Illumination via flexible thin films
First Claim
1. A film illumination device comprising:
- a. a first frame member having a first member inner face with a protruding array of first member teeth; and
b. a second frame member having a second member inner face,wherein the first member teeth are arrayed such that when the first and second frame members are moved closely adjacent each other with an array of elongated adjacent film strips situated between the first and second member inner faces, with the film strips extending in a first direction at least substantially parallel to each other and being oriented in an at least substantially common plane, the film strips are urged by a first member tooth into a second direction different from the first direction, with the urged film strips being adjacently situated in at least substantially parallel planes.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A film sheet having a series of strips extending from an edge may have the film strips gathered and folded into a stacked array wherein the strips are in parallel abutment. The collected ends of the stacked strips are then suitable for receiving light for transmission into (and emission from) the body of the film sheet. A pair of frame members, when urged toward each other about the strips, may automatically collect and fold the strips into a parallel spaced array. This array may then be gathered by hand, or by a cover member translating adjacent the frame members, to generate the stacked array of parallel abutting strips. The resulting illumination device is particularly useful for illumination of display panels such as liquid crystal displays, organic light-emitting diode displays, or simply signs formed of paper, plastic, and/or other materials.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A film illumination device comprising:
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a. a first frame member having a first member inner face with a protruding array of first member teeth; and b. a second frame member having a second member inner face, wherein the first member teeth are arrayed such that when the first and second frame members are moved closely adjacent each other with an array of elongated adjacent film strips situated between the first and second member inner faces, with the film strips extending in a first direction at least substantially parallel to each other and being oriented in an at least substantially common plane, the film strips are urged by a first member tooth into a second direction different from the first direction, with the urged film strips being adjacently situated in at least substantially parallel planes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A film illumination device comprising:
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a. a film sheet having; (1) an at least substantially planar major sheet area; and (2) an adjacent minor sheet area with a series of elongated adjacent film strips extending therefrom, the film strips being situated; i. in an at least substantially common plane, and ii. at least substantially parallel to each other in a first direction; and b. a frame including; (1) a first frame member having a first member inner face with a protruding array of first member teeth; and (2) a second frame member having a second member inner face, wherein the first and second frame members are affixed about the film strips, with the film strips each being urged by a first member tooth into an array wherein the urged film strips are; i. adjacently situated in at least substantially parallel planes, and ii. oriented in a second direction different from the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A film illumination device comprising:
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a film sheet having; a. an at least substantially planar major sheet area; and b. an adjacent minor sheet area with a series of elongated film strips; (1) first extending from the major sheet area with the film strips oriented; i. adjacently in an array, ii. in an at least substantially common plane, and iii. at least substantially parallel to each other in a first direction, and (2) then extending with the film strips oriented; i. adjacently to each other in at least substantially parallel planes, and ii. in a second direction different from the first direction, the minor sheet area being bent in relation to the major sheet area by at least ninety degrees, with the film strips joining the minor sheet area at a location spaced from the plane along which the major sheet area is oriented; and a frame including; a. a first frame member with an array of first member teeth protruding from a first member inner face; and b. a second frame member with a second member inner face, wherein the first and second frame members are affixed about the film strips, with each film strip each being urged by a first member tooth from the first direction into the second direction. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification