Device for generating light which propagates in a plane

摘要

The light which was emitted by known optical elements in the form of a plane for generating a strip of light on an object to be viewed had a uniform thickness perpendicular to the plane of propagation and uniform brightness only over a relatively narrow angular region. The object of the present invention is to make it possible to generate light which propagates evenly with uniform strength over a very large angular region. This object is achieved by using an optical element 20 which is in the form of a light guide (light pipe) and contains a large number of mutually parallel optical fibres bundled into a column as optical element for propagating impinging parallel light in a plane. When impinging on an object to be viewed, the planarly propagating light forms a strip of light which serves to recognise shapes, for example also faults, in the respective object. IMAGE