Light guide with optical element molded thereto

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9904013-B2
Application number	US-201615346972-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2016
Priority date	May 9, 2014
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A light guide for industrial, medical, or cosmetic applications is provided, having an outer circumferential surface and at least one end face made of glass, with an optical element made of at least one transparent plastic directly molded to the end face of glass by molding or reactive injection molding, so that the electromagnetic radiation guided in the light guide when in its operational state is directed through the end face of glass into the transparent plastic of the optical element and exits therefrom.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A light guide for industrial, medical, or cosmetic applications, comprising:
an outer circumferential surface and an end face made of glass; and
an optical element made of a transparent plastic comprising liquid silicone rubber, the optical element being directly molded to the end face so that the optical element is form fit to the end face and has a light exit surface of a shape selected from the group consisting of concave, convex, aspherical, and any combinations thereof,
wherein the end face comprises a chemical and/or physical pretreatment, the pretreatment forming a chemical bond between the glass of the end face and the plastic of the optical element,
wherein the form fit and the chemical bond form a connection between the glass of the end face and the plastic of the optical element is resistant to withdrawal, and
wherein electromagnetic radiation guided in the light guide when in an operational state is directed through the end face into the transparent plastic of the optical element and exits therefrom.

2. The light guide as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pretreatment eliminates water films and organic contaminants and activates the end face.

3. The light guide as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pretreatment is a physical pretreatment.

4. The light guide as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pretreatment is a corona discharge pretreatment or a plasma pretreatment.

5. A light guide for industrial, medical, or cosmetic applications, comprising:
an outer circumferential surface and an end face made of glass; and
an optical element made of a transparent plastic comprising liquid silicone rubber, the optical element being form fit to the end face,
wherein the end face comprises a chemical and/or physical pretreatment, the pretreatment forming a chemical bond between the glass of the end face and the plastic of the optical element,
wherein the form fit and the chemical bond form a connection between the glass of the end face and the plastic of the optical element is resistant to withdrawal,
wherein electromagnetic radiation guided in the light guide when in an operational state is directed through the end face into the transparent plastic of the optical element and exits therefrom, and
wherein the pretreatment is an atmospheric pressure (AP) plasma flame pretreatment.

6. A light guide for industrial, medical, or cosmetic applications, comprising:
an outer circumferential surface and an end face made of glass; and
an optical element made of a transparent plastic comprising liquid silicone rubber, the optical element being form fit to the end face,
wherein the end face comprises a chemical and/or physical pretreatment, the pretreatment forming a chemical bond between the glass of the end face and the plastic of the optical element,
wherein the form fit and the chemical bond form a connection between the glass of the end face and the plastic of the optical element is resistant to withdrawal,
wherein electromagnetic radiation guided in the light guide when in an operational state is directed through the end face into the transparent plastic of the optical element and exits therefrom, and
wherein, when the end face has a diameter of 10 mm, the connection between the glass of the end face and the plastic of the optical element requires a withdrawal force of more than 80 N.

7. The light guide as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the withdrawal force is more than 200 N.

8. The light guide as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the withdrawal force is 250 N.

9. The light guide as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a glass to transparent plastic interface created between the end face and the optical element.

10. A light guide for industrial, medical, or cosmetic applications, comprising:
an outer circumferential surface and an end face made of glass; and
an optical element made of a transparent plastic comprising liquid silicone rubber, the optical element being form fit to the end face,
wherein the end face comprises a chemical and/or physical pretreatment, the pretreatment forming a chemical bond between the glass of the end face and the plastic of the optical element,
wherein the form fit and the chemical bond form a connection between the glass of the end face and the plastic of the optical element is resistant to withdrawal,
wherein electromagnetic radiation guided in the light guide when in an operational state is directed through the end face into the transparent plastic of the optical element and exits therefrom, and
wherein the transparent plastic comprises scattering particles, wherein the scattering particles cause lateral emission of the electromagnetic radiation guided in the optical element.

11. A light guide for industrial, medical, or cosmetic applications, comprising:
an outer circumferential surface and an end face made of glass; and
an optical element made of a transparent plastic comprising liquid silicone rubber, the optical element being form fit to the end face,
wherein the end face comprises a chemical and/or physical pretreatment, the pretreatment forming a chemical bond between the glass of the end face and the plastic of the optical element,
wherein the form fit and the chemical bond form a connection between the glass of the end face and the plastic of the optical element is resistant to withdrawal,
wherein electromagnetic radiation guided in the light guide when in an operational state is directed through the end face into the transparent plastic of the optical element and exits therefrom, and
wherein the outer circumferential surface comprises a feature that inter-engages with a feature of the optical element in a manner sufficient to increase a withdrawal force required for releasing the connection between the glass of the end face and the plastic of the optical element.

12. The light guide as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the glass comprises a glass rod.

13. A light guide for industrial, medical, or cosmetic applications, comprising:
an outer circumferential surface and an end face made of glass; and
an optical element made of a transparent plastic comprising liquid silicone rubber, the optical element being form fit to the end face,
wherein the end face comprises a chemical and/or physical pretreatment, the pretreatment forming a chemical bond between the glass of the end face and the plastic of the optical element,
wherein the form fit and the chemical bond form a connection between the glass of the end face and the plastic of the optical element is resistant to withdrawal,
wherein electromagnetic radiation guided in the light guide when in an operational state is directed through the end face into the transparent plastic of the optical element and exits therefrom, and
wherein the glass comprises a plurality of non-releasably interconnected glass rods.

14. The light guide as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the plurality of non-releasably interconnected glass rods are core-cladding rods.

15. The light guide as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the light guide is configured for uses in a device selected from the group consisting of a dental lighting device, a dental curing device, an industrially employable device for curing adhesives, an otoscope, a showcase lighting application, and a furniture lighting application.

16. A method for producing a heat-resistant light guide, comprising the steps of:
providing a glass light guide having an end face;
atmospheric pressure plasma flame pretreating the end face of the glass light guide so that water films and organic contaminants are eliminated and the end face is activated;

Assignees

• Schott Ag

Inventors

• Schultheis Bernd
• Weingaertner Thomas
• Werner Holger

Classifications

• G02B6/32

  having lens focusing means {positioned between opposed fibre ends (with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262)} · CPC title

• G02B6/262 Primary

  Optical details of coupling light into, or out of, or between fibre ends, e.g. special fibre end shapes or associated optical elements · CPC title

• G02B5/0242

  by means of dispersed particles · CPC title

• B29D11/00865

  Applying coatings; tinting; colouring (printing, marking or copying processes B41M; identification in general G09F3/00; producing decorative effects in general B44C; positioning or marking of lenses B24B13/0055) · CPC title

• G02B6/241

  Light guide terminations · CPC title