The present invention includes a radiation collector configured to collect incident radiation. The radiation collector includes a radiation directing component configured to redirect the incident radiation, a buffer component configured to receive the radiation redirected by the radiation directing component, and a propagation component configured to receive the radiation from the buffer component and to propagate the radiation towards a first end of the propagation component.
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/369,052, filed Feb. 18, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,957,650, the complete disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. This patent application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/357,705, filed on Feb. 15, 2002, the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
A laterally- and longitudinally-elongated sheetform of optical material has a core and spaced broad surfaces provided with superficial light-confining measures flanking the core. At least one broad surface has an array of converging lenses, each adapted for collecting and introducing incident light rays into the core unimpeded by the superficial light-confining measures, and converging the rays onto focal points within the web. A counterpart array of reflective elements are embedded in the web at the focal points, and arranged to deflect the collected, converged rays onto transmission paths through the web generally intermediate the broad surfaces. A light-emission port provided in or by the web which is also rendered substantially free of impedance by the superficial light-confining measures. That way, collected light is generally confined between the broad surfaces, except for emissions out the emission port.
