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:
Oct. 09, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 24, 1997
David George Freier, St. Paul, MN (US);
Joseph John Bianconi, St. Paul, MN (US);
Richard Decena Ornelaz, Jr., Stanford, CA (US);
3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
An optical waveguide has a core and a cladding. The inner surface of the cladding is roughened in a non-uniform manner to provide for extraction of diffuse light. The core is made from a light transmitting material and formed with an axis in the general direction of light flow through the optical waveguide. The cladding surrounds the core and has an index of refraction that is less than the index of refraction of the core. The cladding has an inner surface which is roughened with indentations to extract light from the core. The indentations are substantially non-parallel with respect to the axis of the core. The inner surface of the cladding may be roughened by a variety of methods including sandblasting, the formation of grooves using a rotating brush, and the vibration of particles provided within the cladding.