Ford Motor Company Limited

General Electric Company

John X Li

Jeffrey Allen Erion

Mahendra Somasara Dassanayake

Amir P Fallahi

John M Davenport

Richard L Hansler

William J Cassarly

Jeyachandrabose Chinniah

Donald J Jagos

A central lighting system for providing light to locations remote from the light source includes first and second ellipsoidally shaped reflector members joined so as to substantially surround the light source. The reflector members collect the light output and focus it onto an input face of either a light guide or a non-imaging optical coupling member. If the optical coupling member is utilized, an angle to area conversion occurs so as to allow light introduced at high angles to an input face of the optical coupler to exit the optical coupler at a smaller angle. The reflector members can also be configured so that respective second optical focal points can reside at the apex of the opposing reflector member thereby allowing for a coupling efficiency of approximately 70% or greater.

Optical coupling arrangement between a lamp and a light guide

A light collector includes a light source and a first and a second primary elliptical reflector partially surrounding the light source. The first and second primary reflectors have a common focal point at the light source. The first and second primary elliptical mirrors each have an opening in which a first light pipe and a second light pipe are located. Each of the light pipes having a face with a known acceptance angle. Each face is located substantially at the focal point of one of the primary reflectors. The first and second reflectors have an eccentricity sufficient to reflect light from the first and second primary reflectors so that light incident on the face of the light pipes does not exceed the acceptance angle of the light pipe. The first and second secondary elliptical reflectors are located within the opening in the primary mirrors. The first and second reflectors have common focal points with said first and second primary mirrors, respectively. The reflectors have an eccentricity and location by which light reflected from the secondary mirrors does not intersect the light source.

Double confocal fiber optic light collector

An illuminator for vehicle exterior lamps using a remote light source. Light is transmitted to the illuminator by a light guide, such as a fiber optic light pipe. The illuminator utilizes a complex mirror and a reflector to collect and collimate over 80% of the light from remote light source into a desired parallel beam for use as an automotive headlight.

Illuminator for use with a remote light source

A manifold for use on a vehicle utilizing light from a remote light source. The manifold includes bi-focal parabolic reflector which collects and collimates light from the remote light source which is transmitted to the bi-focal parabolic reflector through a light guide, such as a fiber optic light pipe. Light from the reflector is reflected outward through a plurality of reflective facets to form a light beam.

Light manifold

An apparatus includes a reflective surface for high efficiency collection, transmission and emission of light. Light collected by an ellipsoidal and hyperboloidal portion of the reflective surface is directed into a light guide. Additionally, a paraboloidal portion may be added and used in combination with a lens element to distribute the light reflected by the reflective surface in a beam pattern. When used as an emitter lens profile is smaller than the overall diameter of the reflective surface. When used as a collector, the reflective surface receives and concentrates light onto the end of a light pipe.

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Farmington Hills, MI, United States of America

John X Li