Light-transmitting substrate, display device, signal device, and illumination device

• US 10,217,386 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2017
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Hanya, Akihiko, Ito, Kosaburo, Abe, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Daniel I
• Application Number:
  US15/710,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20180090035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/026 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/103 De-icing devices or snow melters for drainage outlets E04D13/0409, for gutters E04D13/0762, for down pipes E04D13/08
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/00 Structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2109/00 Light sources with light-generating elements disposed on transparent or translucent supports or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/002 weather-proof panels or boards G09F7/02 - G09F7/14, G09F7/18 - G09F7/22 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0306 Inorganic insulating substrates, e.g. ceramic, glass
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/167 incorporating printed resistors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0108 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0145 Polyester, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate [PET], polyethylene naphthalate [PEN]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0154 Polyimide
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0162 Silicon containing polymer, e.g. silicone
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]

Abstract

A thin light-transmitting substrate showing high thermal conduction efficiency, and having a function of raising surface temperature thereof is provided.

The light-transmitting substrate of the present invention comprises a substrate that transmits at least a light of a predetermined wavelength, and a conductor pattern that is disposed on the substrate, and generates heat to raise temperature of the surface of the substrate when it is supplied with an electric current. The conductor pattern is directly disposed on the substrate without any adhesive layer.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a light-transmitting substrate comprising a substrate that transmits at least a light of a predetermined wavelength, the substrate constituting an outermost surface of the display device;

a conductor pattern that is disposed on the substrate and that generates heat to raise a temperature of the substrate when the conductor pattern is supplied with an electric current; and

a light-emitting element that is disposed on a surface of the substrate on which the conductor pattern is disposed, the light-emitting element being connected to the conductor pattern and emitting light when the light-emitting element is supplied with an electric current via the conductor pattern,

wherein;

the conductor pattern is directly disposed on the substrate without any adhesive layer;

the conductor pattern conducts heat generated by the light-emitting element to raise the temperature of the substrate at a position remote from the light-emitting element; and

the light-emitting element has a light-emitting surface, the light-emitting element being disposed such that the light-emitting surface is on a side of the light-emitting element facing the substrate and such that light emitted from the light-emitting surface is transmitted through the substrate and is projected to outside of the substrate.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein a conductor that constitutes the conductor pattern is porous.

3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the conductor that constitutes the conductor pattern adheres to the substrate at an interface of the conductor pattern and the substrate.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein a conductor that constitutes the conductor pattern is obtained by sintering conductive particles.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate consists of a resin.

6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate and the conductor pattern are flexible.

7. The display device according to claim 6, wherein a conductor that constitutes the conductor pattern is porous.

8. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the conductor pattern has a region having at least one of a width and a height smaller or larger than those of other regions.

9. The display device according to claim 8, wherein a conductor that constitutes the conductor pattern is porous.

10. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the conductor pattern has a region constituted with a conductor material different from those of other regions.

11. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a base material that transmits the light of the predetermined wavelength, and a filler dispersed in the base material, and wherein the filler has a thermal conductivity higher than that of the base material.

12. The display device according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the conductor pattern has a curved surface not contacting with the substrate.

13. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the light-transmitting substrate is disposed such that the surface of the substrate opposite to the surface of the substrate on which the conductor pattern is disposed faces the outside of the substrate.

14. The display device according to claim 1, the display device being a signal device.

15. The display device according to claim 1, the display device being an illumination device.

16. The display device according to claim 15, wherein a conductor that constitutes the conductor pattern is porous.