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 lighting assembly, comprising:
 a light guide to propagate light by total internal reflection, the light guide comprising opposed major surfaces and a light input edge extending between the major surfaces in a thickness direction through which light is input into the light guide;   a light source located adjacent the light input edge to edge light 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 corresponding to the light source, each of the micro-optical elements in the array comprising a longitudinal axis arranged within the range of +45° to −45° relative to the light input edge,   wherein a path linearly extending along the light guide from the light input edge and orthogonal to 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 the longitudinal axis thereof 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 the longitudinal axis thereof at a negative angle relative to the light input edge, and   wherein a percentage of the micro-optical elements that are arranged at an angle relative to the light input edge from among the micro-optical elements present at a first location proximate the light input edge is greater than a percentage of the micro-optical elements that are arranged at an angle relative to the light input edge from among the micro-optical elements present at a second location of the light guide further from the light input edge than the first location.   
     
     
         3 . The lighting assembly of  claim 2 , wherein
 the percentage of the micro-optical elements that are arranged at an angle relative to the light input edge from among the micro-optical elements present at the first location is 75% to 100%; and   the percentage of the micro-optical elements that are arranged at an angle relative to the light input edge from among the micro-optical elements present at the second location is 25% to 75%.   
     
     
         4 . The lighting assembly of  claim 2 , wherein a percentage of the micro-optical elements that are arranged at an angle relative to the light input edge from among the micro-optical elements present at a third location further from the light input edge than the first and second locations is 0% to 25%. 
     
     
         5 . The lighting assembly of  claim 2 , wherein a percentage of the micro-optical elements that are arranged at an angle relative to the light input edge from among the micro-optical elements present at a third location further from the light input edge than the first and second locations is 0%. 
     
     
         6 . The lighting assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the longitudinal axis of each of the micro-optical elements in the array is arranged within the range of +30° to −30° relative to the light input edge. 
     
     
         7 . The lighting assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the longitudinal axis of each of the micro-optical elements in the array is arranged within the range of +15° to −15° relative to the light input edge. 
     
     
         8 . The lighting assembly of  claim 2 , wherein a portion of the micro-optical elements in the array are respectively arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof nominally parallel to the light input edge. 
     
     
         9 . The lighting assembly of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the micro-optical elements each comprise a first surface intersecting the major surface and a second surface intersecting the major surface, the second surface additionally intersecting the first surface to form an arcuate ridge extending along the longitudinal axis of the micro-optical element and that additionally intersects the major surface at both of its ends, the arcuate ridge extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the micro-optical element. 
     
     
         10 . A light guide, comprising:
 opposed major surfaces between which light propagates by total internal reflection;   a light input edge extending between the major surfaces in a thickness direction 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 corresponding to the light input edge, each of the micro-optical elements in the array configured as a three-dimensional feature recessed into or protruding from the major surface and comprising a longitudinal axis arranged within the range of +45° to −45° relative to the light input edge,   wherein a path linearly extending along the light guide from the light input edge and orthogonal to the light input edge intersects a portion of the micro-optical elements in the array, at least one of the micro-optical elements along the path arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof 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 the longitudinal axis thereof at a negative angle relative to the light input edge, and   wherein a percentage of the micro-optical elements that are arranged at an angle relative to the light input edge from among the micro-optical elements present at a first location proximate the light input edge is greater than a percentage of the micro-optical elements that are arranged at an angle relative to the light input edge from among the micro-optical elements present at a second location of the light guide further from the light input edge than the first location.   
     
     
         11 . The light guide of  claim 10 , wherein
 the percentage of the micro-optical elements that are arranged at an angle relative to the light input edge from among the micro-optical elements present at the first location is 75% to 100%; and   the percentage of the micro-optical elements that are arranged at an angle relative to the light input edge from among the micro-optical elements present at the second location is 25% to 75%.   
     
     
         12 . The light guide of  claim 10 , wherein a percentage of the micro-optical elements that are arranged at an angle relative to the light input edge from among the micro-optical elements present at a third location further from the light input edge than the first and second locations is 0% to 25%. 
     
     
         13 . The light guide of  claim 10 , wherein a percentage of the micro-optical elements that are arranged at an angle relative to the light input edge from among the micro-optical elements present at a third location further from the light input edge than the first and second locations is 0%. 
     
     
         14 . The light guide of  claim 10 , wherein the longitudinal axis of each of the micro-optical elements in the array is arranged within the range of +30° to −30° relative to the light input edge. 
     
     
         15 . The light guide of  claim 10 , wherein the longitudinal axis of each of the micro-optical elements in the array is arranged within the range of +15° to −15° relative to the light input edge. 
     
     
         16 . The light guide of  claim 10 , wherein a portion of the micro-optical elements in the array are respectively arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof nominally parallel to the light input edge. 
     
     
         17 . The light guide of  claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the micro-optical elements each comprise a first surface intersecting the major surface and a second surface intersecting the major surface, the second surface additionally intersecting the first surface to form an arcuate ridge extending along the longitudinal axis of the micro-optical element and that additionally intersects the major surface at both of its ends, the arcuate ridge extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the micro-optical element. 
     
     
         18 . A lighting assembly, comprising:
 a light guide to propagate light by total internal reflection, the light guide comprising opposed major surfaces and a light input edge extending between the major surfaces in a thickness direction through which light is input into the light guide, a tangent of at least part of the light input edge extending in a direction orthogonal to the thickness direction;   a light source located adjacent the light input edge to edge light 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 corresponding to the light source, each of the micro-optical elements in the array configured as a three-dimensional feature recessed into or protruding from the major surface and comprising a longitudinal axis arranged within the range of +45° to −45° relative to the tangent of the light input edge,   wherein a path linearly extending along the light guide from the light input edge and orthogonal to the tangent of the light input edge intersects a portion of the micro-optical elements of the array, at least one of the micro-optical elements along the path arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at a positive angle relative to the tangent of the light input edge, and at least another one of the micro-optical elements along the path arranged with the longitudinal axis thereof at a negative angle relative to the tangent of the light input edge, and   wherein a percentage of the micro-optical elements that are arranged at an angle relative to the tangent of the light input edge from among the micro-optical elements present at a first location proximate the light input edge is greater than a percentage of the micro-optical elements that are arranged at an angle relative to the tangent of the light input edge from among the micro-optical elements present at a second location of the light guide further from the light input edge than the first location.   
     
     
         19 . The lighting assembly of  claim 18 , wherein
 the percentage of the micro-optical elements that are arranged at an angle relative to the tangent of the light input edge from among the micro-optical elements present at the first location is 75% to 100%; and   the percentage of the micro-optical elements that are arranged at an angle relative to the tangent of the light input edge from among the micro-optical elements present at the second location is 25% to 75%.   
     
     
         20 . The lighting assembly of  claim 18 , wherein a percentage of the micro-optical elements that are arranged at an angle relative to the tangent of the light input edge from among the micro-optical elements present at a third location further from the light input edge than the first and second locations is 0% to 25%. 
     
     
         21 . The lighting assembly of  claim 18 , wherein a percentage of the micro-optical elements that are arranged at an angle relative to the tangent of the light input edge from among the micro-optical elements present at a third location further from the light input edge than the first and second locations is 0%.