Irradiation systems using curved surfaces

Abstract

One aspect of the disclosure relates to an irradiation system. The irradiation system may include: a first irradiation source coupled with a base at a first position; a second irradiation source coupled with the base at a second position; a first reflector configured to direct irradiation from the first irradiation source to a first desired focal point; and a second reflector configured to direct irradiation from the second irradiation source to the first desired focal point or a second, distinct desired focal point.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An irradiation system for irradiating a surface, the irradiation system comprising:
 a first irradiation source coupled with a base at a first position;   a second irradiation source coupled with the base at a second position;   a first reflector configured to direct irradiation from the first irradiation source to a first desired focal point; and   a second reflector configured to direct irradiation from the second irradiation source to the first desired focal point or a second, distinct desired focal point.   
     
     
         2 . The irradiation system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second reflector are at least one of: elliptical or parabolic. 
     
     
         3 . The irradiation system of  claim 1 , wherein an eccentricity of the first reflector and the second reflector are each greater than or equal to approximately 0.60 and less than or equal to approximately 0.90. 
     
     
         4 . The irradiation system of  claim 1 , wherein an eccentricity of the first reflector is not equal to the second reflector. 
     
     
         5 . The irradiation system of  claim 1 , wherein the first irradiation source is of a different type than the second irradiation source. 
     
     
         6 . The irradiation system of  claim 1 , wherein the first irradiation source includes a wavelength or an emission profile that is distinct from the second irradiation source. 
     
     
         7 . The irradiation system of  claim 1 , wherein an angle θ 1  differs from an angle θ 2 , wherein the angle θ 1  represents an angle between a first reference line (h C ) and a second reference line (h 1 ), the h C  being defined by connecting the desired focal point to the point at which a first elliptical of the first reflector intersects with a second elliptical of the second reflector, and the h 1  being defined by a first major axis of the first elliptical of the first reflector, and
 wherein the angle θ 2  represents an angle between the h C  and a third reference line (h 2 ), the h 2  being defined by a second major axis of the second elliptical of the second reflector. 
 
     
     
         8 . The irradiation system of  claim 1 , wherein an angle φ 1  differs from an angle φ 2 , wherein the angle φ 1  represents an angle between a first center-of-line axis (h LS1 ) of the first irradiation source and a first reference line (h 1 ) defined by a first major axis of a first elliptical of the first reflector; and
 wherein the angle φ 2  represents an angle between a second center-of-line axis (h LS2 ) of the second irradiation source and a second reference line (h 2 ) defined by a second major axis of a second elliptical of the second reflector. 
 
     
     
         9 . The irradiation system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first lens coupled with the first irradiation source; and   a second lens coupled with the second irradiation source.   
     
     
         10 . The irradiation system of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second lenses are at least one of: substantially rectangularly-shaped or substantially cylindrically-shaped. 
     
     
         11 . The irradiation system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second irradiation sources each include at least one of: infrared (IR) source, a light emitting diode (LED), organic LED, polymer LED, active-matrix organic LED (AMOLED), or an array of more than one thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A method of manufacturing an irradiation system for irradiating a surface, the method comprising:
 positioning a first and second irradiation source on a base;   positioning a first reflector and a second reflector on the base such that irradiation from the first irradiation source is directed to the first reflector and irradiation from the second irradiation source is directed to the second reflector; and   adjusting a parameter of at least one of: the first irradiation source, the second irradiation source, the first reflector, or the second reflector such that irradiation from the first reflector and the second reflector are directed to one or more desired focal points.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the adjusting includes adjusting an eccentricity of the first reflector and the second reflector such that each eccentricity is greater than or equal to approximately 0.60 and less than or equal to approximately 0.90. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the eccentricity of the first reflector is not equal to the eccentricity of the second reflector. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the adjust includes adjusting at least one of: a type of first irradiation source, a type of the second irradiation source, a wavelength of the first irradiation source, a wavelength of the second irradiation source, an emission profile of the first irradiation source, or an emission profile of the second irradiation source. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the adjusting includes adjusting at least one of: an angle θ 1  or an angle θ 2 , wherein the angle θ 1  represents an angle between a first reference line (h C ) and a second reference line (h 1 ), the h C  being defined by connecting the desired focal point to the point at which a first elliptical of the first reflector intersects with a second elliptical of the second reflector, and the h 1  being defined by a first major axis of the first elliptical of the first reflector, and
 wherein the angle θ 2  represents an angle between the h C  and a third reference line (h 2 ), the h 2  being defined by a second major axis of the second elliptical of the second reflector. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein adjusting includes adjusting at least one of: an angle φ 1  or an angle φ 2 , wherein the angle φ 1  represents an angle between a first center-of-line axis (h LS1 ) of the first irradiation source and a first reference line (h 1 ) defined by a first major axis of a first elliptical of the first reflector; and
 wherein the angle φ 2  represents an angle between a second center-of-line axis (h LS2 ) of the second irradiation source and a second reference line (h 2 ) defined by a second major axis of a second elliptical of the second reflector. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 coupling a first lens with the first irradiation source; and   coupling a second lens with the second irradiation source.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first and second lenses are at least one of: substantially rectangularly-shaped or substantially cylindrically-shaped. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second irradiation sources each include at least one of: infrared (IR) source, a light emitting diode (LED), organic LED, polymer LED, active-matrix organic LED (AMOLED), or an array of more than one thereof.