METHODS OF MANUFACTURING ILLUMINATION SYSTEMS

• US 20120047715A1
• Filed: 08/25/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chui, Clarence, Kothari, Manish, Sethi, Gaurav, Griffiths, Jonathan Charles
• Granted Patent: US 8,402,647 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/592.1
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/00 Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise provided for connecting sheet metal or metal tubes, rods or profiles B21D39/00; riveting B21J; soldering, unsoldering, welding B23K; hand tools for connecting wire or strip B25B25/00; connecting metal parts by adhesives F16B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0036 2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0038 Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0053 Prismatic sheet or layer; Brightness enhancement element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0065 Manufacturing aspects; Material aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49131 by utilizing optical sighting device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49904 Assembling a subassembly, then assembling with a second subassembly

Abstract

Methods of manufacturing light panels having at least one re-entrant turning feature. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a light panel includes providing a base layer, providing a cover layer, and coupling the cover layer to the base layer to form at least one re-entrant turning feature between the base layer and the cover layer. In another embodiment, a method of manufacturing a light panel includes providing a base layer, forming at least one receiving space in the base layer, providing at least one prismatic block, and coupling at least a portion of the prismatic block into the receiving space such that re-entrant turning features are formed between the prismatic block and the base layer.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a light panel, the method comprising:

providing a base layer having an upper surface, a lower surface opposite the upper surface, a first end configured to receive light from a light source, and a second end opposite the first end, the upper surface including a first plurality of planar portions and a plurality of receiving spaces disposed between the first plurality of planar portions, wherein the plurality of receiving spaces are disposed at least partially between the first plurality of planar portions and the lower surface;

providing a cover layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface including a second plurality of planar portions and a plurality of protrusions extending from the cover layer away from the first surface, wherein the second plurality of planar portions are disposed at least partially between the plurality of protrusions and the first surface; and

coupling the cover layer to the base layer such that at least one of the first plurality of planar portions is positioned over at least one of the second plurality of planar portions and such that at least one of the plurality of receiving spaces receives at least one of the plurality of protrusions to form at least one re-entrant turning feature between the base layer and the cover layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first plurality of planar portions share a common plane.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the second plurality of planar portions share a common plane.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the base layer has an index of refraction characteristic, wherein the cover layer has an index of refraction characteristic, and wherein the index of refraction characteristic of the base layer is greater than the index of refraction characteristic of the cover layer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein an adhesive is used to couple the base layer to the cover layer, and wherein the adhesive has an index of refraction characteristic that is closer to the index of refraction characteristic of the cover layer than the index of refraction characteristic of the base layer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the upper surface of the base layer is bonded to the second surface of the cover layer.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the index of refraction characteristic of the adhesive is about the same as the index of refraction characteristic of the cover layer.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one re-entrant turning feature extends between the lower surface of the base layer and the first surface of the cover layer at an angle relative to the plane shared by the first plurality of planar portions.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein coupling the cover layer to the base layer forms a first re-entrant turning feature and a second re-entrant turning feature between the base layer and the cover layer, wherein the first re-entrant turning feature extends between the lower surface of the base layer and the first surface of the cover layer at a first angle relative to the plane shared by the first plurality of planar portions, wherein the second re-entrant turning feature extends between the lower surface of the base layer and the first surface of the cover layer at a second angle relative to the plane shared by the first plurality of planar portions, and wherein the first angle is different from the second angle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of protrusions comprises a trapezoidal prism having first and second sidewalls, wherein the first sidewall is disposed between the second sidewall and the first end at a first angle relative to the lower surface, and wherein the second sidewall is disposed at a second angle relative to the lower surface.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the receiving spaces comprises a trapezoidal trough having third and fourth sidewalls, wherein the third sidewall is disposed at a third angle relative to the lower surface and the fourth sidewall is disposed at a fourth angle relative to the lower surface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the third sidewall is disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the first sidewall, and wherein the fourth sidewall is disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the second sidewall.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first angle is different from the third angle.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second angle is different from the fourth angle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first sidewall and the third sidewall define a re-entrant turning feature therebetween.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second sidewall and the fourth sidewall define a re-entrant turning feature therebetween.

17. A method of manufacturing a light panel, the method comprising:

providing a base layer having an upper surface, a lower surface opposite the upper surface;

forming at least one receiving space in the upper surface, the at least one receiving space extending from the upper surface toward the lower surface, wherein the at least one receiving space has a first sidewall and a second sidewall, wherein the first sidewall forms a first angle with the lower surface, and wherein the second sidewall forms a second angle with the lower surface;

providing at least one prismatic block, wherein the at least one prismatic block has a third sidewall, a fourth sidewall, and a first planar surface disposed therebetween, wherein the third sidewall forms a third angle with the first planar surface, and wherein the fourth sidewall forms a fourth angle with the first planar surface; and

coupling at least a portion of the at least one prismatic block into the at least one receiving space such that at least a portion of the third sidewall is disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the first sidewall and such that at least a portion of the second sidewall is disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the fourth sidewall such that the first and third sidewalls form a first re-entrant turning feature therebetween, and the second and fourth sidewalls form a second re-entrant turning feature therebetween.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the base layer comprises a first end for receiving light from a light source and a second end opposite the first end, and wherein the first and second re-entrant turning features are configured to turn at least a portion of light received through the first end toward the lower surface of the base layer.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one prismatic block comprises a trapezoidal prism.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one receiving space comprises a trapezoidal trough.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the first angle is different than the second angle.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first angle is different than the third angle.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the second angle is different than the fourth angle.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the base layer has an index of refraction characteristic, wherein the at least one prismatic block has an index of refraction characteristic, and wherein the index of refraction characteristic of the at least one prismatic block is about the same as the index of refraction characteristic of the base layer.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising coupling the at least one prismatic block to the base layer.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein an adhesive is used to couple the at least one prismatic block to the base layer, wherein the adhesive has an index of refraction characteristic that is about the same as the index of refraction characteristic of the base layer.

27. A method of manufacturing a light panel, the method comprising:

providing a layer having an upper surface, a lower surface opposite the upper surface, a first end configured to receive light from a light source, and a second end opposite the first end;

providing a first prismatic block, the first prismatic block having a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a first planar surface disposed therebetween, wherein the first sidewall forms a first angle with the first planar surface, and wherein the second sidewall forms a second angle with the first planar surface;

disposing the first prismatic block on the base layer;

providing a second prismatic block, the second prismatic block having a third sidewall, a fourth sidewall, and a second planar surface disposed therebetween, wherein the third sidewall forms a third angle with the second planar surface, and wherein the fourth sidewall forms a fourth angle with the second planar surface;

disposing the second prismatic block on the base layer such that the first prismatic block and the second prismatic block form a receiving space therebetween, wherein the receiving space is disposed between the second sidewall and the third sidewall;

providing a third prismatic block, the third prismatic block having a fifth sidewall, a sixth sidewall, and a third planar surface disposed therebetween, wherein the fifth sidewall forms a firth angle with the third planar surface, and wherein the sixth sidewall form a sixth angle with the third planar surface; and

disposing at least a portion of the third prismatic block in the receiving space such that at least a portion of the fifth sidewall is disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the second sidewall and such that at least a portion of the sixth sidewall is disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the third sidewall, wherein the second and fifth sidewalls form a first re-entrant turning feature therebetween, wherein the third and sixth sidewalls from a second re-entrant turning feature therebetween.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the first re-entrant turning feature extends along a first longitudinal axis that forms a first angle with the upper surface.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the second re-entrant turning feature extends along a second longitudinal axis that forms a second angle with the upper surface.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the first angle is different than the second angle.

31. The method of claim 27, further comprising coupling the first prismatic block to the base layer.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising coupling the second prismatic block to the base layer.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising coupling the third prismatic block to the base layer.