Appeal No. 2004-1069 Page 10
Application No. 09/569,616
expanding light pipe 70' to change the output light propagation direction and increase
the divergence angle of the output light beam to a predetermined value.
The light expanding system 200' shown in Figure 8A uses two point-like light
sources. In addition to the beam collector 28', first beam expanding light pipe 14' and
second beam expanding light pipe 70', the light expanding system 200' includes a
second beam collector 29 that is similar to the beam collector 28'. The second beam
collector 29 is located adjacent to the end surface 18' (Figure 4) of the first beam
expanding light pipe 14'.
Figure 8D depicts a light expanding system 150. The assembly 150 includes a
beam expanding light pipe 115, similar to the beam expanding light pipe 70 of Figure 6.
The assembly 150 also includes beam expanding light pipes 111 and 112 positioned
adjacent to different ones of the four surfaces of the beam expanding light pipe
115 that are perpendicular to the surface from which light is emitted from the beam
expanding light pipe 115. The beam expanding light pipes 111 and 112 can be
positioned adjacent to any two of the four surfaces: one possible configuration is shown
in Figure 8D. A first point-like light source 101 emits light that passes into a beam
collector 125 which then passes the light into light expanding light pipe 111. The light is
redirected out of the light expanding light pipe 111 into the light pipe 115. A second
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Last modified: November 3, 2007