METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING UNIFORM ILLUMINATION

摘要

A reflector assembly (60) for a fiber-optic matrix display system (10) designed to improve the coupling efficiency of luminous energy between a light emitting element (52) and an input matrix (26) and to provide one or more input matrices (26) with substantially uniform illumination over their respective surfaces. The reflector assembly (60) preferably includes an input aperture for receiving luminous energy from the light emitting element (52); a larger output aperture (70) through which the luminous energy exits the reflector assembly (60) to impinge on the imaging medium and the input terminals (28) of the input matrix (26); and a reflector head (64) positioned between the input aperture (68) and the output aperture (70) and having a right rectangular pyramidal, hollow frustum shape preferably designed according to the formula where n1 is the refractive index of optical conductor cores 82, n2 is the refractive index of optical conductor claddings 84, and THETA RD is the value of angles 86 and 88 by which the respective planar surfaces 72 and 74 diverge from axis 90.