Ring light guide
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsJunwon Lee, Steven J. Hansen, Rongguang Liang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ring illuminator (20) has a light channeling section (22) with an input face (24) optically coupling the light channeling section (22) to a flash unit (16) of a camera (12) for obtaining flash illumination therefrom. A ring section (26) is optically coupled to the light channeling section and extends around an aperture for fitting the ring illuminator around a lens (14). The ring section has a rear surface (30) for positioning toward the body of the camera. The rear surface has a plurality of light redirecting features (28) for redirecting at least a portion of the flash illumination from within the ring section outward from the camera, around the lens of the camera.
Claims18
A ring illuminator comprising:
- a) a light channeling section comprising an input face for optically coupling the light channeling section to a flash unit of a camera for obtaining flash illumination therefrom;
- b) a ring section optically coupled to the light channeling section and extending around an aperture for fitting the ring illuminator around a lens of the camera;
- wherein the ring section comprising a rear surface comprising a plurality of light redirecting features for redirecting at least a portion of the flash illumination from within the ring section outward from the camera, around the lens of the camera;
- and
- wherein the input face of the light channeling section is parallel to an output face of the flash unit.
An image capture system for obtaining an image of a subject, comprising:
- a) a camera comprising a flash unit;
- b) a lens attached to the camera;
- c) a ring illuminator fitted around the lens, the ring illuminator comprising a light channeling section optically coupled to the flash unit and a ring section optically coupled to the light channeling section and curved about the lens;
- wherein a rear surface of the ring section comprises a plurality of light-redirecting features for redirecting a portion of the illumination obtained from the flash unit outward, toward the subject;
- and
- wherein an input face of the light channeling section is substantially parallel to an output face of the flash unit.
A method for providing ring illumination, comprising:
- a) disposing an input face of a light pipe proximate a flash unit of a camera, obtaining flash illumination thereby;
- b) routing a portion of the light pipe at least partially around a camera objective lens to redirect at least a portion of the flash illumination around the lens;
- c) redirecting a portion of the flash illumination from within said light pipe outward along at least one surface of said portion of said curved light pipe;
- and
- wherein the input face is substantially parallel to an output face of the flash unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.