Light emitting panel assemblies

• US 7,467,887 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2006
• Issued: 12/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1995
• 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: Parker, Jeffery R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember; Thomas M
• Application Number:
  US11/504,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20060274554A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 362/603, 362/612, 362/613, 362/617, 362618-620, 362/632, 362/633, 362/634, 362/800, 362/231
• US Class Current: 362/633
• 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 5/10 comprising photoluminescent material
• 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 6/006 to produce indicia, symbols, texts or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0061 to provide homogeneous light output intensity
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/07 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 : Light emitting diode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/804 : Surgical or dental spotlight

Abstract

Light emitting assemblies include a transparent light emitting panel member having two or more separate parts or modular components each having at least one side edge or end edge facing each other and in close proximity to one another. One or both sides of one or more of the parts or components has a pattern of light extracting deformities for providing a desired light output distribution from the panel member.

Claims

1. A light emitting panel assembly comprising a transparent light emitting panel member for receiving light from a light source and conducting the light along a longitudinal length in a common plane of the panel member, the panel member having a greater cross sectional width than thickness and two or more separate parts or modular components in the common plane of the panel member, each of the parts or components having front and back sides and side edges and end edges, at least one of the edges of the parts or components facing in opposite directions toward each other and in close proximity to one another, and a pattern of light extracting deformities on or in at least one of the sides of one or more of the parts or components for providing a desired light output distribution from the panel member.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the light extracting deformities are on or in both sides of one or more of the parts or components, and wherein the light extracting deformities on or in the front and back sides are different.

3. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a film, sheet or substrate overlying at least a portion of one of the sides of the panel member to change the light emitted from the panel member in a predetermined manner.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least some light from the light source travels from at least one of the parts or components to another of the parts or components through the at least one of the edges of the parts or components facing in opposite directions toward each other.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises two or more light emitting diodes.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the light emitting diodes are multicolored light emitting diodes that provide different colored light that is mixed in one or more of the parts or components to produce a desired colored light output distribution from the panel member.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one single piece of film, sheet or substrate overlies two or more of the parts or components.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the parts or components has a recess, slot, cavity or hole in which an other part or component is received or located.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the other part or component is a light transition area, and wherein the light source comprises one or more light emitting diodes contained within the light transition area.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the light emitting diodes are multicolored light emitting diodes that provide different colored light that is mixed in the light transition area to produce a desired colored light output distribution from the panel member.

11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one light source is associated with each of the parts or components.

12. The assembly of claim 1 which includes a plurality of light sources that are selectively operable to produce a desired effect.