Patent ID: 7585097

Claim:
A light pipe configured to provide a wide effective angle of illumination while simultaneously providing a substantially uniform distribution of light along a length of the light pipe, the light pipe comprising: an elongated body extending along a longitudinal axis and configured for total internal reflection of light, the body having a generally cylindrical shape along the longitudinal axis, the body having an outer surface and an inner surface defining an interior region, wherein light is emitted into the interior region from a primary light source optically coupled to an end of the body and emitted from the body in a direction of light output defining an angle of illumination; and at least one protrusion extending along the longitudinal axis and having an interior portion protruding internally into the interior region, the protrusion including a plurality of reflective surfaces defining a primary reflective surface generally orthogonal to a centerline of the angle of illumination and defining at least one secondary reflective surface being angled relative to the primary reflective surface, the plurality of reflective surfaces being disposed such that when the plurality of reflective surfaces are illuminated, light is emitted from the light pipe at one or more specified angles that have a wide effective angle of illumination.