Illumination devices and methods of fabrication thereof
First Claim
1. An illumination apparatus comprising:
- a light source;
a light guide having a generally planar first surface, a generally planar second surface opposite the first surface, a first end and a second end, and a length therebetween, wherein the light guide is positioned to receive light from the light source into the light guide first end, and wherein the light guide is configured such that light from the light source provided into the first end of the light guide propagates generally towards the second end; and
a plurality of light turning features, each light turning feature having a turning surface configured to receive at least a portion of the light which is propagating generally towards the second end of the light guide and reflect at least a portion of the received light out of the first surface of the light guide, each light turning feature including an interferometric stack formed on at least a portion of the turning surface;
wherein each light turning feature includes a depression formed in the first surface or the second surface of the light guide.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Illumination devices and methods of making same are disclosed. In one embodiment, an illumination apparatus includes a light source, a light guide having a planar first surface, a first end and a second end, and a length therebetween, the light guide positioned to receive light from the light source into the light guide first end, and the light guide configured such that light from the light source provided into the first end of the light guide propagates towards the second end, and a plurality of light turning features that are configured to reflect light propagating towards the second end of the light guide out of the planar first surface of the light guide, each light turning feature having a turning surface and an interferometric stack formed on the turning surface.
962 Citations
38 Claims
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1. An illumination apparatus comprising:
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a light source; a light guide having a generally planar first surface, a generally planar second surface opposite the first surface, a first end and a second end, and a length therebetween, wherein the light guide is positioned to receive light from the light source into the light guide first end, and wherein the light guide is configured such that light from the light source provided into the first end of the light guide propagates generally towards the second end; and a plurality of light turning features, each light turning feature having a turning surface configured to receive at least a portion of the light which is propagating generally towards the second end of the light guide and reflect at least a portion of the received light out of the first surface of the light guide, each light turning feature including an interferometric stack formed on at least a portion of the turning surface;
wherein each light turning feature includes a depression formed in the first surface or the second surface of the light guide. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An illumination apparatus comprising:
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means for providing light; means for guiding light, wherein the light guiding means has a planar first surface, a generally planar second surface, a first end and a second end, and a length therebetween, wherein the light guiding means is configured such that light from the light providing means provided into the light guiding means first end propagates generally towards the light guiding means second end; and a plurality of means for turning light, each means for turning light having a turning surface configured to receive light propagating towards the second end of the light guiding means and reflect at least a portion of the received light out of the light guiding means first surface, each means for turning light including an interferometric stack formed on the turning surface;
wherein each means for turning for turning light includes a depression formed in the first surface or the surface of the means for guiding light. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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38. An illumination apparatus comprising:
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a light source; a light guide having a generally planar first surface, a generally planar second surface, first end and a second end, and a length therebetween, the light guide positioned to receive light from the light source into the light guide first end, and the light guide configured such that light from the light source provided into the first end of the light guide propagates generally towards the second end; and a plurality of light turning features, each light turning feature having a turning surface configured to receive at least a portion of the light which is propagating generally towards the second end of the light guide and reflect at least a portion of the received light out of the planar first surface of the light guide, each light turning feature including a reflective layer disposed over at least a portion of each turning surface; and a plurality of optical masks, each optical mask formed on a reflective layer, each optical mask including a dark coating;
the dark coating including an absorbing layer that forms an interferometric stack with the reflective layer;
wherein each light turning feature includes a depression formed in the first surface or the second surface of the light guide.
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Specification