Side-emitting collimator

A side emitting collimating lens comprising:

• a solid of light transmissive material having an index of refraction greater than air and partially bounded by:
• an upper surface including first and second aspheric reflecting surfaces having a first diameter at first ends meeting above a focal point and flaring outwardly to second ends having a second diameter greater than said first diameter, said first and second aspheric reflecting surfaces defined by a curve rotated at least approximately 180° about a common axis passing through said focal point;
• and
• a lower surface including:
• a substantially cylindrical refracting surface radially centered on said common axis and longitudinally centered over said focal point;
• and
• first and second oppositely directed aspheric refracting surfaces defined by a curve rotated at least approximately 180° about said common axis, said curve having an origin on said common axis and extending axially and radially away from said focal point to a terminus intersecting with said substantially cylindrical refracting surface,
• wherein said substantially cylindrical refracting surface and said first and second aspheric refracting surfaces define a cavity centered on said focal point.

A side emitting collimating lens and light source combination comprising:

• first and second substantially identical lenses of light transmissive material having an index of refraction greater than air, each said lens including an upper surface, a lower surface, a truncated focal end and a flared light emitting end defined by a substantially planar light emitting surface, said truncated focal end and lower surface interrupted by a cavity defined by first and second refracting surfaces, said lenses arranged with said truncated focal ends in abutment and said cavities aligned to define a light source chamber and said flared light emitting ends being oppositely directed;
• and
• a light source which generates light from a point of light emission when energized, said light source positioned in said light source chamber,
• wherein light generated by said light source is incident upon the first and second refracting surfaces of said first and second lenses, a first portion of said light being refracted by the first refracting surface of said first lens to be incident upon the upper surface of said first lens, a second portion of said light being refracted by the second refracting surface of said first lens to pass through the light emission surface of said first lens, a third portion of said light being refracted by the first refracting surface of said second lens to be incident upon the upper surface of said second lens, and a fourth portion of said light being refracted by the second refracting surface of said second lens to pass through the light emission surface of said second lens.