Transreflectors, transreflector systems and displays and methods of making transreflectors

• US 7,497,599 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2006
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• 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): Ward; John A
• Application Number:
  US11/342,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20060126327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 362/341, 362/606, 362/607, 362/613, 362/618, 362/620, 362/627, 362/556, 362/330, 362333-337, 362/339, 362/331
• 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

The transreflectors may comprise a transparent substrate having reflective surfaces and other light transmissive surfaces for respectively reflecting and transmitting a greater portion of the light striking opposite sides of the substrate. Alternatively, the transreflectors may comprise two or more transparent substrates of different indices of refraction bonded together, with a pattern of optical deformities in the mating side of one of the substrates and an inverse pattern of optical deformities in the mating side of an other substrate in mating engagement with each other. The transreflectors are used in a transreflector system or display to transmit more of the light emitted by a backlight or other light source incident on one side of the transreflectors and reflect more of the light incident on the opposite side of the transreflectors. The transreflectors and backlight may be tuned to each other to enable the transreflectors to better transmit more of the light emitted by the backlight.

Claims

1. A light emitting panel assembly comprising at least a light source, a display and a film, plate or substrate positioned between the light source and the display, wherein one side of the film, plate or substrate has at least one reflective surface and a pattern of non-reflective light transmissive surfaces, and the other side of the film, plate or substrate has optical deformities of well defined shape, wherein light emitted from the light source that strikes the non-reflective light transmissive surfaces on the one side of the film, plate or substrate passes through the film, plate or substrate and is redirected by at least one of the optical deformities on the other side of the film, plate or substrate to fit a particular application, and wherein light that is emitted from the light source that strikes the reflective surface on the one side of the film, plate or substrate is recycled or reflected such that some of the reflected or recycled light is reflected back toward the film, plate or substrate and strikes the non-reflective light transmissive surfaces and passes through the film, plate or substrate and is redirected by at least one of the optical deformities on the other side of the film, plate or substrate to fit a particular application.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the optical deformities are curved, rounded, or semi-spherical in shape.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the non-reflective light transmissive surfaces contain one or more well defined optical elements.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the well defined optical elements are curved, rounded, or semi-spherical in shape.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the non-reflective light transmissive surfaces on the one side of the film, plate or substrate are aligned with or correspond to the optical deformities on the other side of the film, plate or substrate.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein multiple light sources emit different colors of light that mix to produce a desired light color.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the desired light color is white.

8. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the different light colors include red, green and blue light.

9. The assembly of claim 6 wherein some of the light that strikes the reflective surface on the one side of the film, plate or substrate is recycled or reflected to improve the light output color uniformity of the light emitting panel assembly.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a plurality of different colored light emitting diodes.

11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises light emitting diodes with multiple colored chips.

12. The assembly of claim 1 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, a pair of oppositely sloping planar sides with oppositely rounded or curved ends and a planar top, and prismatic or lenticular surfaces.

13. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the optical deformities are asymmetrical.

14. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the film, plate or substrate is transparent.

15. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the optical deformities overlap, intersect or interlock.

16. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the optical deformities vary in one of the following characteristics:

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

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein the optical deformities vary randomly.

18. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the non-reflective light transmissive surfaces vary in one or more of the following characteristics:

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

19. The assembly of claim 18 wherein the non-reflective light transmissive surfaces vary randomly.

20. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the optical elements vary in one or more of the following characteristics:

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

21. The assembly of claim 20 wherein the optical elements vary randomly.

22. The assembly of claim 1 wherein there is an air gap between the light source and the film, plate or substrate.

23. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the light that strikes the reflective surface on the one side of the film, plate or substrate and is recycled or reflected improves the output uniformity of the light emitting panel assembly.

24. A light emitting panel assembly comprising at least one light source, at least one film, plate or substrate positioned near the light source for redirecting light from the light source, wherein at least one surface of the film, plate or substrate has one or more refractive surfaces, openings or apertures, and one or more reflective surfaces or layers for reflecting light incident on the reflective surfaces or layers, and at least one other surface of the film, plate or substrate has a pattern of optical elements or deformities of well defined shape for controlling the light output ray angle distribution of emitted light to suit a particular application.

25. The assembly of claim 24 wherein at least some of the refractive surfaces, openings or apertures have optical elements or deformities.

26. The assembly of claim 24 wherein at least some of the refractive surfaces, openings or apertures on the one surface are aligned with or correspond to the optical elements or deformities on the other surface of the film, plate or substrate.

27. The assembly of claim 24 wherein the film, plate or substrate has multiple layers.

28. The assembly of claim 24 wherein the reflective surfaces or layers recycle light not incident on a refractive surface, opening or aperture.

29. A light emitting panel assembly comprising a hollow light emitting panel member having a light emitting surface, a plurality of light sources within the panel member, and a film, plate or substrate positioned against the light emitting surface to control the output ray angle distribution of the emitted light to suit a particular application, wherein one side of the film, plate or substrate has at least one reflective surface and a pattern of non-reflective light transmissive surfaces, and the other side of the film, plate or substrate has optical deformities of well defined shape, wherein light emitted from the light source that strikes the non-reflective light transmissive surfaces on the one side of the film, plate or substrate passes through the film, plate or substrate and is redirected by at least one of the optical deformities on the other side of the film, plate or substrate, and wherein light that is emitted from the light source that strikes the reflective surface on the one side of the film, plate or substrate is recycled or reflected such that some of the reflected or recycled light is reflected back toward the film, plate or substrate and strikes the non-reflective light transmissive surfaces and passes through the film, plate or substrate.

30. The assembly of claim 29 wherein multiple light sources are selectively operable to produce a desired effect.

31. The assembly of claim 29 wherein multiple light sources emit different colors of light that mix to produce a desired light color.

32. The assembly of claim 31 wherein the desired light color is white.

33. The assembly of claim 31 wherein the different light colors include red, green and blue.

34. The assembly of claim 29 wherein the light sources are light emitting diodes.

35. The assembly of claim 34 wherein the light emitting diodes emit different light colors.

36. The assembly of claim 34 wherein the light emitting diodes have multiple chips that emit different light colors.

37. The assembly of claim 31 wherein the light that strikes the reflective surface on the one side of the film, plate or substrate and is recycled or reflected improves the light output color uniformity of the light emitting panel assembly.

38. The assembly of claim 31 wherein the light that strikes the reflective surface on the one side of the film, plate or substrate and is recycled or reflected improves the efficiency of the light emitting panel assembly.

39. The assembly of claim 29 wherein the light that strikes the reflective surface on the one side of the film, plate or substrate and is recycled or reflected improves the light output uniformity of the light emitting panel assembly.

40. The assembly of claim 29 further comprising a diffuser plate to diffuse the light in the light emitting panel assembly.

41. The assembly of claim 40 wherein the film, plate or substrate is supported by the diffuser plate.

42. A backlight system comprising a backlight including a light emitting panel member having at least one input edge for receiving light from a light source and at least one panel surface for emitting light, and a film, plate or substrate positioned near the panel surface for redirecting light emitted from the panel surface to fit a particular application, wherein one side of the film, plate or substrate has at least one reflective surface and a pattern of non-reflective light transmissive surfaces, and the other side of the film, plate or substrate has optical deformities of well defined shape, wherein light emitted from the panel surface that strikes the non-reflective light transmissive surfaces on the one side of the film, plate or substrate passes through the film, plate or substrate and is redirected by at least one of the optical deformities on the other side of the film, plate or substrate, and wherein light that is emitted from the panel surface that strikes the reflective surface on the one side of the film, plate or substrate is recycled or reflected back toward the panel member such that some of the reflected or recycled light is reflected back toward the film, plate or substrate and strikes the non-reflective light transmissive surfaces and passes through the film, plate or substrate.

43. The assembly of claim 42 wherein the panel member has a pattern of optical elements that cause the light to be emitted from the panel surface.

44. The assembly of claim 43 wherein the optical elements on the panel member are aligned or correspond with the non-reflective light transmissive surfaces on the one side of the film, plate or substrate to increase the efficiency with which light is transmitted from the panel member to the film, plate or substrate.

45. A light emitting panel assembly comprising at least a light source, a display and a film, plate or substrate positioned between the light source and the display, wherein the film, plate or substrate has at least one reflector and a pattern of non-reflective light transmissive openings or apertures, and at least one side of the film, plate or substrate has optical deformities of well defined shape, wherein light emitted from the light source that passes through one or more of the non-reflective light transmissive openings or apertures is redirected by at least one of the optical deformities on the one side of the film, plate or substrate to fit a particular application, and wherein light that is emitted from the light source that strikes the reflector is recycled or reflected such that some of the reflected or recycled light is reflected back toward the film, plate or substrate and passes through one or more of the non-reflective light transmissive openings or apertures and is redirected by at least one of the optical deformities on the one side of the film, plate or substrate to fit a particular application.

46. The assembly of claim 45 wherein the optical deformities are curved, rounded, or semi-spherical in shape.

47. The assembly of claim 45 wherein the film, plate or substrate is a multilayer film.

48. The assembly of claim 47 wherein the multilayer film is comprised of a carrier film and an ultra-violet curable layer.

49. The assembly of claim 45 wherein the optical deformities are made by a thermal-forming process.