Led lens

Abstract

A light modifier for an LED producing light about a central axis can reduce the appearance of a bright spot created by the LED. The light modifier comprises a lens defining an indentation at its outer surface, with the indentation having an angled side wall and an outer edge joining the side wall to the outer surface. The side wall is spaced from the LED and angled relative to the central axis such that light produced by the LED and striking the side wall is at least substantially internally reflected to pass through a light transmitting portion of the outer surface directly bordering the outer edge, forming a line of light around the indentation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A light modifier for an LED producing light about a central axis, the light modifier comprising:
 a lens defining an indentation at its outer surface, with the indentation having an angled side wall and an outer edge joining the side wall to the outer surface, the side wall spaced from the LED and angled relative to the central axis such that light produced by the LED and striking the side wall is at least substantially internally reflected to pass through a light transmitting portion of the outer surface directly bordering the outer edge, forming a line of light around the indentation.   
     
     
         2 . The light modifier of  claim 1 , wherein the side wall is angled between approximately 15 and 25 degrees relative to the central axis. 
     
     
         3 . The light modifier of  claim 1 , wherein the side wall is angled approximately 20 degrees relative to the central axis. 
     
     
         4 . The light modifier of  claim 1 , wherein the light transmitting portion includes a light diffuser. 
     
     
         5 . The light modifier of  claim 1 , wherein:
 absent the lens, a distribution of the light produced by the LED in an area radial of the central axis includes a bright spot having a diameter,   when the outer surface is disposed in the area, a width of the indentation at the outer edge is at least as large as the diameter of the bright spot, such that the side wall at least substantially internally reflects the light of the bright spot to pass through the light transmitting portion, and   the side wall is spaced from the LED and angled relative to the central axis such that a resulting distribution of the light produced by the LED in the area is substantially even across the indentation and the light transmitting portion.   
     
     
         6 . The light modifier of  claim 1 , wherein the indentation is conically shaped, with the light transmitting portion circumscribing the indentation, such that the line of light formed around the indentation is halo shaped. 
     
     
         7 . The light modifier of  claim 1 , wherein the lens at least partially functions as a light pipe, with the outer surface oriented transverse to the central axis and configured to substantially internally reflect a portion of the light produced by the LED and striking the outer surface through the lens away from the central axis. 
     
     
         8 . The light modifier of  claim 7 , wherein the outer surface tapers from the indentation towards one or more distal ends of the lens. 
     
     
         9 . The light modifier of  claim 7 , wherein the outer surface includes a light diffuser adapted to extract a portion of the light produced by the LED and striking the outer surface from the lens. 
     
     
         10 . The light modifier of  claim 9 , wherein the diffuser is increasingly more densely disbursed at increasing distances away from the central axis. 
     
     
         11 . A replacement light for a fluorescent tube usable in a fluorescent fixture, comprising:
 a support structure having a longitudinal axis;   an LED connected to the support structure configured to produce light about a central axis;   a connector configured for connection to the fluorescent fixture; and   a lens extending over the LED and defining an indentation at its outer surface positioned along the central axis, with the indentation having an angled side wall and an outer edge joining the side wall to the outer surface, the side wall spaced from the LED and angled relative to the central axis such that light produced by the LED and striking the side wall is at least substantially internally reflected to pass through a light transmitting portion of the outer surface directly bordering the outer edge, forming a line of light around the indentation.   
     
     
         12 . The replacement light of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 multiple LEDs connected to the support structure and configured to produce light about respective central axes, wherein the lens defines multiple indentations at its outer surface, with each indentation positioned along the central axis of a respective LED.   
     
     
         13 . The replacement light of  claim 11 , wherein the indentation is conically shaped, with the light transmitting portion circumscribing the indentation, such that the line of light formed around the indentation is halo shaped. 
     
     
         14 . The replacement light of  claim 11 , wherein the side wall is angled between approximately 15 and 25 degrees relative to the central axis. 
     
     
         15 . The replacement light of  claim 11 , wherein the lens at least partially functions as a light pipe, with the outer surface oriented transverse to the central axis and configured to substantially internally reflect a portion of the light produced by the LED and striking the outer surface through the lens away from the central axis. 
     
     
         16 . The replacement light of  claim 11 , wherein the outer surface tapers from the indentation towards one or more distal ends of the lens. 
     
     
         17 . The replacement light of  claim 11 , wherein the outer surface includes a light diffuser adapted to extract a portion of the light produced by the LED and striking the outer surface from the lens. 
     
     
         18 . The replacement light of  claim 11 , wherein the diffuser is increasingly more densely disbursed at increasing distances away from the central axis. 
     
     
         19 . A replacement light for a fluorescent tube usable in a fluorescent fixture, comprising:
 an LED configured to produce light about a central axis;   a connector configured for connection to the fluorescent fixture; and   a light pipe extending over the LED and having an outer surface oriented transverse to the central axis, the outer surface configured to substantially internally reflect a portion of the light produced by the LED and striking the outer surface through the lens away from the central axis, and to extract a portion of the light produced by the LED and striking the outer surface from the lens at different points along the outer surface.   
     
     
         20 . The replacement light of  claim 19 , wherein the light pipe defines an indentation at the outer surface positioned along the central axis, with the indentation having an angled side wall and an outer edge joining the side wall to the outer surface, the side wall spaced from the LED and angled relative to the central axis such that light produced by the LED and striking the side wall is at least substantially internally reflected to pass through a light transmitting portion of the outer surface directly bordering the outer edge, forming a line of light around the indentation.