EP3259527B1 - Flexible surface area light, in particular for use in a piece of clothing - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a flexible surface light, which is particularly adapted for use in a garment. Furthermore, the invention relates to a garment with such a surface light, such as a jacket. The area light can also be used as an attachable and removable element - e.g. Spine shield, breast shield or arm shield - be connectable with a piece of clothing, such as a jacket. For releasable connection connecting means such as buttons, hook-and-loop fasteners, etc. may be used. When used in a garment, the area light may serve to increase the visibility of the person wearing the garment and / or to display information for other persons, such as an identification of an emergency worker, such as rescue personnel, security personnel or support personnel.

US 8690385 B2 describes a light-emitting electronic textile. Light emitting diodes are arranged on a flexible support and introduced into a textile tube. This textile tube can be attached to a garment. However, it has been shown that the diffusion effect in such embodiments is often insufficient and therefore no planar visual impression of the light emission takes place. Some embodiments of the US 8690385 B2 provide to arrange a plurality of textile layers between the light-emitting diodes and the emission side of the surrounding textile tube, wherein the individual layers are spaced by air layers. This results each have a refractive index at the boundary layer between a textile layer and an adjacent air layer. The disadvantage, however, is that this design requires a large thickness. In addition, the refractive effect is greatly altered when the person wearing the garment moves and, for example, air gaps are not maintained and thereby boundary layers are at least partially eliminated.

DE 10 2013 021 600 A1 describes a surface light for illuminating flat elements such as surfaces of trim parts in the interior of vehicles. The surface light is multi-layered. At a Lichtabstrahlfläche a support structure connects to a carrier layer. On the carrier structure opposite side of the carrier layer, a protective layer is present. Within the protective layer, a decoupling structure is arranged, by means of which light is radiated into the carrier layer or the carrier structure and can exit on the light-emitting surface. The rear side of the light emission surface may be covered by a reflective cover layer. The support structure is preferably made of a polymeric plastic. The coupling-out structure can be produced by a screen-printing method, by embossing, rolling, lasering, grinding or the like.

A surface light according to the preamble of claim 1 is in US 2010/0226117 A1 described.

At the WO 2008/120142 A1 known surface light LEDs are arranged on a substrate and covered by a textile layer, which is arranged at a distance from the LEDs.

FR 2 788 105 A1 discloses a textile material which is connected at one edge by means of a diffuser to a light source.

Starting from this prior art, it can be regarded as an object of the present invention to provide a flexible surface light, which is particularly suitable for use in a piece of clothing.

This object is achieved by the flexible surface light with the features of claim 1.

The flexible surface light has a cover layer on which the light exit surface is present. Preferably, one side of the cover layer serves as a light exit surface. On the cover layer opposite side of the surface light, a reflection layer is present. At the reflection layer, a total reflection of the incident light takes place. Adjacent to the cover layer is a first litter layer of one of a textile material. The first litter layer preferably lies flat against the cover layer. In the area between the reflection layer and the cover layer, and preferably between the first diffusion layer and the reflection layer, a plurality of illumination means, preferably semiconductor illumination means, are arranged. The bulbs radiate the light in particular punctiform or hemispherical in the direction of the reflection layer. Thus, the emission of the light source is aligned away from the light exit surface. A spacer means is provided, which is arranged between the lighting means and the reflection layer and ensures that a minimum distance between the light sources and the reflective layer is present. The spacer means is supported, for example, on the one hand on the reflective layer and on the other hand on one or more associated light sources and may also be fixedly connected to the reflective layer and / or the one or more light sources.

The cover layer, the reflection layer, and the first litter layer are made of a flexible material. By a flexible material is meant herein an elastically bendable material that elastically deforms when deforming forces commonly occur on garments during wear as the person wearing the garment moves.

Due to the fact that the light sources do not radiate the light directly onto the light emission surface, but initially release it in the opposite direction to the reflection layer, the path traveled by the light within the flexible surface light is increased, without thereby increasing the entire thickness of the surface light. It can be achieved in this way an improved uniform light emission or an improved diffusion effect at low total thickness of the surface light. The thickness of the surface light is essentially determined by the distance of the reflection layer from the light exit surface. By a small thickness and a low weight, the flexibility and flexibility of the surface light is improved and integrated with the use of the surface light in a piece of clothing comfort. By increasing the light path within the surface light can unwanted, large differences in brightness of the light emitted at the light exit surface light be avoided.

The spacer means may comprise at least one potting body or lens body or be formed by at least one potting body or lens body. The at least one potting body covers the light source on its light emission side. A potting body or lens body can also each cover a group of several bulbs. However, preferably not all lamps are connected by a single potting body or lens body, as this can limit the flexibility of the area lamp and increase the overall weight.

The potting body or lens body may be made of a rigid or an elastically flexible material. A material is considered to be elastically flexible which can elastically deform when forces are applied to the surface light when used as intended (e.g., in or on a garment). If this is not the case, the material is considered "rigid".

If, in one exemplary embodiment, a group of a plurality of luminous means is rigidly connected to one another by a potting body or lens body and / or by a rigid carrier or the like, then the number of luminescent means of a group is preferably not more than 5 and more preferably not more than 3.

If a potting body or lens body is present, preferably each illuminant can be assigned a separate potting body or lens body.

It is also advantageous if a textile fabric is contained as a scattering material in the potting or lens body. Alternatively, a textile fabric may also be connected in a materially cohesive manner to the illuminant, for example by an adhesive bond. As a result, an unambiguous orientation and position of the textile fabric relative to the lighting means can be predetermined and maintained.

In one embodiment, the spacer means may comprise a transparent layer and / or a second diffusion layer, which preferably rests flatly and directly against the reflection layer. The relevant layer is in this case arranged between the lighting means and the reflection layer. The spacer may also be formed by such a layer. The transparent layer and / or the second scattering layer is designed to be flexible analogous to the other layers of the surface light. The lighting means can be arranged between the first scattering layer and the transparent layer or the second scattering layer and held there by an elastic deformation force of at least one of the two adjacent layers.

In a preferred embodiment, the second litter layer is made of a textile material. Preferably, the first scattering layer and / or the second scattering layer are formed by at least one textile fabric. As a textile fabric, a nonwoven material and / or a fabric and / or a knitted fabric can be used. Such textile fabrics can be produced easily and inexpensively. The desired scattering effect can very easily by the material used and / or the density of the fibers or yarns and / or by the orientation of the fibers or yarns and / or by the type of binding and / or by the cross-sectional shape of the yarn or the fiber and / or by the density of the textile material. The density of the textile material can be determined, for example, in the case of a woven fabric or a knitted fabric by the spacing of immediately adjacent yarns or threads (mesh width or warp and weft density) and, in the case of a nonwoven material, by the average spacing of the fibers. The scattering is at least partly determined by the porosity of the textile material.

If a woven fabric and / or a knitted fabric and / or a knitted fabric is used as the first scattering layer and / or second scattering layer, in one exemplary embodiment a spacer fabric or spacer knitted fabric can be used. For example, a spacer fabric with multiple layers and arranged therebetween Pol or connecting threads. Over the length of the pile threads, the desired thickness of the litter layer can be adjusted very easily.

If the scattering layer in question comprises knitwear or is formed by knitwear, a knitted fabric and / or a knit or, as mentioned, a spacing knit or knitted fabric can be used as knitwear.

It is also possible to arrange a combination of the abovementioned textile fabrics in a plurality of layers in the first scattering layer and / or in the second scattering layer. In each layer, the fiber orientation may be the same or different from the other layers, and / or the stitches or fibers of different layers may be parallel to each other in the plane in which they are the light-emitting surface extends, staggered to improve the scattering effect.

Preferably, the lamps are not rigidly connected to each other. The lighting means can be connected via flexible conductors in series and / or parallel to each other. The lighting means can also be arranged on a common flexible carrier. As a carrier, for example, a textile tape made of a textile fabric can be used.

The flexible surface light may be part of a garment. The light emission surface is at least partially visible from the outside. The flexible panel light can be connected, for example, by gluing and / or sewing with one or more layers of the garment. The surface light can also be detachably connected to the garment, for example by means of buttons, in particular snaps, or by means of a hook-and-loop fastener.

The textile material may also be adapted to effect a targeted non-uniform light emission or scattering. For example, the textile material part may be dyed in sections or colored differently to respectively at least partially absorb certain light wave areas or to completely shield the light emission in at least one area. It is additionally or alternatively also possible to carry out the textile material part in sections with different fiber or yarn orientations and / or bonds and / or fiber or yarn cross sections.

In one embodiment of the surface light, the cover layer or other existing layers may also be at least partially colored or partially differently colored and / or partially provided with a surface structure or sections with different surface structures.

• Fig. 1 eine schematische Expressionsdarstellung eines ersten Ausführungsbeispiels einer flexiblen Flächenleuchte in einer Seitenansicht,
• Fig. 2 das Ausführungsbeispiel der Flächenleuchte nach Fig. 1 in schematischer, blockschaltbildähnlicher Darstellung in Seitenansicht,
• Fig. 3 einen Querschnitt durch das Ausführungsbeispiel der Flächenleuchte gemäß der Fig. 1 und 2 entlang der Schnittlinie III-III in Fig. 2,
• Fig. 4 ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel einer flexiblen Flächenleuchte in blockschaltbildähnlicher, schematischer Seitenansicht,
• Fig. 5 das Ausführungsbeispiel der Flächenleuchte aus Fig. 4 in einem Querschnitt gemäß der Schnittlinie V-V in Fig. 4,
• Fig. 6 ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel einer Flächenleuchte in einer schematischen, blockschaltbildähnlichen Seitenansicht,
• Fig. 7a und 7b jeweils eine schematische, perspektivische Darstellung der Biegbarkeit der Ausführungsbeispiele der flexiblen Flächenleuchten gem. der Fig. 1 bis 6 und
• Fig. 8a und 8b jeweils eine schematische Darstellung eines Bekleidungsstückes in Form einer Jacke mit integrierter Flächenleuchte.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, the description and the drawings. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

• Fig. 1 FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a flexible area light in a side view; FIG.
• Fig. 2 the embodiment of the surface light after Fig. 1 in a schematic, block diagram-like representation in side view,
• Fig. 3 a cross section through the embodiment of the surface light according to the Fig. 1 and 2 along the section line III-III in Fig. 2 .
• Fig. 4 a further embodiment of a flexible surface light in block diagram similar, schematic side view,
• Fig. 5 the embodiment of the surface light Fig. 4 in a cross section along the section line VV in Fig. 4 .
• Fig. 6 a further embodiment of a surface light in a schematic, block diagram similar side view,
• Fig. 7a and 7b in each case a schematic perspective view of the bendability of the embodiments of the flexible area lights gem. of the Fig. 1 to 6 and
• Fig. 8a and 8b in each case a schematic representation of a garment in the form of a jacket with integrated surface light.

In the Fig. 1 to 3 a first embodiment of a flexible surface light 10 is illustrated. The flexible surface light 10 has a transparent cover layer 11. On the transparent cover layer 11, a light exit surface 12 is present, at which the light of the surface light 10 exits. The cover layer 11 is transparent at least to the wavelength of light or the spectrum of light wavelengths that is to be emitted by the surface light 10, for example for white light or light of a specific color.

On its side opposite the cover layer 11, the surface light 10 has a reflection layer 13 with a reflection surface 14. The reflection surface 14 faces the cover layer 11. Due to the reflection layer 13, no light can escape. The light incident on the reflection surface 14 is totally reflected.

On the light exit surface 12 opposite side of the cover layer 11 is optionally followed by a first litter layer 15, which consists of a textile material. The first scattering layer 15 is formed by a textile fabric or has at least one textile fabric. A textile fabric can be formed by a nonwoven material, a woven fabric, a knitted fabric or a knitted fabric. The light is refracted and / or reflected and / or diffracted by the fibers or threads of the textile fabric of the first scattering layer 15, whereby scattering and overall good light emission with low brightness differences within the light exit surface 12 can be achieved. The scattering effect is extremely schematically exemplified in the first embodiment FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrated.

Hissing of the cover layer 11 and the reflection layer 13 and, according to the example, between the first diffusion layer 15 and the reflection layer 13, a plurality of light sources 16 are arranged. Each light source 16 has a light emission side 17, which faces the reflection surface 14. The light emerging at the light emission side 17 at the light sources 16 is therefore emitted towards the reflection surface 14 and reflected there to the cover layer 11 or to the light exit surface 12.

A transverse direction Q and a longitudinal direction L span a plane which is aligned parallel to the light exit surface 12 and / or the reflection surface 14 and / or is oriented at right angles to the optical axes of the light sources 16.

The light-emitting means 16 are preferably formed by semiconductor light-emitting means, in particular light-emitting diodes or light-emitting diode chips. The lighting means 16 may be mounted on a common flexible support 18, for example a textile tape, be arranged. The lighting means 16 are electrically connected in series and / or parallel to each other and / or individually connected to a respective current or voltage source. For this purpose, they are connected to flexible electrical conductors, which may be integrated into the carrier 18. The carrier 18 is optional and may be omitted.

The lighting means 16 may form separately controllable groups. The lighting means 16 of each controllable group can then be spatially arranged at designated locations in the surface light, for example, to form characters, symbols, letters, each a segment of a 7-segment display, etc.

Between the lighting means 16 and the reflection layer 13, a spacer means 19 is provided. The spacer means 19 ensures that a minimum distance is maintained between the light emission side 17 of the lighting means 16 and the reflection surface 14, even when the surface light is elastically deformed.

In the first embodiment according to. of the Fig. 1 to 3 the spacer means 19 is formed by a further layer which extends between the lighting means to the reflective layer 13 and, for example, is designed as a second scattering layer 20. If the second litter layer 20 is present, the first litter layer 15 can also be dispensed with. It is generally sufficient for the surface light if at least one scattering layer 15 or 20 is present.

The second litter layer 20 is analogous, for example to the first litter layer 15 of textile material and is formed in a preferred embodiment by a textile fabric or has at least one such textile fabric. By this second litter layer 20, the scattering effect can be further improved. The lighting means 16 are arranged in the region between the two scattering layers 19, 20 and can be held in such a way that at least one of the two scattering layers 19, 20 elastically deforms and thereby keeps the lighting means 16 frictionally engaged.

Instead of the second litter layer 20, a transparent, non-scattering layer could also be used as the spacer means 19 or another suitable spacer means 19.

Because the light from the light sources 16 is not emitted directly to the light exit surface 12 but opposite to the reflection surface 14, the light path from the light emission side 17 of the light source 16 to the light exit surface 12 is increased. The light first passes through the predetermined by the spacer means 19 distance to the reflection surface 14, is totally reflected there, passes through the predetermined distance by the means 19 distance again, then passes through the first scattering surface 15, passes through the cover layer 11 and occurs at the light exit surface 12 of the cover layer eleventh out. Although the spacer means 19 is formed by a litter layer (second litter layer 20), the light passes through to the cover layer 13 the entire distance through a scattering layer, namely the first litter layer 15 and the second litter layer 20. The scattering and thus the uniform light emission with low brightness differences within the light emitting surface 12 is further optimized in this way. It creates a very uniform lighting effect on the light exit surface 12 of the surface light 10 for the eye of a viewer.

In the 4 and 5 a modified embodiment of the surface light 10 is illustrated. In this case, the spacer means 19 is not formed by a layer, but by a plurality of potting body 25. Instead of potting 25 and lens body could be used. In the preferred embodiment, each illuminant 16 is associated with a separate potting body 25. In a modification to this, it would also be possible to cover or integrate a group of several, for example two to ten, lighting means 16 or also all lighting means 16 by means of a common casting body 25.

At the potting bodies 25, the reflection surface 14 of the reflection layer 13 is applied. The reflection layer 13 is supported, so to speak, on the potting bodies 25. In order to achieve sufficient support, the lighting means 16 with the potting bodies 25 can also be arranged in a plurality of transversely spaced Q, extending in the longitudinal direction L rows or otherwise in a plane defined by the longitudinal direction L and transverse direction Q plane. In the embodiments illustrated here, the lighting means 16 are arranged in the longitudinal direction L only in a row at a distance from each other. In all embodiments, a plurality of such rows could also be arranged on a common carrier 18 or on different carriers 18.

In accordance with in the embodiment. of the 4 and 5 In a single row of lamps 16 to achieve a sufficiently good support of the reflective layer 13, the potting body 25 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L oriented transverse direction Q have a larger dimension than in the longitudinal direction L, which is schematically dash-dotted lines in Fig. 5 is illustrated. The shape of the potting body 25 can vary.

It is also possible to form the spacer means 19 by a combination of a layer, in particular a second litter layer 20 and a plurality of potting bodies 25. In this case, in a modification of the embodiment according to the 4 and 5 Also, a distance between the reflective layer 14 and the potting 25 be present.

Fig. 6 shows a further, modified embodiment of the surface light 10. Essentially, this embodiment corresponds to the in the 4 and 5 illustrated embodiment, wherein the potting body 25 in the embodiment according to Fig. 6 also extend into the first litter layer 15 and, according to the example define the distance between the reflective layer 13 and the cover layer 11.

In the Fig. 7a and 7b schematically the flexibility or flexibility of the surface light 10 is shown. The surface light 10 can be bent or elastically deformed about one or more first axes 26 oriented parallel to the transverse direction Q and / or about one or more second axes 27 oriented parallel to the longitudinal direction L.

In the Fig. 8a and 8b is a garment 30 in the form of a jacket illustrated schematically, wherein Fig. 8a the front 31 and Fig. 8b the back 32 of the jacket illustrated. On the front side 31 and / or on the back 32, a surface light 10 according to the invention may be present. Especially with items of clothing for emergency services, such as police officers, firefighters, rescue workers, etc. can be increased by the surface light 10, the visibility regardless of the lighting conditions and the external circumstances. In addition, 12 information (symbols, letters, numbers, etc.) can be displayed by a corresponding printing or forming the light exit surface. The forces can be characterized by what is common, for example, in firefighters or large police operations.

A voltage or power supply for the lighting means 16 may be integrated in a pocket of the item of clothing 30. If the lighting means 16 are formed by semiconductor lighting means, in particular light-emitting diodes, one or more series resistors may be required to operate the lighting means 16 in order to be able to operate the lighting means 16 at a voltage source such as a rechargeable battery or a battery. The at least one series resistor can be arranged directly on the relevant light-emitting means 16 and / or on the carrier 18. It is possible to use a series resistor for multiple lamps 16.

In all embodiments, the first scattering layer 15 and / or the second scattering layer 16 may be formed as a textile fabric or have such. As a textile fabric, for example, a fabric and / or a knit fabric and / or a knitted fabric and / or a nonwoven fabric may be used. The tissue can be, for example be realized as a spacer fabric with multiple layers of fabric, the fabric layers are connected to each other via pile threads. Each scattering layer 15, 20 can also have a plurality of textile fabrics, for example also fabrics of different types, such as a woven fabric in combination with a knitted fabric.

Both the reflection layer 13 and the first litter layer 15 and, if present, the second litter layer 19, as well as the cover layer 11 are flexible and can be bent with the forces usually occurring when wearing a clothing item 30. As a result, an adaptation of the item of clothing 30 to the body shape or posture is ensured even where the area light 10 is integrated in the item of clothing 30. In this way, the movement of the person wearing the garment 30, not or only slightly affected.

The invention relates to a surface light 10, in particular for use in a piece of clothing 30. The surface light 10 has a cover layer 11 with a light exit surface 12. On the side 11 opposite the cover layer, a reflection layer 13 with a reflection surface 14 is arranged. Adjacent to the cover layer 11 directly adjoins a first litter layer 15 of a textile material, preferably a textile fabric. The textile fabric can be connected in a planar manner to the cover layer or rest against it. In a longitudinal direction L, illuminants 16 are arranged at a distance from one another in one or more rows. The lighting means 16 have a light exit side 17, which faces the reflection layer 13. A spacer 19 secures one Minimum distance between the light-emitting means 16 and the reflection layer 13. The light emitted by the light-emitting means 16 light is reflected at the reflection layer 13 to the cover layer 11 out. As a result, the light path within the area light 10 can be increased without increasing the thickness of the area light 10 at right angles to the light exit area 12.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

Fluorescent light

11

topcoat

12

Light-emitting surface

13

reflective layer

14

reflecting surface

15

first litter layer

16

Lamp

17

radiant light

18

carrier

19

Spacer means

20

second litter layer

25

potting

26

first axis

27

second axis

30

garment

31

front

32

back

L

longitudinal direction

Q

transversely

Claims (15)

1. Flexible planar light (10), in particular for use in a garment (30),
   with a light-emission surface (12) arranged on a cover layer (11),
   with a reflection layer (13) having a reflection surface (4) which is arranged on the side opposite the cover layer (11),
   with at least one scattering layer (15) made of a textile material which is arranged between the cover layer (11) and the reflection layer (13),
   with several light sources (16) which are arranged between the reflection layer (13) and the cover layer (11),
   with a spacer means (19) which is arranged between the light sources (16) and the reflection layer (13) and ensures a minimum distance between the light sources (16) and the reflection layer (13),
   characterised in that each light source (16) has a light-emission side (17) facing the reflection surface (14), and that the light sources (16) emit light away from the cover layer (11) to the reflection layer (13) such that the light initially passes through the distance defined by the spacer means (19) up to the reflection surface (14) where it is totally reflected, then passes again through the distance defined by the spacer means (19), then passes through the first scattering layer (15), travels through the cover layer (11) and emerges at the light-emission surface (12) of the cover layer (11).
2. Flexible planar light according to claim 1, characterised in that the light sources (16) are configured as dot-like or hemispherically emitting light sources.
3. Flexible planar light according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the light sources (16) are formed by semiconductor light sources.
4. Flexible planar light according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the spacer means (19) comprise at least one casting compound body (25) or lens body which covers one or more light sources (16) on its light-emission side (17).
5. Flexible planar light according to claim 4, characterised in that each light source (16) comprises a casting compound body (25) or lens body.
6. Flexible planar light according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that a flat textile structure is contained in the casting compound body (25) or lens body as a scatter material.
7. Flexible planar light according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that a first scattering layer (15) is provided which adjoins the cover layer (11).
8. Flexible planar light according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the spacer means (19) comprise a transparent layer and/or a second scattering layer (20) between the light sources (16) and the reflection layer (13).
9. Flexible planar light according to claim 7 and/or 8, characterised in that the first scattering layer (15) and/or the second scattering layer (20) consists of a textile material.
10. Flexible planar light according to claim 9, characterised in that the first scattering layer (15) and/or the second scattering layer (20) comprises at least one flat textile structure.
11. Flexible planar light according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that the textile material of the first scattering layer (15) and/or the second scattering layer (20) is a fleece material and/or a woven fabric and/or a mesh fabric.
12. Flexible planar light according to claim 11, characterised in that the woven fabric and/or the mesh fabric is configured as a spacer textile.
13. Flexible planar light according to claim 11 or 12, characterised in that the mesh fabric is a knit-worked and/or knitted fabric.
14. Flexible planar light according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the light sources (16) are not rigidly connected together.
15. Garment (30) with a flexible planar light (10) according to any of the preceding claims.

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