Illumination device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10098528-B2
Application number	US-201514973252-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2015
Priority date	Jul 9, 2013
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

An illumination device according to the present invention includes a light output unit having an output end that outputs illumination light; a diffusion layer that is disposed in a circumferential direction centered on a predetermined axis and that receives the illumination light from the output end, guides the illumination light while diffusing the illumination light, and outputs the illumination light from a surface thereof; and a reflective layer that is provided adjacent to a surface of the diffusion layer at an inner side in a radial direction and that reflects the illumination light outward in the radial direction. The diffusion layer contains a light guide material that guides the illumination light and a diffusion material dispersed and supported in the light guide material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An illumination device comprising:
a light output unit having an output end that outputs illumination light;
a diffusion layer that is disposed in a circumferential direction centered on a predetermined axis and that receives the illumination light from the output end, guides the illumination light while diffusing the illumination light, and outputs the illumination light from a surface thereof; and
a reflective layer that is provided adjacent to a surface of the diffusion layer at an inner side in a radial direction and that reflects the illumination light outward in the radial direction,
wherein the diffusion layer comprises a light guide material that guides the illumination light and a diffusion material dispersed and supported in the light guide material, and
the diffusion layer is a substantially cylindrical member having a cutout formed by removing, in a longitudinal direction, a portion extending in the circumferential direction.

2. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein the output end is circular, oval, polygonal, or annular-sector-shaped.

3. The illumination device according to claim 2 , wherein the diffusion layer is a substantially cylindrical member having a cutout formed by removing, in a longitudinal direction, a portion extending in the circumferential direction.

4. The illumination device according to claim 3 , wherein
the diffusion layer is divided into a plurality of diffusion layers arranged in the circumferential direction centered on the predetermined axis, and
each diffusion layer is substantially horseshoe-shaped.

5. The illumination device according to claim 2 , comprising a plurality of the diffusion layers arranged in the circumferential direction,
wherein each diffusion layer is a pillar member having a flat side surface at the inner side in the radial direction, and
the reflective layer is provided on the flat side surface.

6. The illumination device according to claim 2 , wherein the diffusion layer is ring-shaped.

7. The illumination device according to claim 2 , wherein the density of the diffusion material is non-uniform in the diffusion layer.

8. The illumination device according to claim 2 , wherein the diffusion layer has an outer circumferential surface and a distal-end surface having a conical shape that is smoothly continuous with the outer circumferential surface and that becomes gradually narrower toward a distal end.

9. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein the diffusion layer is ring-shaped.

10. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein
the diffusion layer is divided into a plurality of diffusion layers arranged in the circumferential direction centered on the predetermined axis, and
each diffusion layer is substantially horseshoe-shaped.

11. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein the density of the diffusion material is non-uniform in the diffusion layer.

12. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein the diffusion layer has an outer circumferential surface and a distal-end surface having a conical shape that is smoothly continuous with the outer circumferential surface and that becomes gradually narrower toward a distal end.

13. An illumination device comprising:
a light output unit having an output end that outputs illumination light;
a diffusion layer that is disposed in a circumferential direction centered on a predetermined axis and that receives the illumination light from the output end, guides the illumination light while diffusing the illumination light, and outputs the illumination light from a surface thereof;
a reflective layer that is provided adjacent to a surface of the diffusion layer at an inner side in a radial direction and that reflects the illumination light outward in the radial direction; and
a plurality of the diffusion layers arranged in the circumferential direction,
wherein the diffusion layer comprises a light guide material that guides the illumination light and a diffusion material dispersed and supported in the light guide material,
each diffusion layer is a pillar member having a flat side surface at the inner side in the radial direction, and
the reflective layer is provided on the flat side surface.

14. The illumination device according to claim 13 , wherein the output end is circular, oval, polygonal, or annular-sector-shaped.

15. The illumination device according to claim 14 , wherein the diffusion layer is a substantially cylindrical member having a cutout formed by removing, in a longitudinal direction, a portion extending in the circumferential direction.

16. The illumination device according to claim 15 , wherein
the diffusion layer is divided into a plurality of diffusion layers arranged in the circumferential direction centered on the predetermined axis, and
each diffusion layer is substantially horseshoe-shaped.

17. The illumination device according to claim 14 , comprising a plurality of the diffusion layers arranged in the circumferential direction,
wherein each diffusion layer is a pillar member having a flat side surface at the inner side in the radial direction, and
the reflective layer is provided on the flat side surface.

18. The illumination device according to claim 14 , wherein the diffusion layer is ring-shaped.

19. The illumination device according to claim 14 , wherein the density of the diffusion material is non-uniform in the diffusion layer.

20. The illumination device according to claim 14 , wherein the diffusion layer has an outer circumferential surface and a distal-end surface having a conical shape that is smoothly continuous with the outer circumferential surface and that becomes gradually narrower toward a distal end.

21. The illumination device according to claim 13 , wherein the diffusion layer is ring-shaped.

22. The illumination device according to claim 13 , wherein the density of the diffusion material is non-uniform in the diffusion layer.

23. The illumination device according to claim 13 , wherein the diffusion layer has an outer circumferential surface and a distal-end surface having a conical shape that is smoothly continuous with the outer circumferential surface and that becomes gradually narrower toward a distal end.

Assignees

• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• Furuta Koichiro

Classifications

• G02B23/2469

  using optical fibres · CPC title

• A61B1/0623

  for off-axis illumination · CPC title

• A61B1/00096

  Optical elements · CPC title

• A61B1/0607

  for annular illumination · CPC title

• G02B5/0242

  by means of dispersed particles · CPC title