The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 09, 2020
Filed:
Nov. 04, 2015
3m Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Tao Liu, Woodbury, MN (US);
Mark E. Napierala, St. Paul, MN (US);
3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
Various embodiments of lightguides and illumination systems that include lightguides are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, a lightguide can include first and second light extractors () that extract light that would otherwise be confined and propagate within the lightguide along the length of the lightguide primarily by total internal reflection. The first and second light extractors can form respective first and second patterns along a length of the lightguide. Light extracted by the first light extractors can exit the lightguide primarily along a first direction (). Light extracted by the second light extractors can exit the lightguide primarily along a second direction () different from the first direction. A brightness of the total light extracted by the first light extractors can be larger than a brightness of the total light extracted by the second light extractors.