Light emitting panel assemblies
DCFirst Claim
1. A light emitting panel assembly comprising a light emitting panel member having a greater width than thickness and opposite ends and sides and top and bottom surfaces, a light transition area located at one of said ends, and at least one light source mounted to said light transition area, said panel member having a light input surface at said one end for receiving light from said light transition area, said light input surface having a cross sectional area extending the entire width and thickness of said panel member at said one end, and said light transition area having a light output surface of the same width and thickness as said light input surface at said one end and a reflective surface in close proximity to said light source shaped to cause internal reflection of a portion of the light emitted from said light source and redirect the internally reflected light into said light input surface at said one end to produce a uniform density of light across substantially the entire cross sectional area of said light input surface at said one end, said reflective surface extending around and behind said light source.
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Abstract
Light emitting panel assemblies include light emitting panel members and one or more light sources positioned/embedded in a light transition area, which increases the efficiency of light entering the panel members along the light input area to be emitted from one or more light emitting surfaces along the length of the panel members. Light may be reflected or refracted by a surface which changes the path of a portion of light such that it enters the input area of the panel member at a more acceptable angle. A uniform light output distribution may be produced by utilizing a pattern of light extracting deformities.
265 Citations
25 Claims
- 1. A light emitting panel assembly comprising a light emitting panel member having a greater width than thickness and opposite ends and sides and top and bottom surfaces, a light transition area located at one of said ends, and at least one light source mounted to said light transition area, said panel member having a light input surface at said one end for receiving light from said light transition area, said light input surface having a cross sectional area extending the entire width and thickness of said panel member at said one end, and said light transition area having a light output surface of the same width and thickness as said light input surface at said one end and a reflective surface in close proximity to said light source shaped to cause internal reflection of a portion of the light emitted from said light source and redirect the internally reflected light into said light input surface at said one end to produce a uniform density of light across substantially the entire cross sectional area of said light input surface at said one end, said reflective surface extending around and behind said light source.
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13. A light emitting panel assembly comprising a light emitting panel member having a greater width than thickness and opposite ends and sides and top and bottom surfaces, a light transition area located at one of said ends, and a plurality of light sources mounted to said light transition area, said panel member having a light input surface at said one end for receiving light from said light transition area, said light input surface having a cross sectional area extending the entire width and thickness of said panel member at said one end, and said light transition area having a light output surface of the same width and thickness as said light input surface at said one end and a reflective surface in close proximity to each of said light sources shaped to cause internal reflection of a portion of the light emitted from said light sources and redirect the internally reflected light into said light input surface at said one end to produce a uniform density of light across substantially the entire cross sectional area of said light input surface.
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14. A light emitting panel assembly comprising a light emitting panel member having a greater width than thickness and opposite ends and sides and top and bottom surfaces, a light transition area located at one of said ends, and at least one light source mounted to said light transition area, said panel member having a light input surface at said one end for receiving light from said light transition area, said light input surface having a cross sectional area extending the entire width and thickness of said panel member at said one end, and said light transition area having a light output surface of the same width and thickness as said light input surface at said one end and a reflective surface in close proximity to said light source shaped to cause internal reflection of a portion of the light emitted from said light source and redirect the internally reflected light into said light input surface at said one end to produce a uniform density of light across substantially the entire cross sectional area of said light input surface, and a pattern of light extracting deformities on said panel member, said light extracting deformities having a density concentration for causing a substantially uniform light output from a light emitting surface on one of said top and bottom surfaces of said panel member, said pattern of light extracting deformities varying to compensate for a diffuser used with said panel member.
- 15. A light emitting panel assembly comprising a light emitting panel member having a greater width than thickness and opposite ends and sides and top and bottom surfaces, a light transition area located at one of said ends, and at least one light source mounted to said light transition area, said panel member having a light input surface at said one end for receiving light from said light transition area, said light input surface having a cross sectional area extending the entire width and thickness of said panel member at said one end, and said light transition area having a light output surface of the same width and thickness as said light input surface at said one end and a reflective surface in close proximity to said light source shaped to cause internal reflection of a portion of the light emitted from said light source and redirect the internally reflected light into said light input surface at said one end to produce a uniform density of light across substantially the entire cross sectional area of said light input surface, and a pattern of light extracting deformities in contact with said panel member, said light extracting deformities having a density concentration for causing a substantially uniform light output from a light emitting surface on one of said top and bottom surfaces of said panel member, said pattern of light extracting deformities being on a film.
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18. A light emitting panel assembly comprising a light emitting panel member having a greater width than thickness and opposite ends and sides and top and bottom surfaces, a light transition area located at one of said ends, and at least one light source mounted to said light transition area, said panel member having a light input surface at said one end for receiving light from said light transition area, said light input surface having a cross sectional area extending the entire width and thickness of said panel member at said one end, and said light transition area having a light output surface of the same width and thickness as said light input surface at said one end and a reflective surface in close proximity to said light source shaped to cause internal reflection of a portion of the light emitted from said light source and redirect the internally reflected light into said light input surface at said one end of said panel member to produce a uniform density of light across substantially the entire cross sectional area of said light input surface, and a pattern of light extracting deformities on said panel member, said light extracting deformities having a density concentration for causing a substantially uniform light output from a light emitting surface on one of said top and bottom surfaces of said panel member, said light extracting deformities varying in color to provide different colored light output areas on said panel member.
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19. A light emitting panel assembly comprising a light emitting panel member having a greater width than thickness and opposite ends and sides and top and bottom surfaces, a light transition area located at one of said ends, and at least one light source mounted to said light transition area, said panel member having a light input surface at said one end for receiving light from said light transition area, said light input surface having a cross sectional area extending the entire width and thickness of said panel member at said one end, and said light transition area having a light output surface of the same width and thickness as said light input surface at said one end and a reflective surface in close proximity to said light source shaped to cause internal reflection of a portion of the light emitted from said light source and redirect the internally reflected light into said light input surface at said one end to produce a uniform density of light across substantially the entire cross sectional area of said light input surface, and a pattern of light extracting deformities on said panel member, said light extracting deformities having a density concentration for causing a substantially uniform light output from a light emitting surface on one of said to p and bottom surfaces of said panel member, said light extracting deformities varying in index of refraction.
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20. A light emitting panel assembly comprising a light emitting panel member having a greater width than thickness and opposite ends and sides and top and bottom surfaces, a light transition area located at one of said ends, and at least one light source mounted to said light transition area, said panel member having a light input surface at said one end for receiving light from said light transition area, said light input surface having a cross sectional area extending the entire width and thickness of said panel member at said one end, and said light transition area having a light output surface of the same width and thickness as said light input surface at said one end and a reflective surface in close proximity to said light source shaped to cause internal reflection of a portion of the light emitted from said light source and redirect the internally reflected light into said light input surface at said one end to produce a uniform density of light across substantially the entire cross sectional area of said light input surface, and multiple layers of light extracting deformities on one of said surface s of said panel member, said light extracting deformities having a density concentration for causing a substantially uniform light output from a light emitting surface on one of said surfaces of said panel member.
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21. A light emitting panel assembly comprising a light emitting panel member having a greater width than thickness and opposite ends and sides and top and bottom surfaces, a light transition area located at one of said ends, and at least one light source mounted to said light transition area, said panel member having a light input surface at said one end for receiving light from said light transition area, said light input surface having a cross sectional area extending the entire width and thickness of said panel member at said one end, and said light transition area having a light output surface of the same width and thickness as said light input surface at said one end and a reflective surface in close proximity to said light source shaped to cause internal reflection of a portion of the light emitted from said light source and redirect the internally reflected light into said light input surface at said one end to produce a uniform density of light across substantially the entire cross sectional area of said light input surface, and a pattern of light extracting deformities on said panel member, said light extracting deformities having a density concentration for causing a substantially uniform light output from a light emitting surface on one of said top and bottom surfaces of said panel member, said light extracting deformities being printed on said panel member using strochastic print pattern techniques.
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22. A light emitting panel assembly comprising a light emitting panel member having a greater width than thickness and opposite ends and sides and top and bottom surfaces, a light transition area located at one of said ends, and at least one light source mounted to said light transition area, said panel member having a light input surface at said one end for receiving light from said light transition area, said light input surface having a cross sectional area extending the entire width and thickness of said panel member at said one end, and said light transition area having a light output surface of the same width and thickness as said light input surface at said one end and a reflective surface in close proximity to said light source shaped to cause internal reflection of a portion of the light emitted from said light source and redirect the internally reflected light into said light input surface at said one end to produce a uniform density of light across substantially the entire cross sectional area of said light input surface, and a pattern of light extracting deformities on said panel member, said light extracting deformities having a density concentration for causing a substantially uniform light output from a light emitting surface on one of said top and bottom surfaces of said panel member, said light extracting deformities being printed on said panel member using frequency modulated half tone patterns.
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23. A light emitting panel assembly comprising a light emitting panel member having a greater width than thickness and opposite ends and sides and top and bottom surfaces, a light transition area located at one of said ends, and at least one light source mounted to said light transition area, said panel member having a light input surface at said one end for receiving light from said light transition area, said light input surface having a cross sectional area extending the entire width and thickness of said panel member at said one end, and said light transition area having a light output surface of the same width and thickness as said light input surface at said one end and a reflective surface in close proximity to said light source shaped to cause internal reflection of a portion of the light emitted from said light source and redirect the internally reflected light into said light input surface at said one end to produce a uniform density of light across substantially the entire cross sectional area of said light input surface, and a pattern of light extracting deformities on said panel member, said light extracting deformities having a density concentration for causing a substantially uniform light output from a light emitting surface on one of said top and bottom surfaces of said panel member, said light extracting deformities being printed on said panel member using dot half tones.
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24. A light emitting panel assembly comprising a light emitting panel member having a greater width than thickness and opposite ends and sides and top and bottom surfaces, a light transition area located at one of said ends, and at least one light source mounted to said light transition area, said panel member having a light input surface at said one end for receiving light from said light transition area, said light input surface having a cross sectional area extending the entire width and thickness of said panel member at said one end, and said light transition area having a light output surface of the same width and thickness as said light input surface at said one end and a reflective surface in close proximity to said light source shaped to cause internal reflection of a portion of the light emitted from said light source and redirect the internally reflected light into said light input surface at said one end to produce a uniform density of light across substantially the entire cross sectional area of said light input surface, and a pattern of light extracting deformities on said panel member, said light extracting deformities having a density concentration for causing a substantially uniform light output from a light emitting surface on one of said top and bottom surfaces of said panel member, said light extracting deformities varying in density across the width of said panel member.
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25. A light emitting panel assembly comprising a light emitting panel member having a greater width than thickness and opposite ends and sides and top and bottom surfaces, a light transition area located at one of said ends, and at least one light source mounted to said light transition area, said panel member having a light input surface at said one end for receiving light from said light transition area, said light input surface having a cross sectional area extending the entire width and thickness of said panel member at said one end, and said light transition area having a light output surface of the same width and thickness as said light input surface at said one end and a reflective surface in close proximity to said light source shaped to cause internal reflection of a portion of the light emitted from said light source and redirect the internally reflected light into said light input surface at said one end of said panel member to produce a uniform density of light across substantially the entire cross sectional area of said light input surface, and a pattern of light extracting deformities on said panel member, said light extracting deformities having a density concentration for causing a substantially uniform light output from a light emitting surface on one of said top and bottom surfaces of said panel member, said light extracting deformities varying in percent of coverage across the width of said panel member.
Specification