US 12,434,070 B2
Illumination system comprising an optical waveguide with a diffuser element, and method for producing and/or structuring a diffuser base body at least partially or in sections thereof
Bernd Schultheis, Schwabenheim (DE); Hubertus Russert, Jugenheim (DE); Oliver Keiper, Hünstetten (DE); Martin Cramer, Wiesbaden (DE); Jürgen Meinl, Hohenstein-Holzhausen (DE); Lothar Wilhem Wilmes, Oestrich-Winkel (DE); and Jonas Grimm, Bad Schwalbach (DE)
Assigned to SCHOTT AG, Mainz (DE)
Filed by SCHOTT AG, Mainz (DE)
Filed on Mar. 27, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/833,359.
Application 16/833,359 is a continuation of application No. PCT/EP2018/076487, filed on Sep. 28, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2017 122 756.3 (DE), filed on Sep. 29, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0222712 A1, Jul. 16, 2020
Int. Cl. A61N 5/06 (2006.01); A61B 18/20 (2006.01); F21V 8/00 (2006.01); A61N 5/067 (2006.01)
CPC A61N 5/062 (2013.01) [A61B 18/20 (2013.01); A61N 5/06 (2013.01); G02B 6/001 (2013.01); A61N 2005/063 (2013.01); A61N 2005/0664 (2013.01); A61N 5/067 (2021.08)] 42 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An illumination system, comprising:
a laser light source;
an optical waveguide having a proximal end and a distal end, the optical waveguide being in communication with the laser light source at the proximal end thereof;
a diffuser element at the distal end, the diffuser element having (i) an active length along a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to a coupling surface of the optical waveguide into or in the diffuser element, wherein the diffuser element, in an operating state, emits light laterally over the active length, (ii) a diffuser base body that includes a scattering element parallel along the longitudinal axis or angled to the longitudinal axis, wherein the scattering element includes scattering centres and (iii) an emission intensity homogenizer,
wherein the emission intensity homogenizer is disposed at a location selected from a group consisting of at a distal end of the diffuser base body, surrounding a transition area between the optical waveguide and the diffuser base body, at regions of the diffuser base body, and combinations thereof,
wherein the illumination system has an intensity distribution, in the operating state, of lateral emission that deviates by at most±50% from average lateral emission intensity,
wherein the emission intensity homogenizer is selected from a group consisting of a sleeve, a cover, a cap, and layer at the distal end of the diffuser base body, and
wherein the scattering element is at least one scattering element arranged along the entire longitudinal axis with a uniform cross-sectional shape parallel thereto or, or in the case of tapering diffuser base bodies at an angle to the longitudinal axis, the scattering element is at least one scattering element shaped as a tube that is arranged tubularly around and coaxially to the longitudinal axis or the scattering element is a plurality of scattering elements in the form an annular array shaped as a tube that is arranged tubularly around and coaxially to the longitudinal axis, or the scattering element is a plurality of scattering elements arranged in a specific predeterminable geometric arrangement around the longitudinal axis and wherein the diffuser element has a directionally or diffusely reflecting reflector surface terminating the diffuser base body and/or surrounding a lateral surface thereof at least partially or in sections thereof, wherein the reflecting surface has a reflectance of more than 95%.
 
41. An illumination system, comprising:
a laser light source;
an optical waveguide having a proximal end and a distal end, the optical waveguide being in communication with the laser light source at the proximal end thereof;
a diffuser element at the distal end, the diffuser element having (i) an active length along a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to a coupling surface of the optical waveguide into or in the diffuser element, wherein the diffuser element, in an operating state, emits light laterally over the active length, (ii) a diffuser base body that includes a scattering element parallel along the longitudinal axis or angled to the longitudinal axis, wherein the scattering element includes scattering centers and (iii) an emission intensity homogenizer,
wherein the emission intensity homogenizer is disposed at a location selected from a group consisting of at a distal end of the diffuser base body, surrounding a transition area between the optical waveguide and the diffuser base body, at regions of the diffuser base body, and combinations thereof,
wherein the illumination system has an intensity distribution, in the operating state, of lateral emission that deviates by at most±50% from average lateral emission intensity,
wherein the emission intensity homogenizer is selected from a group consisting of a sleeve, a cover, a cap, and layer at the distal end of the diffuser base body, and wherein the scattering element is at least one scattering element arranged along the entire longitudinal axis with a uniform cross-sectional shape parallel thereto, or in the case of tapering diffuser base bodies at an angle to the longitudinal axis, the scattering element is a plurality of scattering elements that are arranged in a circular pattern around the longitudinal axis,
wherein the diffusor body comprises a transparent matrix in which the scattering particles are embedded,
wherein the scattering elements comprise scattering centers,
wherein, when the transparent matrix is a transparent plastic, the scattering element comprises a material selected from a group consisting of a porous plastic, a pigmented plastic, a dyed plastic and any combinations thereof,
wherein, when the transparent matrix is a glass, the scattering element comprises a material selected from a group consisting of porous glass or glass ceramic, pigmented glass or glass ceramic, dyed glass or glass ceramic, inhomogeneities-containing glass or glass ceramic, crystallites, and any combinations thereof, and
wherein, when the transparent matrix is a transparent glass ceramic, the scattering element comprises a material selected from a group consisting of porous glass or glass ceramic, pigmented glass or glass ceramic, dyed glass or glass ceramic, inhomogeneities-containing glass or glass ceramic, and any combinations thereof.