Luminous Element Comprising at Least One Substrate and a Light-Emitting Coating

• US 20080137355A1
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: Saintgobain Glass France
• Inventors: Linnhofer, Dieter, Offermann, Volkmar, Mauser, Helmut
• Granted Patent: US 7,794,125 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/488
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10541 comprising a light source or a light guide
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/745 using lighting panels or mats, e.g. electro-luminescent panels, LED mats
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/76 for spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps spotlighting on or for specific fittings B60Q3/20; spotlighting in mass transit vehicles B60Q3/44
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/002 using microoptical elements for redirecting or diffusing light
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/10 comprising photoluminescent material

Abstract

A flat luminous element with at least one substrate and one coating, applied onto the surface of the substrate and emitting light, and including plural luminous elements configured to be separately electrically connected next to one another, in different parts of the surface, so as to obtain different luminous effects. At least one separate luminous element is provided with an enhanced luminous power relative to the luminosity of the surface and with a light emission that is directed.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A flat luminous element with at least one substrate and one coating, applied onto the surface of the substrate and emitting light, comprising:

plural luminous elements configured to be separately electrically connected next to one another, in different parts of the surface, so as to obtain different luminous effects; and

at least one separate luminous element provided with an enhanced luminous power relative to luminosity of the surface and with a light emission that is directed.

19. The flat luminous element as claimed in claim 18, further comprising, in a region of the at least one separate luminous element and in its direction of emission, an optical device configured to concentrate and/or to orient the light emitted by the separate luminous element.

20. The flat luminous element as claimed in claim 18, wherein the flat luminous element is disposed within a layered element in between two substrates, at least one substrate of which is transparent to the light emitted by the luminous element.

21. The flat luminous element as claimed in claim 20, wherein the optical device is disposed on or in the substrate that is transparent to the light from the separate luminous element.

22. The flat luminous element as claimed in claim 19, wherein the optical device is a plane lens.

23. The flat luminous element as claimed in claim 19, wherein the optical device is a holographic element, in a form of a film with microprisms, that is transparent to the emitted light but that deviates the emitted light.

24. The flat luminous element as claimed in claim 19, wherein the optical device is a plane mirror that is transparent to the emitted light but that deviates the emitted light.

25. The flat luminous element as claimed in claim 19, wherein the optical device is disposed directly onto the luminous element.

26. The flat luminous element as claimed in claim 20, wherein at least a part of the light emitted by the separate luminous element is guided inside the substrate that is transparent to the light emitted by the separate luminous element, acting as a light waveguide, and is emitted elsewhere well away from the luminous element.

27. The flat luminous element as claimed in claim 18, wherein the direction of emission of the light from the separate luminous element deviates from the normal to the plane of the flat luminous element.

28. The flat luminous element as claimed in claim 18, further comprising an antireflection layer provided at least at a place of exit of a light ray from the separate luminous element.

29. The flat luminous element as claimed in claim 18, further comprising at least one switching element for connecting and/or disconnecting the at least one separate luminous element.

30. The flat luminous element as claimed in claim 24, wherein the at least one switching element is a touch or proximity detector associated with one surface of the flat luminous element.

31. The flat luminous element as claimed in claim 19, further comprising, in a region of the surface of the separate luminous element, an opaque coating, along which the exiting light is deviated by the optical device.

32. The use of a flat luminous element as claimed in claim 18 for an interior equipment of a vehicle.

33. The use as claimed in claim 32, wherein the flat luminous element forms a roofing substrate or element of a vehicle.

34. The use of a flat luminous element, as claimed in claim 18, for equipping of a building.