Edgelit panel with curvilinear light extracting deformities

• US 8,322,905 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2011
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innovative Display Technologies LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rambus International Ltd (Rambus Inc.)
• Inventors: Parker, Jeffery R., McCollum, Timothy A., Ezell, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Negron, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US13/313,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20120075887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• Field of Search: 362/612, 362/613, 362/620, 362/626, 362/26, 362/27, 362/615, 362/618, 362/622, 362/624, 362/627, 362/330, 362/339, 362/606, 362/607, 359/599, 359/615, 385/130
• US Class Current: 362/626
• 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 11/00 Screens not covered by groups F21V1/00, F21V3/00, F21V7/00 or F21V9/00 characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/502
• 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 6/0053 Prismatic sheet or layer; Brightness enhancement element, sheet or layer
• 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: H01H 2219/062 : Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/07 : transparent

Abstract

A light emitting assembly comprises a light source and a light emitting panel member having a panel surface and an input edge for receiving light from the light source. On or in the panel surface is a pattern of individual light extracting deformities. Each of the deformities has a well defined shape and a length and width substantially smaller than the length and width of the panel surface. At least some of the deformities have only two surfaces, each having opposite peripheral edge portions that intersect each other and intersect the panel surface. One of the surfaces of the deformities is substantially perpendicular to the panel surface and is curved in a transverse direction. The other surface of the deformities is a sloping surface.

Claims

1. A light emitting panel assembly comprising at least one light source, a light emitting panel member having at least one input edge for receiving light from the light source, and a pattern of individual light extracting deformities on or in at least one panel surface of the panel member for producing a desired light output distribution from the panel member, each of the deformities having a length and width substantially smaller than a length and width of the panel surface and also having a well defined shape, at least some of the deformities having only two surfaces, the two surfaces having opposite peripheral edge portions that intersect each other and intersect the panel surface, wherein one of the two surfaces is substantially perpendicular to the panel surface and curved in a transverse direction and the other surface of the deformities is a sloping surface.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sloping surface is planar.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sloping surface is curved.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the pattern of individual light extracting deformities is a random pattern of different size deformities.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises one or more LEDs.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the deformities are projections on the panel surface.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the deformities are depressions in the panel surface.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the deformities vary in width, depth or height across the width and length of the panel surface.

9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the width, depth or height of the deformities increases as the distance of the deformities from the light source increases across the width and length of the panel surface.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein at least some of the deformities are arranged in a radial pattern across the width and length of the panel surface in radial alignment with the light source, and the deformities in the radial pattern are oriented to face the light source.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein more than one light source is optically coupled to the input edge, and some of the deformities are arranged in a radial pattern across the width and length of the panel surface in radial alignment with each light source, and the deformities in radial alignment with each light source are oriented to face each light source.