Organic illumination source and method for controlled illumination

• US 20080007936A1
• Filed: 07/05/2006
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Shiang, Joseph John, Liu, Jie, Rogojevic, Svetlana, Foust, Donald Franklin
• Application Number:
  US11/480,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20080007936A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/84
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/02 changing colors F21S10/002 - F21S10/007, F21S10/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/04 characterised by materials, surface treatments or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/00 Planar light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/15 Organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00

Abstract

An illumination source including a three-dimensional structure having at least one interior surface including at least one OLED panel which defines and encloses a port for outlet of light produced by the at least one OLED panel and having a surface area greater than area of the port, is disclosed. A method for tuning color and/or intensity of the light output of an illumination source is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An illumination source comprising:

a three-dimensional structure having at least one interior surface comprising at least one OLED panel, said at least one interior surface defining and enclosing a port for outlet of light produced by said at least one OLED panel, and having surface area greater than area of the port.

2. The illumination source of claim 1, wherein the at least one interior surface has a light emitting area greater than the area of the port.

3. The illumnination source of claim 1, wherein the at least one interior surface is a curved surface.

4. The illumination source of claim 1, wherein the three dimensional structure comprises a hemispherical structure.

5. The illumination source of claim 1, wherein the three dimensional structure comprises multiple interior facets.

6. The area illumination source of claim 1, wherein the three dimensional structure comprises a plurality of interior surfaces.

7. The area illumination source of claim 1, wherein said at least one interior surface is curved.

8. The illumination source of claim 1, wherein the illumination source produces a white light having a color temperature ranging from about 5500°

K. to about 6500°

K.

9. The illumination source of claim 8, wherein the white light has a color rendering index ranging from about 60 to about 99.

10. The illumination source of claim 1, wherein the illumination source produces a white light having a color temperature ranging from about 2800°

K. to about 5500°

K.

11. The illumination source of claim 10, wherein the white light has a color rendering index of at least 60.

12. The illumination source of claim 1, wherein said at least one interior surface comprises two or more OLED panels selected from OLED panels capable of emitting light of a first color, OLED panels capable of emitting light of a second color, OLED panels capable of emitting light of a third color and OLED panels capable of emitting light of a fourth color.

13. The illumination source of claim 1, further comprising a diffuser element disposed across the port.

14. The illumination source of claim 1, further comprising a scattering element disposed across the port.

15. The illumination source of claim 1, further comprising a barrier element disposed across the port.

16. The illumination source of claim 1, further comprising a photoluminescent element mounted across the port.

17. The illumination source of claim 1, further comprising a pattern-creating element disposed across the port.

18. The illumination source of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of said pattern-creating element transmits light in a desired wavelength or wavelength range.

19. The illumination source of claim 1, further comprising a transparent light emitting element disposed across the port.

20. The illumination source of claim 1, wherein the OLED panel includes a mount.

21. The illumination source of claim 20, wherein at least one surface of the mount is curved.

22. The illumination source of claim 20, wherein the mount is reflective.

23. The illumination source of claim 1, further comprising circuit elements for controlling electrical power to said at least one OLED panel.

24. The illumination source of claim 23, wherein light output of each of at least two OLED panels is independently controllable.

25. An illumination source comprising:

a three-dimensional curved structure, having at least one interior curved surface comprising a plurality of OLED panels, said at least one interior curved surface defining and enclosing a port for outlet of light produced by said plurality of OLED panel, and having surface area greater than area of the port.

26. A method for tuning color and/or intensity of the light output of an illumination source comprising at least one OLED panel, said method comprising:

providing an illumination source comprising a three dimensional structure comprising at least one interior surface comprising said at least one OLED panel, said at least one surface defining and enclosing a port for outlet of light produced by said at least one OLED panel, and having surface area greater than area of the port; and

selectively providing electric power to one or more OLED elements to color and/or intensity tune the light output of the illumination source.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising diffusing light emitted by said at least one OLED panel by disposing a diffuser across the port.