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:
Apr. 28, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 25, 1997
John F Dreyer, Ramsey, MN (US);
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co., St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A hollow, cylindrical light conduit for transporting light generally longitudinally therethrough and distributing light therealong includes a cylindrical wall member of a transparent material. The wall member has an inner cylindrical smooth surface and an outer cylindrical structured surface having an array of isosceles prisms arranged side by side thereon. The faces of adjacent prisms extend longitudinally along the cylindrical wall member and are aligned at the same desired prism angle relative to one another. The light transporting performance of the light conduit, achieved by total internal reflection, and the light distributing performance of the light conduit, specifically relative to radially aligned, high incident angle longitudinal light rays in planes parallel or near parallel to the prisms, is optimized as a function of the desired prism angle between the faces of adjacent prisms.