Light guide and lighting assembly with array of rotated micro-optical elements

Abstract

A light guide includes opposed major surfaces and a light input edge extending therebetween. An array of micro-optical elements of well-defined shape at at least one of the opposed major surfaces corresponds to the light input edge. Each of the micro-optical elements in the array includes a longitudinal axis arranged within the range of angles relative to the light input edge. A path linearly extending along the light guide from the light input edge intersects at least a portion of the micro-optical elements in the array, at least one of the micro-optical elements along the path arranged with its longitudinal axis at a positive angle relative to the light input edge, and at least another one of the micro-optical elements along the path arranged with its longitudinal axis at a negative angle relative to the light input edge.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A light guide, comprising:
 opposed major surfaces configured to propagate light input to the light guide therebetween by total internal reflection;   a first light input edge extending between the major surfaces in a thickness direction through which light is input into the light guide;   a first array of micro-optical elements of well-defined shape at at least one of the opposed major surfaces, the first array of micro-optical elements configured to extract light input to the light guide through the first light input edge, each of the micro-optical elements of the first array comprising a longitudinal axis, wherein a path linearly extending along the light guide from the first light input edge intersects at least a portion of the micro-optical elements of the first array, at least one of the micro-optical elements of the first array along the path arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at a positive angle relative to the first light input edge, and at least another one of the micro-optical elements of the first array along the path arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at a negative angle relative to the first light input edge;   a second light input edge extending between the major surfaces in the thickness direction through which light is input into the light guide; and   a second array of micro-optical elements of well-defined shape at at least one of the opposed major surfaces, the second array of micro-optical elements configured to extract light input to the light guide through the second light input edge, each of the micro-optical elements of the second array comprising a longitudinal axis, wherein a path linearly extending along the light guide from the second light input edge intersects at least a portion of the micro-optical elements of the second array, at least one of the micro-optical elements of the second array along the path arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at a positive angle relative to the second light input edge, and at least another one of the micro-optical elements of the second array along the path arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at a negative angle relative to the second light input edge.   
     
     
         3 . The light guide of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the respective longitudinal axes of the micro-optical elements of the first array are arranged within the range of +45° to −45° relative to the first light input edge; and   the respective longitudinal axes of the micro-optical elements of the second array are arranged within the range of +45° to −45° relative to the second light input edge.   
     
     
         4 . The light guide of  claim 3 , wherein:
 a portion of the micro-optical elements of the first array are respectively arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at +45° relative to the first light input edge and another portion of the micro-optical elements of the first array are respectively arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at −45° relative to the first light input edge; and   a portion of the micro-optical elements of the second array are respectively arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at +45° relative to the second light input edge and another portion of the micro-optical elements of the second array are respectively arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at −45° relative to the second light input edge.   
     
     
         5 . The light guide of  claim 3 , wherein a portion of the micro-optical elements of the first array are respectively arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof nominally parallel to the first light input edge, and a portion of the micro-optical elements of the second array are respectively arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof nominally parallel to the second light input edge. 
     
     
         6 . The light guide of  claim 2 , wherein the first light input edge is non-parallel to the second light input edge. 
     
     
         7 . The light guide of  claim 2 , wherein the first light input edge is opposed the second light input edge. 
     
     
         8 . The light guide of  claim 2 , wherein the major surfaces of the light guide are each configured in the shape of a polygon. 
     
     
         9 . A lighting assembly, comprising:
 the light guide of  claim 2 ;   a first light source adjacent the first light input edge comprising solid-state light emitters to edge light the light guide; and   a second light source adjacent the second light input edge comprising solid-state light emitters to edge light the light guide.   
     
     
         10 . A light guide, comprising:
 opposed major surfaces configured to propagate light input to the light guide therebetween by total internal reflection;   an edge extending between the major surfaces in a thickness direction, the edge comprising edge surfaces, a first one of the edge surfaces being a first light input edge through which light is input into the light guide, and a second one of the edge surfaces being a second light input edge through which light is input into the light guide;   a first array of micro-optical elements of well-defined shape at at least one of the opposed major surfaces, the first array of micro-optical elements configured to extract light input to the light guide through the first light input edge, each of the micro-optical elements of the first array comprising a longitudinal axis respectively arranged relative to a first axis extending through a first point at the edge of the light guide, wherein a path linearly extending along the light guide from the first point intersects at least a portion of the micro-optical elements of the first array, at least one of the micro-optical elements of the first array along the path arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at a positive angle relative to the first axis, and at least another one of the micro-optical elements of the first array along the path arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at a negative angle relative to the first axis;   a second array of micro-optical elements of well-defined shape at at least one of the opposed major surfaces, the second array of micro-optical elements configured to extract light input to the light guide through the second light input edge, each of the micro-optical elements of the second array comprising a longitudinal axis respectively arranged relative to a second axis extending through a second point at the edge of the light guide, wherein a path linearly extending along the light guide from the second point intersects at least a portion of the micro-optical elements of the second array, at least one of the micro-optical elements of the second array along the path arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at a positive angle relative to the second axis, and at least another one of the micro-optical elements of the second array along the path arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at a negative angle relative to the second axis.   
     
     
         11 . The light guide of  claim 10 , wherein the first axis and the second axis are respective tangents to the light guide. 
     
     
         12 . The light guide of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the respective longitudinal axes of the micro-optical elements of the first array are arranged within the range of +45° to −45° relative to the first axis; and   the respective longitudinal axes of the micro-optical elements of the second array are arranged within the range of +45° to −45° relative to the second axis.   
     
     
         13 . The light guide of  claim 12 , wherein:
 a portion of the micro-optical elements of the first array are respectively arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at +45° relative to the first axis and another portion of the micro-optical elements of the first array are respectively arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at −45° relative to the first axis; and   a portion of the micro-optical elements of the second array are respectively arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at +45° relative to the second axis and another portion of the micro-optical elements of the second array are respectively arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at −45° relative to the second axis.   
     
     
         14 . The light guide of  claim 10 , wherein the first light input edge is non-parallel to the second light input edge. 
     
     
         15 . The light guide of  claim 10 , wherein the first light input edge is opposed the second light input edge. 
     
     
         16 . The light guide of  claim 10 , wherein the major surfaces of the light guide are each configured in the shape of a polygon. 
     
     
         17 . The light guide of  claim 10 , wherein the light guide comprises more than four edge surfaces. 
     
     
         18 . A lighting assembly, comprising:
 the light guide of  claim 10 ;   a first light source adjacent the first light input edge comprising solid-state light emitters to edge light the light guide; and   a second light source adjacent the second light input edge comprising solid-state light emitters to edge light the light guide.   
     
     
         19 . A light guide, comprising:
 opposed major surfaces configured to propagate light input to the light guide therebetween by total internal reflection, the major surfaces of the light guide configured in the shape of a polygon,   edge surfaces extending between the major surfaces in a thickness direction defined by the respective sides of the polygon shape, at least one of the edge surfaces configured as a light input edge through which light is input into the light guide; and   an array of micro-optical elements of well-defined shape at at least one of the opposed major surfaces, the array of micro-optical elements configured to extract light input to the light guide through the light input edge, each of the micro-optical elements of the array comprising a longitudinal axis respectively arranged relative to an axis extending through a point at the edge of the light guide,   wherein a path linearly extending along the light guide from the point intersects at least a portion of the micro-optical elements of the array, at least one of the micro-optical elements of the array along the path arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at a positive angle relative to the axis, and at least another one of the micro-optical elements of the array along the path arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at a negative angle relative to the axis.   
     
     
         20 . The light guide of  claim 19 , wherein the axis is a tangent to the light guide. 
     
     
         21 . The light guide of  claim 19 , wherein the respective longitudinal axes of the micro-optical elements of the first array are arranged within the range of +45° to −45° relative to the axis, wherein a portion of the micro-optical elements of the first array are respectively arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at +45° relative to the axis and another portion of the micro-optical elements of the first array are respectively arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at −45° relative to the axis.