Light coupling into illuminated films
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A film illumination system including:
- a. a transparent polymer sheet having opposing planar faces with a thickness not greater than 0.5 mm therebetween, the sheet defining a body with an array of elongated legs extending therefrom, wherein;
(1) each leg has a bounding edge with opposing lengthwise edges extending therefrom,(2) the lengthwise edges are optically smooth such that at least substantial total internal reflection is provided to light traveling within the legs and encountering the edges, and(3) each leg is folded at a radius of curvature less than 50 times the sheet thickness such that the portions of the leg on the opposing sides of the fold have;
i. faces oriented in at least substantially parallel planes, andii. lengthwise axes extending at a nonzero angle with respect to each other, with the bounding edges being stacked in parallel face-to-face relation; and
b. a light source;
(1) emitting non-collimated light from an emission area greater than the thickness of the sheet, and(2) optically coupled to the stacked bounding edges of the legs, such that the light from the light source enters the bounding edges to travel to the body.
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Abstract
A flexible translucent sheet is folded to have portions of its bounding edge closely situated in overlapping relationship, and these overlapping portions are illuminated by a light source. The illumination is transmitted through the interior of the sheet to any adjacent unfolded area of the sheet, which may bear emission areas which are treated so that the light emits from the sheet at these areas. Preferred versions of the invention have a series of legs cut into one edge of the sheet, and the legs are then bundled in stacked relationship, with a light source providing light input into the bundle.
146 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A film illumination system including:
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a. a transparent polymer sheet having opposing planar faces with a thickness not greater than 0.5 mm therebetween, the sheet defining a body with an array of elongated legs extending therefrom, wherein; (1) each leg has a bounding edge with opposing lengthwise edges extending therefrom, (2) the lengthwise edges are optically smooth such that at least substantial total internal reflection is provided to light traveling within the legs and encountering the edges, and (3) each leg is folded at a radius of curvature less than 50 times the sheet thickness such that the portions of the leg on the opposing sides of the fold have; i. faces oriented in at least substantially parallel planes, and ii. lengthwise axes extending at a nonzero angle with respect to each other, with the bounding edges being stacked in parallel face-to-face relation; and b. a light source; (1) emitting non-collimated light from an emission area greater than the thickness of the sheet, and (2) optically coupled to the stacked bounding edges of the legs, such that the light from the light source enters the bounding edges to travel to the body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An illumination system comprising:
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a. an at least partially translucent body having opposing faces with a thickness not greater than 0.5 mm therebetween, the body having a first array of elongated legs extending therefrom, wherein; (1) each leg terminates in a bounding edge with opposing lengthwise edges extending therefrom, (2) the lengthwise edges are optically smooth such that at least substantial total internal reflection is provided to light traveling within the legs and encountering the lengthwise edges, and (3) each leg is folded at a radius of curvature less than 50 times the thickness of the body, such that the portions of the leg on the opposing sides of the fold have; i. faces oriented in at least substantially parallel planes, and ii. lengthwise axes extending at a nonzero angle with respect to each other, with the bounding edges being situated in a stack, and b. a light source; (1) emitting light from an emission area greater than the thickness of the body, and (2) being optically coupled to the stacked bounding edges of the legs, such that the light from the light source enters the bounding edges and travels therefrom within the legs to the body, with the light from the legs mixing within the body. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An illumination system comprising:
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a. a body having opposing faces with a thickness of less than about 0.5 mm therebetween, the body; (1) being at least substantially translucent, wherein an object can be viewed through the opposing faces of the body without any significant changes in appearance, and (2) having an array of elongated legs extending therefrom, wherein; i. each leg has opposing lengthwise edges extending to a bounding edge, ii. each leg is folded at a radius of curvature less than 50 times the thickness of the body, with; A. the portions of the leg on the opposing sides of the fold having lengthwise axes extending at a nonzero angle with respect to each other, and B. the bounding edges being stacked; and b. a light source; (1) emitting light from an emission area greater than the thickness of the body, and (2) being optically coupled to the stacked bounding edges of the legs, such that the light from the light source enters the bounding edges to travel within the legs and mix within the body. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An illumination system including an at least partially translucent body comprising:
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a. opposing faces with a thickness not greater than 0.5 mm therebetween, and b. first and second arrays of elongated legs extending from the body, wherein; (1) each leg has a bounding edge with opposing lengthwise edges extending therefrom toward the body, the lengthwise edges being sufficiently smooth to support multiple total internal reflections extending therefrom, (2) each leg is foldable; i. at a radius of curvature less than 50 times the thickness of the body, ii. with the portions of the leg on the opposing sides of the fold having lengthwise axes extending at a nonzero angle with respect to each other, and iii. with the bounding edges being aligned in a stacked relationship, without crazing or stress whitening, and c. one or more total internal reflection disruption areas disposed on the body, wherein light transmitted into the body from the legs is; (1) emitted from the body at the total internal reflection disruption areas, and (2) elsewhere at least substantially totally internally reflected between the faces. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification