Method of manufacturing a light input coupler and lightguide
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing a lightguide and light input coupler comprising a light transmitting film with a lightguide region continuously coupled to each coupling lightguide in an array of coupling lightguides, the array of coupling lightguides comprising a first linear fold region and a second linear fold region, said method comprising the steps of:
- a. increasing a distance between the first linear fold region and the second linear fold region of the array of coupling lightguides coupled to the lightguide region in a direction perpendicular to a light transmitting film surface at the first linear fold region;
b. decreasing the distance between the first linear fold region and the second linear fold region of the array of coupling lightguides in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first linear fold region and parallel to the light transmitting film surface at the first linear fold region;
c. increasing the distance between the first linear fold region and the second linear fold region of the array of coupling lightguides in a direction substantially parallel to the first linear fold region and parallel to the light transmitting film surface at the first linear fold region; and
d. decreasing the distance between the first linear fold region and the second linear fold region of the array of coupling lightguides in a direction perpendicular to the light transmitting film surface at the first linear fold region such that the array of coupling lightguides are bent, disposed substantially one above another, and aligned substantially parallel to each other.
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Abstract
In embodiments of this invention, light emitting devices comprise film-based lightguides comprising at least one light input coupler and an array of coupling lightguides that are folded or bent and disposed substantially above one another. The edges of the coupling lightguides may form part of a light input surface. The light emitting device may comprise more than one light input coupler and the film may be less than 500 microns in thickness. In embodiments of this invention, methods of manufacturing lightguides and light input couplers comprise steps that translate linear fold regions of the coupling lightguides relative to each other such that the coupling lightguides are bent or folded above each other. In other embodiments of this invention, an electroluminescent sign, light fixture, frontlight for a reflective display, or a backlight for a transmissive display comprises a lightguide and light input coupler comprising coupling lightguides.
209 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing a lightguide and light input coupler comprising a light transmitting film with a lightguide region continuously coupled to each coupling lightguide in an array of coupling lightguides, the array of coupling lightguides comprising a first linear fold region and a second linear fold region, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. increasing a distance between the first linear fold region and the second linear fold region of the array of coupling lightguides coupled to the lightguide region in a direction perpendicular to a light transmitting film surface at the first linear fold region; b. decreasing the distance between the first linear fold region and the second linear fold region of the array of coupling lightguides in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first linear fold region and parallel to the light transmitting film surface at the first linear fold region; c. increasing the distance between the first linear fold region and the second linear fold region of the array of coupling lightguides in a direction substantially parallel to the first linear fold region and parallel to the light transmitting film surface at the first linear fold region; and d. decreasing the distance between the first linear fold region and the second linear fold region of the array of coupling lightguides in a direction perpendicular to the light transmitting film surface at the first linear fold region such that the array of coupling lightguides are bent, disposed substantially one above another, and aligned substantially parallel to each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of manufacturing a lightguide and light input coupler comprising a light transmitting film with a lightguide region continuously coupled to each coupling lightguide in an array of coupling lightguides, the array of coupling lightguides comprising a first linear fold region and a second linear fold region, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. forming an array of coupling lightguides physically coupled to a lightguide region in a light transmitting film; b. increasing a distance between the first linear fold region and the second linear fold region of the array of coupling lightguides in a direction perpendicular to a light transmitting film surface at the first linear fold region; c. decreasing the distance between the first linear fold region and the second linear fold region of the array of coupling lightguides in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first linear fold region and parallel to the light transmitting film surface at the first linear fold region; d. increasing the distance between the first linear fold region and the second linear fold region of the array of coupling lightguides in a direction substantially parallel to the first linear fold region and parallel to the light transmitting film surface at the first linear fold region; and e. decreasing the distance between the first linear fold region and the second linear fold region of the array of coupling lightguides in a direction perpendicular to the light transmitting film surface at the first linear fold region such that the array of coupling lightguides are bent and disposed substantially one above another. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A method of manufacturing a lightguide and light input coupler comprising a light transmitting film with a lightguide region optically and physically coupled to each coupling lightguide in an array of coupling lightguides, the array of coupling lightguides comprising a first fold region and a second fold region, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. translating the first fold region and the second fold region away from each other in a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of the light transmitting film at the first fold region such that the first fold region and the second fold region move toward each other in a plane parallel to the surface at the first fold region; and b. translating the first fold region and the second fold region away from each other in a direction parallel to the first fold region such that the first fold region and the second fold region move toward each other in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface at the first fold region such that the array of coupling lightguides are bent and disposed substantially one above another.
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Specification