Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/0001—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
  • G02B6/0011—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
  • G02B6/0033—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide
  • G02B6/0035—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it
  • G02B6/0038—Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F21V7/00—Reflectors for light sources
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/0001—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
  • G02B6/0011—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
  • G02B6/0033—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide
  • G02B6/0058—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide varying in density, size, shape or depth along the light guide
  • G02B6/006—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide varying in density, size, shape or depth along the light guide to produce indicia, symbols, texts or the like
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/0001—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
  • G02B6/0011—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
  • G02B6/0033—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide
  • G02B6/0058—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide varying in density, size, shape or depth along the light guide
  • G02B6/0061—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide varying in density, size, shape or depth along the light guide to provide homogeneous light output intensity
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/0001—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
  • G02B6/0011—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
  • G02B6/0066—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems the light guides being planar or of plate-like form characterised by the light source being coupled to the light guide
  • G02B6/0068—Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
  • G09F13/00—Illuminated signs; Luminous advertising
  • G09F13/18—Edge-illuminated signs
  • G09F2013/1804—Achieving homogeneous illumination
  • G09F2013/1809—Achieving homogeneous illumination using a non-homogeneous front window
  • G09F2013/1813—Achieving homogeneous illumination using a non-homogeneous front window provided with a coating showing a pattern of dots of variable density

Definitions

• the first drawback of these devices is their relatively large thickness, due to the presence of the neon tubes behind the translucent support.
• the light intensity on the surface of the panel is generally not very regular. The regularity of the light intensity depends on both the number and the spacing of the neon tubes and their distance from the surface of the panel, the distance from the neon tubes from the surface of the panel having to be all the greater the spacing between two tubes is large.
• the present invention relates to a light diffuser comprising at least one transparent support comprising at least a first main face comprising a plurality of light deflection elements, and at least a second main face having a smooth surface, at least one light inlet being provided on at least part of at least one lateral face of the transparent support, the rest of the lateral surface of the transparent support being covered with an opaque material, at least one light source being arranged in front of the entry light, characterized in that the first main face is arranged against the smooth surface of a base element, and in that the light deflection elements are formed on the surface of the first main face of the transparent support, their density being inversely proportional to their distance from the edge of the light entry face.
• the transparent support is rectangular in shape and has light inlets on at least two opposite lateral faces, along which light sources are arranged, the first main face of the transparent support being divided in two parts extending respectively from its middle to the edges of said side faces, the light deflection elements being arranged on the surface of each part of said main face in a density inversely proportional to their distance from the edge of the face corresponding side.
• the light deflection elements may be grooves made on the surface of the transparent support, parallel to the edge of the light entry face, and spaced from each other at distances inversely proportional to 1 distance from said edge.
• the light deflection elements are lines of opalescent paint arranged on the surface of the transparent support, parallel to the edge of the light entry face, and spaced from one another at distances inversely proportional to their distance said edge.
• the light deflection elements consist of a coating of paint in the form of punctual spots whose density is inversely proportional to their distance from the edge of the light entry face.
• the light deflection elements comprise a set of opaline surfaces produced on the surface of the transparent support, the density of said surfaces being inversely proportional to their distance from the edge of the light entry face.
• only a part of the first main face of the transparent support comprises light deflection elements, so as to bring out the light only on a defined area of the second main face.
• the basic element may be a polished opaque plate, the second main face of the transparent support being covered with a diffusing support.
• the basic element is a diffusing support, the second main face of the transparent support also being covered with a diffusing support.
• the light diffuser according to the invention has the advantage of allowing very thin panels or boards to be produced, while obtaining an almost perfect and uniform diffusion of light over the entire surface of the diffuser. It is also very simple to make and inexpensive. Its applications are multiple.
• fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a first embodiment of the light diffuser, seen in cross section,
• fig. 2 is a schematic view of the first main face of the transparent support of the light diffuser of FIG. 1,
• fig. 3 is a schematic view of the first face main of the transparent support of a second embodiment of the light diffuser
• fig. 4 is a schematic view of the first main face of the transparent support of a third embodiment of the light diffuser.
• fig. 5 is a schematic view of the first main face of the transparent support of a fourth embodiment of the light diffuser.
• the light diffuser comprises a transparent support 1 of rectangular parallelepiped shape, comprising two main faces 2, 3 and four lateral faces 4, 5, 6, 7.
• the first main face 2 of the transparent support comprises on its surface a plurality of fine grooves 8 parallel to the edge of the lateral face 4 of the support and arranged at a consecutive spacing inversely proportional to the distance of said grooves from the edge of the lateral face 4.
• the first main face 2 of the transparent support 1 is arranged against the polished and opaque surface 9 of a base element 10.
• the second main face 3 of the transparent support is smooth.
• a diffusing support 11 covers the second main face 3 of the transparent support.
• the light diffuser described above further comprises assembly and fixing elements (not shown) known per se.
• the grooves can be produced for example in a summary manner using sandpaper or very precisely using specialized tools allowing for example to give them a deflection angle to the square or inclined according to the desired effect.
• the basic element 10 can be any plate. It should preferably be polished, light in color. An aluminum plate is fine. In an alternative embodiment, the base plate 10 can be replaced by a diffusing support, so as to diffuse the light on both sides of the diffuser.
• the transparent support also of rectangular parallelepiped shape, has light inlets on two of its lateral faces 4, 6, light sources 13, 13 'being arranged respectively opposite the side faces 4, 6, the other two side faces 5, 7 being made opaque.
• the first main face of the transparent support is divided into two zones extending respectively from its middle to the edges of the lateral faces 4 and 6, each of said zones respectively comprising grooves 8, 8 ′ parallel to the lateral faces 4, 6, the distance between two consecutive grooves 8 (respectively 8 ') being inversely proportional to the distance of said grooves from the edge of the lateral face 4 (respectively 6).
• FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of the light diffuser.
• the first main face 2 of the transparent support of this diffuser has a lateral face 15 constituting a light inlet and in front of which is placed a light source 13, the remaining lateral surface 16 of said transparent support being made opaque.
• the first main face of the transparent support has grooves 8 very close together and concentrated on only part 17 of its surface so as to make the light appear on the external surface of the diffuser only on a well-defined area of its surface.
• the light deflection elements produced in the form of grooves on the surface of the transparent support, can be replaced by lines of paint or by a coating of opaline paint in the form of spots whose density is inversely proportional to their distance from the edge of the illuminated side face.
• the light deflection elements can also be produced in the form of opaline or reflective surfaces formed on the first main face of the transparent support, the density of these opaline surfaces being likewise inversely proportional to the distance from the edge of the illuminated lateral face, if you want to obtain a regular light intensity over the entire surface of the diffuser.
• the technique described above makes it possible to obtain perfect control of the scattering of the light which enters the transparent support. It allows in particular to obtain a very regular diffusion of the light on the external surface of the diffuser, but also to bring out the light in a well defined zone, even in a point of the diffuser according to a well defined localization of the elements of deflection of light.
• the transparent support can for example be produced in the form of a glass plate, of transparent polyester or any other transparent material.
• the light diffuser can advantageously be produced in the form of modular and assemblable elements.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Illuminated Signs And Luminous Advertising (AREA)
• Planar Illumination Modules (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9355046

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (4)

Families Citing this family (6)

Citations (7)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 1987
  • 1987-09-18 FR FR8712969A patent/FR2620795B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1988
  • 1988-09-15 CH CH344288A patent/CH676877A5/fr not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1989
  • 1989-03-15 WO PCT/FR1989/000106 patent/WO1990010823A1/fr unknown

Patent Citations (7)

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