Dynamic stretchable OLED lamp

• US 8,764,239 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Inventors: Burrows, Paul E., Pang, Huiqing, Levermore, Peter A., Ma, Ruiqing
• Primary Examiner(s): Hanley, Britt D
• Application Number:
  US13/210,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20130044487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 362/249.08
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/02 by movement of light sources in vehicle head lamps F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/00 Planar light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/00 Light sources with three-dimensionally disposed light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/15 Organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/80 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 77/111 Flexible substrates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

Flexible substrates bearing OLEDs are provided. The flexible substrates are attached to support structures that, when moved, cause the flexible structures to change shape and to thereby change the distribution of radiant intensity emanating from the OLEDs on the flexible substrates.

Claims

1. A light source comprising:

a support structure having at least a first and a second portion;

a first flexible substrate having at least a first, a second and a third region;

wherein the first region of the first flexible substrate is attached to the first portion of the support structure;

wherein the third region of the first flexible substrate is attached to the second portion of the support structure;

wherein a first OLED is disposed on at least part of the second region of the first flexible substrate;

wherein the shape of the second region of the first flexible substrate and the shape of at least a part of the first OLED change when the first portion of the support structure is moved relative to the second portion of the support structure; and

wherein the first and second portions of the support structure are connected by an elastic connection.

2. The light source of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the support structure is movably attached to the first portion of the support structure.

3. The light source of claim 1:

wherein the support structure further comprises a third portion;

wherein the first flexible substrate further comprises a fourth and a fifth region;

wherein the fifth region of the first flexible substrate is attached to the third portion of the support structure; and

wherein the shape of the fourth region of the first flexible substrate changes when the third portion of the support structure is moved relative to the second portion of the support structure.

4. The light source of claim 3, wherein the first OLED is disposed on at least part of the second region and at least part of the fourth region of the first flexible substrate;

and wherein the shape of at least a part of the first OLED changes when the first portion of the support structure is moved relative to the second portion of the support structure or the third portion of the support structure is moved relative to the second portion of the support structure.

5. The light source of claim 3, further comprising a second OLED;

wherein the first OLED is disposed on at least part of the second region of the first flexible substrate, and the second OLED is disposed on at least part of the fourth region of the first flexible substrate; and

wherein the shape of at least a part of the second OLED changes when the third portion of the support structure is moved relative to the second portion of the support structure.

6. The light source of claim 3, wherein the third portion of the support structure is movably attached to the second portion of the support structure.

7. The light source of claim 1, wherein the light source further comprises a second flexible substrate having at least a first, a second, and a third region;

wherein a second OLED is disposed on at least part of the second region of the second substrate;

wherein the support structure further comprises a third portion;

wherein the first region of the second flexible substrate is attached to the second portion of the support structure;

wherein the third region of the second flexible substrate is attached to the third portion of the support structure; and

wherein the shape of the second region of the second flexible substrate and the shape of at least a part of the second OLED change when the third portion of the support structure is moved relative to the second portion of the support structure.

8. The light source of claim 7, wherein the third portion of the support structure is movably attached to the second portion of the support structure.

9. The light source of claim 1, wherein:

the support structure further comprises a third portion and a fourth portion;

at least one of the first and second portions of the support structure is movably attached to at least one of the third and fourth portions of the support structure;

the light source comprises a second flexible substrate having a first region, a second region and a third region;

a second OLED is disposed on at least part of the second flexible substrate;

the first region of the second flexible substrate is attached to the third portion of the support structure;

the third region of the second flexible substrate is attached to the fourth portion of the support structure; and

the shape of the second region of the second flexible substrate and the shape of at least a part of the second OLED change when the fourth portion of the support structure is moved relative to the third portion of the support structure.

10. The light source of claim 9, wherein the fourth portion of the support structure is movably attached to the third portion of the support structure.

14. The light source of claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate comprises metal foil, plastic, glass, or combinations thereof.

15. The light source of claim 1, wherein the first and second portions of the support structure move out of a starting plane that, prior to the movement of the support structures, includes both support structures.

16. The light source of claim 15, wherein the first and second portions of the support structure move perpendicular to a starting plane that, prior to the movement of the support structures, includes both support structures.

17. The light source of claim 1, wherein the first and second portions of the support structure are located in a single plane, and the first and second portions of the support structure move within the plane where they are located.

18. The light source of claim 1, wherein the first and second portions of the support structure move in any combination of the motions selected from the group consisting of:

the first and second portions of the support structure move out of a starting plane that, prior to the movement of the support structures, includes both support structures;

the first and second portions of the support structure move perpendicular to a starting plane that, prior to the movement of the support structures, includes both support structures;

the first and second portions of the support structure are located in a single plane, and the first and second portions of the support structure move within the plane where they are located;

the first and second portions of the support structure rotate such that the flexible substrate is not twisted; and

the first and second portions of the support structure rotate such that the flexible substrate is twisted.

19. The light source of claim 1, wherein the light source has an extendible accordion structure.

20. The light source of claim 1, wherein substantially no first OLED is disposed on the first and third regions of the first flexible substrate.

21. The light source of claim 1, wherein substantially no first OLED is deposited on the attachment point of the first and third regions of the first flexible substrate.

22. The light source of claim 1, wherein the first OLED is disposed on at least a portion of the first, second, and third regions of the first flexible substrate.

23. The light source of claim 1, wherein the movement of the second portion of the support structure relative to the first portion of the support structure changes a radius of curvature of the first flexible substrate.

24. The light source of claim 1, wherein the movement of the second portion of the support structure relative to the first portion of the support structure is constrained such that the minimum radius of curvature of the first flexible substrate is between 1.0 cm and 20.0 cm.

25. The light source of claim 24, wherein the movement of the second portion of the support structure relative to the first portion of the support structure is constrained such that the minimum radius of curvature of the first flexible substrate is between 5.0 cm and 15.0 cm.

26. The light source of claim 1, wherein an electrical connection is present through the first portion of the support structure and the first region of the flexible substrate.

27. The light source of claim 1, wherein the change in shape of the light source changes the distribution of radiant intensity emanating from the light source.

28. The light source of claim 1, wherein the change in shape of the light source can change the distribution of radiant intensity emanating from the light source from a symmetric profile to an asymmetric profile with respect to one axis of the light source.

29. The light source of claim 1, wherein the elastic connection comprises a light scattering layer.

30. The light source of claim 1, wherein the change in shape of the light source increases the irradiance of at least one point on an irradiance plane by as much as about 2 fold compared to the irradiance prior to the change in shape.

31. The light source of claim 1, wherein the change in shape of the light source decreases the irradiance of at least one point on an irradiance plane down by as much as about 2 fold compared to the irradiance prior to the change in shape.

11. A light source comprising:

a support structure having at least a first and a second portion;

a first flexible substrate having at least a first, a second and a third region; and

at least one rigid substrate;

wherein the first region of the first flexible substrate is attached to the first portion of the support structure;

wherein the third region of the first flexible substrate is attached to the second portion of the support structure;

wherein a first OLED is disposed on at least part of the second region of the first flexible substrate; and

wherein the shape of the second region of the first flexible substrate and the shape of at least a part of the first OLED change when the first portion of the support structure is moved relative to the second portion of the support structure.

12. The light source of claim 11, wherein a third OLED is disposed onto the at least one rigid substrate.

13. The light source of claim 11, comprising:

a plurality of flexible substrates operably attached to one rigid substrate;

wherein the plurality of flexible substrates comprises one or more OLEDs disposed on the plurality of flexible substrates.

32. A light source comprising:

a support structure having at least a first and a second portion;

wherein the first portion has a first axis of rotation about which it can rotate;

wherein the second portion has a second axis of rotation about which it can rotate;

wherein the first and second portions of the support structure are rotatable about their respective axes of rotation without otherwise moving relative to each other;

a first flexible substrate having at least a first, a second and a third region;

wherein the first region of the first flexible substrate is fixedly attached to the first portion of the support structure;

wherein the third region of the first flexible substrate is fixedly attached to the second portion of the support structure;

wherein a first OLED is disposed on at least part of the second region of the first flexible substrate; and

wherein the shape of the second region of the first flexible substrate and the shape of at least a part of the first OLED change when the first portion of the support structure is rotated relative to the second portion of the support structure.

33. The light source of claim 32, wherein the first and second portions of the support structure rotate such that the flexible substrate is not twisted.

34. The light source of claim 32, wherein the first and second portions of the support structure rotate such that the flexible substrate is twisted.

35. The light source of claim 32, wherein the second portion of the support structure is rotatable relative to the first portion of the support structure.