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:
Aug. 30, 2005
Filed:
May. 02, 2003
James Kevan Guy, Mesa, AZ (US);
James Kevan Guy, Mesa, AZ (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
Apparatus and method for focusing light from an extended light source onto a secondary focal point (such as an input end of a light guide element). The apparatus includes a solid conic body formed in accordance with an ellipse, off axis paraboloid, or other conic shape, within which is disposed a refractive focusing lens. A first portion of the light rays (i.e. high angle light rays) generated by the extended light source are reflected through total internal reflection (TIR) by a first portion of the solid conic body onto the secondary focal point. A second portion of the light rays (i.e., low angle light rays), which would otherwise not be reflected by the solid conic body, are refracted by the focusing lens onto the same secondary focal point. Thus, by superposition, substantially all of the optical energy from the extended light source is coupled onto the secondary focal point.