Illumination system using a plurality of light sources

• US 7,360,924 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Meis, Michael A., Schultz, John C., Davis, Ronald D., Simbal, John J., DeBaun, Barbara A., Henson, Gordon D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi; Ali
• Application Number:
  US11/618,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20070103925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 362/235, 362240-241, 362/631, 257/98, 313500-501, 313/506, 361/748, 361/749, 361/806
• US Class Current: 362/241
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0011 with light guides for distributing the light between several lighting or signalling devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/143 the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/153 arranged in a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/155 Surface emitters, e.g. organic light emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/24 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/251 the light guides being used to transmit light from remote light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/101 permanently, e.g. welding, gluing or riveting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/202 for dentistry
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/205 for operating theatres
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0073 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3668 with conversion in geometry of the cross section
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3672 with fibres arranged in a regular matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/368 with pitch conversion between input and output plane, e.g. for increasing packing density
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4204 the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms encapsulated active devices H01S5/02208, H01L33/52
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4249 comprising arrays of active devices and fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/425 Optical features semiconductor laser arrays H01S5/40; hybrid LED arrays H01L25/0753; monolithic LED arrays H01L27/153
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4554 Coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 : Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48471 : the other connecting portion not on the bonding area being a ball bond, i.e. wedge-to-ball, reverse stitch
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48479 : on the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8592 : Applying permanent coating, e.g. protective coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 : Optical field-shaping elements

Abstract

An illumination system includes a plurality of radiation generating sources, such as LED dies. A corresponding plurality of optical waveguides is also provided, with each waveguide having a first and a second end, with each first end being in optical communication with the corresponding LED die. An array of corresponding passive optical elements is interposed between the plurality of LED dies and the corresponding first ends of the plurality of optical waveguides. The illumination system provides for substantially high light coupling efficiency and an incoherent light output that can appear to the human observer as arising from a single point of light. In addition, the light can be output remotely at one or more locations and in one or more directions.

Claims

1. A high density solid state light source, comprising:

a substrate;

an array of LED dies to generate radiation, said array thermally coupled to the substrate;

a patterned interconnect circuit layer to provide electrical connection for the array of LED dies, said patterning corresponding to said array;

a first patterned adhesive layer to attach the interconnect layer to the substrate, said patterning corresponding to said array;

an array of reflective optical elements formed in a sheeting to collect radiation emanating from the array of LED dies; and

a second patterned adhesive layer to attach the sheeting to the interconnect layer.

2. The high density solid state light source according to claim 1, further comprising:

a layer of patterned phosphor bonded to a surface of the sheeting, said patterning corresponding to said array.

3. The high density solid state light source according to claim 2, wherein the surface is a bottom surface of the microreplicated sheeting closest to the LED die array.

4. The high density solid state light source according to claim 1, wherein the patterned interconnect circuit layer comprises a patterned flexible interconnect circuit layer.

5. The high density solid state light source according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first layer of phosphor disposed proximate to a first LED die and a second layer of phosphor disposed proximate to a second LED die, wherein the second phosphor comprises a material composition different from a material composition of the first layer of phosphor.

6. The high density solid state light source according to claim 5, wherein an output emission from the array of LED dies produce white light at a selected color temperature.