Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/0001—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
  • G02B6/0011—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
  • G02B6/0033—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide
  • G02B6/0058—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide varying in density, size, shape or depth along the light guide
  • G02B6/006—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide varying in density, size, shape or depth along the light guide to produce indicia, symbols, texts or the like
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29D—PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE
  • B29D11/00—Producing optical elements, e.g. lenses or prisms
  • B29D11/00663—Production of light guides
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29D—PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE
  • B29D11/00—Producing optical elements, e.g. lenses or prisms
  • B29D11/0073—Optical laminates
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/0001—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
  • G02B6/0011—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
  • G02B6/0033—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide
  • G02B6/0035—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it
  • G02B6/0036—2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/0001—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
  • G02B6/0011—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
  • G02B6/0033—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide
  • G02B6/0035—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it
  • G02B6/0038—Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/0001—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
  • G02B6/0011—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
  • G02B6/0033—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide
  • G02B6/005—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed on the light output side of the light guide
  • G02B6/0053—Prismatic sheet or layer; Brightness enhancement element, sheet or layer
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/0001—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
  • G02B6/0011—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
  • G02B6/0033—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide
  • G02B6/005—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed on the light output side of the light guide
  • G02B6/0055—Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/0001—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
  • G02B6/0011—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
  • G02B6/0033—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide
  • G02B6/0058—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide varying in density, size, shape or depth along the light guide
  • G02B6/0061—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide varying in density, size, shape or depth along the light guide to provide homogeneous light output intensity

Definitions

• the present disclosure relates to a lightguide.
• the lightguide includes a substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface.
• the substrate includes one or more edges being configured to allow light to be incident into the substrate and propagate along the substrate.
• the first and second major surfaces are capable of confining the light in the substrate primarily by total internal reflection.
• One or more structured layers are laminated on at least one of the first and second major surfaces of the substrate.
• the one or more structured layers each include one or more light extractors being configured to direct the light out of the lightguide from an emitting surface thereof. At least one of the one or more structured layers are removable from and repositionable on the substrate.
• FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional side view of a lightguide including a substrate and a structured layer before lamination, according to one embodiment.
• FIG. IB is a cross-sectional side view of the lightguide of FIG. 1A after lamination.
• FIG. 2A is a side perspective view of a light extractor, according to one embodiment.
• FIG. 2B is a side perspective view of a light extractor, according to another embodiment.
• FIG. 2C is a side perspective view of a light extractor, according to another embodiment.
• FIG. 2D is a side perspective view of a light extractor, according to another embodiment.
• FIG. 2E is a side perspective view of a light extractor, according to another embodiment.
• FIG. 2F is a side perspective view of a light extractor, according to another embodiment.
• FIG. 2G is a side perspective view of a light extractor, according to another embodiment.
• FIG. 2H is a top plan view of the light extractor of FIG. 2G.
• FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a lightguide including receiving light from edge locations and indicia laminated thereon, according to one embodiment.
• FIG. 5 illustrates a process of forming a structured film, according to one embodiment.
• FIG. 1A illustrates a substrate 10 and a structured layer 20 that are separated from each other before assembling to form a lightguide.
• the substrate 10 has a first major surface 12 and a second major surface 14 opposite the first major surface 12.
• a light source 30 is disposed adjacent to an edge 11 of the substrate 10 which allows light to be incident into the substrate 10.
• Incident light 32 from the light source 30 propagates along the substrate 14.
• Edge-lit lightguides may be arranged with one or more light sources at one or more edges or corners of the lightguide.
• the light source 30 may be a light emitting diode (LED), fluorescent lamps or other types of lamps. Light output from the light source 30 may be lambertian or other shapes of light output.
• FIG. IB illustrates a lightguide 100 including the substrate 10 and the structured layer 20 laminated on the substrate 10.
• the structured layer 20 is laminated on the second major surface 14 of the substrate 10.
• the refractive index of the structured layer 20 may be the same or higher than the refractive index of the film 10 for coupling light out of the substrate 10.
• the light 32 may reflect by total internal reflection at the reflecting surface 221 without a reflective coating (e.g., a metal coating) on the reflecting surface 221.
• the light extractors 22 are arranged in an array and have substantially the same orientation.
• the orientation of the light extractors 22 may be slightly adjusted so that a majority of the light extractors 22 can directly face the light source 30 to receive and extract incident light as much as possible.
• the light extractors 22 may be arranged in a curved shape to have the respective reflecting surfaces 221 to directly face the light source 30.
• the structured layer 20 can be removably laminated on the substrate 10.
• the terms "removably,” “removable,” or “repositionable” used herein means that the structured layer 20 can be manually removed from the substrate 10 by, for example, peeling, without causing damage to the structured layer 20 and the substrate 10, and the structured layer 20 can be re-laminated onto the substrate 10 after the removal.
• the laminated structure i.e., the substrate 10 and the structured layer 20 laminated thereon, can perform as a monolithic lightguide that may not otherwise be produced by a roll-to-roll process due to its thickness or rigidity not able to roll up onto a core.
• the light extractor 22 is formed as an indentation in the otherwise solid film 10 (an "innie" structure), obviating the need for a bottom wall.
• the light extractor 22 may have side walls that are parallel or non-parallel.
• Each of one or more side walls 210 may be substantially planar or may be at least partially curved or faceted.
• Each of one or more side walls may be perpendicular to a plane of the lightguide or form an angle of 10 degrees or less with a plane perpendicular to the plane of the lightguide.
• the plane of the lightguide may be a local tangent plane at the location of the lightguide.
• Light extractors described herein may be formed by any suitable method and can be formed at the same time or process as a film such as the structured layer 20 of FIG. 1A.
• a substantially planar lightguide may have an extractor mold replicated into one or both of its major surfaces. This may be done through any suitable replication tool or master include the surface negative of the desired structure (whether the extractors are protruding or are recessed), such as a metal or silicone tool fabricated through any suitable process.
• a master utilizing a multi-photon (or, specifically, two-photon) photolithographic process which is described in, for example, U.S. Patent No.
• FIG. 3 illustrates a lightguide 300 including a substrate 310 and one or more indicia laminated onto one or more major surfaces of the substrate 310.
• the indicia 321 and 322 can be cut out of the same structured film including light extractors such as the structured layer 20 of FIG. 1 A.
• the indicia can be cut out of different structured films.
• the indicia can be, for example, words, letters, numbers, or other indicia, such as a logo or a trademark.
• Each of the indicia includes a group of light extractors such as the light extractor 22.
• the light extractors may have substantially the same shape, structure, and orientation, and the light extractors can be uniformly distributed therein.
• the light extractors may have varied orientations to maximize light extraction from a light source.
• the light extractors may be distributed with varied area density to provide uniform light extraction.
• FIG. 4A-B illustrate a structured film 400 including an array of light extractors 410 formed on a major surface thereof.
• Light extractors in a region 412 are selectively filled with an optical material 420 to adjust or modify light extraction in the region 412.
• the optical material 420 can be an optical clear material having a refractive index which is substantially the same or close to that of the material of the film 400.
• the light extractors in the region 412 may not act as a light extractor anymore or not as efficient as the light extractors in adjacent regions in terms of light extraction. This allows light extraction in the region 412 to be adjusted/modified compared to adjacent regions.
• the structured film 400 can be removably laminated onto a substrate such as the substrate 10 of FIG. 1A to form a lightguide.
• the structured film 400 itself can be a monolithic lightguide.
• One or more light sources can be provided to emit light into the structured film 400. Incident light propagates along the structured film 400 can be selectively extracted out of the film 400 in different regions, and a pattern, e.g., "L" as depicted in FIG. 4A can appear for viewing .
• FIG. 5 illustrates a process of producing a structured film 500.
• a tool 510 is provided with structures 512 on a surface 511 thereof.
• the tool 510 can be made of, for example, nickel.
• a blocking material 520 is applied onto the surface 511 to change the topography in a selected region 513.
• the blocking material 520 can be applied by, for example, an ink-jet process. By controlling the inkjet pattern coated on the surface 511, a custom image can be created in a final light extraction film to be produced. It is to be understood that any suitable block material can be applied by appropriate processes onto the tool 510 in a selected region.
• a film making material 530 is then applied to the surface 511.
• Embodiment 3 is the lightguide of embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the one or more structured layers each have a structured surface, and an unstructured surface opposite the structured surface, the light extractors are formed on the structured surface, and the unstructured surface is laminated on the second major surface of the substrate.
• Embodiment 7 is the lightguide of any one of embodiments 1-6, wherein the one or more structured layers are removably laminated onto the substrate with an optically clear adhesive (OCA).
• OCA optically clear adhesive
• Embodiment 8 is the lightguide of any one of embodiments 1-6, wherein the one or more structured layers are removably laminated onto the substrate via a cling mechanism without using an adhesive.
• Embodiment 1 1 is the lightguide of embodiment 9 or 10, wherein the indicia each include a group of light extractors have substantially the same general orientation.
• Embodiment 12 is the lightguide of embodiment 9 or 10, wherein the indicia each include a group of light extractors have varied orientations.
• Embodiment 13 is the lightguide of embodiment 9, 10 or 11, wherein a first indicium in the indicia includes a first group of extractors having a first general orientation, and a second indicium in the indicia includes a second group of extractors having a second general orientation different from the first general orientation.
• Embodiment 15 is a lightguide comprising:
• Embodiment 16 is the lightguide of embodiment 15, wherein the optical material includes an optical clear material having a refractive index matching that of the structured layer to
• Embodiment 18 is a method comprising: providing one or more structured layers, the one or more structured layers each including an array of light extractors formed on a structured surface thereof;
• indicia are configured to extract light that is otherwise confined in and propagates in the substrate.
• Embodiment 20 is a method of producing a lightguide comprising:
• optical material selectively filling a first group of light extractors in a first region of the structured surface with an optical material, the optical material being configured to modify light extraction in the first region when the lightguide is in an on state.
• Embodiment 21 is a method comprising:
• the structured layer having the structured surface including the light extractors.
• Embodiment 22 is the method of embodiment 21, further comprising removing the blocking material from the tool.
• Example 1 A lightguide having a configuration similar to the lightguide 100 of FIG. IB was made.
• a silicone light extractor film including an array of wedge shaped light extractors was provided.
• the silicone light extractor film had a thickness of about 1 mm.
• the light extractor film was laminated to a 3.3 mm thick substrate by cling forces to form a lightguide stack.
• the substrate was made of optically clear, unstructured acrylic.
• the light extractor film was removable from the substrate.
• Three red LEDs were coupled into the lightguide stack from an edge of the substrate. Red light from the LEDs was extracted out of the substrate by the light extractors of the laminated silicone film.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Ophthalmology & Optometry (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Planar Illumination Modules (AREA)
• Optical Integrated Circuits (AREA)
• Light Guides In General And Applications Therefor (AREA)
• Optical Elements Other Than Lenses (AREA)
• Illuminated Signs And Luminous Advertising (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Families Citing this family (4)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (10)

• 2016
  • 2016-03-28 CN CN201680027217.9A patent/CN107636501A/zh active Pending
  • 2016-03-28 EP EP16777046.0A patent/EP3281049A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2016-03-28 JP JP2017552895A patent/JP2018521445A/ja active Pending
  • 2016-03-28 WO PCT/US2016/024454 patent/WO2016164188A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2016-03-28 KR KR1020177032524A patent/KR20170135954A/ko not_active Withdrawn
  • 2016-03-28 US US15/565,199 patent/US20180156957A1/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (5)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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