Extendable light source with variable light emitting area

• US 8,926,119 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2011
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Inventors: Burrows, Paul E., Ma, Ruiqing, Paynter, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): A, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US13/198,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20130033185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 315/294, 315/209.R, 315/312, 362/217.14, 362/217.16, 362/217.17, 362/227, 362/249.01, 362/249.02, 362/285, 362/800, 257/80, 257/81, 257/82
• US Class Current: 362/217.14
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/003 for task lighting, e.g. for reading or desk work, e.g. angle poise lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/02 by movement of light sources in vehicle head lamps F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/003 the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/00 Planar light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/15 Organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/60 Circuit arrangements for operating LEDs comprising organic material, e.g. for operating organic light-emitting diodes [OLED] or polymer light-emitting diodes [PLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/84 Parallel electrical configurations of multiple OLEDs
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/86 Series electrical configurations of multiple OLEDs
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

Embodiments may provide an extendable light source with a variable light emitting area. A first device is provided that includes a support, a first substrate movably coupled to the support, and a plurality of lighting devices disposed on the first substrate. The plurality of lighting devices includes a first portion of lighting devices and a second portion of lighting devices. The first device also includes an energizing component that is configured to selectively energize the first portion and the second portion of lighting devices based on a position of the first substrate relative to the support.

Claims

1. A first device, comprising:

a support;

a first substrate movably coupled to the support;

a plurality of lighting devices disposed on the first substrate, wherein the plurality of lighting devices comprises a first portion of lighting devices and a second portion of lighting devices, and

an energizing component, wherein the energizing component is configured to selectively energize the first portion and the second portion of lighting devices based on a position of the first substrate relative to the support,

wherein a first, a second, and a third position are defined for the first substrate relative to the support,

wherein the energizing component is configured to energize neither the first portion nor the second portion of lighting devices when the first substrate is in the first position,

wherein the energizing component is configured to energize the first portion but not the second portion of lighting devices when the first substrate is in the second position,

wherein the energizing component is configured to energize both the first portion and the second portion of lighting devices when the first substrate is in the third position,

wherein the support comprises a rod,

wherein the first portion and the second portion of the plurality of lighting devices substantially wrap around the rod when the first substrate is in the first position,

wherein the second portion but not the first portion of the plurality of lighting devices substantially wrap around the rod when the first substrate is in the second position, and

wherein both the first portion and the second portion of the plurality of lighting devices do not substantially wrap around the rod when the first substrate is in the third position.

2. The first device of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion of the plurality of lighting devices are switchably connected in parallel with each other.

3. The first device of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion of the plurality of lighting devices are switchably connected in series with each other.

4. The first device of claim 1, wherein at least the first portion or the second portion of lighting devices comprises a single lighting device.

5. The first device of claim 1,

wherein the first portion of the plurality of lighting devices comprises a plurality of lighting devices electrically connected in a first series,

wherein the second portion of the plurality of lighting devices comprises a plurality of lighting devices electrically connected in a second series;

and

wherein the first and the second series are switchably connected in parallel with each other.

6. The first device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lighting devices further comprises a third portion of lighting devices;

and

wherein the energizing component is configured to selectively energize the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion of lighting devices based on a position of the substrate relative to the support.

7. The first device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lighting devices comprises a plurality of OLEDs, and wherein each of the plurality of OLEDs comprises:

a first electrode;

a second electrode disposed over the first electrode; and

an organic electroluminescent (EL) material disposed between the first and the second electrodes.

8. The first device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lighting devices comprises a plurality of LEDs.

9. The first device of claim 1, wherein the support comprises a housing that is configured to selectively contain or expose the first and second portions of lighting devices disposed on the first substrate.

10. The first device of claim 9,

wherein the energizing component is configured to energize the first portion of lighting devices when the first portion of lighting devices is not contained within the housing,

wherein the energizing component is configured to not energize the first portion of lighting devices when the first portion of lighting devices is contained within the housing,

wherein the energizing component is configured to energize the second portion of lighting devices when the second portion of lighting devices is not contained within the housing;

and

wherein the energizing component is configured to not energize the second portion of lighting devices when the second portion of lighting devices is contained within the housing.

11. The first device of claim 1, wherein the energizing component comprises:

a first contact electrically connected to the first portion of lighting devices;

a second contact electrically connected to the second portion of lighting devices; and

a third contact electrically connected to at least one of a voltage source or a current source;

wherein the third contact does not electrically connect to either the first or the second contact when the first substrate is in the first position;

wherein the third contact electrically connects to the first contact but not the second contact when the first substrate is in the second position; and

wherein the third contact electrically connects to the first contact and the second contact when the first substrate is in the third position.

12. The first device of claim 11, wherein the third contact comprises an electrical conductor that extends in a direction that is substantially parallel to the direction that the substrate moves when going from the first position to the second or the third position.

13. The first device of claim 11, wherein the third contact comprises a plurality of switches, and wherein each switch is selectively connected to a voltage source, a current source, or a plurality of lighting devices.

14. The first device of claim 13, wherein each switch selectively connects a plurality of lighting devices to at least one of a voltage source or a current source.

15. The first device of claim 13,

wherein the plurality of switches comprises a first switch and a second switch;

wherein the first switch selectively connects the first contact to at least one of a voltage source or a current source when activated;

wherein the second switch selectively connects the second contact to at least one of a voltage source or a current source when activated;

wherein the first switch and the second switch are not activated when the first substrate is in the first position;

wherein the first switch is activated and the second switch is not activated when the first substrate is in the second position; and

wherein the first switch and the second switch are activated when the first substrate is in the third position.

16. The first device of claim 15,

wherein the support comprises a housing configured to selectively contain some or all of the first substrate,

wherein the housing comprises an opening for receiving some or all of the substrate;

and

wherein the first and the second switches are activated by at least one of a physical protrusion, a capacitance switch, or a proximity switch located at or near the opening of the housing.

17. The first device of claim 1, wherein the energizing component comprises a driving unit, and wherein the driving unit comprises:

a sensing module configured to determine the position of the first substrate;

a control module configured to determine to which of the plurality of lighting devices to supply current based on the position of the first substrate;

a power supply; and

one or more lighting device drivers that are electrically connected to the plurality of lighting devices, wherein the lighting device drivers are configured to control the brightness of the plurality of the lighting devices.

18. The first device of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises a task lamp or a novelty lamp.

19. A first device, comprising:

a support;

a first substrate movably coupled to the support;

a plurality of portions of lighting devices disposed on the first substrate, wherein each portion comprises one or more lighting devices; and

an energizing component, wherein the energizing component is configured to selectively energize each of the portions of lighting devices based on a position of the first substrate relative to the support,

wherein the support comprises a rod;

wherein the portions of the first substrate comprising the plurality of portions of lighting devices are configured to selectively wrap around the rod;

wherein the energizing component is configured to energize the portions of lighting devices that are not substantially wrapped around the rod; and

wherein the energizing component is configured to not energize the portions of the lighting devices that are substantially wrapped around the rod.

20. The first device of claim 19,

wherein the support comprises a housing configured to selectively contain the portions of the substrate that comprise the plurality of portions of lighting devices;

and

wherein the energizing component is configured to energize the portions of lighting devices that are not contained with the housing; and

wherein the energizing component is configured to not energize the portions of the lighting devices that are contained within the housing.