LIGHT EMITTING DEVICE COMPRISING A LIGHTGUIDE FILM AND ALIGNED COUPLING LIGHTGUIDES
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A light emitting device comprising:
- a light source having an optical axis;
a relative position maintaining element; and
a lightguide comprising a film having a thickness not greater than 0.5 millimeters, the lightguide having a lightguide region and an array of coupling lightguides continuous with the lightguide region, wherein each coupling lightguide of the array of coupling lightguides terminates in an edge and at least one of the array of coupling lightguides is folded at least partially around the relative position maintaining element such that the edges of the array of coupling lightguides form a stack defining a light input surface,wherein light from the light source enters into the light input surface and propagates by total internal reflection within each coupling lightguide to the lightguide region and the relative position maintaining element extends past the light input surface in a direction parallel to the optical axis.
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Abstract
A light emitting device includes a film-based lightguide and coupling lightguides having ends stacked and aligned. In one embodiment, the light emitting device comprises a relative position maintaining element that extends beyond the light input surface defined by the stacked ends of an array of coupling lightguides. In another embodiment, a light emitting device comprises an alignment guide or cavity.
218 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A light emitting device comprising:
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a light source having an optical axis; a relative position maintaining element; and a lightguide comprising a film having a thickness not greater than 0.5 millimeters, the lightguide having a lightguide region and an array of coupling lightguides continuous with the lightguide region, wherein each coupling lightguide of the array of coupling lightguides terminates in an edge and at least one of the array of coupling lightguides is folded at least partially around the relative position maintaining element such that the edges of the array of coupling lightguides form a stack defining a light input surface, wherein light from the light source enters into the light input surface and propagates by total internal reflection within each coupling lightguide to the lightguide region and the relative position maintaining element extends past the light input surface in a direction parallel to the optical axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A light emitting device comprising:
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a light source; a lightguide comprising a film having a thickness not greater than 0.5 millimeters, the lightguide having a lightguide region and an array of coupling lightguides continuous with the lightguide region, wherein each coupling lightguide of the array of coupling lightguides terminates in an edge and at least one of the array of coupling lightguides is folded such that the edges of the array of coupling lightguides form a stack defining a light input surface; and a light redirecting optical element positioned to direct light from the light source to the light input surface such that the light propagates by total internal reflection within each coupling lightguide to the lightguide region, wherein the light redirecting optical element comprises an alignment guide configured to align the light redirecting optical element to the light input surface. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A light emitting device comprising:
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a light source; a lightguide formed from a film having a thickness not greater than 0.5 millimeters, the lightguide having a lightguide region and an array of coupling lightguides continuous with the lightguide region, wherein each coupling lightguide of the array of coupling lightguides terminates in an edge and at least one of the array of coupling lightguides is folded such that the edges of the array of coupling lightguides form a stack defining a light input surface; and an alignment guide defining a cavity, wherein the light input surface is positioned within the cavity and light from the light source propagates into the light input surface such that that the light propagates by total internal reflection within each coupling lightguide to the lightguide region. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of manufacturing a light emitting device, said method comprising:
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separating a plurality of regions in a film with a thickness less than 0.5 millimeters to form a plurality of coupling lightguides continuous with a lightguide region of the film; folding at least one coupling lightguide of the plurality of coupling lightguides such that ends of the plurality of coupling lightguides form a stack defining a light input surface; and positioning a light redirecting optical element to receive light from a light source and transmit the light to the light input surface such that the light propagates within each coupling lightguide to the lightguide region, wherein the light redirecting optical element comprises one of an alignment guide and a cavity defined within the light redirecting optical element configured to align the light input surface with the light redirecting optical element. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification