Patent ID: 8602621

Claim:
An optical element, comprising: a light transmissive light guide having an input end, an output end, and a central region therebetween, the light guide extending along an axial direction; a light unit including at least one light emitting diode (LED) and arranged adjacent to the input end for injecting light into the central region; and a reflector being arranged adjacent to the output end such that at least a portion of light incident on the reflector is reflected, wherein an index of refraction of the light guide is higher than the index of refraction of a medium exterior to the light guide; and wherein at least a portion of an interior boundary surface of the light guide includes a prismatic surface comprising a plurality of prisms arranged in a succession along the axial direction, each of the prisms being arranged at a respective angle to the axial direction, and wherein at least one of the prisms is configured to reflect light directly received from the light unit primarily in a direction that is nonparallel with respect to a direction in which at least one other prism of the plurality of prisms primarily reflects other light received directly from the light unit.