Light emitting panel assemblies

• US 20060028817A1
• Filed: 10/06/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovative Display Technologies LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Solid State Opto Limited (Global Lighting Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Parker, Jeffery R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,384,177 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/231
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/309 using white LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/063 comprising light transmitting means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0621 Hyperbilirubinemia, jaundice treatment
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/10 comprising photoluminescent material
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0018 Redirecting means on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/002 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide, e.g. with collimating, focussing or diverging surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0021 for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses
• 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 6/0036 2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0038 Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0043 provided on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/006 to produce indicia, symbols, texts or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0061 to provide homogeneous light output intensity
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/07 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 : Light emitting diode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/804 : Surgical or dental spotlight

Abstract

Light emitting assemblies include a tray that forms a cavity or recess containing one or more light sources. A sheet, film or substrate is positioned over the cavity or recess for controlling the light emitted from the assembly. The tray acts as a back, side or edge reflector, and has one or more secondary reflective or refractive surfaces.

Claims

1. A light emitting assembly comprising a tray that forms a cavity or recess, at least one light source located, mounted or positioned in the cavity or recess, and at least one sheet, film or substrate positioned over the cavity or recess for controlling the light emitted from the assembly to fit a particular application, wherein the tray acts as at least one of a back, side, and edge reflector and has one or more secondary flat, angled, faceted or curved reflective or refractive surfaces for reflecting or refracting at least a portion of the light emitted by the light source through the sheet, film or substrate in a predetermined pattern.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the refractive or reflective surfaces are flat, planar or curved.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the refractive or reflective surfaces are prismatic or lenticular surfaces.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the refractive or reflective surfaces are quite small compared to the length and width of the tray.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the refractive or reflective surfaces are in close proximity or around and behind the light source.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein there are at least two light sources.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein each light source is positioned in close proximity to a group of the refractive or reflective surfaces.

8. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the at least two light sources are different color LEDs.

9. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the tray and the at least one sheet, film or substrate function together to improve uniformity of the light emitted from the assembly, reduce moiré

or other interference effects, mix the light from multiple light sources, or change the output ray angle distribution of the light from the assembly.

10. The assembly of claim 6 wherein a portion of the light emitted from the light sources mixes in the cavity or recess.

11. The assembly of claim 10 wherein the sheet, film or substrate provides additional light mixing.

12. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the reflective or refractive surfaces promote mixing of the light from two or more light sources.

13. The assembly of claim 6 wherein there is at least one refractive or reflective surface corresponding to each light source.

14. The assembly of claim 1 wherein there is at least one sheet, film or substrate that is a diffuser, colored film or filter, label, transparent or semi-transparent overlay, label or display, reflector, polarizer or reflective polarizer.

15. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one sheet, film or substrate has deformities for controlling the light output ray angle distribution to fit a particular application.

16. A light emitting assembly comprising a tray that forms a cavity or recess, at least two light sources located, mounted or positioned in the cavity or recess, and at least one sheet, film or substrate positioned over the cavity or recess for controlling the light emitted from the assembly to fit a particular application, wherein the tray acts as at least one of a back, side and edge reflector and has at least one secondary flat, angled, faceted or curved reflective or refractive surface to facilitate better mixing of light rays to produce a desired light output color or uniformity.

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein at least some of the light sources are different colored light sources.

18. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the secondary reflective or refractive surface promotes mixing of different color light to make white light.

19. The assembly of claim 16 wherein multiple light sources contain at least one light source of each of the colors red, green and blue.

20. The assembly of claim 16 wherein at least some of the light sources are LEDs.

21. The assembly of claim 20 wherein at least some of the LEDs have multiple chips of different colors.

22. The assembly of claim 16 wherein there is at least one sheet, film or substrate that is a diffuser, colored film or filter, label, transparent or semi-transparent overlay, reflector, polarizer or reflective polarizer.

23. The assembly of claim 16 wherein the sheet, film or substrate is comprised of multiple layers.

24. The assembly of claim 16 wherein there is at least one sheet, film or substrate that has deformities on at least one surface to control the light output ray angle distribution to fit a particular application.

25. The assembly of claim 24 wherein the deformities are depressions or raised surfaces.

26. The assembly of claim 24 wherein the deformities are prismatic or lenticular.

27. The assembly of claim 24 wherein the deformities vary or are random.

28. The assembly of claim 24 wherein at least some of the deformities are paints, inks or coatings.