A fiberoptic line-of-light illuminating device includes a fiberoptic cable providing a plurality of optical fiber bundles, a housing including a block which encapsulates output ends of the optical fibers in splayed-out fashion to form a thin elongated line. The device also includes a single optical lens, which may be a cylindrical lens or a modified cylindrical lens having different lens shapes formed into the surface thereof, mounted in a transverse cylindrical cavity in the housing in parallel relation to the output ends of the optical fibers and transverse relation to the output ends of the optical fibers for receiving light emitted from the optical fibers. The lens focuses the light in a desired pattern and may be rotated to clean the lens and/or adjust the beam pattern. The housing also has an elongated slot located between the output ends and a rear side of the transverse cavity. The slot which communicates the output ends with the rear side of the transverse cavity provides a passage from the output ends to the lens to pass light emitted from the optical fibers in the pattern of the thin line through the slot to the lens.
A stoplight for a vehicle includes a light source, a core portion formed of a transparent material and an integral cladding portion formed of a material having a refractive index which is smaller than that of the core portion. The core portion includes a bundle portion which is connected to the light source and a plurality of branch portions which diverge from the bundle portion. The cladding portion covers the core portion.
An illumination device able to maintain a high level of light utilization and provide essential functions using a compact design. The illumination device includes a light source, at least one fiberoptic cable for transmitting light from the light source, and at least one lamp device for producing a desired light distribution. The lamp device includes a light bending and conducting path that directly receives the light emitted from the fiberoptic cable. The light bending and conducting path bends the light beam by a desired angle. The lamp device further includes light conducting path lenses that are directly connected to the light bending and conducting path. The lenses produce the desired lights distribution.
An illumination device produces a desired illumination pattern by tailoring the configuration of individual light extraction structures. At least two of the light extraction structures have different configurations from one another. The illumination device includes a light guide having a light guide core and an optically smooth surface for propagating light through the core. A light emitting region extends along a portion of the core and includes a plurality of light extraction structures distributed along the optically smooth surface. The light extraction structures are configured so that light reflected therefrom is emitted from the light guide through the optically smooth surface.
A lighting system for an automotive vehicle includes a remote laser light source coupled with a light transmitting fiber optic light guide bundle which illuminates a uniform thickness thin sheet optical element having a plurality of micro-optical wedges formed thereon and a plurality of diffractive optical elements disposed intermediate the fiber optic light guide bundle and the uniform thickness thin sheet optical element for receiving light and redirecting the light to predetermined regions of the plurality of micro-optical wedges.
A light transmitting strip or light pipe 2 is used to illuminate an elongate area along which the light pipe 2 extends. The illumination is provided by light emanating laterally relative to the axis of the light pipe, and the light intensity is substantially uniform, at least to an observer, along the length of the light pipe 2. The light pipe 2 has a clear light guide section 4 and an opaque section 10 that is separated from the light guide section 4 by an air gap 8. The clear section 4 and the opaque section 10 are joined by top and bottom couplings 12 and 14, and the two sections are formed by coextruding an acrylic resin through a single coextrusion die. Light emitted laterally from the light guide 4 toward the arcuate opaque section 10 is reflected laterally through the clear light guide 4 transverse to the axis of the light pipe 2, so that all light extends through the front surface 6 of the light guide 4. By separating the reflecting opaque section 10 from the clear light guide 2 by an air gap 8, the lighting intensity can be more uniform over the length of the lighting strip or light pipe.
