Optical waveguide body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9568662-B2
Application number	US-201414776478-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

An optical waveguide body includes first and second pluralities of light extraction features disposed on a first side of the waveguide body and adapted to direct light out of the waveguide body through a second side of the waveguide body opposite the first side. Each of the first plurality of light extraction features has a linear shape and each of the second plurality of light extraction features has at least one of a piecewise linear shape and a nonlinear shape. The piecewise linear shape comprises two adjacent planar surfaces with an angle therebetween of at least about 30 and at most about 180 degrees. The waveguide body further has a light coupling cavity.

First claim

We claim:

1. An optical waveguide body, comprising:
first and second pluralities of light extraction features disposed on a first side of the waveguide body and adapted to direct light out of the waveguide body through a second side of the waveguide body opposite the first side, wherein each of the first plurality of light extraction features comprises a linear shape and each of the second plurality of light extraction features comprises at least one of a piecewise linear shape and a nonlinear shape, wherein the piecewise linear shape comprises two adjacent planar surfaces with an angle therebetween of at least about 30 and at most about 220 degrees; and
a light coupling cavity.

2. The optical waveguide body of claim 1 , wherein the light coupling cavity is disposed at an end of the waveguide body, and wherein the end is adjacent both the first side and the second side.

3. The optical waveguide body of claim 1 , wherein each of the first plurality of light extraction features comprises first and second linear portions.

4. The optical waveguide body of claim 3 , wherein the first plurality of extraction features are chevron-shaped.

5. The optical waveguide body of claim 1 , further comprising a third plurality of light extraction features disposed transversely with respect to the first and second pluralities of light extraction features and wherein the third plurality of light extraction features is disposed between the light coupling cavity and sides of the waveguide body.

6. The optical waveguide body of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the first plurality of light extraction features are wedge-shaped.

7. A waveguide body comprising a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, comprising:
a plurality of light extraction features at least two of which are separated from one another along the longitudinal axis and wherein at least one of the extraction features comprises a lateral extent; and
at least one light coupling cavity adapted to transmit light from a light source into the waveguide body;
wherein the extraction features are configured to develop an asymmetric light distribution; and
wherein the plurality of light extraction features and the at least one coupling cavity are disposed along the longitudinal axis.

8. The waveguide body of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of light extraction features comprises a first plurality of linear extraction features and a second plurality of light extraction features.

9. The waveguide body of claim 7 , wherein the extraction features are disposed in rows.

10. The waveguide body of claim 7 , wherein the asymmetric light distribution comprises a longitudinal portion along the longitudinal axis and a lateral portion along the lateral axis and the lateral portion is greater than the longitudinal portion.

11. The waveguide body of claim 7 , wherein the waveguide body further comprises a substrate separate from the extraction features and wherein the extraction features and the substrate comprise different materials.

12. The waveguide body of claim 7 , further comprising an LED component extending into the light coupling cavity comprising first and second sets of LEDs wherein each LED of the first set comprises a blue-shifted yellow LED and each LED of the second set comprises a red LED wherein the red LEDs are disposed between the blue-shifted yellow LEDs.

13. The waveguide body of claim 12 , wherein the first and second sets of LEDs are disposed on a base defined by four edges, and the first set of LEDs comprises six blue-shifted yellow LEDs disposed on the base along the four sides and the second set of LEDs comprises two red LEDs disposed on the base inside the blue-shifted yellow LEDs.

14. The waveguide body of claim 7 , wherein the at least one light coupling cavity is defined by two coupling surfaces each comprising a planar portion and a curved portion, and wherein the coupling surfaces are disposed on either side of an axis of symmetry and are mirror images of one another.

15. The waveguide body of claim 14 , further comprising two control surfaces disposed on opposite sides of the axis of symmetry, wherein each control surface is disposed adjacent one of the planar portions of the light coupling cavity.

16. The waveguide body of claim 15 , wherein the light coupling cavity receives a light source, and wherein the control surfaces are configured to direct light emitted from light source substantially in defined paths in the waveguide body.

17. The waveguide body of claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of coupling cavities extending along a thickness of the waveguide body, wherein the plurality of coupling cavities comprises three coupling cavities of substantially the same shape, and wherein two of the coupling cavities are larger than a remaining coupling cavity, and wherein the remaining coupling cavity is disposed between the two coupling cavities.

18. The waveguide body of claim 16 , further comprising three pluralities of coupling cavities extending along a thickness of the waveguide body, wherein each plurality of coupling cavities comprises three coupling cavities of substantially the same shape, and wherein two of the coupling cavities are larger than a remaining coupling cavity, and wherein the remaining coupling cavity is disposed between the two coupling cavities.

19. The waveguide body of claim 7 , wherein light mixing features are disposed on a side of the waveguide body opposite the plurality of light extraction features to promote mixing of the light.

20. The optical waveguide body of claim 15 , wherein the two control surfaces and the two coupling surfaces are disposed at an end surface of the waveguide body.

Assignees

• Cree Inc

Inventors

• Lim Jin Hong
• Taylor Jason
• Wilcox Kurt S
• Yuan Zongjie
• Durkee John W

Classifications

• G02B6/0061

  to provide homogeneous light output intensity · CPC title

• G02B6/0016

  Grooves, prisms, gratings, scattering particles or rough surfaces · CPC title

• G02B6/0058

  varying in density, size, shape or depth along the light guide · CPC title

• F21W2131/10

  Outdoor lighting · CPC title

• G02B6/0021

  for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses · CPC title