Abstract: A light-conductive pipe is described comprising a body of light-conductive material having an input face having a first cross sectional perimeter at a first end and an output face having a second cross sectional perimeter at a second end, and at least one integral alignment feature projecting from the body providing a third cross-sectional perimeter larger than at least one of the first or second perimeters of the faces, wherein the projecting alignment feature does not have a surface in the same plane as either face. Also described are integral linear arrays of multiple light-conductive pipes, two-dimensional arrays formed from multiple aligned individual light-conductive pipes or stacked integral linear arrays, and expanding optical faceplates formed from such two-dimensional arrays.

Abstract: An improved hot tip (40) for forming a thermoplastic body having a mold cavity (42) and a gate portion (44) has an elongated body member (46) and a channel (48) passing axially through the body member (46). The channel (48) has an inlet end (51) and outlet end (52) for passing a molten material, such as an amorphous resin, therethrough. The body member (46) has a necked-down portion (54) surrounding the outlet end (52) of the channel (48). The necked down portion (54) is configured to permit the outlet end (52) of the channel (48) to proximately contact the gate portion (44) of the mold cavity (42) resulting in a formed body having vestigeless gate.