Lighting device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10012781-B2
Application number	US-201715454358-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2017
Priority date	Mar 10, 2016
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

A lighting device configured to accommodate an optical fiber is provided. The lighting device includes a breaking structure which accommodates a portion of the optical fiber in a state in which the portion includes two or more bends. The breaking structure is configured to break and sever the portion of the optical fiber when the optical fiber is subjected to a load of a predetermined magnitude.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting device configured to accommodate an optical fiber, the lighting device comprising:
a breaking structure that includes a plurality of walls defining a space through which a portion of the optical fiber is passable, the space being configured to accommodate the portion of the optical fiber in a state in which the portion of the optical fiber includes two or more bends, wherein
the breaking structure is configured to break and sever the portion of the optical fiber in the space when the optical fiber is subjected to a load of a predetermined magnitude, and as a fail-safe, trap, in the space, light that leaks from the portion of the optical fiber when the portion of the optical fiber is severed.

2. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein
the space includes a first aperture and a second aperture,
when the portion of the optical fiber is disposed in the breaking structure, the portion of the optical fiber passes through the first aperture and the second aperture, and
a distance from the first aperture to the second aperture in a view of the space from a perspective of the first aperture is greater than a sum of a diameter of the first aperture and a diameter of the second aperture.

3. The lighting device according to claim 2 , wherein
the breaking structure further includes:
an insertion through-hole that is in communication with the first aperture; and
an extraction through-hole that is in communication with the second aperture,

when the portion of the optical fiber is disposed in the breaking structure, the portion of the optical fiber passes through the insertion through-hole and the extraction through-hole, and
the insertion through-hole and the extraction through-hole are substantially parallel in the view of the space from the perspective of the first aperture.

4. The lighting device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a load bearing component that is disposed in communication with the second aperture, holds the optical fiber when the portion is disposed in the breaking structure, and converts a magnitude of the load to which the optical fiber is subjected into an amount of displacement,
wherein the space includes a protrusion having a tip end smaller than or equal in size to a critical radius of curvature of the optical fiber, and
the tip end is disposed on a path of the portion when the portion is disposed in the breaking structure, and increases a number of the bends included in the portion by at least one.

5. The lighting device according to claim 4 , wherein
the space further includes, on the path of the portion when the portion is disposed in the breaking structure, a slack adjuster that adjusts slack in at least one bend among the bends in the portion to give the at least one bend a radius greater than the critical radius of curvature of the optical fiber.

6. The lighting device according to claim 4 , wherein
when the optical fiber is subjected to the load of the predetermined magnitude, the load bearing component displaces the optical fiber, causing the breaking structure to break and sever the portion in a vicinity of the tip end of the protrusion.

7. The lighting device according to claim 4 , wherein
the load bearing component includes a sheath tube and a spring, and
when the portion is disposed in the breaking structure, the sheath tube holds the optical fiber.

8. The lighting device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a load bearing component that is disposed in communication with the second aperture, holds the optical fiber when the portion is disposed in the breaking structure, and converts a magnitude of the load to which the optical fiber is subjected into an amount of displacement,
wherein the space further includes:
a trigger that operates in accordance with the amount of displacement converted by the load bearing component;
a punch connected to an elastic body, the punch being loaded with a pushing force by the elastic body when engaged by the trigger; and
a die for receiving the punch, and

when the optical fiber is subjected to the load of the predetermined magnitude, the load bearing component displaces the optical fiber and the trigger operates in accordance with the amount of displacement converted by the load bearing component to disengage the punch, causing the breaking structure to pinch the portion between the punch and the die.

9. The lighting device according to claim 8 , wherein
the breaking structure breaks and severs the portion in a vicinity of a region pinched by the punch and the die when the optical fiber is subjected to the load of the predetermined magnitude.

10. The lighting device according to claim 8 , wherein
the load bearing component is in communication with a third aperture, the load bearing component being between the second aperture and the third aperture, and
a diameter of the third aperture is greater than the diameter of the second aperture.

11. The lighting device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a load bearing component that is disposed in communication with the second aperture, holds the optical fiber when the portion is disposed in the breaking structure, and converts a magnitude of the load to which the optical fiber is subjected into an amount of displacement,
wherein the space further includes:
a punch including a protrusion that contacts the portion when the portion is disposed in the breaking structure, the punch operating in accordance with the amount of displacement converted by the load bearing component; and
a die for receiving the protrusion of the punch, and

when the optical fiber is subjected to the load of the predetermined magnitude, the load bearing component displaces the optical fiber, the punch operates in accordance with the amount of displacement converted by the load bearing component, and the die receives the protrusion of the punch.

12. The lighting device according to claim 11 , wherein
the breaking structure breaks and severs the portion in a vicinity of the protrusion by the die receiving the protrusion when the optical fiber is subjected to the load of the predetermined magnitude.

13. The lighting device according to claim 2 , wherein
the breaking structure comprises a material that shields laser light, the material defining the space.

14. The lighting device according to claim 2 , wherein
the diameter of the first aperture is equal to the diameter of the second aperture.

15. The lighting device according to claim 2 , wherein
the diameter of the first aperture is greater than the diameter of the second aperture.

16. The lighting device according to claim 2 , wherein
the space includes a protrusion having a tip end smaller than or equal in size to a critical radius of curvature of the optical fiber, and
the tip end is disposed on a path of the portion when the portion is disposed in the breaking structure, and increases a number of the bends included in the portion by at least one.

17. The lighting device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a load bearing component that is disposed in communication with the second aperture, includes a sheath tube, and converts a magnitude of the load to which the optical fiber is subjected into an amount of displacement,
wherein, when the portion is disposed in the breaking structure, the sheath tube holds an outer layer of the optical fiber and the portion of the optical fiber disposed in the breaking structure is a core of the optical fiber, the portion not including the outer layer of the optical fiber.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kitaoka Shinichi

Classifications

• G02B6/354

  Switching arrangements, i.e. number of input/output ports and interconnection types · CPC title

• F21V25/02

  coming into action when lighting device is disturbed, dismounted, or broken · CPC title

• G02B6/0008 Primary

  the light being emitted at the end of the fibre · CPC title

• G02B6/3574

  Mechanical force, e.g. pressure variations · CPC title

• G02B2006/4297

  having protection means, e.g. protecting humans against accidental exposure to harmful laser radiation · CPC title