Compact illumination system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9507143-B2
Application number	US-201414491012-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2014
Priority date	Sep 19, 2014
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

An illumination system includes a light source arranged for emitting non-collimated light towards a reflective surface of a scanning mirror assembly such that the light source occludes a region of the light reflected from the reflective surface. The scanning mirror assembly includes the reflective surface, which is arranged to be rotationally displaced around at least one rotation axis. The illumination system also includes an optical element for changing the propagation direction of the said reflected light so as to illuminate at least a part of the said occluded region.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An illumination system comprising:
a scanning mirror assembly comprising a reflective surface, the scanning mirror assembly to be rotationally displaced around at least one rotation axis;
a light source to emit non-collimated light towards the reflective surface, the light source disposed on a first axis, the first axis to extend substantially orthogonal from a mid-point of the reflective surface when the reflective surface is not subjected to a rotational displacement, the light source to occlude a region of the light reflected from the reflective surface; and
a first optical element to change a propagation direction of the reflected light to illuminate at least a portion of the occluded region.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the first optical element is located at least partly beyond the light source with respect to the reflective surface.

3. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the first optical element is located entirely beyond the light source with respect to the reflective surface.

4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the first optical element comprises a lens, a wavelength conversion element or a diffractive grating.

5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of the first optical element is plano-convex, biconvex, plano-concave, biconcave, cylindrical, spherical or aspherical.

6. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the first optical element comprises an array of lenses.

7. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising a support element between the light source and the first optical element and arranged to support the light source and the first optical element in their relative locations with respect to the rotation axis.

8. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising a second optical element for shaping the light emitted by the light source before the light reaches the reflective surface.

9. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the first optical element comprises a lens and the system further comprises a wavelength conversion element.

10. A system according to claim 9 , wherein the wavelength conversion element is located between the first optical element and the scanning mirror assembly.

11. A system according to claim 9 , wherein the wavelength conversion element is located beyond the light source with respect to the reflective surface.

12. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the light source is separated from the reflective surface by a distance equal to half a focal length of the first optical element.

13. A method of manufacturing an illumination system, the method comprising:
providing a first substrate and a second substrate;
providing a light source on the first substrate, the light source being arranged to emit non-collimated light;
providing one or more light sensors on the second substrate;
providing a scanning mirror assembly on the second substrate, the scanning mirror assembly comprising a reflective surface arranged to be rotationally displaced around at least one rotation axis and to reflect the light emitted by the light source;
providing a first optical element on the first substrate for changing a propagation direction of the light reflected from the reflective surface;
providing a spacer element for retaining the first and second substrates at a predetermined separation distance from one another; and
stacking the first substrate and the second substrate.

14. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the one or more light sensors are provided so that they are separated from the scanning mirror assembly by a substantially non-transparent separator.

15. A method according to claim 13 , wherein at least two optical elements and light sources are provided on the first substrate, and at least two scanning mirror assemblies are provided on the second substrate, and wherein the method further comprises cutting the stacked first and second substrate to form at least two illumination system modules.

16. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the first optical elements are provided by providing a mouldable transparent substrate on the first substrate and patterning this mouldable transparent substrate with a mold to form the first optical elements.

17. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the light source is provided on a first surface of the first substrate, and wherein the first optical element is provided on a second surface of the first substrate, opposite to the first surface.

18. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the light source is provided on the first substrate so that it is arranged for emitting non-collimated light towards the reflective surface, the light source is located such that it occludes a region of the light reflected from the reflective surface, and the first optical element is arranged for changing the propagation direction of the said reflected light so as to illuminate at least a part of the said occluded region.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Abele Nicolas
• Kilcher Lucio

Classifications

• H10W90/00

  Package configurations · CPC title

• F21V5/04

  of lens shape · CPC title

• F21V14/04

  by movement of reflectors {(in vehicle head lamps F21S41/675)} · CPC title

• G02B26/0833 Primary

  the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD (G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B) · CPC title

• G02B26/105 Primary

  with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors (G02B26/101 takes precedence) · CPC title