BACKGROUND

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a light guide kit, and more particularly, to a light guide kit for a headlight.

Description of Related Art

[0002] Headlight has been widely used in a wide range of medical situations. Headlight provides medical practitioners with a personal light source while medical practitioners are conducting surgeries or medical examinations.

[0003] In medical situations, sufficient and good lighting conditions play an important role. Poor lighting conditions will lead to operational difficulties or taking too long to increase the suffering of patients. Currently, a headlight generally varies a headlamp illumination angle and a spot size by adjusting the position of headlight lamp. However, for current headlights, simply by adjusting the position of the headlamp is hard to provide a shadowless condition to medical practitioners.

[0004] Accordingly, how to provide good and shadowless lighting conditions to medical practitioners is an important issue to be solved by those in the industry.

SUMMARY

[0005] Accordingly, an aspect of the disclosure is to provide a light guide kit that effectively guides light emitted by a light source to provide shadowless conditions to medical practitioners. [0006] According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the light guide kit includes a first light guide member and a second light guide member. The first light guide member has a light inlet, a first light outlet, and a second light outlet, and includes a first reflective layer. The light inlet is configured to receive light emitted by a light source. The first light outlet is opposite to the light inlet. The first reflective layer is configured to guide the light toward the second light outlet. The second light guide member is connected to the first light guide member. The second light guide member has a third light outlet, and includes a second reflective layer. The second reflective layer is configured to guide the light transmitted from the second light outlet toward the third light outlet.

[0007] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the first light guide member further includes a hollow housing. The light inlet and the second light outlet are openings of the hollow housing. The first reflective layer is disposed on the hollow housing.

[0008] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the first light guide member further includes a translucent body. The translucent body is partially covered by the first reflective layer.

[0009] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the light guide kit further includes a bendable member embedded in the second light guide member. The bendable member is connected to the first light guide member.

[0010] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the second light guide member includes a light emitting portion and an extension portion. The third light outlet is located at an end of the light emitting portion, and the third light outlet is located at a side identical to a side at which the first light outlet is located. The extension portion is connected between the second light outlet and the light emitting portion. The second reflective layer includes a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface. The first reflective surface is disposed on the extension portion. The first reflective surface is configured to guide light from the second light outlet to the light emitting portion. The second reflective surface is disposed on the light emitting portion. The second reflective surface is configured to guide light from the extension portion to the third light outlet.

[0011] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the extension portion includes a hollow housing. The second reflective layer is disposed on the hollow housing.

[0012] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the extension portion includes a translucent body. A surface of the translucent body is covered by the second reflective layer.

[0013] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the light emitting portion includes a hollow housing. The second reflective layer is disposed on the hollow housing.

[0014] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the light emitting portion includes a translucent body. The translucent body is partially covered by the second reflective layer.

[0015] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the first light guide member further includes a sleeve portion. The sleeve portion protrudes from a peripheral edge of the light inlet, and an accommodating space is formed therein.

[0016] According to another embodiment of the disclosure, the light guide kit includes a first light guide member and a second light guide member. The first light guide member includes a light inlet, a first light outlet, a second light outlet, and a first reflective layer. The light inlet is configured to receive light which is emitted by a light source. The first light outlet is located at a side of the light guide kit opposite to the light inlet. The second light outlet is located at an end of the first light guide member. The first reflective layer is disposed on the first light guide member so that the light is guided toward the second light outlet. The second light guide member is connected to the first light guide member. The second light guide member includes a third light outlet and a second reflective layer. The third light outlet is located at a side of the light guide kit identical to the side at which the first light outlet is located. The second reflective layer is disposed on the second light guide member. The second reflective layer is configured to guide the light transmitted from the second light outlet toward the third light outlet.

[0017] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the first light outlet has an area greater than an area of the third light outlet.

[0018] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the light guide kit further includes a bendable member embedded in the second light guide member.

[0019] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the first light guide member has a reflective plane. The reflective plane is located at the first light guide member, opposite to the second light outlet and nearby the first light outlet.

[0020] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the first light guide member further includes a hollow housing. The first light outlet is an opening of the hollow housing.

[0021] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the second light guide member includes a hollow housing. The third light outlet is an opening of the hollow housing. [0022] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the second light guide member includes a translucent body. The translucent body is partially covered by the second reflective layer.

[0023] Accordingly, in the above light guide kit, there are two light emitting outlets respectively located at two ends of the light guide kit. Therefore, light from one light emitting outlet provides sufficient light to medical practitioners. Light from the other light emitting outlet helps to eliminate the shadow created by the light from the foregoing light emitting outlet, so as to provide a shadowless lighting condition to medical practitioners.

[0024] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are by examples, and are intended to provide further explanation of the disclosure as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The disclosure can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description of the embodiment, with reference made to the accompanying drawings as follows:

[0026] Fig. 1 is an assembly perspective view of a light guide kit assembled to a headlight;

[0027] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the light guide kit in Fig. 1 ;

[0028] Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the light guide kit taken along line 3-3 in Fig. 2; and [0029] Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the light guide kit according to another embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

[0031] Phrases “first,” “second,” etc., are solely used to separate the descriptions of elements or operations with same technical terms, not intended to be the meaning of order or to limit the invention.

[0032] Further, in the context,“a” and“the” can be generally referred to one or more unless the context particularly requires. It will be further understood that phrases“comprising,”“includes,”“provided,” and the like, used in the context indicate the characterization, region, integer, step, operation, element and/or component it stated, but not exclude descriptions it stated or additional one or more other characterizations, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.

[0033] In addition, phrases“comprising,” “includes,” “provided,” and the like, used in the context are all open-ended terms, i.e. including but not limited to.

[0034] Reference is made to Fig. 1 . Fig. 1 is an assembly perspective view of a light guide kit 100 configured to be assembled to a headlight. As shown in Fig. 1 , the headlight includes a light source 10. A light guide kit 100 has a first light outlet 1 12 and a third light outlet 126, and includes a sleeve portion 1 1 1. In the preferred embodiment, the first light outlet 1 12 is located at an upper portion of the light guide kit 100, and the third light outlet 126 is located at a lower portion of the light guide kit 100. The sleeve portion 1 1 1 is a portion protruding from a peripheral edge of a light inlet 1 14 of the light guide kit 100, as shown in Fig. 3. The sleeve portion 1 1 1 is configured to accommodate the light source 10. Specifically, the first light outlet 1 12 is located at the portion of the light guide kit 100 which has the light inlet 1 14. The third light outlet 126 is located at the portion of the light guide kit 100 far away from the light inlet 1 14. As such, the first light outlet 1 12 is closer to the light source 10 compare to the third light outlet 126.

[0035] The light guide kit 100 is configured to be assembled to the headlight by engaging the sleeve portion 1 1 1 of the light guide kit 100 to the light source 10 of the headlight. As such, light emitted by the light source 10 of the headlight is separated into two beams by the light guide kit 100. One beam passes through the first light outlet 1 12 and acts as main light to provide good lighting condition to medical practitioners. The other beam passes through the third light outlet 126 and acts as assistant light to eliminate shadow created by the beam transmitted from the first light outlet 1 12. It will be described further below.

[0036] In some embodiments, the light guide kit 100 is engaged to the headlight through Velcro, buckle elements, and so on, but the disclosure is not limited in this regard. [0037] In some embodiments, the light guide kit 100 includes a magnetic member disposed at the peripheral edge of the light inlet 1 14, and the light source 10 includes another magnetic member. Therefore, the light guide kit 100 is attached to the light source 10 by the magnetic force between the two magnetic members.

[0038] Reference is made to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the light guide kit 100 in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the light guide kit 100 includes a first light guide member 1 10 and a second light guide member 120. The second light guide member 120 is formed at an end of the first light guide member 1 10 according to requirements. In the preferred embodiment, the second light guide member 120 is formed at a bottom end of the first light guide member 1 10. In another embodiment, the second light guide member 120 can be formed at a top end of the first light guide member 1 10. In the embodiment, the first light guide member 1 10 has the first light outlet 1 12 and the light inlet 1 14. The first light outlet 1 12 is located at a side of the light guide kit 100 opposite to a side at which the light inlet 1 14 is located. The second light guide member 120 has the third light outlet 126. The second light guide member 120 includes an extension portion 122 and a light emitting portion 124. The extension portion 122 is connected between the first light guide member 1 10 and the light emitting portion 124. The light emitting portion 124 is formed at an end of the extension portion 122 and is shaped like a cylinder. In some embodiment, the light emitting portion 124 is shaped like a column or a prism. The disclosure should not be limited in this regard. The third light outlet 126 is located at a side of the light emitting portion 124. The first light outlet 1 12 and the third light outlet 126 are located at the same side of the light guide kit 100. The first light outlet 1 12 has an area greater than an area of the third light outlet 126, but the disclosure is not limited in this regard.

[0039] Reference is made to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the light guide kit 100 taken along line 3-3 in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 3, the first light guide member 1 10 includes a first reflective layer 1 16 and a first translucent body 1 13. The first light guide member 1 10 further has a second light outlet 1 18. A partial surface of the first translucent body 1 13 is covered by the first reflective layer 1 16, and the remaining surface of the first translucent body 1 13 which is not covered by the first reflective layer 1 16 can be as a light inlet/outlet, such as the light inlet 1 14, the first light outlet 1 12 and the second light outlet 1 18. The second light outlet 1 18 is located at the bottom of the first light guide member 1 10, and between the light inlet 1 14 and the first light outlet 1 12, furthermore, the second light outlet 1 18 is nearby the first light outlet 1 12. In the embodiment, the first light guide member 1 10 has a reflective plane 1 10a which is located at a corner thereof. In the above preferred embodiment, the reflective plane 1 10a is an inclined plane at top side corner of the first light guide member 1 10, and nearby the first light outlet 1 12. As shown in Fig 3, specifically, the reflective plane 1 10a is located at an upper right corner of the first light guide member 1 10, opposite to the second light outlet 1 18. The first light outlet 1 12 is located at a right side of the reflective plane 1 10a, and the light inlet 1 14 is located at a left side of the reflective plane 1 10a. Therefore, the reflective plane 1 10a is used to reflect part of light from the light inlet 1 14 to the second light outlet 1 18, and the remaining part of light from the light inlet 1 14 is transmitted to the first light outlet 1 12 via the first translucent body 1 13. The extension portion 122 of the second light guide member 120 is formed between the bottom of the first light guide member 1 10 and the light emitting portion 124. As such, the first light outlet 1 12 of the first light guide member 1 10 and the third light outlet 126 of the second light guide member 120 are located at two ends of the extension portion 122 respectively.

[0040] The second light guide member 120 includes a second reflective layer 128, a second translucent body 1221 , and a third translucent body 1241. Specifically, the extension portion 122 of the second light guide member 120 includes the second translucent body 1221 . The light emitting portion 124 of the second light guide member 120 includes the third translucent body 1241. A surface of the second translucent body 1221 is covered by the second reflective layer 128. Except for the third light outlet 126 which is located at one side of the light emitting portion 124 (and/or the third translucent body 1241 ), a surface of the third translucent body 1241 , for the most part, is covered by the second reflective layer 128. That is, the third light outlet 126 is a portion of the third translucent body 1241 not covered by the second reflective layer 128. The second reflective layer 128 includes a first reflective surface 128a and a second reflective surface 128b. The first reflective surface 128a is a surface of the second reflective layer 128 in contact with the second translucent body 1221 . The second reflective surface 128b is a surface of the second reflective layer 128 in contact with the third translucent body 1241 .

[0041] In some embodiments, the first to third translucent bodies 1 13, 1221 , 1241 can be made of translucent silicon or translucent rubber, but the disclosure is not limited in this regard. [0042] In some embodiments, the first reflective layer 1 16 and the second reflective layer 128 are formed by electroplating metals with high reflective properties, or by spraying paints with high reflective properties on the surfaces of the first to third translucent bodies 1 13, 1221 , 1241 , but the disclosure is not limited in this regard.

[0043] In some embodiments, the metals with the high reflective properties may include aluminum, chromium, silver, titanium, copper, and so on, but the disclosure is not limited in this regard.

[0044] In some embodiments, the paints with the high reflective properties may include silver paint, black paint, and so on, but the disclosure is not limited in this regard.

[0045] Reference is made to Fig. 3. The sleeve portion 1 1 1 protrudes from the peripheral edge of the light inlet 1 14 and an accommodating space 1 1 1 a is formed therein. The accommodating space 1 1 1 a is configured to accommodate the light source 10. The light inlet 1 14 is configured to receive the light emitted by the light source 10. A portion of the light emitted by the light source 10 is transmitted to the first light outlet 1 12 via the first translucent body 1 13, and forms a first beam 12 passing through the first light outlet 1 12. Another portion of the light emitted by the light source 10 is reflected toward the second light outlet 1 18 by the first reflective layer 1 16. The other portion of the light emitted by the light source 10 is directly transmitted to the second light outlet 1 18 and the second light guide member 120 via the first translucent body 1 13. The light entering the second light guide member 120 is reflected to the third light outlet 126, and forms a second beam 14 passing through the third light outlet 126.

[0046] Specifically, the first reflective layer 1 16 disposed on the reflective plane 1 10a which is opposite to the second light outlet 1 18 reflects most of the light emitted by the light source 10 to the second light outlet 1 18. The second light outlet 1 18 allows the light reflected by the first reflective layer 1 16 and the light directly from the light source 10 to enter the extension portion 122. The first reflective surface 128a disposed on the surface of the second translucent body 1221 reflects and guides the light from the second light outlet 1 18 to the light emitting portion 124. The light emitting portion 124 receives the light guided from the extension portion 122. The second reflective surface 128b disposed on the surface of the third translucent body 1241 reflects and guides the light to the third light outlet 126. Finally, the light passes through the third light outlet 126 via the light guide kit 100 and thus forms the second beam 14.

[0047] The first beam 12 without being reflected by the second light guide member 120 has a greater illuminance than that of the second beam 14. In addition, the area of the first light outlet 1 12 is greater than the area of the third light outlet 126. Therefore, the first beam 12 passing through the first light outlet 1 12 has a greater brightness than the second beam 14 leaving the third light outlet 126. As such, the first beam 12 is viewed as main light and the second beam 14 is viewed as assistant light.

[0048] With the structural configuration of the light guide kit 100 above, the first beam 12 acting as the main light provides bright lighting conditions as medical practitioners are conducting medical surgeries or examinations. The second beam 14 acting as the assistant light helps the medical practitioners to eliminate shadow created by the first beam 12, and provides shadowless lighting conditions to the medical practitioners. Conducting surgeries under shadowless lighting conditions helps the medical practitioners to reduce operational difficulties and shorten surgical time which are great benefits for both patients and the medical practitioners.

[0049] In some embodiments as illustrated by Fig. 3, the light guide kit 100 further includes a bendable member 130. The bendable member 130 is embedded in the extension portion 122 of the second light guide member 120. The bendable member 130 connects to the first light guide member 1 10 and the light emitting portion 124. Specifically, the first to third translucent bodies 1 13, 1221 , 1241 are flexible bodies. The bendable member 130 is used to support mechanical properties of the first to third translucent bodies 1 13, 1221 , 1241 . Medical practitioners are allowed to adjust an illuminating angle of the third light outlet 126 by adjusting positions of the second and third translucent bodies 1221 , 1241 of the second light guide member 120 to get better lighting conditions. The bendable member 130 helps to fix the position of the second and third translucent bodies 1221 , 1241.

[0050] In some embodiments, the bendable member 130 extends through the entire first light guide member 1 10 and the light emitting portion 124. In other embodiments, the bendable member 130 extends into a portion of the first light guide member 1 10 and a portion of the light emitting portion 124, but the disclosure is not limited in this regard. [0051] In some embodiments, the bendable member 130 can be a flexible metal wire, such as an iron wire, a stainless steel wire, a copper wire, and so on, but the disclosure is not limited in this regard.

[0052] Reference is made to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the light guide kit 200 according to another embodiment of the disclosure. As shown in Fig. 4, in the embodiment, the light guide kit 200 includes a first light guide member 210 and a second light guide member 220. The first light guide member 210 has a first light outlet 212, a second light outlet 218, a light inlet 214, and a reflective plane 210a, and includes a sleeve portion 21 1 and the first reflective layer 1 16. The second light guide member 220 has a third light outlet 226, and includes an extension portion 222, an light emitting portion 224, and the second reflective layer 128. The sleeve portion 21 1 , the reflective plane 210a, and the first reflective layer 1 16 of the first light guide member 210, and the second reflective layer 128 of the second light guide member 220 are similar to the sleeve portion 1 1 1 , the reflective plane 1 10a, the first reflective layer 1 16, and the second reflective layer 128 of the embodiment in Fig. 3 respectively, so the introductions of these components can be referred to the previous descriptions and therefore are not repeated here to avoid duplicity. Compared with the embodiment of Fig. 3, the present embodiment replaces the first translucent body 1 13 of the first light guide member 1 10 in Fig. 3 with a first hollow housing 213, replaces the second translucent body 1221 of the extension portion 122 with a second hollow housing 2221 , and replaces the third translucent body 1241 of the light emitting portion 124 with a third hollow housing 2241 . In the present embodiment, the light inlet 214 and the first and second light outlets 212, 218 are three openings of the first hollow housing 213 respectively. The third light outlet 226 is an opening of the third hollow housing 2241 . A portion of the light emitted by the light source 10 passes through the first light outlet 212 directly to form the first beam 12. The first and second reflective layers 1 16, 128 sequentially reflect and guide the rest portion of the light emitted by the light source 10 to the third light outlet 126. Finally, the light passes through the third light outlet 226 via the light guide kit 200 and thus forms the second beam 14.

[0053] In some embodiments, the first to third hollow housings 213, 2221 , 2241 are made of transparent and electroplatable substances, such as, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), polyamide (PA), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), fiber reinforced plastic (FPR) and so on, but the disclosure is not limited in this regard.

[0054] In some embodiments, the first light outlet 212 is a portion of hollow housing not covered by the first reflective layer 1 16, and the third light outlet 226 is a portion of hollow housing not covered by the second reflective layer 128, but the disclosure is not limited in this regard.

[0055] In the embodiment of Fig. 4, the first reflective layer 1 16 is disposed on an outer surface of the first hollow housing 213. The second reflective layer 128 is disposed on outer surfaces of the second hollow housing 2221 and the third hollow housing 2241. In some embodiments, the first reflective layer 1 16 is disposed on an inner surface of the first hollow housing 213. The second reflective layers 128 is disposed on inner surfaces of the second hollow housing 2221 and the third hollow housing 2241. [0056] In some embodiments, the first light guide member 1 10 includes a hollow housing and the second light guide member 120 includes a translucent body, or in contrast, the first light guide member 1 10 includes a translucent body and the second light guide member 120 includes a hollow housing. In other embodiments, the extension portion 122 includes a translucent body and the light emitting portion 124 includes a hollow housing, or in contrast, the extension portion 122 includes a hollow housing and the light emitting portion 124 includes a translucent body. In other words, the light guide kit 100 is constituted by any combination of the hollow housing and the translucent body. The disclosure should not be limited in this regard.

[0057] According to the foregoing recitations of the embodiments of the disclosure, it can be seen that in the light guide kit of the present disclosure, there are two light emitting outlets respectively located at two ends of the light guide kit. Therefore, light from one light emitting outlet provides sufficient light to medical practitioners. Light from the other light emitting outlet helps to eliminate the shadow created by the light from the foregoing light emitting outlet, so as to provide a shadowless lighting condition to medical practitioners.

[0058] Although the present disclosure has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.

[0059] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present disclosure cover modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they fall within the scope of the following claims.