Light emitting panel assemblies
DCFirst Claim
1. A light emitting panel assembly comprising at least one light source, an optical panel member having at least one input edge for receiving light from the at least one light source, the panel member having front and back sides and a greater cross sectional width than thickness, both the front and back sides having a pattern of light extracting deformities that are projections or depressions on or in the sides to cause light to be emitted from the panel member in a predetermined output distribution, where the pattern of light extracting deformities on or in at least one of the sides varies along at least one of the length and width of the panel member and at least some of the light extracting deformities on or in one of the sides are of a different type than the light extracting deformities on or in the other side of the panel member, and at least one film, sheet or substrate overlying at least a portion of one of the sides of the panel member to change the output distribution of the emitted light such that the light will pass through a liquid crystal display with low loss.
6 Assignments
Litigations
5 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Light emitting panel assemblies include an optical panel member having a pattern of light extracting deformities on or in one or both sides to cause light to be emitted in a predetermined output distribution. The pattern of light extracting deformities on or in one side may have two or more different types or shapes of deformities and at least one of the types or shapes may vary along the length or width of the panel member. Where the light extracting deformities are on or in both sides, at least some of the deformities on or in one side may be of a different type or shape or vary in a different way or manner than the deformities on or in the other side.
84 Citations
48 Claims
- 1. A light emitting panel assembly comprising at least one light source, an optical panel member having at least one input edge for receiving light from the at least one light source, the panel member having front and back sides and a greater cross sectional width than thickness, both the front and back sides having a pattern of light extracting deformities that are projections or depressions on or in the sides to cause light to be emitted from the panel member in a predetermined output distribution, where the pattern of light extracting deformities on or in at least one of the sides varies along at least one of the length and width of the panel member and at least some of the light extracting deformities on or in one of the sides are of a different type than the light extracting deformities on or in the other side of the panel member, and at least one film, sheet or substrate overlying at least a portion of one of the sides of the panel member to change the output distribution of the emitted light such that the light will pass through a liquid crystal display with low loss.
- 13. A light emitting panel assembly comprising at least one light source, an optical panel member having at least one input edge for receiving light from the at least one light source, the panel member having front and back sides and a greater cross sectional width than thickness, both the front and back sides having a pattern of light extracting deformities that are projections or depressions on or in the sides to cause light to be emitted from the panel member in a predetermined output distribution, where the pattern of light extracting deformities on or in at least one of the sides varies along at least one of the length and width of the panel member and at least some of the light extracting deformities on or in one of the sides are of a different type than the light extracting deformities on or in the other side of the panel member, wherein the panel member has a transition region between the at least one input edge and the patterns of light extracting deformities to allow the light from the at least one light source to mix and spread, and at least one side of the transition region contains optical elements for reflecting or refracting light from the at least one light source.
- 15. A light emitting panel assembly comprising at least one light source, an optical panel member having at least one input edge for receiving light from the at least one light source, the panel member having front and back sides and a greater cross sectional width than thickness, at least one of the sides having a pattern of light extracting deformities that are projections or depressions on or in the at least one side to cause light to be emitted from the panel member in a predetermined output distribution, where the pattern of light extracting deformities on or in the at least one side has at least two different types of light extracting deformities and at least one of the types of deformities on or in the at least one side varies along at least one of the length and width of the panel member, and at least one film, sheet or substrate overlying at least a portion of one of the sides of the panel member to change the output distribution of the emitted light such that the light will pass through a liquid crystal display with low loss.
- 27. A light emitting panel assembly comprising at least one light source, an optical panel member having at least one input edge for receiving light from the at least one light source, the panel member having front and back sides and a greater cross sectional width than thickness, at least one of the sides having a pattern of light extracting deformities that are projections or depressions on or in the at least one side to cause light to be emitted from the panel member in a predetermined output distribution, where the pattern of light extracting deformities on or in the at least one side has at least two different types of light extracting deformities and at least one of the types of deformities on or in the at least one side varies alone at least one of the length and width of the panel member, wherein the panel member has a transition region between the at least one input edge and the patterns of light extracting deformities to allow the light from the at least one light source to mix and spread, and at least one side of the transition region contains optical elements for reflecting or refracting light from the at least one light source.
- 29. A light emitting panel assembly comprising at least one light source, an optical panel member having at least one input edge for receiving light from the at least one light source, the panel member having front and back sides and a greater cross sectional width than thickness, both the front and back sides having a pattern of light extracting deformities that are projections or depressions on or in the sides to cause light to be emitted from the panel member in a predetermined output distribution, where the pattern of light extracting deformities on or in at least one of the sides varies along at least one of the length and width of the panel member and at least some of the light extracting deformities on or in one of the sides vary in a different way or manner than the light extracting deformities on or in the other side of the panel member, and at least one film, sheet or substrate overlying at least a portion of one of the sides of the panel member to change the output distribution of the emitted light such that the light will pass through a liquid crystal display with low loss.
- 47. A light emitting panel assembly comprising at least one light source, an optical panel member having at least one input edge for receiving light from the at least one light source, the panel member having front and back sides and a greater cross sectional width than thickness, both the front and back sides having a pattern of light extracting deformities that are projections or depressions on or in the sides to cause light to be emitted from the panel member in a predetermined output distribution, where the pattern of light extracting deformities on or in at least one of the sides varies along at least one of the length and width of the panel member and at least some of the light extracting deformities on or in one of the sides vary in a different way or manner than the light extracting deformities on or in the other side of the panel member, wherein the panel member has a transition region between the at least one input edge and the patterns of light extracting deformities to allow the light from the at least one light source to mix and spread, and at least one side of the transition region contains optical elements for reflecting or refracting light from the at least one light source.
Specification