Lightguide including a film with one or more bends

• US 9,690,032 B1
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FLEx Lighting II, LLC
• Original Assignee: FLEx Lighting II, LLC
• Inventors: Nichol, Anthony J., Coleman, Zane A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lepisto, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Guy
• Application Number:
  US14/207,045
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 385 31- 32, 385129-130, 362600-629
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0025 Diffusing sheet or layer; Prismatic sheet or layer
• 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 6/0033 Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0035 provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0045 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0051 Diffusing sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0058 varying in density, size, shape or depth along the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0065 Manufacturing aspects; Material aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/009 of the light source in the package G02B6/0021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133606 including a specially adapted diffusing, scattering or light controlling members

Abstract

A lightguide includes a film including a body having a light emitting region and a light mixing region adjacent the light emitting region. A first bend with a first diameter in a first plane is formed in the film within the light mixing region, wherein a first portion of the light mixing region is positioned behind the light emitting region. A second bend is formed in the film within the light mixing region.

Claims

1. A lightguide comprising:

a film including a body having a first surface and an opposing second surface and a plurality of coupling lightguides extending from the body, each coupling lightguide of the plurality of coupling lightguides having an end, the plurality of coupling lightguides folded and stacked such that the ends of the plurality of coupling lightguides define a light input surface;

the body of the film comprising a light emitting region defined by a plurality of light extracting features and a light mixing region positioned between the plurality of coupling lightguides and the light emitting region, the light mixing region folded behind the light emitting region at a first bend with a first bend diameter in a first plane, wherein the first bend diameter is greater than an average separation between the first surface of the film within the light emitting region and the first surface of the film within the light mixing region positioned behind the light emitting region.

2. The lightguide of claim 1 wherein a shape of the film in the first plane comprises an inflection point in the light mixing region.

3. The lightguide of claim 1 wherein a ratio of a length of the light mixing region to a length of the light emitting region in the first plane is greater than 0.1.

4. The lightguide of claim 1 wherein a ratio of a length of the light mixing region to a length of the light emitting region in the first plane is greater than 1.

5. The lightguide of claim 1 wherein a ratio of a length of the light mixing region to a length of the light emitting region in the first plane is greater than 2 and the film is folded behind itself at least twice.

6. The lightguide of claim 1 wherein the first bend has a first bend angle greater than 180 degrees.

7. The lightguide of claim 1 wherein the light mixing region comprises a second bend in the first plane between the first bend and the plurality of coupling lightguides, the second bend positioning a portion of the light mixing region at a distance from the light emitting region less than the first bend diameter.

8. The lightguide of claim 1 wherein the light mixing region comprises a second bend in the first plane such that a portion of the light mixing region is positioned at a distance from the light emitting region less than the first bend diameter.

9. The lightguide of claim 8 wherein the light mixing region comprises a third bend in the first plane.

10. The lightguide of claim 9 wherein the portion of the light mixing region is parallel to the light emitting region.

11. A lightguide comprising:

a film including a body comprising a light emitting region and a light mixing region adjacent the light emitting region;

a first bend formed in the film within the light mixing region having a first diameter in a first plane, wherein a first portion of the light mixing region is positioned behind the light emitting region and

a second bend formed in the film within the light mixing region in the first plane, the second bend positions the first portion of the light mixing region at a distance from the light emitting region less than the first diameter.

12. The lightguide of claim 11 further comprising a plurality of coupling lightguides extending from the light mixing region.

13. The lightguide of claim 11 wherein a shape of the film in the first plane comprises an inflection point in the light mixing region.

14. The lightguide of claim 11 wherein a ratio of a length of the light mixing region to a length of the light emitting region in the first plane is greater than 0.1.

15. The lightguide of claim 11 wherein a ratio of a length of the light mixing region to a length of the light emitting region in the first plane is greater than 1.

16. The lightguide of claim 11 wherein the first diameter is greater than an average separation between a first surface of the film within the light emitting region and the first surface of the film within the first portion of the light mixing region.

17. The lightguide of claim 16 wherein a portion of the light mixing region is parallel to the light emitting region.

18. A lightguide comprising:

a film including a body comprising a light emitting region and a light mixing region adjacent the light emitting region;

a first bend with a first diameter in a first plane formed in the film within the light mixing region, wherein the first bend positions a first portion of the light mixing region behind the light emitting region; and

a second bend formed in the film within the light mixing region,

wherein the first bend has a first bend angle of at least 180 degrees and the second bend has a second bend angle of at least 180 degrees.

19. The lightguide of claim 18 wherein the second bend folds a second portion of the light mixing region behind the first portion of the light mixing region.