Industry Patents

In one aspect, a light-mixing optic is disclosed for use with one or more light sources such as light emitting diodes. In one embodiment, an exemplary optic can include an optical body disposed about an optical axis and having an input and an output surface and a peripheral surface extending between the two. The input surface can form a central cavity for receiving light from the light sources, if not the light sources themselves. Further, the input surface can be shaped to refract substantially all of the light received from the one or more light sources away from the optical axis to the peripheral surface of the optic, where that light (e.g., substantially all of it) can be redirected (e.g., via total internal reflection or specular reflection) to the output surface. An array of micro-lenses or other surface features can be formed on the output surface. Further embodiments, as well as exemplary design methods, are also disclosed.