Area illumination lighting apparatus having OLED planar light source

• US 20040032727A1
• Filed: 08/19/2002
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global OLED Technology LLC (LG Display Co., Ltd.), Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Cok, Ronald S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,776,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/84
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/00 Lighting devices intended to be free-standing F21S9/00, F21S10/00, F21S13/12 take precedence lighting devices specially adapted to be transported from place to place, e.g. lighting devices carried on wheeled supports F21L; details of supports for lighting devices F21V21/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/061 with a non-rigid pendant, i.e. a cable, wire or chain
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/063 with a rigid pendant, i.e. a pipe or rod
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/007 with provision for shipment or storage
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/00 Planar light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/15 Organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/721 cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/841 Self-supporting sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/85 Arrangements for extracting light from the devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

Lighting apparatus includes a solid-state area illumination light source, having: a planar substrate, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) layer deposited on the planar substrate, the organic light emitting diode layer including first and second electrodes for providing electrical power to the OLED layer, an encapsulating cover covering the OLED layer, and first and second conductors electrically connected to the first and second electrodes, and extending beyond the encapsulating cover for making electrical contact to the first and second electrodes by an external power source; and a lighting fixture for removably receiving and holding the solid state-light area illumination light source in a horizontal plane, the lighting fixture including contacts for providing electrical contact between said first and second conductors and an external power source.

Claims

1. Lighting apparatus, comprising:

a) a solid-state area illumination light source, having;

i) a planar substrate,

ii) an organic light emitting diode (OLED) layer deposited on the planar substrate, the organic light emitting diode layer including first and second electrodes for providing electrical power to the OLED layer,

iii) an encapsulating cover covering the OLED layer, and

iv) first and second conductors electrically connected to the first and second electrodes, and extending beyond the encapsulating cover for making electrical contact to the first and second electrodes by an external power source; and

b) a lighting fixture for removably receiving and holding the solid state-light area illumination light source in a horizontal plane, the lighting fixture including contacts for providing electrical contact between said first and second conductors and an external power source.

2. The light source claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate is a rigid planar substrate.

3. The light source claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate is flexible.

4. The light source claimed in claim 3, further comprising a support for holding the substrate in a plane.

5. The light source claimed in claim 4, wherein the support is a frame.

6. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source defines a body portion and one or more tab portions;

the first and second conductors being located on the tab portion(s).

7. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 6, wherein the tab portion(s) include an orientation feature for orienting the′

light source in a socket.

8. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 6, wherein the light source defines tabs that are located at opposite edges of the substrate.

9. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second conductors are located at one or more edges of the light source.

10. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 9, wherein the first and second conductors are located at opposite edges of the light source.

11. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source emits light from one side of the support and the first and second conductors are located on an opposite side.

12. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein the encapsulating cover is a coated layer.

13. The light source claimed in claim 2, wherein the cover is a hermetically sealed cover plate.

14. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein the OLED layer is continuous over the substrate.

15. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source operates on standard power.

16. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 15, wherein the standard power is selected from the group consisting of 110 volt AC, 220 volt AC, 24 volt DC, 12 volt DC, and 6 volt DC.

17. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein the planar substrate is transparent.

18. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 1, further comprising a base adapted to be received by and make electrical contact with a standard electrical outlet.

19. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a converter connected to the first and second conductors for converting power from the external power source to a form useable by the OLED layer.

20. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 19, wherein the converter converts AC line voltage to a form useable by the OLED layer.

21. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein the lighting apparatus is a ceiling lamp.

22. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein the lighting apparatus is a table lamp.

23. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein the lighting apparatus is a floor lamp.

24. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein the planar substrate is transparent, and light is emitted from the OLED layer through the planar substrate.

25. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein the encapsulating cover is transparent, and light is emitted from the OLED layer through the encapsulating cover.

26. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source emits light from only one side of the substrate and further includes a reflective layer on the other side of the substrate.

27. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source emits light from both sides of the substrate.

28. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 1, further comprising an optical element for directing the light from the light source.

29. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 28, wherein the optical element is a lenslet array.

30. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 28, wherein the optical element is a part of the lighting fixture.

31. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 28, wherein the optical element is a part of the light source.

32. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 31, wherein the substrate or the encapsulating cover includes the optical element.

33. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 32, wherein the optical element is a fresnel lens formed in the substrate or the encapsulating cover.

34. The lighting apparatus claimed in claim 21, wherein the lamp is a suspended lamp.