Patent ID: 6149289
Filing Date: 2000-11-21
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
An angled illumination tube adapted to be used in combination with a light source providing a light beam, said angled illumination tube comprising:an angled transparent tubular conduit having a first end and a second end on opposite longitudinal ends of said conduit, said conduit having a bend between said first and second ends and having said first end adapted to receive the light beam from said light source in order to guide the light beam along a length of said conduit while allowing a part of the light beam to pass through a wall of said conduit; anda reflector disposed within said bend to reflect the light beam from said first end to direct a reflected light beam towards said second end, said reflector defining an incident light axis along which said light beam is guided to said reflector, and a reflected light axis along which said reflected light beam is directed to said second end; whereinsaid reflector comprises an array of mirrors arranged in parallel relation with each other along a bisector which divides an included angle (.alpha.) between said incident and reflected light axes at an angle (.theta.) with respect to said incident light axis, two adjacent ones of said mirrors being spaced at a distance (d) along said bisector and of a uniform length (L) measured within a plane including said incident and reflected light axes,said mirrors being configured to satisfy the following relation: ##EQU4##