Abstract: A modular fiber optic light line unit has a housing in which distal portions of one or more fiber optic bundles fan out such that termini of the fibers are arrayed in a continuous fiber row. The proximal ends of the bundles are held in respective sleeves, and light source modules are removably attached over the sleeves to generate light that is incident on the proximal end of the bundle. The light source modules are removably installed by pushing on, without requiring tools. The light source modules have a canister housing containing a solid-state light source, e.g., five watts. Heat management is achieved using fins on the modular housing. Different color wavelength light sources can be employed, and the fibers from the various bundles can be interleaved.

Abstract: A fiber optic light line unit provides a uniform linear beam of illumination onto a target, such as a traveling web. A number of fiber optic bundles have distal ends that are butted together end to end to create a long, seamless line of uniform strip lighting. The unit has a housing in which distal portions of the fiber optic bundles fan out so that the termini of the fibers are arrayed in a single continuous fiber row at a distal face plate of the housing. The ends of the row of each bundle abut the ends of the adjacent row from another bundle. In one embodiment the housing has first and second halves that sandwich the fiber termini, and there are respective sawtooth or similar recesses that each hold a respective fiber end or terminus. A cylindrical lens can be disposed with its axis across the linear beam of light. The fibers are held with their termini at a predetermined slant angle, e.g., thirty degrees, so that the light emanating from the unit impinges on a target at an angle.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for illuminating a distant object such as a vehicle license plate, and for reading optical information on the distant object. The apparatus is a self-contained, compact unit which includes a radiation source for illuminating a selected area of the object and a CCD camera for receiving radiation from the object and for producing an electrical signal representative of optical information on the object. The radiation source is coaxial with an imaging lens of the camera and includes arrays of LED's spaced around an optical axis passing through the imaging lens. The LED's emit radiation in the near infrared region and are strobed at a predetermined frequency during the acquisition of the information.

Abstract: A modular fiber optic light line unit provides a uniform linear beam of illumination. A number of these modular units can be butted together end to end to create a long, seamless line of uniform strip lighting. The unit has a housing in which a distal portion of the fiber optic bundle fans out so that the termini of the fibers are arrayed in a single continuous fiber row at a distal face plate of the housing. The ends of the row are flush with end edges of the distal face plate. In one embodiment the housing has first and second halves that sandwich the fiber termini, and there are respective sawtooth or similar recesses that each hold a respective fiber end or terminus. The housing can be anodized aluminum, and the optical fibers can be polymer fibers, for example with a diameter of 0.030 inches.