Front Light Devices and Methods of Fabrication Thereof
First Claim
1. An illumination device comprising:
- a light guide having a first end for receiving light and configured to support propagation of light along the length of the light guide;
a turning microstructure disposed on a first side of the light guide configured to turn light incident on the first side and to direct the light out a second opposite side of the light guide, wherein the turning microstructure comprises a plurality of indentations;
a cover physically coupled to the light guide and disposed over the turning microstructure;
an interlayer between the cover and the light guide, wherein the interlayer physically couples the cover to the light guide; and
a plurality of open regions between the interlayer and the plurality of indentations;
wherein the light guide has a first index of refraction and the interlayer has a second index of refraction and the second index of refraction is lower than the first index of refraction.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A illumination device comprises a light guide having a first end for receiving light and configured to support propagation of light along the length of the light guide. A turning microstructure is disposed on a first side of the light guide configured to turn light incident on the first side and to direct the light out a second opposite side of the light guide, wherein the turning microstructure comprises a plurality of indentations. A cover is physically coupled to the light guide and disposed over the turning microstructure. An interlayer is between the cover and the light guide, wherein the interlayer physically couples the cover to the light guide. A plurality of open regions is between the interlayer and the plurality of indentations. Various embodiments include methods of coupling the cover to the light guide while preserving open regions between the cover and plurality of indentations.
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Citations
63 Claims
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1. An illumination device comprising:
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a light guide having a first end for receiving light and configured to support propagation of light along the length of the light guide; a turning microstructure disposed on a first side of the light guide configured to turn light incident on the first side and to direct the light out a second opposite side of the light guide, wherein the turning microstructure comprises a plurality of indentations; a cover physically coupled to the light guide and disposed over the turning microstructure; an interlayer between the cover and the light guide, wherein the interlayer physically couples the cover to the light guide; and a plurality of open regions between the interlayer and the plurality of indentations; wherein the light guide has a first index of refraction and the interlayer has a second index of refraction and the second index of refraction is lower than the first index of refraction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A illumination device comprising:
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a light guide having a first end for receiving light and configured to support propagation of light along the length of the light guide; a turning microstructure disposed on a first side of the light guide configured to turn light incident on the first side and to direct the light out a second opposite side of the light guide, wherein the turning microstructure comprises a plurality of indentations; a cover physically coupled to the light guide and disposed over the turning microstructure; an interlayer between the cover and the light guide, wherein the interlayer physically couples the cover to the light guide; and a plurality of regions between the interlayer and the plurality of indentations at least partially comprising a material different from the interlayer. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An illumination device comprising:
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a light guide having a first end for receiving light and configured to support propagation of light along the length of the light guide; a turning microstructure disposed on a first side of the light guide configured to turn light incident on the first side and to direct the light out a second opposite side of the light guide, wherein the turning microstructure comprises a plurality of indentations; a cover physically coupled to the light guide and disposed over the turning microstructure; a plurality of open regions between the cover and the plurality of indentations; wherein the light guide has a first index of refraction and the cover has a second index of refraction and the second index of refraction is lower than the first index of refraction. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of manufacturing a illumination device comprising:
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providing a light guide having a first end for receiving light and configured to support propagation of light along the length of the light guide, said light guide having turning microstructure disposed on a first side thereof that is configured to turn light incident on the first side and to direct the light out a second opposite side of the light guide, wherein the turning microstructure comprises a plurality of indentations; providing a cover disposed over the turning microstructure; and physically coupling the cover to the light guide by an interlayer such that a plurality of open regions are between the interlayer and the plurality of indentations, wherein the light guide has a first index of refraction and the interlayer has a second index of refraction and the second index of refraction is lower than the first index of refraction. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method of manufacturing a illumination device comprising:
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providing a light guide having a first end for receiving light and configured to support propagation of light along the length of the light guide, said light guide having turning microstructure disposed on a first side thereof that is configured to turn light incident on the first side and to direct the light out a second opposite side of the light guide, wherein the turning microstructure comprises a plurality of indentations; providing a cover disposed over the turning microstructure; and physically coupling the cover to the light guide by an interlayer such that a plurality of regions between the interlayer and the plurality of indentations at least partially comprises a material different from the interlayer. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method of manufacturing a illumination device comprising:
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providing a light guide having a first end for receiving light and configured to support propagation of light along the length of the light guide, said light guide having turning microstructure disposed on a first side thereof that is configured to turn light incident on the first side and to direct the light out a second opposite side of the light guide, wherein the turning microstructure comprises a plurality of indentations; physically coupling a cover to the light guide, wherein the cover is disposed over the turning microstructure; and wherein the light guide has a first index of refraction and the cover has a second index of refraction and the second index of refraction is lower than the first index of refraction. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. An illumination device comprising:
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a means for guiding light having a first end for receiving light and configured to support propagation of light along the length of the light guiding means; a means for turning light disposed on a first side of the light guiding means configured to turn light incident on the first side and to direct the light out a second opposite side of the light guiding means, wherein the turning means comprises a plurality of means for reflecting light; a means for covering physically coupled to the light guiding means and disposed over the turning means; a means for physically coupling between the covering means and the light guiding means, wherein the coupling means physically couples the covering means to the light guiding means; and a plurality of open regions between the coupling means and the plurality of reflecting means; wherein the light guiding means has a first index of refraction and the coupling means has a second index of refraction and the second index of refraction is lower than the first index of refraction. - View Dependent Claims (59)
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60. A illumination device comprising:
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a means for guiding light having a first end for receiving light and configured to support propagation of light along the length of the light guiding means; a means for turning light disposed on a first side of the light guide configured to turn light incident on the first side and to direct the light out a second opposite side of the light guide, wherein the turning means comprises a plurality of means for reflecting light; a means for covering physically coupled to the light guide and disposed over the turning means; a means for physically coupling between the covering means and the light guiding means, wherein the coupling means physically couples the covering means to the light guiding means; and a plurality of regions between the coupling means and the plurality of reflecting means at least partially comprising a material different from the coupling means. - View Dependent Claims (61)
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62. An illumination device comprising:
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a means for guiding light having a first end for receiving light and configured to support propagation of light along the length of the light guiding means; a means for turning light disposed on a first side of the light guiding means configured to turn light incident on the first side and to direct the light out a second opposite side of the light guiding means, wherein the turning means comprises a plurality of means for reflecting light; a means for covering physically coupled to the light guide and disposed over the turning means; a plurality of open regions between the covering means and the plurality of reflecting means; and wherein the light guiding means has a first index of refraction and the covering means has a second index of refraction and the second index of refraction is lower than the first index of refraction. - View Dependent Claims (63)
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Specification