Patent ID: 7942562

Claim:
An illumination device for illuminating with an arbitrary light color at a plurality of illuminated places, comprising: a semiconductor support; a combination of at least two semiconductor light sources for emitting light of different intensities and/or colors, the semiconductor light sources having flat light-emitting surfaces; electrical power supply means for energizing the semiconductor light sources individually; adjusting means for controlling the electrical power supply means so as to adjust or regulate the intensity and/or color of each of the flat light emitting surfaces individually; a rod of transparent, uniformly light-refractive material having a light-entry face, a light-exit face, and an envelope surface connecting the light-entry face with the light-exit face, the rod having a length and, transversely thereto, lateral dimensions that are sometimes smaller than the length of the rod, the rod acting as a light mixer of the light emitted by the semiconductor light sources so as to deliver the arbitrary light color at the exit face of the rod; a fiber bundle comprising a plurality of optical fibers, each having a light-entry face close to the light-exit face of the rod for receiving light exiting from the rod, and a light-exit face for providing one of the illuminated places; and means for fastening the semiconductor support, the rod, and the fiber bundle together to form a unit, such that the light-entry face of the rod is close to the flat light-emitting surfaces of the semiconductor light sources, the fastening means including a frame surrounding the rod adjacent its exit face leaving most of the envelope surface uncovered; the combination of the at least two semiconductor light sources having a light emitting surface area which is smaller than the light-entry face of the rod, and the light-entry face of the rod being equal in size to, or smaller than, the light-exit face of the rod.