Patent ID: 8070343

Claim:
A light pipe comprising: an elongated body extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end, the body being configured for total internal reflection of light from a light source at the first end, the body having an outer surface and an inner surface defining an interior region surrounding a center along the longitudinal axis, wherein, along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the outer surface has a first portion that is curved and has a first radius of curvature measured from the center and a second portion that is curved and has a second radius of curvature which differs from the first radius of curvature, wherein light is emitted from the light pipe through the first portion of the body to the ambient environment and wherein light is emitted from the light pipe through the second portion to the ambient environment; at least one protrusion extending along the longitudinal axis of the body for substantially the length of the body, the protrusion extending at least one of inwardly and outwardly with respect to the outer surface, the protrusion being positioned along the first portion of the body generally opposite to the second portion; and one or more reflective surfaces facing the interior region and disposed such that when at least one of the one or more reflective surfaces is illuminated, light is emitted from the light pipe through the first and second portions to an ambient environment surrounding the outer surface at one or more specified angles of light emission to provide a wide effective angle of illumination while simultaneously providing a substantially uniform distribution of light along a length of the body.