LIGHTING DEVICE UTILIZING LIGHT ACTIVE SHEET MATERIAL WITH INTEGRATED LIGHT EMITTING DIODE, DISPOSED IN SEAM AND/OR IN LOW PROFILE APPLICATION

• US 20130026504A1
• Filed: 07/27/2012
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grote Industries LLC (Grote Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Grote Industries LLC (Grote Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bozich, Richard C., Robbins, Stanley D., Marx, Martin J., Roberts, James E., Ehlers, Jennifer M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,754,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/88
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0041 of several lamps in relation to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/26 the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2607 comprising at least two indicating lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/302 mounted in the vicinity, e.g. in the middle, of a rear window
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/323 on or for doors illuminated exterior door handles B60Q1/2669; illuminated door locks E05B17/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/10 Electro- or photo- luminescent surfaces, e.g. signalling by way of electroluminescent strips or panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/20 for lighting specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments; mounted on specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments lighting for dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/217 Doors, e.g. door sills; Steps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/229 Cup holders
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/233 Seats; Arm rests; Head rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/54 Lighting devices embedded in interior trim, e.g. in roof liners
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/76 for spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps spotlighting on or for specific fittings B60Q3/20; spotlighting in mass transit vehicles B60Q3/44
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/78 for generating luminous strips, e.g. for marking trim component edges
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/65 specially adapted for changing the characteristics or the distribution of the light, e.g. by adjustment of parts
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/24 of ribbon or tape form, e.g. LED tapes
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/151 arranged in one or more lines
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/19 Attachment of light sources or lamp holders achieving variable light distribution by movable light sources F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/19 Attachment of light sources or lamp holders
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/255 : Filters
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0008 : Clothing or clothing accessories, e.g. scarfs, gloves or belts
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2106/00 : Interior vehicle lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 : comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/90 : on two opposite sides of supports or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 : Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 : the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0756 : Stacked arrangements of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 : Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 : Electrical device making

Abstract

A light source includes a substrate arranged into at least two facing surfaces which form a seam therebetween; and a lighting device with light emitting diode (LED) chips embedded therein in a linear arrangement. The LED chips generate light photons. The lighting device has a first edge and a second edge opposite to the first edge, the light photons within the lighting device that are emitted by the LED chips from a top surface of the LED chips being output from the lighting device at the second edge of the device. The lighting device is sandwiched in the seam between the two facing surfaces, the second edge of the lighting device being exposed when the seam is in an opened position.

Claims

1. A light source comprising:

a substrate arranged into at least two facing surfaces which form a seam therebetween; and

a lighting device with a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) chips embedded therein in a linear arrangement, wherein the plurality of LED chips generates light photons;

the lighting device has a first edge and a second edge opposite to the first edge, the light photons within the lighting device that are emitted by the plurality of LED chips from a top surface of said LED chips being output from the lighting device at the second edge of the device,

the lighting device being sandwiched in the seam between the two facing surfaces, the second edge of the lighting device being exposed when the seam is in an opened position .

2. The light source of claim 1, wherein the lighting device comprises at least one optically transparent electrically conductive substrate that sandwiches the plurality of LED chips, the second edge being formed on the transparent electrically conductive substrate, the light photons being emitted from the plurality of LED chips through the optically transparent electrically conductive substrate.

3. The light source of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a fabric material.

4. The light source of claim 1, further comprising stitches through the lighting device and the substrate that attach the two facing surfaces to form the seam .

5. The light source of claim 1, wherein the substrate is arranged to cover an interior surface of a passenger compartment of a conveyance, the lighting device being disposed to be electrically connected to an electrical wiring harness of the conveyance.

6. The light source of claim 1, wherein the lighting device comprises a unitary structure of at least two substrates sandwiching the plurality of LED chips.

7. The light source of claim 1, wherein the second edge of the lighting device has a width of 5 mm or less, wherein light which is output at the second edge provides an appearance of a substantially continuous ribbon of light having a width of 5 mm or less along the second edge.

8. The light source of claim 1, wherein a path of the light photons within the lighting device that are emitted by the plurality of LED chips from the top surface of said LED chips, is redirected from the first edge of the lighting device back through the lighting device to the second edge of the lighting device, the first edge and the second edge being perpendicular to the top surface of said LED chips, the photons which were redirected from the first edge of the lighting device being transmitted in a path through the second edge of the device and then being output from the lighting device at the second edge of the device.

9. The light source of claim 1, wherein

the lighting device is a transparent light active sheet material,

the transparent light active sheet material comprises top and bottom electrically conductive transparent substrates, a pattern of the plurality of LED chips sandwiched between the electrically conductive transparent substrates, and a non-conductive transparent adhesive material disposed between the top and bottom electrically conductive transparent substrates and the plurality of LED chips,

the plurality of LED chips are preformed before being patterned in the light active sheet material as an unpackaged discrete semiconductor device having an anode p-junction side and a cathode n-junction side,

wherein either of the anode and the cathode side is in electrical communication with one of the electrically conductive transparent substrates and the other of the anode and the cathode side is in electrical communication with the other of the electrically conductive transparent substrates.

10. The light source of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of LED chips in the lighting device and the second edge as disposed to be separated by a predetermined distance, to provide a predetermined brightness and diffused appearance on the second edge.

11. The light source of claim 1, wherein

the second edge of the lighting device is disposed linearly along and parallel to the seam.

12. A method of making a light source, comprising:

providing a substrate arranged into at least two facing surfaces which form a seam therebetween;

providing a lighting device with a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) chips embedded therein in a linear arrangement, wherein the plurality of LED chips generates light photons, wherein the lighting device has a first edge and a second edge opposite to the first edge, the light photons within the lighting device that are emitted by the plurality of LED chips from a top surface of said LED chips being output from the lighting device at the second edge of the device;

sandwiching the lighting device in the seam between the two facing surfaces; and

exposing the second edge of the lighting device between the two facing surfaces that form the seam.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the lighting device comprises at least one optically transparent electrically conductive substrate that sandwiches the plurality of LED chips, the second edge being formed on the transparent electrically conductive substrate, the light photons being emitted from the plurality of LED chips through the optically transparent electrically conductive substrate.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the substrate is a fabric material.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising disposing stitches through the lighting device and the substrate that attach the two facing surfaces to form the seam.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising arranging the substrate to cover an interior surface of a passenger compartment of a conveyance, and disposing the lighting device to be electrically connected to an electrical wiring harness of the conveyance.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the lighting device comprises a unitary structure of at least two substrates sandwiching the plurality of LED chips.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the second edge of the lighting device has a width of 5 mm or less, wherein light which is output at the second edge provides an appearance of a substantially continuous ribbon of light having a width of 5 mm or less along the second edge.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein a path of the light photons within the lighting device that are emitted by the plurality of LED chips from the top surface of said LED chips, is redirected from the first edge of the lighting device back through the lighting device to the second edge of the lighting device, the first edge and the second edge being perpendicular to the top surface of said LED chips, the photons which were redirected from the first edge of the lighting device being transmitted in a path through the second edge of the device and then being output from the lighting device at the second edge of the device.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein

the lighting device is a transparent light active sheet material,

the transparent light active sheet material comprises top and bottom electrically conductive transparent substrates, a pattern of the plurality of LED chips sandwiched between the electrically conductive transparent substrates, and a non-conductive transparent adhesive material disposed between the top and bottom electrically conductive transparent substrates and the plurality of LED chips,

the plurality of LED chips are preformed before being patterned in the light active sheet material as an unpackaged discrete semiconductor device having an anode p-junction side and a cathode n-junction side,

wherein either of the anode and the cathode side is in electrical communication with one of the electrically conductive transparent substrates and the other of the anode and the cathode side is in electrical communication with the other of the electrically conductive transparent substrates.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein

the second edge of the lighting device is disposed linearly along and parallel to the seam.

22. A light source for use in an interior surface of a passenger compartment of a conveyance, comprising:

a lighting device, the lighting device has a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) chips embedded therein, the lighting device further includes an integrated flexible electronic circuit integrated into the lighting device, the lighting device is configured to be mounted on the interior surface of the conveyance, a profile of the lighting device is less than 1 inch, the lighting device comprises a unitary structure of at least first and second substrates sandwiching the plurality of LED chips,

a third substrate, the third substrate is arranged to cover the lighting device on the interior surface of the passenger compartment of the conveyance,

wherein the lighting device is disposed to be electrically connected to an electrical wiring harness of the conveyance.

23. The light source of claim 22, wherein the third substrate is a fabric material with interwoven conductors.

24. The light source of claim 22, wherein the interior surface of the passenger compartment is on a passenger seat of the conveyance.

25. The light source of claim 22, wherein

the lighting device is a transparent light active sheet material,

the first and second substrates in the transparent light active sheet material comprise top and bottom electrically conductive transparent substrates, a pattern of the plurality of LED chips sandwiched between the electrically conductive transparent substrates, and a non-conductive transparent adhesive material disposed between the top and bottom electrically conductive transparent substrates and the plurality of LED chips,

the plurality of LED chips are preformed before being patterned in the light active sheet material as an unpackaged discrete semiconductor device having an anode p-junction side and a cathode n-junction side,

wherein either of the anode and the cathode side is in electrical communication with one of the electrically conductive transparent substrates and the other of the anode and the cathode side is in electrical communication with the other of the electrically conductive transparent substrates.