An optical device is for spatially displacing the output of a light-emitting
diode
(LED) and coupling the output to a predominantly spherical emission pattern produced
at a useftul height above the LED. The device is made of a transparent dielectric
material, such as an injection-molded plastic. It comprises a lower transfer section
that receives the LED's light from below and an upper ejector section that receives
the transferred light and spreads it spherically. One or more LEDs. are optically
coupled to the bottom of the transfer section, which operates by total internal
reflection upon their entire hemispherical emission. One embodiment operates as
a flashlight-bulb substitute with the ejector section radiating onto a parabolic
reflector, which forms the beam. Thus hemisphencally emitting LEDs can be used
in parabolic-mirror flashlights wherein these LEDs by themselves may be unsuitable
for that role.