Web Converting Methods for Forming Light Guides and the Light Guides Formed Therefrom
First Claim
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1. A method of forming a light guide comprising:
- providing a web of a film having a major surface and a web edge; and
cutting the web to provide film pieces, wherein each film piece has a first major surface, a second major surface and at least a first cut edge;
wherein the first major surface of each film piece is capable of emitting light when light is injected into the film piece from the first cut edge of the film piece;
wherein the major surface of each film piece is capable of emitting at least a majority of the light injected into the film piece from the first cut edge;
wherein the step of cutting produces structures on the first edge of the film.
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Abstract
A method of forming a light guide, web structures and light guide structures are described herein. The method includes cutting a web to provide film pieces, where a first major surface of each film piece is capable of emitting light when light is injected into the film piece from a first cut edge of the film piece. The step of cutting produces structures on the first edge of the film.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method of forming a light guide comprising:
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providing a web of a film having a major surface and a web edge; and cutting the web to provide film pieces, wherein each film piece has a first major surface, a second major surface and at least a first cut edge; wherein the first major surface of each film piece is capable of emitting light when light is injected into the film piece from the first cut edge of the film piece; wherein the major surface of each film piece is capable of emitting at least a majority of the light injected into the film piece from the first cut edge; wherein the step of cutting produces structures on the first edge of the film. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of forming a light guide comprising:
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providing a web of a film having a major surface and a web edge, wherein the major surface of the film comprises a plurality of light extractors capable of extracting light propagating in the web; and cutting the web using a rotary razor blade to provide film pieces, wherein each film piece has a first major surface, a second major surface and at least a first cut edge; wherein the first major surface of each film piece is capable of emitting light when light is injected into the film piece from the first cut edge of the film piece; wherein the major surface of each film piece is capable of emitting at least a majority of the light injected into the film piece from the first cut edge; wherein the step of cutting produces parallel groove structures on the first edge of the film.
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30. An intermediate product formed during the process of forming a light guide comprising:
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a web of a film having; a first major surface, a second major surface, and a first edge, wherein the first edge comprises structures, wherein the first major surface of the light guide is capable of emitting light when light is injected into the first edge of the web, wherein the first major surface is capable of emitting at least a majority of the light injected into the launch edge. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An intermediate product formed during the process of forming a light guide comprising:
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a web of a film comprising a first flexible layer and a second flexible layer, wherein the web further comprises; a first major surface of the first flexible layer, a second major surface of the second flexible layer, a plurality of light extractors capable of extracting light propagating in the light guide on the first major surface, and a first edge, wherein the first edge comprises structures, wherein the first major surface of the light guide is capable of emitting light when light is injected into the first edge of the web, wherein the first major surface is capable of emitting at least a majority of the light injected into the launch edge.
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38. A light guide comprising:
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a first flexible layer having a first major surface; a second flexible layer having a second major surface; a launch edge comprising a launch edge surface, wherein the launch edge surface comprises structures, wherein the first major surface of the light guide is capable of emitting light when light is injected into the light guide from the launch edge, wherein the first major surface is capable of emitting at least a majority of the light injected into the launch edge; and wherein the light guide includes; a first region where thickness does not vary substantially, and a second region adjacent the edge of the light guide where the thickness of the light guide varies at a first rate. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification