Method for feeding electric power to a planar light-emitting element

• US 20100244749A1
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujihara, Koki, Miyai, Takeo, Konishi, Hirofumi, Okawa, Masanao, Kawachi, Hideharu
• Granted Patent: US 8,643,312 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/360
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/60 Circuit arrangements for operating LEDs comprising organic material, e.g. for operating organic light-emitting diodes [OLED] or polymer light-emitting diodes [PLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/805 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

A method for feeding electric power to a planar light-emitting element which includes a planar anode electrode, a planar cathode electrode, a light-emitting layer provided between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, two or more anode terminal portions protruding from the anode electrode and one or more cathode terminal portions protruding from the cathode electrode. The method includes sequentially providing the electric power to the anode terminal portions.

Claims

1. A method for feeding electric power to a planar light-emitting element which includes a planar anode electrode, a planar cathode electrode, a light-emitting layer provided between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, two or more anode terminal portions protruding from the anode electrode and one or more cathode terminal portions protruding from the cathode electrode, comprising:

sequentially providing the electric power to the anode terminal portions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the anode terminal portions are provided in pair near the intersecting points between a line segment passing through the center point of the light-emitting layer and peripheral portions of the light-emitting element;

and the number of the cathode terminal portions is one and the cathode terminal portion is equally spaced apart from the anode terminal portions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of the cathode terminal portion is greater than one.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the anode terminal portions are equal in size.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the thickness and/or the component ratio of the light-emitting layer is gradually increased or decreased along a line segment interconnecting one pair of the anode terminal portions;

and the amounts of electric currents supplied to the anode terminal portions per unit time are adjusted.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric power is supplied to only one of the anode terminal portions at a time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, when one of the anode terminal portions is supplied with the electric power, no electric power is supplied to the remaining one or more anode terminal.

8. A light-emitting element comprising:

a planar anode electrode;

a planar cathode electrode;

a light-emitting layer provided between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode;

two or more anode terminal portions protruding from the anode electrode;

one or more cathode terminal portions protruding from the cathode electrode; and

a power supply for supplying an electric power; and

a switch circuit connected to the anode terminal portions to sequentially supply the electric power from the power supply to the anode terminal portions.

9. The light-emitting element of claim 8, wherein the power supply is a constant current circuit for providing the electric power of a constant current.

10. The light-emitting element of claim 9, wherein the anode terminal portions are provided in pair near the intersecting points between a line segment passing through the center point of the light-emitting layer and peripheral portions of the light-emitting element;

and the number of the cathode terminal portions is one and the cathode terminal portion is equally spaced apart from the anode terminal portions.

11. The light-emitting element of claim 9, wherein the number of the cathode terminal portion is greater than one.

12. The light-emitting element of claim 9, wherein the anode terminal portions are equal in size.

13. The light-emitting element of claim 9, wherein the thickness and/or the component ratio of the light-emitting layer is gradually increased or decreased along a line segment interconnecting one pair of the anode terminal portions;

and the amounts of electric currents supplied to the anode terminal portions per unit time are adjusted.

14. The light-emitting element of claim 9, wherein the electric power is supplied to only one of the anode terminal portions at a time.

15. The light-emitting element of claim 9, wherein, when one of the anode terminal portions is supplied with the electric power, no electric power is supplied to the remaining one or more anode terminal.