EFFICIENT FIBER OPTIC NAVIGATION LIGHTS USING THE TOTALLY INTERNALLY REFLECTING LENS

THE TOTALLY INTERNAL REFLECTING LENS IS A NOVEL OPTICAL DEVICE THATCAN COLLIMATE OR CONCENTRATE LIGHT WITH NEARLY 100% COLLECTION EFFICIENCY. PHYSICAL OPTICS CORPORATION PROPOSES TO COMPLETE A PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A TIR LENS SUITABLE FOR HIGH-EFFICIENCY COUPLING OF A LAMP-S LIGHT INTO A FIBER OPTIC CABLE. THE CONVENTIONAL ELLIPTICAL REFLECTOR DESIGN CURRENTLY IN USE FOR FIBER OPTIC ILLUMINATION HAS A FAIRLY LOW EFFICIENCY BECAUSE EFFICIENT DESIGNS ARE LARGE, FRAGILE, AND DIFFICULT TO MANUFACTURE. IN CONTRAST, THE TIR LENS IS COMPACT AND CAN BE MOLDED FROM POLYCARBONATE TO WITHSTAND THE HEAT LOADS OF MEDIUM-POWER LAMPS. BECAUSE IT SURROUNDS THE SOURCE, THE TIR LENS CAN FOCUS ALMOST ALL OF THE SOURCE-S LIGHT ONTO A SMALL AREA FOR THE NAVY-S NAVIGATION LIGHT APPLICATION, A LARGE-DIAMETER OPTICA FIBER OR FIBER BUNDLE COULD RUN UP THE MAST TO DELIVER THE LIGHT TO A MASTHEAD LUMINAIRE THAT SPREADS IT OUT INTO THE PATTERN SPECIFIED BY 72-COLREG. THE FIBER DIAMETER IS SELECTED ACCORDING TO THE LUMINANCE TO BE DELIVERED AT THE MASTHEAD, AND IS EXPECTED TO BE 1/2 TO 1 INCH. THE PHASE I EFFORT WILL RESULT IN A COMPLETE PRODUCTION LENS DESIGN FOR PROTOTYPING AND TESTING IN PHASE II.