LAMINATED LED ARRAY AND/OR PRODUCTS INCLUDING THE SAME

• US 20140098557A1
• Filed: 10/04/2012
• Published: 04/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Guardian Industries Corporation (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: VEERASAMY, Vijayen S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,651,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/545
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10005 laminated safety glass or glazing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10541 comprising a light source or a light guide
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10788 containing ethylene vinylacetate
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2379/08 Polyimides
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/268 on windscreens or windows B60Q1/302 takes precedence; lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for windows B60Q3/208
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/302 mounted in the vicinity, e.g. in the middle, of a rear window
• 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: F21V 21/16 using wires or cords
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/70 on flexible or deformable supports or substrates, e.g. for changing the light source into a desired form

Abstract

In certain example embodiments, light emitting diodes (LEDs) may be disposed on a deformable and flexible backbone sheet and chained together in an array, e.g., via flexible wiggle wires. Such flexible wiggle wires may also provide an electrical connection to an external power source. An optical out-coupling layer stack (OCLS) system may help serve as an index matching layer, heat sink, étendue conserver, etc. The backbone may be formed to a shape tailored to its ultimate application. Applications may include, for example, automotive (such as Center High Mounted Stop Lamp (CHMSL) applications), lighting, signage, and/or other applications. In an example CHMSL application, the deformable sheet with the LED array thereon has a step, sinusoidal, or other shape matched to the angle and/or curvature of the glass such that the LEDs produce light primarily in a direction parallel to a surface on which a vehicle is located.

Claims

1. A window for a vehicle, comprising

first and second glass substrates, laminated to one another via a first laminating material;

and

a deformable backbone supporting a plurality of LED devices, the deformable backbone being disposed between the first and second substrates, the LED devices being connected to one another via flexible wires,

wherein the backbone has a shape selected to match an angle at which the windshield is to be disposed in the vehicle and so that the LED devices, when powered, emit light primarily in a direction parallel to a surface on which the vehicle is located.

2. The window of claim 1, wherein the plurality of LED devices are provided as a part of a Center High Mounted Stop Lamp (CHMSL), the CHMSL being controllable by a controller remote the LED devices.

3. The window of claim 1, wherein the first laminating material comprises PVB.

4. The window of claim 1, wherein the backbone is formed from PET, polyimide, polyamide, and/or PMMA.

5. The window of claim 1, wherein the backbone is shaped so as to have a plurality of steps, each said step supporting at least one of said LED devices.

6. The window of claim 1, wherein the backbone has a substantially sinusoidal shape.

7. The window of claim 1, further comprising an optical out-coupling layer stack (OCLS) system, the OCLS system comprising an isotropic layer matrix including an organo-metallic chelate hybrid material and a matrix core including dispersed scatterers.

8. The window of claim 7, wherein the dispersed scatterers have a Mie-like scattering efficiency of greater than 1, leading to an index matching out-coupling efficiency for the OCLS of greater than 1.

9. The window of claim 7, wherein the matrix includes a polymeric monomer to which oxo-clusters are added.

10. The window of claim 9, wherein the oxo-clusters include Ti, Hf, and/or Zr oxo-clusters.

11. The window of claim 7, wherein a filling density of the scatterers is in a range of values such that the scatterers are mono-dispersed with an inter-particle distance d of about 3 diameters or major distances.

12. The window of claim 11, wherein each scatterer is located in the far field of its nearest neighbor and there is no systematic phase relationship, except for coherent exact forward scattering.

13. The window of claim 7, further comprising a second laminating material encapsulating the backbone.

14. The window of claim 1, further comprising a low-emissivity (low-E) coating disposed on the first and/or second substrate.

15. The window of claim 14, wherein:

the LED devices are chained together to form an array;

at least some leads extend from the array and are in direct electrical contact with the low-E coating; and

the LED devices are addressable and/or powerable via the low-E coating.

16. The window of claim 1, wherein the LED devices are chained together to form an array that operates at a temperature of no greater than 150 degrees C.

17. An electronic device, comprising:

a flexible sheet supporting a plurality of a bare die LEDs, the LEDs being connected to one another via flexible wires to form an LED array, the LEDs in the array being individually addressable and powerable via remotely located control circuitry; and

an optical out-coupling layer stack (OCLS) system disposed over the LEDs, the OCLS system comprising an isotropic layer matrix including an organo-metallic chelate hybrid material and a matrix core including dispersed scatterers,

wherein the flexible sheet is deformed, with the LED array thereon, such that is shaped to match a desired application.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the flexible sheet is formed from PET, polyimide, polyamide, and/or PMMA.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the flexible sheet is shaped so as to have a plurality of steps, each said step supporting at least one of said LEDs, and/or the flexible sheet has a substantially sinusoidal shape.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the flexible sheet with the LED array thereon is embedded in a laminating material.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein a plurality of cavities are formed in the laminating material, each said LED being oriented in a respective cavity, each said cavity being tapered along a depth thereof so as to increase in diameter or distance from a first end thereof wherein the respective LED is located to a second end thereof.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein each said cavity has a parabolic side wall when viewed in cross section.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein each said cavity has a reflective coating disposed thereon.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the reflective coating comprises a thin film layer including silver and a protective layer disposed on the thin film layer including silver.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein light exiting the second end of each said cavity is substantially collimated so as to allow for only 10-30 degrees of distribution.

26. The device of claim 23, further comprising a solar cell and a battery configured to power the LED array.