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:
Mar. 07, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 02, 1997
Alexander Sohn, Fuquay-Varina, NC (US);
Fresnel Technologies, Inc., Fort Worth, TX (US);
Abstract
A microlens array is formed with lenses having many different symmetries to produce a large number of light output pattern shapes. The portions of the microlens array lenslets that direct light into undesirable locations are replaced with additional lenslets that redirect the light to where it is wanted. The microlens array has a plurality of primary lenslets on a substrate, the primary lenslets being curved shapes. Each of the primary lenslets has a surface area and a peripheral region. A plurality of secondary lenslets are at the peripheral regions of the primary lenslets and have surface areas which are smaller than the surface areas of the primary lenslets. The primary lenslets have a first vertical dimension and the secondary lenslets have a second vertical dimension which is smaller than the first vertical dimension. Tertiary lenslets may also be included in the microlens array. In the second of two described embodiments, the secondary and tertiary lenslets present convex cross-sectional shapes.