IP Library Granted Patent US 8,292,467
Granted Patent B2
US 8,292,467 · App. 12/993,283 · Granted Oct 23, 2012

Illumination device comprising a light guide

Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,292,467
App. No.
12/993,283
Granted
Oct 23, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention provides an illumination device ( 1 ) comprising a lighting unit ( 2 ). The lighting unit ( 2 ) comprises a light source ( 100 ) and a substantially flat light guide ( 200 ), arranged to collimate light source light ( 111 ). The light guide ( 200 ) has an entrance window ( 210 ), an edge window ( 220 ), a first light guide surface ( 201 ), a second light guide surface ( 202 ), a first side edge ( 230 ) and a second side edge ( 240 ). One or more of the first light guide surface ( 201 ) and the second light guide surface ( 202 ) comprise a plurality of grooves ( 300 ). In this way, latitudinal collimation is obtained.

Claims (23)

1. An illumination device arranged to generate illumination device light, the illumination device comprising a lighting unit ( 2 ), the lighting unit ( 2 ) comprising:

a light source, arranged to generate light source light, and

a substantially flat light guide, arranged to collimate the light source light, the light guide having:

an entrance window and an edge window,

a first light guide surface and a second light guide surface, which are arranged substantially parallel,

a first side edge and a second side edge, wherein the first side edge and the second side edge are arranged not to diverge or converge from the entrance window in the direction of the edge window, and

wherein the entrance window is arranged to receive the light source light of the light source, wherein the edge window is arranged to allow the collimated light source light escape from the light guide as illumination device light, wherein one or more of the first light guide surface and the second light guide surface comprise a plurality of grooves, and wherein the grooves are arranged to diverge in a direction from the entrance window to the edge window.

2. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein both the first light guide surface and the second light guide surface comprise a plurality of grooves.

3. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of grooves virtually converge at a position (P) coinciding with the light source.

4. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of grooves virtually converge at a position (P) upstream of the light source.

5. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein the edge window has a slant angle (β) relative to the first light guide surface or the second light guide surface in the range of 35-105°.

6. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein the light guide comprises a solid transparent light guide.

7. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein the first light guide surface and the second light guide surface define a light guide height (h 1 ), wherein the first side edge and a second side edge define a light guide width (W 1 ), and wherein the width/height ratio is in the range of 1-100.

8. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein the first side edge and a second side edge define a light guide width (W 1 ) and wherein first side edge and a second side edge have side edge length (L 1 ), wherein width/length ratio (W 1 /L 1 ) is in the range of 0.5-2.

9. A substantially flat light guide, arranged to collimate light source light of a light source, the light guide having:

an entrance window and an edge window,

a first light guide surface and a second light guide surface, which are arranged substantially parallel,

a first side edge and a second side edge, wherein the first side edge and the second side edge are arranged not to diverge or converge from the entrance window in the direction of the edge window, and

wherein the entrance window is arranged to receive the light source light of the light source, wherein the edge window is arranged to allow the collimated light source light escape from the light guide as illumination device light, wherein one or more of the first light guide surface and the second light guide surface comprise a plurality of grooves, and wherein the grooves are arranged to diverge in a direction from the entrance window to the edge window.

10. A light guide collimator construction comprising a light guide according to claim 9 and a light guide funnel part, wherein the light guide is arranged to collimate light source light of a light source and to provide collimated light to the light guide funnel part.

11. The light guide collimator construction according to claim 10 , further comprising a waveguide, wherein the light guide and the light guide funnel part are arranged to provide collimated light to the waveguide.

12. The light guide collimator construction according to claim 10 , wherein the collimator has a collimator height (h 1 ) and wherein the waveguide has a waveguide height (h 4 ), wherein the waveguide height (h 4 ) is smaller than the collimator height (h 1 ).

13. A light guide collimator construction comprising a light guide according to claim 9 , wherein the light guide is arranged to collimate light source light of a light source and to provide collimated light to a waveguide, wherein the waveguide comprises a cladding having a low-index of refraction.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 28, 2019
From: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
To: SIGNIFY HOLDING B.V.
Reel/Frame 050837/0576 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2016
From: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
To: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
Reel/Frame 040060/0009 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 22, 2016
From: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
To: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
Reel/Frame 039428/0606 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2010
From: VISSENBERG, MICHEL CORNELIS JOSEPHUS MARIE; BERGMAN, ANTHONIE HENDRIK; DEKKER, TIM; CENNINI, GIOVANNI
To: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N V
Reel/Frame 025372/0686 →
Priority Claims (4)
EP 08157267 · May 30, 2008 · regional
EP 08163464 · Sep 2, 2008 · regional
EP 08167518 · Oct 24, 2008 · regional
EP 08167731 · Oct 28, 2008 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110096570A1 · Apr 28, 2011