Noncyclindrical Or Nonplanar Shaped Waveguide Patents (Class 385/146)
  • Publication number: 20090285542
    Abstract: True time delay silica waveguides and related fabrication methods are disclosed. Also disclosed are true time delay silica waveguides comprising wedged silica structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Inventors: Andrea MARTIN ARMANI, Oskar PAINTER, Kerry VAHALA
  • Patent number: 7620290
    Abstract: A laser handpiece is disclosed, including a shaped fiber optic tip having a side-firing output end with a non-cylindrical shape. The shaped fiber optic tip can be configured to side-fire laser energy in a direction away from a laser handpiece and toward sidewalls of a treatment or target site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Biolase Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ioana M. Rizoiu, Jeffrey W. Jones, Dmitri Boutoussov
  • Publication number: 20090279838
    Abstract: An optical waveguide includes a silicon wafer having two opposed sides. A first notch is defined in each of the two opposed sides such that the silicon wafer includes a head portion and a first stem portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventors: David Fattal, Marco Fiorentino, Qianfan Xu
  • Patent number: 7616855
    Abstract: An integrated waveguide including a dielectric structure configured to receive a first electromagnetic field distribution via a first major surface and having a second major surface, wherein the first electromagnetic field distribution produces a second electromagnetic field distribution within the dielectric structure. The waveguide further includes at least one metallic element disposed in the dielectric structure between the first major surface and the second major surface, the at least one metallic element structured and positioned to effect the second electromagnetic field distribution to increase an amount of the second electromagnetic field distribution that is incident upon a selected region of the second major surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Inventors: Peter B Catrysse, John S. Wenstrand
  • Patent number: 7616858
    Abstract: A light guiding plate is made of a transparent thermoplastic resin and has a first main surface, a second main surface opposed to said first main surface, a first side wall, a second side wall, a third side wall opposed to said first side wall and a fourth side wall opposed to said second side wall. The surface portion of the first main surface is provided with convex portions and/or concave portions, and the light guiding plate has a longitudinal-direction length, which is a length from the first side wall to the third side wall, of 40 mm or more but 130 mm or less, at least 80% region of the light guiding plate has a thickness of 0.1 mm or more but 0.55 mm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Engineering-Plastics Corporation, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Hisashi Tahara, Haruhiko Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 7607814
    Abstract: A backlight includes a visible light transmissive body having a light guide portion and a light input portion. The visible light transmissive body primarily propagates light by TIR and includes a light input surface and a light output surface. The light guide portion has a light reflection surface and a light emission surface. The light input portion has opposing side surfaces that are not parallel. A light source is disposed adjacent to the light input surface and emits light into the light input portion. A specularly reflective layer is disposed adjacent to but not in intimate contact with the opposing side surfaces and reflects more than 80% of visible light incident on the specularly reflective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Patrick R. Destain
  • Patent number: 7604388
    Abstract: A light-guiding plate, an optical source device and an electronic device. The light-guiding plate including an incident surface, and an emission surface substantially perpendicular to the incident surface. The incident surface has a surface substantially perpendicular to the incident surface, and has projections or depressions extending substantially parallel to the emission surface. The incident surface has flat planes among the projections or depressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Chikara Nishio, Toshikazu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7596295
    Abstract: A magnetic disk device performs magnetic recording by generating a magnetic field using an electric current on a light-irradiated surface of a recording medium. A head unit is formed by laminating an optical film that transmits a light and a metal film through which the electric current flows. A light exposing unit irradiates the light in such a manner that the light is transmitted through the optical film and irradiated on a surface of the recording medium. An electric-current output unit outputs the electric current to the metal film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Shin-ya Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20090238514
    Abstract: An optical waveguide and process for forming an optical waveguide are provided. The optical waveguide includes a first cladding layer; a first waveguide core formed on the first cladding layer, the first waveguide core comprising a first long period grating formed in at least one sidewall of the first waveguide core; and a second cladding layer formed over the first waveguide core. The process for forming an optical waveguide includes forming a first waveguide core on a surface of a first cladding layer; patterning the first waveguide core with a long period grating that is perpendicular to a surface of the first cladding layer; and forming a second cladding layer on the first cladding layer so as to cover the first waveguide core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Szu-Han HU, Visit THAVEEPRUNGSRIPORN
  • Patent number: 7593617
    Abstract: An optical waveguide comprises a body (13), the body including an entrance window (9) and an exit window (11) defining an optical path (13) through a cavity. The cavity contains a first fluid (A) and a second fluid (B), with an interface between the first fluid and the second fluid defined by a meniscus. The meniscus lies longitudinally along the optical path. Means for adjusting the meniscus are provided, for example a voltage source and at least two electrodes. Electrowetting can be used for influencing the fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Derk J. W. Klunder, Bernardus H. W. Hendriks, Stein Kuiper
  • Patent number: 7593615
    Abstract: Optical devices for guiding illumination are provided each having a body of optical material with staircase or acutely angled ramp structures on its top surface for distributing light inputted from one end of the device from the front exit faces of such structures along certain angular orientations, while at least a substantial portion of the light is totally internally reflected within the body until distributed from such front exit faces. Optical devices are also provided each have a body of optical material having a bottom surface with acutely angled ramp structures and falling structures which alternate with each other, such that light is totally internally reflected within the device until reflected by such ramp structures along the bottom surface to exit the top surface of the device or transmitted through the ramp structures to an adjacent falling structure back into the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: RPC Photonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen H. Chakmakjian, Donald J. Schertler, Tasso Sales, G. Michael Morris
  • Publication number: 20090230086
    Abstract: A voltage is applied on an interdigitated electrode provided on one main face 8a of a single-domain ferroelectric single crystal substrate 8 to form a periodic domain inversion structure 29, the interdigitated electrode is removed and the one main face 8a of the substrate 8 is machined to remove the surface region 25 of the substrate 8 to form a machined surface. The optical waveguide is then formed in the substrate 8.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi YOSHINO
  • Patent number: 7590327
    Abstract: A waveguide based on a three-dimensional photonic crystal is arranged to provide wave-guiding in a single mode and a mode having a field strength distribution with unimodality in a plane perpendicular to the wave-guiding direction, to thereby enable wave-guiding in a desired frequency band, wherein the three-dimensional photonic crystal has a plurality of line defect members which include a first line defect member made of a medium having a refractive index not smaller than that of the columnar structures and formed in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the columnar structures extend, and a second line defect member formed in the same direction as the first line defect member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyokatsu Ikemoto, Aihiko Numata
  • Patent number: 7587120
    Abstract: Provided are a volumetric three-dimensional display panel formed by stacking a plurality of transparent, flexible two-dimensional display panels, such as organic light-emitting devices, to have a curved surface, and a volumetric three-dimensional display system employing the volumetric three-dimensional display panel. In the volumetric three-dimensional display panel, two-dimensional images are displayed on the two-dimensional flexible display panels to form a single three-dimensional image, and a display surface of the volumetric three-dimensional display panel is curved with a predetermined curvature or is flat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-phil Koo, Dae-sik Kim
  • Patent number: 7587118
    Abstract: A resonator with a three-dimensional photonic crystal having a fewer number of layers presenting a basic period, having a wide frequency band presenting a complete photonic band gap, and operating in a single mode, as well as a device using the same are provided, the three-dimensional photonic crystal including a period defect member and a period structure member having periodically laminated plural layers including a refractive-index periodic structure, the plural layers including first to fourth layers each having a periodic structure, the period defect member being provided by a columnar structure disposed at the second or fourth layer and on an axis of the columnar structure formed in the second or fourth layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuya Nobayashi, Hikaru Hoshi
  • Patent number: 7585097
    Abstract: A light pipe is configured to provide a wide effective angle of illumination while simultaneously providing a substantially uniform distribution of light along a length of the light pipe. One or more reflective surfaces not aligned with an inner surface are disposed such that when at least one reflective surface is illuminated, light is emitted from the light pipe at one or more specified angles of light emission. A plurality of reflection points are formed on the inner surface to cause the specified angles when at least one of the reflective surfaces is illuminated. A light pipe is also provided having one or more exterior protrusions configured to function as a secondary light source. A second portion of an outer surface of the light pipe has a radius of curvature which differs from the radius of curvature of the first portion of the outer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Canada ULC
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Goto, Dragos Luca, Salvatore Alesio
  • Patent number: 7587117
    Abstract: An optical device for collecting light and selectively outputting or concentrating the light. A layer has an optical index of refraction n1, and top, bottom and side surfaces defining an angel of inclination ?. A back surface spans the top, bottom and side surface. A first layer is coupled to the bottom surface of the layer and has an index of refraction n2. The first layer index n2 causes light input through the back surface of the layer to be preferentially output into the first layer. A second layer is coupled to the bottom of the first layer and selectively causes output of light into ambient. Additional layers, such as alight polarization layer, a polarization converting layer and a post LCD diffuser layer can be used to make preferential use of polarized light of diffuse light having passed through the LCD layer to enhance viewing of the output light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Roland Winston, Robert L. Holman, Benjamin A. Jacobson, Robert M. Emmons, Philip Gleckman
  • Patent number: 7587119
    Abstract: An optical waveguide device comprises a first under-cladding layer, a light emitting element provided on an upper surface of the first under-cladding layer and having a light emitting portion which emits light, and a core provided on the upper surface of the first under-cladding layer and having a light receiving portion which receives the light emitted from the light emitting portion of the light emitting element. The light receiving portion of the core has a generally U-shape as seen in plan, and the emitted light is projected into an opening of the generally U-shaped light receiving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Sazzadur Rahman Khan, Kazunori Mune
  • Publication number: 20090220723
    Abstract: An injection-moulding device is disclosed, comprising at least a first (1) and a second (3) mould part, defining a mould cavity (4). At least one of the mould parts comprises cooling ducts (5), for cooling the mould part in the vicinity of a mould cavity surface (11), and heating means (6), for heating the mould part in the vicinity of the mould cavity surface. The cooling ducts (16) comprise grooves, in a carrier member (17), and the heating means comprises an inductive coil (18) having a plurality of windings, wherein at least a part of the inductive coil is placed in a cooling duct groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: Thermal Cyclic Technologies TCTechi
    Inventors: Jan Jäderberg, Stefan Olin
  • Patent number: 7581862
    Abstract: The invention concerns a light guide element whose cross-sectional surface widens continuously at least in areas from a light inlet surface to a light outlet surface, as well as a light unit with at least one LED as light source and with a light guide element. For this purpose the light guide element includes at least one area with a curved directrix, in which the curvature of the directrix in this area is constant or which the curvature of the directrix in this area diminishes with increasing cross section of the light guide element. With the present invention the light guide element and a light unit are developed, which permits a soft transition of illumination intensity in a sharply delimited light-dark boundary of the illuminated area on the other edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: odelo GmbH
    Inventors: Emil Stefanov, Stephanie Specht
  • Patent number: 7573644
    Abstract: A light pipe assembly includes a lens set and a holder. The lens set includes a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, and a fourth lens. The first lens has a first surface and a fifth surface adjacent to the first surface. The second lens has a second surface and a sixth surface adjacent to the second surface, and the fifth surface covers the second surface. The third lens has a third surface and a seventh surface adjacent to the third surface, and the sixth surface covers the third surface. The fourth lens has a fourth surface and an eighth surface adjacent to the fourth surface. The seventh surface covers the fourth surface and the eighth surface covers the first surface. Furthermore, the holder is used for encompassing and abutting the lens set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Qisda Corporation
    Inventor: Ching-Shuai Huang
  • Patent number: 7568827
    Abstract: A light guide member for guiding light incident thereon from a light source, the light guide member including a plurality of the first grooves extending along a first direction on a first side of the light guide member, a plurality of second grooves extending along a second direction on the first side of the light guide member, the first direction may cross the second direction such that the first grooves and the second grooves may form a matrix pattern on the first side of the light guide member, wherein a polygonal shaped projection is formed between every two adjacent ones of the second grooves and a corresponding two adjacent ones of the first grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong Ho Lee, Won Ki Cho, Jang Hwan Hwang
  • Patent number: 7565054
    Abstract: An ultra thin lighting element including at least one light source. A lightguide element includes one lightguide layer comprising a plurality of discrete fine optic surface relief structures on at least one portion of at least one surface. Each surface relief structure includes basic structural features on the order of about 10 microns or less in height, and on the order of about 10 microns or less in each lateral dimension. The number, arrangement and size of each surface relief structure and height and lateral dimensions of the structural features of the surface relief structures being varied to provide a desired degree of outcoupling modulation of light incoupled into the light guide element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Oy Modilis Ltd.
    Inventor: Kari Rinko
  • Patent number: 7556417
    Abstract: An exemplary optical plate includes at least one transparent plate unit. The transparent plate unit includes a light output surface, a bottom surface, a plurality of microstructures, and at least a lamp-receiving portion. The bottom surface is opposite to the light output surface. The microstructures are formed at the light output surface and the bottom surface respectively. Each microstructure has circular cross-sections taken along a plane parallel to its base surface thereof, a diameter of the circular cross-sections decreasing along a direction away from its base surface thereof. The lamp-receiving portion is defined in the bottom surface. A backlight module using the present optical plate is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shao-Han Chang
  • Publication number: 20090171477
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described that employ high-intensity lasers to set up a thin plasma sheet, also called a waveguide or “hot shell”, in the atmosphere as a function of beam intensity and geometry. A laser beam can be spread and directed with physical optics (e.g., lenses, mirrors, other optical elements, etc.) to generate a thin inverted cone-shaped hot shell waveguide in the atmosphere. The hot shell of the waveguide has a different index of refraction (n) from that of the surrounding air layers and as such serves to internally reflect portions of the entering solar rays entering an aperture in the hot shell, toward the tip of the cone and a solar energy storage component positioned there, thus providing a virtual solar energy concentration system. In another embodiment, the solar energy storage component shuts down or otherwise rejects incoming solar energy when fully charged, to mitigate damage to system components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Taysir H. Nayfeh, Daniel E. Raible, Brian R. Fast
  • Patent number: 7555194
    Abstract: An improved illumination device shortens a redundant area of insufficient light intensity close to a longitudinal end thereof. The device includes a casing, a bar-shaped light guide housed in the casing to cause a light-emitting surface thereof to be exposed, a light-emitting unit secured to an end section of the casing, wherein light from the light-emitting unit is introduced into the bar-shaped light guide through the end face thereof and is totally reflected within the bar-shaped light guide to be emitted through the light-emitting surface, and a shielding section provided to cover an end section of the bar-shaped light guide including the redundant area at the end section of the casing close to the light-emitting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Ikeda, Hiroyuki Nemoto, Takashi Kishimoto, Takeshi Ishimaru, Hirohiko Iwase, Hidemitsu Takeuchi, Tomihisa Saito
  • Patent number: 7551243
    Abstract: A lens for use in a lighting arrangement, such as an LCD backlight, includes a light guiding region and a lens surface. The light guiding region is shaped to focus light from a light source toward a region of the lens located on its periphery. The lens surface has reflection regions for reflecting light from the light source back into the lens and transmission regions for transmitting light from the light source outside the lens. A characteristic of the transmissions regions, such as width, varies as a function of the location of the light source so as to create substantially uniform average light distribution for areas of the lens positioned at various distances with respect to the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Andrei Cernasov
  • Patent number: 7548670
    Abstract: A light collimation device comprising a wave guide plate (100) having a first surface (101), an opposing faceted second surface (102) comprising a plurality of essentially planar parallel portions (103) and a plurality of facets (104) connecting said planar parallel portions (103) and at least one surface (105) for receiving light is provided. Each facet (104) is formed at a non-right angle (?) to said planar parallel portions (103) and the device further comprises a plurality of collimating refractive elements (106), wherein each collimating refractive element (106) corresponds to a separate one of the plurality of facets (104), and is located in the beam path of at least the major part of light being reflected on the corresponding facet (104) and extracted from said wave guide plate (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Willem Lubertus Ijzerman, Michel Cornelis Josephus Marie Vissenberg, Marcellinus Petrus Carolus Michael Krijn, Hugo Johan Cornelissen
  • Patent number: 7543945
    Abstract: A projection display includes three illumination units to emit red, green, and blue beams, at least one optical modulator to modulate the red, green, and blue beams to be suitable for image data, and projection optics to magnify and project the light beams emitted from the at least one optical modulator. Each of the illumination units includes: a collimator including a parabolic first reflective surface; a compact light source located at a focal point of the first reflective surface; a polarizer that transforms a light beam emitted from the collimator into a P- or S-polarized beam; and an integrator that transforms the light beam emitted from the polarizer to be emitted at a uniform intensity of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-chol Lee, Dong-ha Kim, Yasunori Kuratomi, Il-kweon Moon
  • Patent number: 7542635
    Abstract: An enhanced electroluminescent sign containing a volumetric, anisotropic scattering element to control the angular spread of light from the sign and the spatial luminance uniformity of the sign. The anisotropic scattering element contains one or more regions of asymmetrically-shaped light scattering particles. The angular spread of light leaving a sign from a light emitting source can be efficiently controlled by using a thin, low cost, volumetric, anisotropic scattering elements to angularly and spatially distribute light, permitting the reduction in number of light sources, a reduction in power requirements, or a more tailored viewing angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Fusion Optix Inc.
    Inventor: Zane Coleman
  • Publication number: 20090129737
    Abstract: An optoelectronic device has at least a first facet (S), a first waveguide (2) and a second waveguide (3). The waveguides are substantially coincident at the first facet (6), such that light travelling along the first waveguide (2) is reflected into the second waveguide (3) by the first facet (6). The first facet (6) is formed by precision cleaving. Preferably an etch feature is incorporated in the same mask level as that to define the waveguide core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2006
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventors: Ian Francis Lealman, Graeme Douglas Maxwell, David William Smith, Michael James Robertson, Alistair James Poustie, Xin Chen
  • Publication number: 20090122817
    Abstract: Only the light at an overlapping wavelength of the transmission characteristics of at least two wavelength selecting filters is looped, and at least one of the wavelength selecting filters varies a selected wavelength. Since a loss due to the optical filters is small and there is not a loss caused by a highly reflecting film, the output of an external-resonator variable-wavelength laser can be increased. Optical circuit component (8) divides light input from external device (1) into at least two ports. Loop waveguide (11) interconnects at least ports (9, 10) divided by optical circuit component (8) in the form of a loop. At least two first wavelength selecting filters (12, 13) are inserted in series in a path of loop waveguide (11), and have periodic transmission characteristics on a frequency axis which are different from each other. At least one of first wavelength selecting filters (12, 13) varies the selected wavelength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2006
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Sato, Jan De Merli, Kenji Mizutani, Shinya Sudo, Koji Kudo, Hiroyuki Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 7532798
    Abstract: An elongate waveguide for guiding light including a core having an elongate region of relatively low refractive index; a microstructured region around the core comprising elongate regions of relatively low refractive index interspersed with elongate regions of relatively high refractive index; and a boundary at the interface between the core and the microstructured region, the boundary including, in the transverse cross-section, a region of relatively high refractive index, which is connected to the microstructured region at a plurality of nodes, and at least one relatively enlarged region around the boundary, the enlarged region having a major dimension and a minor dimension, wherein the length of the major dimension divided by the length of the minor dimension is more than 3.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Crystal Fibre A/S
    Inventors: David Philip Williams, Timothy Adam Birks, Philip St. John Russell, Peter John Roberts, Hendrik Sabert, Alexander Onischenko
  • Patent number: 7532800
    Abstract: The disclosed is a light guide unit and a surface illuminator illuminating a liquid crystal display (LCD). The light guide unit (100) is composed of a surface lighting light guide (30) having a light emitting major surface (30a) and a light receiving side surface (30c); a channel light guide (20) having optical cores (21) to form a fiber optic channel array having light entrance core surfaces (21a) and light exit core surfaces (21b); and a distribution light guide (10) having a light distribution guide surface (10d) and a light receiving portion (10b) receiving light from the LED (200). The light guides (10, 20 and 30) are positioned respectively in that order to form a light guide unit (100). Each width (w1) and/or a pitch (p) of the optical cores (21) may change in accordance with a distance from the light receiving portion (10b). The channel light guide (20)/the distribution light guide (10) may have a linear shape or a nonlinear shape with “L”, “U” or “O” shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Inventor: Keiji Iimura
  • Patent number: 7529461
    Abstract: A light guide plate includes a light incidence surface, a light reflection surface, and a light emission surface. The light emission surface forms a plurality of light-guiding structures, which are extended in a direction substantially perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of a light source. The light-guiding structures have a substantially V-shaped cross-section and, among the light-guiding structures, those arranged in opposite endwise zones of the light emission surface in the lengthwise direction have an irregular V-shaped cross-section defined by a long inclined side, which faces endwise, and a short inclined side. The long and short sides respectively form first and second inclined angles with respect to the light emission surface and the first included angle is smaller than the second included angle and the first inclined angle gets smaller with the associated light-guiding structure located closer to the lengthwise end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Radiant Opto-Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Wei-Hsuan Chen, Pei-Ling Kao, Chun-Hsien Li
  • Patent number: 7529438
    Abstract: Fluidic waveguides have inward surfaces or areas that face each other, separated by a channel region that can be covered. For example, an integrally formed channel component can include two walls parts and a connecting part, with inward surfaces on the wall parts and, extending between them, a base surface; a covering component's lower surface can also extend between the inward surfaces, bounding the channel region; other fluidic, electrical, and optical components can also be attached. In a stack, the covering component can cover the first channel component, and the lower base surface of each preceding channel component can cover the following channel component. An integrally formed body of light-transmissive material can have a surface that includes a waveguide's inward areas and a base area between them; a covering component can be mounted on areas adjacent the inward areas, providing an enclosed channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Oliver Schmidt, Michael Bassler, Peter Kiesel
  • Patent number: 7529445
    Abstract: A light guide emits lights incident on an end face from an emitting face extending longitudinally of the guide, while having the lights reflected by its internal face. A sectional shape of the guide in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of this light guide has two opposite parabolas, a line segment connecting the focal points of the two opposite parabolas, and a line segment (bottom face) corresponding to the emitting face. A scattering pattern consisting of white ink is formed on the line segment (bottom face) connecting the focal points. With this guide, the face of a document is to be efficiently illuminated by conversely utilizing the characteristic of the compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) to convert scattered lights extending over a full angle from a limited area into radiant lights confined to a prescribed emission angle and thereby minimizing the expansion of lights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Makoto Ikeda, Hiroyuki Nemoto
  • Patent number: 7526164
    Abstract: A polarizer is formed with an arrangement of polymer fibers substantially parallel within a polymer matrix. The polymer fibers are formed of at least first and second polymer materials. At least one of the polymer matrix and the first and second polymer materials is birefringent, and provides a birefringent interface with the adjacent material. Light is reflected and/or scattered at the birefringent interfaces with sensitivity to the polarization of the light. In some embodiments, the polymer fibers are formed as composite fibers, having a plurality of scattering polymer fibers disposed within a filler to form the composite fiber. In other embodiments, the polymer fiber is a multilayered polymer fiber. The polymer fibers may be arranged within the polymer matrix as part of a fiber weave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Andrew J. Ouderkirk, Richard C. Allen, Patrick R. Fleming, Diane North, Andrew T. Ruff, Kristin L. Thunhorst
  • Patent number: 7522811
    Abstract: Complementary surface fabrication processes such as molding, casting, embossing, and so forth, are used to produce articles, structures, or components structured to operate as sandwich waveguides. Resulting complementary surface artifacts include, for example, optical quality surfaces on wall parts, other exposed artifacts that occur where a complementary solid surface contacts non-solid material during fabrication, and sub-surface artifacts such as integrally formed connections between wall parts and base parts. A body whose surface includes a waveguide's inward surfaces, outward surfaces, and light interface surfaces to receive incident light can be formed in a single step, leaving a partially bounded fluidic region that can then be covered to provide a channel that is bounded along a length yet open at its ends; other fluidic, electrical, and optical components can also be attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Oliver Schmidt, Michael Bassler, Peter Kiesel
  • Patent number: 7522810
    Abstract: A scanning head includes a surface emitting part array panel which has an array of surface emitting parts to emit light A plurality of light guide parts are respectively opposite to the surface emitting parts. Each of light guide parts has an entrance plane to receive the light from the surface emitting part, a reflection plane to reflect the light from the entrance plane, and an exit plane to emit the light from the reflection plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Ogura, Yasuhiro Daiku, Tomoyuki Shirasaki, Tetsuya Kusuno
  • Patent number: 7522809
    Abstract: A planar light guide (4) having a light entrance end face (41) receiving light from a spot-like primary light source and a light exit face (43) outputting the entered light, wherein a plurality of lens arrays (42) are formed, at least a part of the light entrance end face, to extend from the light exit face toward the opposite face substantially in parallel with each other. The lens array (42) has an asymmetric cross-sectional shape defined by a combination of at least two different curves. When the light guide (4) is combined with a primary light source disposed oppositely to the light entrance end face (41) and a light deflecting element disposed oppositely to the-light exit face (43), a high quality planar light source having a high uniformity and no variation in luminance is provided even when a relative small number of spot-like light sources are used as the primary light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyoshi Yamashita, Masae Ono
  • Patent number: 7517102
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a displaying unit using a display panel and provides a reinforcing configuration that reinforces an optical guide plate without impairing a degree of freedom in the back space of the optical guide plate. A displaying unit includes an optical guide plate that guides light of a light source for display on a display panel and includes a reinforcing member (reinforcing beam) that bridges over the optical guide plate between side surfaces in the incident direction and the crossing direction of the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Eiichi Mori
  • Patent number: 7512310
    Abstract: A light guide member for guiding light received from a light source, the light source illuminating light toward the light guide member, the light guide member may include a plurality of first grooves on a first side of the light guide member, the first grooves extending along a first direction crossing a zero-degree radiation angle of the light from the light source, wherein an angle of a reflective face of the first groove increases approaching away from the light source of the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong Ho Lee, Won Ki Cho, Wan Soo Han, Ho Seok Ko, Sang Hoon Lee, Hee Chan Eum, Jong Kyo Jeong
  • Patent number: 7505668
    Abstract: A backlight unit capable of reducing or effectively preventing a luminance deviation includes a plurality of light emitting diodes, a light source substrate on which the plurality of light emitting diodes is mounted, a light guide plate converting line-shaped light generated from the light emitting diodes into a surface-shaped light, an incident surface of the light guide plate contacting an emitting surface of each of the light emitting diodes, a first fixing part formed on the light source substrate in a region overlapping the light guide plate and a second fixing part formed on the light guide plate and coupled to the first fixing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Won Kee Hong
  • Patent number: 7500774
    Abstract: An annular light guide is provided. The annular light guide is made of optically transparent material, and is provided with an annular body that is an integrated combination of a light inlet and a light outlet. A light source is disposed in a cavity formed in the light inlet. Illumination light is emitted from the front surface 16c of the light outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Nishiyama, Ayumu Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20090052909
    Abstract: One or more one-dimensional array-shaped photoelectric conversion modules 302 are mounted on a board 301. A one-dimensional array-shaped light receiving/emitting element 303 is mounted in each of the one-dimensional array-shaped photoelectric conversion modules 302. Further, the one-dimensional array-shaped photoelectric conversion modules 302 are mechanically and optically connected to a flexible fiber sheet 306 through an optical connector 305. As parallel transmission paths 306 from the one-dimensional array-shaped photoelectric conversion modules 302 approach an end of a board 301, they are laminated with each other and connected to a two-dimensional array-shaped optical connector 307 at an end of the board. Further, a wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer is connected to the optical connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2006
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Hino, Kazuhiko Kurata, Yutaka Urino, Ichirou Ogura, Junichi Sasaki, Youichi Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20090046479
    Abstract: Low profile, side-emitting LEDs are described. The LEDs are used in very thin backlights for backlighting an LCD. In one embodiment, the backlight comprises a solid transparent waveguide with at least one opening in the waveguide containing an LED proximate to one edge. To smooth out a clover-shaped or batwing brightness profile inherently generated by a rectangular side-emitting LED within a smooth-sided rectangular opening in the waveguide, depending on the orientation of the LED, the sidewalls of the opening are made to have varying angles along the length of each sidewall to vary the refraction angle of light along the sidewall. Additionally, if a plurality of LEDs are used in the backlight, the orientations of the openings alternate to create a more uniform brightness profile in the waveguide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: PHILIPS LUMILEDS LIGHTING COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Serge J. Bierhuizen, Gerard Harbers, Oleg B. Shchekin, Gregory W. Eng
  • Patent number: 7493010
    Abstract: A stepped light guide has an incident surface, an emitting surface and a stepped reflecting structure. The emitting surface is adjacent to the incident surface. The stepped reflecting structure is adjacent to the incident surface, faces the emitting surface and has a proximal end, a distal end, multiple planar surfaces and multiple inclined surfaces. The proximal end is adjacent to the incident surface. The distal end is opposite to the proximal end. The planar surfaces are parallel to and separated from the emitting surface by a depth, the depth being gradually reduced from the proximal end to the distal end. The inclined surfaces are formed between every two adjacent planar surfaces. The light guide effectively changes a linear or point light source into a surface light source having uniform illumination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Emerging Display Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yen-Po Lien, Hung-Wen Chang
  • Patent number: 7481588
    Abstract: This invention relates to an optical fiber composite comprising an asymmetric optical fiber comprising a first end with a substantially non-circular cross-section, and a substantially circular clad optical fiber comprising a tapered end section which has a substantially non-circular cross section and where the asymmetric optical fiber and the substantially circular clad optical fiber are spliced together at the first and second ends. The invention also relates to methods of making such optical fiber composites and devices that include such optical fiber composites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: KVH Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas D. Monte
  • Publication number: 20090016690
    Abstract: Complementary surface fabrication processes such as molding, casting, embossing, and so forth, are used to produce articles, structures, or components structured to operate as sandwich waveguides. Resulting complementary surface artifacts include, for example, optical quality surfaces on wall parts, other exposed artifacts that occur where a complementary solid surface contacts non-solid material during fabrication, and sub-surface artifacts such as integrally formed connections between wall parts and base parts. A body whose surface includes a waveguide's inward surfaces, outward surfaces, and light interface surfaces to receive incident light can be formed in a single step, leaving a partially bounded fluidic region that can then be covered to provide a channel that is bounded along a length yet open at its ends; other fluidic, electrical, and optical components can also be attached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventors: Oliver Schmidt, Michael Bassler, Peter Kiesel