US 12,422,109 B2
Lighting system
Toshihiko Sato, Osaka (JP); Norishige Nanai, Osaka (JP); and Yosuke Mizokami, Hyogo (JP)
Assigned to Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd., Osaka (JP)
Appl. No. 18/289,566
Filed by Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd., Osaka (JP)
PCT Filed Mar. 10, 2022, PCT No. PCT/JP2022/010526
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 21, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/239436, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 17, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-082735 (JP), filed on May 14, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0302004 A1, Sep. 12, 2024
Int. Cl. F21Y 115/10 (2016.01); F21K 9/61 (2016.01); F21K 9/64 (2016.01); F21K 9/69 (2016.01)
CPC F21K 9/61 (2016.08) [F21K 9/64 (2016.08); F21K 9/69 (2016.08); F21Y 2115/10 (2016.08)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A lighting system comprising:
a wavelength-converting fiber including: a light inlet portion; a light outlet portion; and a wavelength-converting portion interposed between the light inlet portion and the light outlet portion, the wavelength-converting portion containing a wavelength-converting element, the wavelength-converting element being able to be excited not only by excitation light to produce a spontaneous emission of light having a longer wavelength than the excitation light but also by an amplified spontaneous emission of light;
a first light source unit configured to emit the excitation light;
a second light source unit configured to emit a seed light ray causing the wavelength-converting element that has been excited by either the excitation light or the amplified spontaneous emission of light to produce a stimulated emission of light;
an optical system configured to make the excitation light coming from the first light source unit and the seed light ray coming from the second light source unit incident on the light inlet portion;
an output lens configured to condense outgoing light coming from the light outlet portion; and
a protective tube having flexibility and surrounding a side surface of the wavelength-converting fiber;
the output lens being disposed inside the protective tube.