Illumination device including side-emitting LED
AssigneeLumileds Holding B.V.
InventorsFloris Maria Hermansz Crompvoets, Erno Fancsali
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An LED backlight system having a plurality of backlight segments including an integral light waveguide, each backlight segment supporting a sidelight emitting LED. A light guide is included in each of the plurality of backlight segments and defines a cavity having a top and sidewalls, with the sidelight emitting LED positioned in the cavity. At least one of a reflective layer and a top out-coupling structure can be positioned between the top of the cavity and the sidelight emitting LED.
Claims20
An illumination device, comprising:
- a printed circuit board;
- a light guide positioned on the printed circuit board,
- the light guide having a first side facing the printed circuit board and a second side facing away from the printed circuit board,
- the light guide shaped to define a cavity that extends into the first side of the light guide, and
- a side-emitting light-emitting diode (LED) positioned on the printed circuit board and inside the cavity,
- the side-emitting LED configured to emit first light,
- the cavity including a side wall configured to receive the first light and direct the first light into the light guide as second light,
- the light guide configured to direct the second light out of the light guide through the second side of the light guide.
A method for producing illumination, the method comprising:
- providing a printed circuit board;
- providing a light guide positioned on the printed circuit board, the light guide having a first side facing the printed circuit board and a second side facing away from the printed circuit board, the light guide shaped to define a cavity that extends into the first side of the light guide;
- electrically powering, via the printed circuit board, a side-emitting light-emitting diode (LED) positioned on the printed circuit board and inside the cavity;
- emitting first light from the side-emitting LED;
- receiving the first light at a side wall of the cavity;
- directing the first light through the side wall of the cavity into the light guide as second light;
- and
- directing the second light out of the light guide through the second side of the light guide.
An illumination device, comprising:
- a printed circuit board;
- a light guide positioned on the printed circuit board,
- the light guide having a first side facing the printed circuit board and a second side facing away from the printed circuit board,
- the light guide shaped to define a cavity that extends into the first side of the light guide, the cavity including a planar side wall oriented substantially orthogonal to the printed circuit board,
- the cavity further including a top wall that adjoins the side wall,
- the top wall facing the second side of the light guide,
- the top wall being substantially parallel to the second side of the light guide;
- and
- a side-emitting light-emitting diode (LED) positioned on the printed circuit board and inside the cavity,
- the side-emitting LED including a planar light-producing surface oriented substantially parallel to the side wall of the cavity and configured to emit first light toward the side wall of the cavity,
- the side wall of the cavity configured to receive the first light and direct the first light into the light guide as second light,
- the light guide configured to direct the second light out of the light guide through the second side of the light guide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.