Colored lighting device

• US 7,063,430 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2002
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Greiner, Horst
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, Y MY QUACH
• Application Number:
  US10/050,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20020097354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: 362/26, 362/31, 362/800, 362/23, 362/27, 362/29, 362/30, 362/612, 362/613, 349/62, 349/64, 349/65
• US Class Current: 362/30
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/02 changing colors F21S10/002 - F21S10/007, F21S10/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0011 the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133603 with LEDs

Abstract

A lighting device for generating mixed colors comprises a light emission surface and a plurality of light sources of different colors, including an optical waveguide plate into which a plurality of cavities is provided. Each cavity accommodates a light source and has an upper side and side walls. The upper side faces the light emission surface and is coated with a first reflecting layer. The coupling of light into the optical waveguide plate takes place through the side walls.

Claims

1. A lighting device for generating mixed colors, which device comprises a light emission surface and a plurality of light sources of different colors, including an optical waveguide plate into which a plurality of cavities is provided, each cavity accommodating a light source, and each cavity having an upper side facing the light emission surface and side walls, said upper side being coated with a first reflecting layer, while the coupling of the light into the optical waveguide plate takes place through the side walls.

2. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the side walls of the cavities extend substantially perpendicularly to the light emission surface, and the upper sides of the cavities extend substantially parallel to the light emission surface.

3. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the cavities are coated with a second reflecting layer at their lower sides opposite to the upper sides.

4. The lighting device of claim 3, wherein the second reflecting layer extends over the side faces and a lower side of the optical waveguide plate.

5. The lighting device of claim 4, wherein the second reflecting layer is at a distance from the optical waveguide plate, which distance constitutes an air gap.

6. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the cavities are provided in a lower side of the optical waveguide plate.

7. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the light sources comprise a plurality of red, green, and blue light-emitting diodes which are distributed such that no light sources of the same color lie in mutually adjoining cavities.

8. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the first reflecting layer is prolonged by a portion continuing horizontally into the optical waveguide plate.

9. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the first reflecting layer is prolonged by a portion continuing along the side walls of the cavity.

10. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the edges of the cavities lying opposite the upper side are covered by a second reflecting layer.

11. A liquid crystal display incorporating the lighting device of claim 1.

12. The lighting device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of light extraction elements disposed directly on the light emission surface.

13. A lighting device, comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of light sources of different colors; and

an optical waveguide plate disposed within the housing, the optics waveguide plate having a light emission surface,

wherein a plurality of cavities are defined within the optical waveguide plate, each cavity accommodating one of the light sources, each cavity having an upper side facing the light emission surface and side walls, said upper side being coated with a first reflecting layer, wherein the coupling of the light into the optical waveguide plate takes place through the side walls, and

wherein the optical waveguide mixes the colors of the light sources to output a mixed color light through the light emission surface.

14. The lighting device of claim 13, wherein the light sources comprise a plurality of red, green, and blue light-emitting diodes which are distributed such that no light sources of to same color lie in mutually adjoining cavities.

15. The lighting device of claim 13, wherein the cavities are coated with a second reflecting layer at teir lower sides opposite to the upper side.

16. The lighting device of claim 15, wherein the second reflecting layer extends over the side faces and a lower side of the optical waveguide plate.

17. The lighting device of claim 16, wherein the second reflecting layer is at a distance from the optical waveguide plate, which distance constitutes an air gap.

18. The lighting device of claim 16, wherein the second reflecting layer is provided on inside walls of the housing.

19. The lighting device of claim 15, wherein the edges of the cavities lying opposite the upper side are covered by a third reflecting layer.

20. The lighting device of claim 13, wherein the first reflecting layer is prolonged by a portion continuing along the side walls of the cavity.