US 12,189,184 B2
Illumination system having light guides with diffuser elements that emit radially
Bernd Schultheis, Schwabenheim (DE); Oliver Keiper, Hünstetten (DE); Jürgen Meinl, Hohenstein-Holzhausen (DE); Hubertus Russert, Jugenheim (DE); Jonas Grimm, Bad Schwalbach (DE); Lothar Willmes, Destrich-Winkel (DE); and Martin Cramer, Wiesbaden (DE)
Assigned to SCHOTT AG, Mainz (DE)
Filed by SCHOTT AG, Mainz (DE)
Filed on Jun. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/353,630.
Application 17/353,630 is a continuation of application No. PCT/EP2019/086345, filed on Dec. 19, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2018 133 338.2 (DE), filed on Dec. 21, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0318494 A1, Oct. 14, 2021
Int. Cl. G02B 6/26 (2006.01); A61N 5/06 (2006.01); A61N 5/067 (2006.01); C03B 15/14 (2006.01); C03C 3/091 (2006.01); F21V 8/00 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/262 (2013.01) [A61N 5/06 (2013.01); C03B 15/14 (2013.01); C03C 3/091 (2013.01); G02B 6/0006 (2013.01); G02B 6/0051 (2013.01); A61N 2005/063 (2013.01); A61N 5/067 (2021.08)] 32 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An illumination system, comprising:
a laser light source;
a light guide having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end is connectable and/or assignable to the laser light source, wherein the light guide comprises a core surrounded by a cladding;
a diffuser element at the distal end of the light guide, the diffuser element has a radial, spherical emission characteristic, the diffuser element comprises a diffuser main body and a scattering element, the diffuser main body comprises an inorganic material, wherein the diffuser main body has a surface with a fire-polished surface quality; and
a jacket that surrounds the diffuser element, the distal end of the light guide, and an outer portion of the cladding,
wherein the jacket contacts and covers the surface of the diffusor element without a gap therebetween,
wherein the jacket comprises a layer that is transparent or translucent to light emitted laterally from the diffuser element and the jacket is made from at least one material selected from the group consisting of: a liquid silicone, a thermoplastic polymer, a hot melt adhesive, a 2-component adhesive, a sol-gel glass, and a shrink tubing,
wherein the diffuser main body connected to the light guide only at an input coupling face of the light guide, and
wherein the diffuser main body has a shape selected from a group consisting of spherical, elliptical, and drop-shape.