Light-guiding system comprising a plate-like light-emitting element
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorsLudovicus Johannes Lambertus Haenen, Johannes Petrus Maria Ansems, Nicola Bettina Pfeffer, Edwin Van Lier, Augustinus Gregorius Henricus Meijers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A light-guiding system comprising a plate-like light-emitting element (20) provided with means for emitting light through at least part of its front surface (22). Light is coupled in by a plate-like light-guiding member (21) connected to a lateral side of said lightemitting element (20). One or more interstices (25) are present between said light-emitting element (20) and said light-guiding member (21).
Claims15
A light-guiding system comprising a plate-like light-emitting element provided with means for emitting light through at least part of its front surface and means for coupling in light into said light-emitting element, characterized in that said means for coupling in light comprise a plate-like light-guiding member that is connected to a lateral side of said light-emitting element and light source means for coupling in light into said light-guiding member, wherein an interstice is present between said light-emitting element and said light-guiding member, said interstice extending over at least part of the area between said light-emitting element and said light-guiding member, and said interstice being directed substantially perpendicularly to said front surface.
A method of coupling in light into a plate-like light-emitting element provided with means for emitting light through at least part of its front surface and means for coupling in light into said light-emitting element, characterized in that light is coupled in by means of a plate-like light-guiding member that is connected to a lateral side of said light-emitting element, whereby light is coupled into said light-guiding member, wherein at least part of the light radiation leaving the light-guiding member and entering the light-emitting element passes an interstice which is present between said light-emitting element and said light-guiding member, said interstice extending over at least part of the area between said light-emitting element and said light-guiding member, and said interstice being directed substantially perpendicularly to said front surface.
Apparatus comprising
- a plurality of light tubes
- a light guiding element, made of a material having an index of refraction, and having a substantially flat plate-like triangular shape comprising:
- a shorter side for coupling in light through a lateral surface from the tubes;
- a longer side for coupling out light;
- a hypotenuse comprising
- a first plurality of surfaces along a direction of the hypotenuse, each of the first plurality of surfaces defining a direction parallel to the longer side;
- and
- a second plurality of surfaces, placed in alternation with the first plurality of surfaces, each of the second plurality of surfaces forming a respective angle with the direction of the first surfaces, the angle being determined from the index of refraction such that
- light from the tubes and incident on the hypotenuse will be reflected toward the longer side without need for reflective material and
- after reflection, the light will be coupled out along the longer side.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.