Light bulb with omnidirectional output

1. A light emitting device comprising:

a) a light source; and

b) an outcoupling optic comprising;

i. a bulb shaped non-planar light guide of optically transmissive material having a refractive index greater than 1 and a first input edge disposed to receive light from a light source and propagate light through total internal reflection within the walls of the light guide;

ii. a light extracting region comprising a plurality of light extracting features;

c) a reflecting component positioned within the interior of the non-planar light guide;

wherein light is output with an omnidirectional luminous intensity distribution.

2. The light emitting device of claim 1 wherein the light extracting region is optically coupled to the non-planar light guide.

3. The light emitting device of claim 1 wherein the light extracting region is a volumetric light scattering region.

4. The light emitting device of claim 3 wherein the volumetric light scattering region is comprised of matrix and domain regions with differing indices of refraction such that Δ|n p −n m |>0.001 where n p is the index of refraction of the domain and n m is the index of refraction of the matrix.

5. The light emitting device of claim 1 wherein the light extracting region is a plurality of surface features on the non-planar light guide.

6. The light emitting device of claim 1 wherein the light extracting region is a reflective region optically coupled to the light guide.

7. The light emitting device of claim 1 wherein the light extracting region is at the output surface of the non-planar light guide.

8. The light emitting device of claim 1 in which the omnidirectional light distribution pattern is that of an A-type lamp.

9. The light emitting device of claim 1 having an even distribution of luminous intensity within the 0° to 135° zone (vertically axially symmetrical) wherein luminous intensity at any angle within the 0° to 135° zone shall not differ from the mean luminous intensity for the entire 0° to 135° zone by more than 20%.

10. The light emitting device of claim 1 further comprising an E26 base.

11. The light emitting device of claim 1 wherein the non-planar light guide is tapered.

12. The light emitting device of claim 1 wherein the reflecting component forms a cavity within which less than 10% of light emitted from the light source enters.

13. A light emitting device comprising:

a) a light source; and

b) an outcoupling optic comprising

i. a non-planar light guide of optically transmissive material having a refractive index greater than 1 and a first input edge disposed to receive light from a light source and propagate light through total internal reflection within the walls of the light guide;

ii. a light extracting region comprising matrix and domain regions with differing indices of refraction such that Δ|n p −n m |>0.001 where n P is the index of refraction of the domain and n m is the index of refraction of the matrix;

c) a reflecting component positioned within the interior of the non-planar light guide;

wherein light is output with an omnidirectional luminous intensity distribution.

14. An outcoupling optic with an omnidirectional shape comprising;

a) A bulb shaped non-planar light guide of optically transmissive material having a refractive index η 1 greater than 1 and a first input edge disposed to receive light from a light source and propagate light through total internal reflection within the walls of the light guide;

b) a light extracting region comprising a plurality of light extracting features.

15. The outcoupling optic of claim 14 in which the omnidirectional shape is that of an A-type lamp.