US 11,927,734 B2
Light-guide device with optical cutoff edge and corresponding production methods
Yochay Danziger, Kfar Vradim (IL); and Edgar Friedmann, Sdey-Avraham (IL)
Assigned to Lumus Ltd., Ness Ziona (IL)
Filed by LUMUS LTD., Ness Ziona (IL)
Filed on Jul. 5, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/857,253.
Application 17/857,253 is a continuation of application No. 16/595,506, filed on Oct. 8, 2019, granted, now 11,378,791.
Application 16/595,506 is a continuation of application No. 15/996,476, filed on Jun. 3, 2018, granted, now 10,437,031, issued on Oct. 8, 2019.
Application 15/996,476 is a continuation of application No. PCT/IL2017/051217, filed on Nov. 8, 2017.
Application PCT/IL2017/051217 is a continuation in part of application No. PCT/IL2017/051028, filed on Sep. 12, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/535,890, filed on Jul. 23, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/509,369, filed on May 22, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/418,919, filed on Nov. 8, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0334366 A1, Oct. 20, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G02B 17/08 (2006.01); B29D 11/00 (2006.01); G02B 1/10 (2015.01); G02B 6/30 (2006.01); G02B 6/34 (2006.01); G02B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 17/086 (2013.01) [B29D 11/00663 (2013.01); B29D 11/00875 (2013.01); G02B 1/10 (2013.01); G02B 6/34 (2013.01); G02B 17/00 (2013.01); G02B 6/30 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
(a) a light guiding element having a plurality of faces including first and second parallel faces, said light guiding element being configured for guiding rays of an image by internal reflection at said first and second parallel faces, one of said plurality of faces providing a coupling surface;
(b) a transparent optical element having an interface surface for attachment to said coupling surface, said transparent optical element being configured such that rays of an image propagating within said transparent optical element pass through said interface surface and said coupling surface so as to propagate within the light guiding element;
(c) a non-transparent coating applied to at least part of at least one of said plurality of faces of said light guiding element, said coating defining an edge adjacent to, or overlapping, said coupling surface of said light guiding element,
wherein said coating defines an optical cutoff edge for rays of an image passing from said transparent optical element into said light guiding element, and in that said non-transparent coating is configured to generate internal reflection at an underlying region of said at least one face.