US2015346427A1PendingUtilityA1

Solid-state light source

56
Assignee: SMITH & NEPHEW INCPriority: Aug 31, 2001Filed: Aug 11, 2015Published: Dec 3, 2015
Est. expiryAug 31, 2021(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Yuri Kazakevich
F21K 9/61F21Y 2115/10F21V 9/30F21Y 2115/30F21K 9/69A61B 1/0653G02B 6/0006G02B 6/2808A61B 1/07F21V 5/048A61B 1/0638G02B 6/4249G02B 6/241G02B 6/403F21W 2131/20F21V 5/007G02B 6/4214F21V 7/0066G02B 6/4212A61B 1/0684G02B 6/4202G02B 6/4298G02B 6/40G02B 6/0008A61B 1/0607G02B 6/04A61B 1/0669G02B 6/4248G02B 23/2469F21V 13/14G02B 6/4206F21V 2200/30F21V 33/0068F21Y 2101/025F21V 9/16
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Claims

Abstract

A solid-state light source includes a semiconductor light source for emitting light and an optical system having a fiber optic element. The fiber optic element has an input for receiving emitted light from the semiconductor light source. The fiber optic element also has an output for emitting light received from the solid-state light source. The semiconductor light source and the fiber optic element in aggregate form an illumination path.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A solid-state light source for providing light, the solid-state light source comprising:
 a semiconductor light source for emitting light; and   a fiber optic element having an input for receiving emitted light from the semiconductor light source and an output for emitting light received from the semiconductor light source, the semiconductor light source and the fiber optic element in aggregate providing an illumination path.   
     
     
         2 . The solid-state light source of  claim 1  wherein the fiber optic element is in the form of a plurality of fiber optic lines, each of the plurality of fiber optic lines receiving the emitted light from the semiconductor light source. 
     
     
         3 . The solid-state light source of  claim 2  wherein the plurality of fiber optic lines are in the form of a bundle. 
     
     
         4 . The solid-state light source of  claim 1  wherein the semiconductor light source has a first surface and a second surface and is configured to emit light in opposite directions from the first surface and the second surface. 
     
     
         5 . The solid-state light source of  claim 4  wherein the first surface of the semiconductor light source emits light to a first fiber optical line and the second surface of the semiconductor light source emits light to a second fiber optical line. 
     
     
         6 . The solid-state light source of  claim 5  wherein the semiconductor light source has a third surface and a fourth surface substantially perpendicular to the first surface, the semiconductor light source is configured to emit light in opposite directions from the third surface and the fourth surface, the third surface of the semiconductor light source configured to emit light to a third fiber optical line and the fourth surface of the semiconductor light source configured to emit light to a fourth fiber optical line. 
     
     
         7 . The solid-state light source of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of semiconductor light sources.   
     
     
         8 . The solid-state light source of  claim 7  wherein the fiber optic element is an array of fiber optic lines, each fiber optic line aligned with a corresponding one of the plurality of semiconductor light sources. 
     
     
         9 . The solid-state light source of  claim 1  wherein the semiconductor light source includes a light emitting diode (LED). 
     
     
         10 . The solid-state light source of  claim 1  wherein the semiconductor light source is configured to emit a blue light. 
     
     
         11 . The solid-state light source of  claim 1  wherein the semiconductor light source is configured to emit an ultraviolet light. 
     
     
         12 . The solid-state light source of  claim 1 , further comprising a phosphor layer, the phosphor layer is located along the illumination path. 
     
     
         13 . The solid-state light source of  claim 12  wherein each semiconductor light source is in contact with a phosphor layer. 
     
     
         14 . The solid-state light source of  claim 12  wherein a phosphor layer is located at a distal end of the fiber optic element. 
     
     
         15 . The solid-state light source of  claim 1 , further comprising a light concentrator positioned at the semiconductor light source, the light concentrator reflects light from at least one surface of the semiconductor light source. 
     
     
         16 . The solid-state light source of  claim 1  wherein the semiconductor light source includes a first light emitting diode (LED) configured to emit blue light, a second LED configured to emit red light and a third LED configured to emit green light, an overlapping light from each LED producing white light. 
     
     
         17 . The solid-state light source of  claim 16 , further comprising a mixer positioned to receive light from the first LED, the second LED, and the third LED and positioned to transmit the overlapping light to the fiber optic element. 
     
     
         18 . The solid state light source of  claim 17  wherein in the semiconductor light source includes a fourth LED configured to emit yellow light, the mixer receives light from the fourth LED. 
     
     
         19 . The solid-state light source of  claim 1  wherein the semiconductor light source includes a laser diode. 
     
     
         20 . The solid-state light source of  claim 1  wherein the semiconductor light source includes a vertical cavity surface emission laser. 
     
     
         21 . The solid-state light source of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an encasement having an aperture positioned over the semiconductor light source; 
 a gel located within the encasement; 
 wherein the fiber optic element is inserted through the aperture and gel. 
 
     
     
         22 . The solid-state light source of  claim 21  further comprising an ohmic contact positioned on a top surface of the semiconductor light source;
 wherein the fiber optic bundle has a spliced-end to receive the ohmic contact. 
 
     
     
         23 . The solid-state light source of  claim 1 , further comprising a lens for receiving light from the semiconductor source. 
     
     
         24 . The solid-state light source of  claim 23  wherein the semiconductor light source is optically aligned with the lens and the lens is optically aligned with the fiber optic element. 
     
     
         25 . The solid-state light source of  claim 24  wherein the semiconductor light source is positioned in a first optical conjugate plane from the lens and the fiber optic element is positioned in a second optical conjugate plane from the lens. 
     
     
         26 . The solid-state light source of  claim 1 , further comprising an array of lenses. 
     
     
         27 . The solid-state light source of  claim 24 , further comprising an array of fiber optic lines corresponding to each of the lenses. 
     
     
         28 . The solid-state light source of  claim 27  wherein the solid-state light source further comprises an array of semiconductor light sources corresponding to each of the lenses. 
     
     
         29 . The solid-state light source of  claim 1 , further comprising: an array of lenses configured to collimate light from a corresponding array of semiconductor light sources; and a focusing lens configured to focus a collimated light from the array of lenses. 
     
     
         30 . The solid-state light source of  claim 29  wherein the focusing lens focuses the collimate light onto a light guide. 
     
     
         31 . The solid-state light source of  claim 1  wherein the output of the fiber optic element is configured to be received by an endoscope.

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