Light emitting device including a film lightguide with a light mixing region and light emitting region

• US 10,073,208 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2018
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FLEx Lighting II, LLC
• Original Assignee: FLEx Lighting II, LLC
• Inventors: Nichol, Anthony, Coleman, Zane
• Primary Examiner(s): Lepisto, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Guy
• Application Number:
  US15/923,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20180210131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 179 Days
• Field of Search: 385 31, 385 32, 385129-130, 362600-629
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0025 Diffusing sheet or layer; Prismatic sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0033 Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0035 provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0045 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0051 Diffusing sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0058 varying in density, size, shape or depth along the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0065 Manufacturing aspects; Material aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/009 of the light source in the package G02B6/0021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133606 including a specially adapted diffusing, scattering or light controlling members

Abstract

In one aspect, a light emitting device comprises a light source, a film-based lightguide with a light emitting region. The film may have a light mixing region positioned between a light input region and the light emitting region. In one aspect a ratio of a length of the light mixing region to a length of the light emitting region is greater than 0.1 in a first plane comprising the thickness direction. In one aspect the light emitting device comprises a guide element having a surface curved in a first plane positioned adjacent the inner surface of the film, wherein the film is folded along the curved surface at a first fold such that the first fold positions a portion of the light mixing region above or below the active area of the display and the light mixing region comprises the first fold.

Claims

1. A light emitting device comprising:

a light source;

a film including a body having an inner surface and an opposing outer surface in a thickness direction of the film, the body of the film comprising a light emitting region defined by a plurality of light extracting features;

a light input region of the film configured to receive light emitted from the light source; and

a light mixing region of the film positioned along the film between the light input region and the light emitting region such that the light emitted from the light source propagates by total internal reflection from the light input region, through the light mixing region, and into the light emitting region in a total internal reflection condition, wherein

the light extracting features redirect a portion of the light out of the film in the light emitting region;

the light mixing region of the film comprises a first bend in a first plane comprising the thickness direction such that the first bend positions a portion of the light mixing region above or below the light emitting region in the thickness direction;

the first bend has a first bend angle of 180 degrees or greater than 180 degrees in the first plane; and

a ratio of a length of light mixing region to a length of the light emitting region is greater than 0.1 in the first plane.

2. The light emitting device of claim 1 wherein the ratio is greater than 0.2 in the first plane.

3. The light emitting device of claim 1 further comprising a guide element having a surface curved in the first plane, and the curved surface of the guide element is positioned adjacent the inner surface of the film in the light mixing region of the film at the first bend.

4. The light emitting device of claim 3 wherein a cross-section of the guide element in the first plane at the curved surface adjacent the inner surface of the film is substantially constant in a direction perpendicular to the first plane.

5. The light emitting device of claim 4 wherein the curved surface of the guide element subtends an angle greater than 90 degrees at the first bend in the first plane.

6. The light emitting device of claim 4 wherein the cross-sectional of the guide element in the first plane comprises all or a portion of an ellipse or circle.

7. The light emitting device of claim 1 wherein the portion of the light mixing region is parallel to the light emitting region.

8. The light emitting device of claim 1 wherein the film comprises a core layer and a cladding layer, the emitted light from the light source propagates by total internal reflection in the core layer, and the cladding layer comprises an adhesive that adheres the light mixing region of the film to the guide element at the first fold.

9. The light emitting device of claim 1 further comprising:

a spatial light modulator with a first outer surface and an active area, wherein the light emitting region is positioned above or below the active area of the spatial light modulator in the thickness direction and is substantially parallel to the first outer surface of the spatial light modulator; and

the light extracting features redirect a portion of the light out of the film in the light emitting region toward the active area of the spatial light modulator.

10. The light emitting device of claim 9 wherein the spatial light modulator is a reflective display and the light emitting region is positioned above the active area on the viewing side of the reflective display.

11. The light emitting device of claim 9 wherein the film further includes a plurality of coupling lightguide strips extending from the light mixing region of the film, the coupling lightguides strips are folded and stacked such that ends of the folded and stacked coupling lightguide strips define the light input region.

12. A light emitting device comprising:

a light source;

a film including a body having an inner surface and an opposing outer surface in a thickness direction of the film, the body of the film comprising a light emitting region defined by a plurality of light extracting features;

a light input region of the film configured to receive light emitted from the light source;

a light mixing region of the film positioned along the film between the light input region and the light emitting region such that the light emitted from the light source propagates by total internal reflection from the light input region, through the light mixing region, and into the light emitting region in a total internal reflection condition, wherein the light extracting features redirect a portion of the light out of the film in the light emitting region; and

a plurality of coupling lightguide strips extending from the light mixing region of the film, the coupling lightguides strips are folded and stacked such that ends of the folded and stacked coupling lightguide strips define the light input region, wherein

the light mixing region of the film comprises a first bend in a first plane comprising the thickness direction of the film such that the first bend positions a portion of the light mixing region above or below the light emitting region in the thickness direction;

the first bend has a first bend angle of 180 degrees or greater than 180 degrees in the first plane; and

a ratio of a length of light mixing region to a length of the light emitting region is greater than 0.1 in the first plane.

13. The light emitting device of claim 12 further comprising a guide element having a surface curved in the first plane, and the curved surface of the guide element is positioned adjacent the inner surface of the film in the light mixing region of the film at the first bend.

14. The light emitting device of claim 13 wherein a cross-section of the guide element in the first plane at the curved surface adjacent the inner surface of the film is substantially constant in a direction perpendicular to the first plane.

15. The light emitting device of claim 14 wherein the curved surface of the guide element subtends an angle greater than 90 degrees at the first bend in the first plane.

16. The light emitting device of claim 12 wherein the film further includes a plurality of coupling lightguide strips extending from the light mixing region of the film, the coupling lightguides strips are folded and stacked such that ends of the folded and stacked coupling lightguide strips define the light input region.

17. The light emitting device of claim 12 further comprising a spatial light modulator having a first outer surface and an active area wherein the light emitting region is positioned above or below the active area of the spatial light modulator in the thickness direction and is substantially parallel to the first outer surface of the spatial light modulator;

and the light extracting features redirect a portion of the light out of the film in the light emitting region toward the active area of the spatial light modulator.

18. The light emitting device of claim 17 wherein the spatial light modulator is a reflective display and the light emitting region is positioned above the active area on the viewing side of the reflective display.

19. A method of making a light emitting device comprising:

a) forming a film including a body having an inner surface and an opposing outer surface in a thickness direction of the film, the body of the film comprising a light emitting region defined by a plurality of light extracting features and a light mixing region adjacent the light emitting region along the film, wherein a ratio of a length of light mixing region to a length of the light emitting region is greater than 0.1 in a first plane comprising the thickness direction of the film;

b) positioning a light source to emit light into a light input region of the film such that the light emitted from the light source passes through the light mixing region of the film and into the light emitting region in a total internal reflection condition, wherein the light extracting features redirect a portion of the light out of the film in the light emitting region;

d) positioning a guide element adjacent the light mixing region of the film such that a surface of the guide element curved in the first plane is adjacent the inner surface of the film; and

e) bending the light mixing region of the film along the curved surface of the guide element forming a first bend in the film in the first plane such that the bending positions a portion of the light mixing region above or below the light emitting region in the thickness direction.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising positioning the light emitting region of the film adjacent an active area of a spatial light modulator in the thickness direction and substantially parallel to a first outer surface of the spatial light modulator, and bending the light mixing region positions a portion of the light mixing region below the active area of the spatial light modulator in the thickness direction.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the bending the light mixing region further includes bending the light mixing region of the film along a portion of the curved surface of the guide element that subtends an angle greater than 90 degrees at the first bend.