LIGHT EMISSIVE DISPLAY BASED ON LIGHTWAVE COUPLING IN COMBINATION WITH VISIBLE LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTENT

• US 20160231491A1
• Filed: 02/04/2016
• Published: 08/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sun Chemical Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sun Chemical Corporation
• Inventors: COUCH, ERICK CHRISTOPHER, Bakaysza, Andrew Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,309,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0471 the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/08 for producing coloured light, e.g. monochromatic; for reducing intensity of light with provision for controlling the colour F21V9/40
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/005 provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed on the light output side of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/006 to produce indicia, symbols, texts or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0076 Stacked arrangements of multiple light guides of the same or different cross-sectional area

Abstract

A display with a first emissive image and a second image. The display includes a waveguide that includes an image formed from photoluminescent dyes on a surface of the waveguide which is activated by a first light source. A second light source behind said waveguide produces a second image. A light filter is positioned between the waveguide and the second light source. The second light source can illuminate a transparency, such as a translight, or a physical object providing an image that is viewable from the display when the second light source is illuminated and the first light source is not illuminated. The first image is viewable when the first light source associated with the waveguide is activated, emitting, for example, an ultraviolet light that activates the photoluminescent dyes, causing the first image to be viewable. The light filter behind the waveguide enhances the quality of the emissive image and prevents the image on the transparency or the physical object from being seen when the second light source is not illuminated.

Claims

1. A display comprising:

a waveguide, said waveguide having a photoluminescent image optically coupled to a surface of said waveguide;

a first light source associated with said waveguide, said first light source adapted to transmit light at a wavelength less than 450 nm through said waveguide, causing said photoluminescent image to emit visible light;

a second light source wherein a light filter is between said second light source and said waveguide;

wherein said second light source is adapted to display a second image through said display when said second light source is illuminated.

2. The display claimed in claim 1 comprising a transparency, said transparency including said second image and wherein said second light source is adapted to transmit light through said transparency to display said second image.

3. The display claimed in claim 2 wherein said second light source is an edge light source.

4. The display claimed in claim 2 wherein said second light source is a back light source.

5. The display claimed in claim 2 wherein said waveguide and transparency are non-rectangular.

6. The display claimed in claim 2 wherein said waveguide and transparency are non-planar.

7. The display claimed in claim 1 wherein said second light source illuminates a three-dimensional object, providing said second image viewable through said waveguide.

8. The display claimed in claim 7 wherein said waveguide is non-rectilinear

9. The display claimed in claim 1 further comprising a switch to automatically activate and deactivate said first and second light sources.

10. The display claimed in claim 9 wherein said switch is activated by a motion sensor.

11. The display claimed in claim 1 wherein said first image is formed from photoluminescent dyes having a transparency at least 50%.

12. The display claimed in claim 1 wherein said light filter has a transmittance of less than 75%.

13. The display claimed in claim 1 wherein said light filter has a transmittance of at least 3.125%.

14. The display claimed in claim 1 wherein said light filter is a film directly connected to said waveguide.

15. The display claimed in claim 1 further comprising additional waveguides with additional photoluminescent images wherein each additional image is activated by a separate additional light source.

16. The display claimed in claim 1 wherein said display is a display enclosure having a transparent surface and wherein said waveguide is affixed to said surface and wherein said second light source is inside said enclosure.

17. The display claimed in claim 1 wherein said photoluminescent image includes one of a plurality of primary-color luminescent inks capable of creating full color spectrum images corresponding to a minimum Maxwell triangle of (0.3, 0.4) (0.4, 0.3) (0.3, 0.3) as depicted on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity diagram.

18. The display claimed in claim 1 wherein said display is a display enclosure having a transparent surface and wherein said waveguide is affixed to said surface and wherein said second light source is outside said enclosure.

19. A display comprising:

a waveguide; and

a photoluminescent image optically coupled to said waveguide;

a first light source associated with said waveguide,

said first light source adapted to transmit light through said waveguide, causing said photoluminescent image to emit visible light; and

a light filter connected to said waveguide.