Transreflectors, transreflector systems and displays and methods of making transreflectors

• US 7,448,775 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2006
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innovative Display Technologies LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Solid State Opto Limited (Global Lighting Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: McCollum, Timothy A., Parker, Jeffery R.
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US11/492,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20060262557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 362/341, 362/606, 362/607, 362/613, 362/618, 362/620, 362/627, 362/558, 362/330, 362333-337, 362/339
• US Class Current: 362/331
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/309 using white LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/063 comprising light transmitting means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0621 Hyperbilirubinemia, jaundice treatment
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/00 Refractors for light sources characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/504
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0018 Redirecting means on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/002 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide, e.g. with collimating, focussing or diverging surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0021 for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0036 2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0038 Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0043 provided on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0053 Prismatic sheet or layer; Brightness enhancement element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0056 for producing polarisation effects, e.g. by a surface with polarizing properties or by an additional polarizing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/006 to produce indicia, symbols, texts or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0061 to provide homogeneous light output intensity
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0065 Manufacturing aspects; Material aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 : Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 : Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133615 : Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 : Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/07 : transparent

Abstract

Light emitting assembly includes at least one film, sheet, plate or substrate positioned between a light source and a display for redirecting at least some of the light emitted by the light source. One side of the film, sheet, plate or substrate may have a pattern of reflective or refractive surfaces or deformities and the other side may have corresponding or aligned optical deformities of well defined shape. Light emitted from the light source that strikes a reflective or refractive surface or deformity on the one side of the film, sheet, plate or substrate passes through the film, sheet, plate or substrate and is redirected by at least one corresponding optical deformity on the other side of the film, sheet, plate or substrate.

Claims

1. A light emitting assembly comprising at least a light source, a display, and a film, sheet, plate or substrate positioned between the light source and the display, wherein one side of the film, sheet, plate or substrate has a pattern of reflective or refractive surfaces or deformities, and the other side of the film, sheet, plate or substrate has corresponding or aligned optical deformities of well defined shape, wherein light emitted from the light source that strikes a reflective or refractive surface or deformity on the one side of the film, sheet, plate or substrate passes through the film, sheet, plate or substrate and is redirected by at least one corresponding optical deformity on the other side of the film, sheet, plate or substrate, wherein the film, sheet, plate or substrate has multiple layers, and wherein at least one of the layers is an interior layer that has a pattern of reflective or refractive surfaces or optical deformities on at least one surface of the interior layer.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least some of the optical deformities on the other side of the film, sheet, plate or substrate intersect or interlock each other.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the optical deformities are curved, rounded or semi-spherical in shape.

4. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the optical deformities have at least one curved surface.

5. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the optical deformities have at least one flat surface.

6. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the optical deformities have a ridge.

7. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the optical deformities are pyramid shaped.

8. The assembly of claim 2 which includes multiple light sources that emit different colors of light that mix to produce a desired light color.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the different light colors are red, green and blue.

10. The assembly of claim 2 which includes multiple light sources that emit different colors of light that mix to produce white light.

11. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes.

12. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the optical deformities are one or more of a pyramid with triangular shape sides, a frusto-pyramid with trapezoidal shape sides and a planar top, a relatively steep planar angled surface with long rounded or curved sides, a conical shape, a frusto-conical shape with a planar top, a relatively shallow sloping planar surface with steeper rounded or curved sides, a pair of intersecting oppositely sloping sides with oppositely rounded or curved ends, and a pair of oppositely sloping planar sides with oppositely rounded or curved ends and a planar top.

13. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the optical deformities are asymmetric.

14. The assembly of claim 2 wherein at least a portion of the film, sheet, plate or substrate is transparent.

15. The assembly of claim 2 wherein at least some of the optical deformities on the other side of the film, sheet, plate or substrate vary in at least one of the following characteristics:

size, shape, angle, orientation, density and placement.

16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein the optical deformities on the other side of the film, sheet, plate or substrate vary randomly.

17. The assembly of claim 2 wherein there is an air gap between the light source and the reflective or refractive surfaces or deformities on the one side of the film, sheet, plate or substrate.

18. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the deformities on the one side of the film, sheet, plate or substrate are different from the optical deformities on the other side.

19. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the layers is an ultra-violet (UV) curable material.

20. The assembly of claim 2 wherein at least one of the layers is exterior to the one side or the other side of the film, sheet, plate or substrate.

21. The assembly of claim 2 further comprising an additional layer overlying at least one of the one side or the other side of the film, sheet, plate or substrate.

22. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least some of the optical deformities on the other side of the film, sheet, plate or substrate vary in at least one of size, shape, angle, orientation, density and placement.

23. The assembly of claim 22 wherein there is an air gap between the light source and the reflective or refractive surfaces or deformities on the one side of the film, sheet, plate or substrate.

24. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the deformities on the one side and on the other side of the film, sheet, plate or substrate substantially cover an entire surface of the one side and the other sides.