Abstract: Disclosed herein are lighting apparatuses that have a centered light source and at least one off-center light source. According to certain embodiments, a lighting apparatus includes a first light fixture having a first light source arranged at a first position that is centered with respect to a first optical axis of a first optic, and a second light source arranged at a second position that is off-center with respect to the first optical axis of the first optic. The first optic is configured to receive light emitted by the first light source and the second light source.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are lighting apparatuses that have a centered light source and at least one off-center light source. According to certain embodiments, a lighting apparatus includes a first light fixture having a first light source arranged at a first position that is centered with respect to a first optical axis of a first optic, and a second light source arranged at a second position that is off-center with respect to the first optical axis of the first optic. The first optic is configured to receive light emitted by the first light source and the second light source.

Abstract: An elongated LED lighting arrangement comprises an elongated fiberoptic light pipe having an exteriorly facing sidewall between its ends. The light pipe is constructed to promote TIR of light between the ends. A first LED light source is tuned to efficiently provide light within a wavelength range to the pipe. Light-extracting means are applied along the light pipe along the main path of TIR light propagation, and comprise down-converting means tuned to efficiently convert light rays from the LED light source within the wavelength range to lower-energy light rays at respectively longer wavelengths and light-scattering means for extracting from the pipe some light rays within the wavelength range without changing the wavelengths of the foregoing light. The light emitted by the down-converting means and the light-scattering means intermix to produce light, the majority of which has a composite color determined by the foregoing light emitted and the foregoing light extracted.

Abstract: An elongated LED lighting arrangement comprises an elongated fiberoptic light pipe having an exteriorly facing sidewall between its ends. The light pipe is constructed to promote TIR of light between the ends. A first LED light source is tuned to efficiently provide light within a wavelength range to the pipe. Light-extracting means are applied along the light pipe along the main path of TIR light propagation, and comprise down-converting means tuned to efficiently convert light rays from the LED light source within the wavelength range to lower-energy light rays at respectively longer wavelengths and light-scattering means for extracting from the pipe some light rays within the wavelength range without changing the wavelengths of the foregoing light. The light emitted by the down-converting means and the light-scattering means intermix to produce light, the majority of which has a composite color determined by the foregoing light emitted and the foregoing light extracted.

Abstract: Improved side-light distribution systems are disclosed. One exemplary system includes a light source and a side-light distribution member. The light source supplies light to the side-light distribution member having (1) an net port on the first end of the member for receiving the light and (2) a second end having a reflective means. The inlet port consists of part of the surface area of the first end of the member. The reflective means associated with the second end of the member receives light from the first end and directs light towards the first end. At least part of a surface area of the first end of outside of the inlet port includes a reflective means for receiving the light from the second end and directing the light towards the second end of the rod.

Abstract: Elongated lighting system comprises an elongated light pipe having first and second ends, with light supplied to those ends by at least one light source, via first and second light couplers that condition light to increase reflections within the light pipe. Light-extraction structure on the light pipe extracts light from the side of the pipe. An indentation in the light pipe has a depth and has surfaces oriented with respect to the pipe so as (1) to redirect light from the first light source that reaches the indentation after passing once through a plane adjacent the indentation, back through the plane and towards the first end; and (2) to sufficiently increase the average angular distribution of light reflected from the indentation and passing back through the plane as would cause at least 50 percent more reflections of the foregoing light within the pipe in the absence of the light-extraction structure.

Abstract: Lighted refrigerated display case with remote light source comprises a closed container with an interior of the container refrigerated to a temperature below 7 C. The container is thermally insulated from ambient, having internal and external walls. A solid fiber optic luminaire is at least partially mounted within the container, having an elongated side-light emitting portion for emitting light from the side of the luminaire onto contents in an interior of the display case. The side-light emitting portion comprises an extractor of light arranged to preferentially extract light from the luminaire and direct the light in at least one radial direction along the length of the side-light emitting portion to at least one target area of said contents along a longitudinal axis of the side-light emitting portion. A light-delivery system provides light to the fiber optic luminaire, having a light source mounted remotely from the interior of the container.

Abstract: An LED lighting system, with first and second types of LEDs of different efficacies, has a reduced-power usage mode. A control system independently controls first and second control groups of first and second types of LEDs, respectively. The control system has one or more modes including a reduced-power usage mode for decreasing the overall power consumption of the lighting system while maintaining a light level of at least a predetermined percentage of the level present when the first control group of LEDs operates at a power level between less-than-full power and full power and the second control group is off. The predetermined percentage is 50. The control system decreases the overall power consumption of the lighting system in the reduced-power usage mode by turning off or dimming the first control group and turning on the second control group to at least some extent.

Abstract: Elongated lighting system comprises an elongated light pipe having first and second ends, with light supplied to those ends by at least one light source, via first and second light couplers that condition light to increase reflections within the light pipe. Light-extraction structure on the light pipe extracts light from the side of the pipe. An indentation in the light pipe has a depth and has surfaces oriented with respect to the pipe so as (1) to redirect light from the first light source that reaches the indentation after passing once through a plane adjacent the indentation, back through the plane and towards the first end; and (2) to sufficiently increase the average angular distribution of light reflected from the indentation and passing back through the plane as would cause at least 50 percent more reflections of the foregoing light within the pipe in the absence of the light-extraction structure.

Abstract: Improved side-light distribution systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, an efficient side-light distribution system includes a LED light source; a light coupler for receiving light from the LED light source at a first end and providing light at a second end to an elongated light pipe, and the elongated light pipe receives light from the LED light source at a first end and transmitting the light towards a second end. The coupler transforms at least the angular distribution of at least 70% of the light from the LED light source into an appropriate angular distribution needed for total internal reflection at a second end within the elongated light pipe. The light coupler includes a light-extraction means between the first and second ends of the light coupler for extracting light out of a side of the light coupler. At least part of the light within the light pipe is extracted out of a side of the light pipe, between the first and second ends of the light pipe, by a light-extraction means.

Abstract: A method for making a combined light coupler and light pipe comprises providing a mold with an elongated chamber having two ends and having an appropriate shape to form the combined light coupler and light pipe. The formed light pipe has an elongated shape. The formed light coupler has an inlet end for receiving light and an outlet end for transmitting light to the light pipe, and is shaped in such a way as to transform at least 70% of the light it receives into an appropriate angular distribution needed for total internal reflection within the light pipe. A cross-linkable polymer having a weight average molecular weight ranging from about 2,000 to about 250,000 daltons is provided. At least part of the chamber of the mold is filled and contacted with the polymer, which is then cross-linked, such that the formed light coupler and light pipe have a unitary construction.

Abstract: An LED lighting system, with first and second types of LEDs of different efficacies, has a reduced-power usage mode. A control system independently controls first and second control groups of first and second types of LEDs, respectively. The control system has one or more modes including a reduced-power usage mode for decreasing the overall power consumption of the lighting system while maintaining a light level of at least a predetermined percentage of the level present when the first control group of LEDs operates at a power level between less-than-full power and full power and the second control group is off. The predetermined percentage is 50. The control system decreases the overall power consumption of the lighting system in the reduced-power usage mode by turning off or dimming the first control group and turning on the second control group to at least some extent.

Abstract: Lighted refrigerated display case with remote light source comprises a closed container with an interior of the container refrigerated to a temperature below 7 C. The container is thermally insulated from ambient, having internal and external walls. A solid fiber optic luminaire is at least partially mounted within the container, having an elongated side-light emitting portion for emitting light from the side of the luminaire onto contents in an interior of the display case. The side-light emitting portion comprises an extractor of light arranged to preferentially extract light from the luminaire and direct the light in at least one radial direction along the length of the side-light emitting portion to at least one target area of said contents along a longitudinal axis of the side-light emitting portion. A light-delivery system provides light to the fiber optic luminaire, having a light source mounted remotely from the interior of the container.

Abstract: A hub arrangement for mounting light pipe to receive light includes a light pipe hub for mounting at least one light pipe, with a plug-and-socket arrangement. The plug-and-socket arrangement includes (i) a socket in the light pipe hub for receiving a plug, and (ii) a plug for mounting a light pipe end that is to receive light. A fore end of the plug is receivable within the socket. The plug has a channel for receiving the light pipe through an aft end of the plug. The hub arrangement may also include, if desired, a rod hub for mounting at least one thermally isolating, light-collection rod for receiving light from a light source. The hub arrangement allows easy and rapid coupling of light pipe to an illumination source, using a “plug-and-socket” feature. The hub arrangement may incorporate several safety features to prevent premature light pipe failure.

Abstract: An illumination system for a video-imaging device has a light source and a collector of light from the light source. The collector is formed according to the principles of non-imaging optics and receives a portion of the light from the light source. The collector is configured to reduce the angular distribution of the collected light from the light source to match the requirements of a digital pixelation device.

Abstract: An adjustable-aim light pipe fixture, comprising a generally spherical eyeball for receiving an end of a light pipe is disclosed. The eyeball has a longitudinal axis coincident with a longitudinal axis of that portion of the light pipe that is received in the eyeball. A socket holds the eyeball. The socket comprises a first retainer ring and a second retainer ring. Each retainer ring has an interior surface with contact points to an outer surface of the eyeball. The first and second retainer rings are oriented with respect to each other so as to hold the eyeball in a fixed position when the first and second rings are pressed towards each other. Clamping structure clamps the first and second rings against each other in such manner as to hold the eyeball in fixed relation to the first retainer ring.

Abstract: A solid light pipe arrangement with reduced Fresnel-reflection losses includes a light pipe with a solid core comprising a polymer. An optically clear substrate has first and second sides with an anti-reflective coating on at least one side. The substrate is adhered to an end-face of the core of the light pipe by adhesive material so as to create an optically clear interface between the substrate and the end-face that passes more than about 96 percent of transmitted light. A preferred method of applying an anti-reflective coating to an end-face of a core of a solid, polymeric light pipe comprises diverting uncrosslinked polymer used for forming a light pipe core, and using the diverted polymer as adhesive material between a substrate with at least one antireflective coating and the end-face of a light pipe having the same polymeric components, in the same proportions, as the diverted polymer.

Abstract: A light pipe fixture with adjustable beam spreads comprises a bayonet assembly having a generally tubular coupling for receiving a light-dispensing end of a light pipe, and a receiver assembly. The receiver assembly has a generally tubular coupling for receiving therewithin the bayonet assembly coupling at adjustable levels of penetration of the bayonet assembly coupling within the receiver assembly coupling. The receiver assembly further comprises an optical lens and a hollow portion for focusing a light beam from the end of the light pipe through the lens. The radial interior surface of the receiver assembly coupling and the radial exterior surface of the bayonet assembly coupling may be configured so the receiver assembly coupling slidably and lockingly receives the bayonet assembly coupling in any of a plurality of positions along the length of the receiver assembly coupling.

Abstract: A light collection system comprises a light source with a bulbous section for emitting radiant energy in the direction of first and second portions of the bulbous section. A reflecting surface directs visible light from the light source to the first portion. Another reflecting surface directs UV energy from the light source to the second portion. A first angle-to-area converter receives visible light in the first portion and decreases the angle of the visible light to a desired angle. A second angle-to-area converter receives UV energy in the second portion and decreases the angle of the UV energy to a desired angle. A phosphor layer receives UV energy downstream of the second angle-to-area converter and converts the UV energy to visible light. A third angle-to-area converter receives visible light from the phosphor and reducing the angle of such light to an angle optimized for entering a fiber optic cable.