Methods of making laminated LED array and/or products including the same

• US 9,956,752 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2012
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Veerasamy, Vijayen S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Aftergut, Jeffry H
• Application Number:
  US13/644,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20140096893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,035 Days
• Field of Search: 156101, 156 99, 36224902, 36231102, 362503, 362800
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10541 comprising a light source or a light guide
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10559 Shape of the cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10568 varying in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10788 containing ethylene vinylacetate
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/14 characterised by the properties of the layers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/268 on windscreens or windows B60Q1/302 takes precedence; lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for windows B60Q3/208
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/302 mounted in the vicinity, e.g. in the middle, of a rear window
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/145 Surface emitters, e.g. organic light emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/19 Attachment of light sources or lamp holders
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/195 Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/20 characterised by refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

In certain example embodiments, light emitting diodes (LEDs) may be disposed on a deformable and flexible backbone sheet and chained together in an array, e.g., via flexible wiggle wires. Such flexible wiggle wires may also provide an electrical connection to an external power source. An optical out-coupling layer stack (OCLS) system may help serve as an index matching layer, heat sink, étendue conserver, etc. The backbone may be formed to a shape tailored to its ultimate application. Applications may include, for example, automotive (such as Center High Mounted Stop Lamp (CHMSL) applications), lighting, signage, and/or other applications. In an example CHMSL application, the deformable sheet with the LED array thereon has a step, sinusoidal, or other shape matched to the angle and/or curvature of the glass such that the LEDs produce light primarily in a direction parallel to a surface on which a vehicle is located.

Claims

1. A method of making a window for a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a polymer-based deformable backbone supporting a plurality of LED devices, the LED devices being connected to one another via flexible wires;

positioning the deformable polymer-based backbone with the LED devices thereon between first and second glass substrates; and

wherein the backbone is shaped so as to comprise a plurality of steps that support respective LED devices of the plurality of LED devices;

providing an optical coupling material proximate the steps so as to be located between the steps and laminating material;

laminating together the first and second substrates with the deformable backbone therebetween using the laminating material;

wherein the backbone, when laminated between first and second substrates, has a shape so that the LED devices are angled relative to the first and second substrates so that light to be emitted from the LED devices is emitted at an angle that is neither perpendicular nor parallel to an elongated direction of the first and second substrates, with the shape configured to match an angle at which the window is to be disposed in the vehicle and so that the LED devices, when powered, emit light primarily in a direction parallel to a surface on which the vehicle is located, and wherein the window is a rear windshield of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of LED devices are provided as a part of a Center High Mounted Stop Lamp (CHMSL), the CHMSL being controllable by a controller remote the LED devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the laminating material between the first and second substrates comprises PVB.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the backbone is formed from PET, polyimide, polyamide, and/or PMMA.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the backbone is formed by cutting a single sheet of laminating material into complementary first and second stepped portions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical coupling material comprises an isotropic layer matrix including an organo-metallic chelate hybrid material and a matrix core including dispersed scatterers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the dispersed scatterers have a Mie-like scattering efficiency of greater than 1, leading to an index matching out-coupling efficiency for the OCLS of greater than 1.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein a filling density of the scatterers is in a range of values such that the scatterers are mono-dispersed with an inter-particle distance d of about 3 diameters or major distances.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each scatterer is located in the far field of its nearest neighbor and there is no systematic phase relationship, except for coherent exact forward scattering.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising disposing a multilayer low-emissivity (low-E) coating on the first and/or second substrate so as to contact the laminating material.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the LED devices are chained together to form an array;

at least some leads extend from the array and are in direct electrical contact with the low-E coating; and

the LED devices are addressable and/or powerable via the low-E coating.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the LED devices are chained together to form an array that operates at a temperature of no greater than 150 degrees C.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to the first and second substrates being laminated together, the deformable backbone is shaped by providing a single stratum of laminating material, and cutting the single stratum of laminating material into first and second complementary pieces, the first piece having a desired pattern.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the deformable backbone with the LED devices thereon is embedded in a laminating material prior to the first and second substrates being laminated together.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a plurality of cavities are formed in the laminating material, each said LED device being oriented in a respective cavity, each said cavity being tapered along a depth thereof so as to increase in diameter or distance from a first end thereof wherein the respective LED is located to a second end thereof.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each said cavity has a parabolic side wall when viewed in cross section.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein each said cavity has a reflective coating disposed thereon.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the reflective coating comprises a thin film layer including silver and a protective layer disposed on the thin film layer including silver.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein light exiting the second end of each said cavity is substantially collimated so as to allow for only 10-30 degrees of distribution.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the LED devices are bare die LEDs, the LEDs being connected to one another via the flexible wires to form an LED array.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the LEDs in the array are individually addressable and powerable via remotely located control circuitry.

22. A method of making a vehicle including a window, the method comprising building a window made in accordance with the method of claim 1 into the vehicle.

23. A method of making a window for a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a polymer-based deformable backbone supporting a plurality of LED devices, the LED devices being connected to one another via flexible wires;

positioning the deformable polymer-based backbone with the LED devices thereon between first and second glass substrates; and

wherein the backbone is shaped so as to comprise a plurality of steps that support respective LED devices of the plurality of LED devices;

providing an optical coupling material proximate the steps so as to be located between the steps and laminating material;

laminating together the first and second substrates with the deformable backbone therebetween using the laminating material;

wherein the backbone, when laminated between first and second substrates, has a shape so that the LED devices are angled relative to the first and second substrates so that light to be emitted from the LED devices is emitted at an angle that is neither perpendicular nor parallel to an elongated direction of the first and second substrates, with the shape configured to match an angle at which the window is to be disposed in the vehicle and so that the LED devices, when powered, emit light primarily in a direction parallel to a surface on which the vehicle is located.