Claims
- 1. A lighting device, comprising:a linear light source having a longitudinal axis, and having a first end and a second end defining a light-emitting length therebetween; a translucent region positioned substantially intermediate said first and said second ends, said translucent region having a length substantially less than the light-emitting length; and a reflective member having an axis substantially coincident with said longitudinal axis, said reflective member positioned intermediate said first end and said translucent region to direct light emitted from a substantial portion of said linear light source toward said translucent region.
- 2. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said linear light source comprises a gas discharge lamp.
- 3. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said translucent region comprises a lens.
- 4. The lighting device of claim 3, wherein said lens comprises at least one of a convex and a concave surface.
- 5. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said translucent region comprises a plurality of prisms.
- 6. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said reflective member is shaped and sized to securely engage said linear light source and said translucent region.
- 7. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said reflective member comprises a reflector having at least three polygonal sides.
- 8. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said reflective member comprises more than one reflector having at least three polygonal sides.
- 9. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said reflective member comprises at least one substantially conical shaped reflector.
- 10. The lighting device of claim 9, wherein said at least one substantially conical shaped reflector includes two conical-shaped reflectors of different corresponding diameters and the smaller of said conical shaped reflectors is oriented toward an end of said linear light source.
- 11. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said reflective member comprises more than one substantially conical shaped reflector having circular cross-sections in which the smallest of each of said circular cross-sections of each of said reflectors is oriented toward an end of said linear light source.
- 12. The lighting device of claim 9, wherein said substantially conical shaped reflector has a substantially right circular cone shape.
- 13. The lighting device of claim 10, wherein each of said substantially conical shaped reflectors has a different axial length.
- 14. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said translucent region has a substantially cylindrical shape and a central axis coincident with said longitudinal axis.
- 15. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said translucent region emits a substantially collimated beam of light.
- 16. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said reflective member comprises a specular reflector.
- 17. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said reflective member comprises a diffuse reflector.
- 18. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said reflective member comprises a reflective coating affixed to a surface.
- 19. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said reflective member includes a silver reflective film.
- 20. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said reflective member comprises a metal reflector.
- 21. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said reflective member comprises a reflective film.
- 22. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said translucent region has an arc of 360 degrees.
- 23. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said translucent region has an arc of less than 360 degrees.
- 24. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the length of the translucent region is approximately fifty percent of the light-emitting length.
- 25. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the length of the translucent region is between about one percent and about fifty percent of the light-emitting length.
- 26. The lighting device of claim 1, further comprising a second reflective member positioned intermediate said second end and said translucent region to direct light emitted from said linear light source toward said translucent region.
- 27. The lighting device of claim 26, wherein the translucent region, the reflective member, and the second reflective member together extend substantially the full light-emitting length.
- 28. A lighting device, comprising:a linear light source having a first end and a second end; a translucent region positioned substantially intermediate said first and said second ends, said translucent region completely surrounding a portion of the linear light source; and means for directing light emitted from said linear light source toward said translucent region, said directing means having a common longitudinal axis with said linear light source, wherein said directing means comprises at least one substantially conical shaped reflector.
- 29. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein said linear light source comprises a gas discharge lamp.
- 30. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein said translucent region comprises a lens.
- 31. The lighting device of claim 30, wherein said lens comprises at least one of a convex and a concave surface.
- 32. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein said translucent region comprises a plurality of prisms.
- 33. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein said directing means is shaped and sized to securely engage said linear light source and said translucent region.
- 34. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein said directing means comprises more than one reflector having at least three polygonal sides.
- 35. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein said at least one substantially conical shaped reflector includes two conical-shaped reflectors of different corresponding diameters and the smaller of said conical shaped reflectors is orientated toward an end of said linear light source.
- 36. The lighting device of claim 35, wherein each of said substantially conical shaped reflectors has a different axial length.
- 37. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein said directing means comprises more than one substantially conical shaped reflector having circular cross-sections in which the smallest of each of said circular cross-sections of each of said reflectors is orientated toward an end of said linear light source.
- 38. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein said substantially conical shaped reflector has a substantially right circular cone shape.
- 39. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein said translucent region has a substantially cylindrical shape and a central axis coincident with said longitudinal axis.
- 40. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein said translucent region emits a substantially collimated beam of light.
- 41. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein said directing means comprises a specular reflector.
- 42. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein said directing means comprises a diffuse reflector.
- 43. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein said directing means comprises a reflective coating affixed to a surface.
- 44. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein said directing means includes a silver reflective film.
- 45. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein said directing means comprises a metal reflector.
- 46. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein said directing means includes a reflective film.
- 47. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein said directing means comprises a reflective coating coupled to a surface.
- 48. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein said directing means comprises a metal reflector.
- 49. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein the linear light source defines a light-emitting length that extends from the first end to the second end, and the translucent region defines a length, and wherein the length of the translucent region is approximately fifty percent of the light-emitting length.
- 50. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein the linear light source defines a light-emitting length that extends from the first end to the second end, and the translucent region defines a length, and wherein the length of the translucent region is between about one percent and about fifty percent of the light-emitting length.
- 51. A lighting device comprising:a linear light source having a first end and a second end; a translucent region positioned substantially intermediate said first and said second ends, said translucent region completely surrounding a portion of the linear light source; and means for directing light emitted from said linear light source toward said translucent region, said directing means having a common longitudinal axis with said linear light source, wherein said directing means comprises a reflector having at least three polygonal sides.
Parent Case Info
This application claims the benefit of Provisional application Ser. No. 60/145,326, filed Jul. 23, 1999.
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/US00/17149 |
|
WO |
00 |
Publishing Document |
Publishing Date |
Country |
Kind |
WO01/07827 |
2/1/2001 |
WO |
A |
US Referenced Citations (24)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2166860 |
May 1986 |
EP |
0765071 |
Mar 1997 |
EP |
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/145326 |
Jul 1999 |
US |