Light-guiding optical system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018356582-A1
Application number	US-201816006182-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 12, 2018
Priority date	Jun 13, 2017
Publication date	Dec 13, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The light-guiding optical system comprises at least one light guide ( 1 ) made from an optically transparent material with an associated collimating element ( 2 ), and a light unit ( 3 ) to emit light rays ( 10 ) into the collimating element ( 2 ). The light guide ( 1 ) comprises on its front side an output surface ( 12 ) for the output of light rays ( 10 ) conducted by the light guide ( 1 ) out of the light guide ( 1 ), and on its bottom or top side, a binding surface ( 11 ) to bind light rays ( 10 ) collimated by the collimating element ( 2 ) into the light guide ( 1 ). The light guide ( 1 ) further comprises at least one reflective means ( 4 ) to produce light patterns (A, B, C) on the output surface ( 12 ) that comprises surfaces ( 41, 42, 43 ) configured for total reflection of at least a part of the light rays ( 10 ) falling onto them, a part of the light rays ( 10 ) reflected this way being directed by the reflective means ( 4 ) towards the lateral surfaces ( 15 ) and the remaining part being directed straight to the output surface ( 12 ) of the light guide ( 1 ). The reflective means ( 4 ) of the light guide ( 1 ) comprises two lateral reflective surfaces ( 41, 43 ) opening from a common contact edge ( 44 ) and configured for total reflection of the incident light rays towards the lateral surfaces ( 15 ), and one central surface ( 42 ) comprising one or more central reflective surfaces ( 42 ′), the central surface ( 42 ) touching each of the lateral reflective surfaces ( 41, 43 ) at one point at the most.

First claim

1 . A light-guiding optical system comprising at least one light guide made from an optically transparent material with an associated collimating element and a light unit to emit light rays into the associated collimating element,
wherein the light guide comprises a front side, a bottom side, and a top side, wherein the front side comprises an output surface for the output of the light rays conducted by the light guide out of the light guide, wherein the top side or bottom side comprise a binding surface to bind the light rays collimated by the associated collimating element into the light guide, wherein the light guide comprises at least one reflective means to produce light patterns on the output surface that comprises a plurality of surfaces configured for total reflection of at least a part of the light rays falling onto the plurality of surfaces, wherein a portion of the light rays are reflected by the reflective means towards lateral surfaces and a portion of the light rays are directed straight to the output surface of the light guide, wherein the reflective means of the light guide comprises two lateral reflective surfaces opening from a common contact edge and configured for total reflection of incident light rays towards the lateral surfaces, wherein the reflective means of the light guide comprises one central surface comprising one or more central reflective surfaces, the central surface touching each of the two lateral reflective surfaces at one point at the most.

2 . The light-guiding optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the central surface touches the two lateral reflective surfaces at one common point, wherein the common contact point is an end point of the common contact edge.

3 . The light-guiding optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the central surface touches each of the two lateral reflective surfaces at one separate contact point that lies on a marginal edge of each of the two lateral reflective surfaces.

4 . The light-guiding optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the central surface is not in contact with any of the two lateral reflective surfaces.

5 . The light-guiding optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the two lateral reflective surfaces and/or the central reflective surfaces have the shape of a quadrangle to produce quadrangular patterns on the output surface of the light guide.

6 . The light-guiding optical system according claim 5 , wherein the two lateral reflective surfaces and/or the central reflective surfaces have the shape of a rectangle to produce rectangular patterns on the output surface of the light guide.

7 . The light-guiding optical system according claim 6 , wherein the projection of the two lateral reflective surfaces and the central surface onto a plane parallel to the top or bottom side of the light guide produces a full rectangle together.

8 . The light-guiding optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the light patterns projected onto the output surface of the light guide cover the whole output surface.

9 . The light-guiding optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the lateral surfaces of the light guide comprise stepwise arranged reflective surfaces configured for total reflection and direction of the light rays onto the output surface in the direction of an optical axis (x).

10 . The light-guiding optical system according claim 9 , wherein luminously inactive surfaces are situated between the reflective surfaces, creating inactive, or compared to the light patterns, luminously less active patterns for variable setting of the width and/or height of the light guide and/or for uniform distribution of a luminous flux among individual patterns on the output surface.

11 . The light-guiding optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the central surface comprises at least one inactive surface for variable setting of a first length of the two lateral reflective surfaces and a second length of the central surface and/or change of lengths by the height of the light guide for uniform distribution of a luminous flux among individual patterns on the output surface.

12 . The light-guiding optical system according claim 11 , wherein the central surface comprises the central reflective surfaces and an inactive surface being situated between each adjacent pair of the central reflective surfaces.

13 . The light-guiding optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the output surface of the light guide is fitted with optical elements for diffusion of the light rays exiting from the light guide from an axis (x).

14 . The light-guiding optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the light guide and the collimating element form an integral body.

15 . The light-guiding optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the light guide and the collimating element are individual, spatially separated bodies.

16 . The light-guiding optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the collimating element is a reflector.

17 . The light-guiding optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the reflective means is symmetrical with respect to the plane perpendicular to the top or bottom side of the light guide and comprising the contact edge.

18 . The light-guiding optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the light guide is symmetrical with respect to the plane perpendicular to the top or bottom side of the light guide and comprising the contact edge.

19 . The light-guiding optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the two lateral reflective surfaces and planes that the central reflective surfaces lie on make an angle of 45° with the bottom or top side of the light guide and the light rays exiting from the collimating element also fall onto the two lateral reflective surfaces and the central reflective surfaces at the angle of 45°.

20 . The light-guiding optical system according to claim 1 , further comprising at least two light guides situated next to each other, produced together as one integral molding to create a continuous composite output surface comprising the output surfaces of individual light guides positioned next to each other, for the output of light rays from the light-guiding optical system.

21 . The light-guiding optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the reflective surface comprises at least one diffusion element for partial overlapping of individual patterns on the output surface of the light guide and/or to eliminate the inactive patterns on the output surface of the light guide.

22 . The light-guiding optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the central reflective surfaces comprise at least one diffusion element for partial overlapping of individual patterns on the output surface of the light guide and/or to eliminate the inactive patterns on the output surface of the light guide.

Assignees

• Varroc Lighting Systems Sro

Inventors

• Sousek Pavel
• Socha Tomas

Classifications

• G02B6/0078

  Side-by-side arrangements, e.g. for large area displays · CPC title

• F21S41/24 Primary

  Light guides · CPC title

• G02B6/002

  by shaping at least a portion of the light guide, e.g. with collimating, focussing or diverging surfaces · CPC title

• G02B6/0018 Primary

  Redirecting means on the surface of the light guide · CPC title

• F21S41/148

  the main emission direction of the LED being perpendicular to the optical axis · CPC title