam that forms an image of the output face at the selectable distance;
- and
- a hand-held housing that houses the light source, the one or more batteries, the light homogenizer, and the imaging lens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.