Thin and flexible edge-lit waveguide illumination systems with complex surface topologies and light converting properties

An edge-lit waveguide illumination system, comprising:

• a thin and flexible layer of optically transmissive material having a monolithic structure, a rectangular shape, a length dimension greater than a thickness dimension by at least 40 times, a width dimension greater than the thickness dimension by at least 20 times, a light input edge configured for receiving light, a front surface configured for both receiving and distributing light, and an opposing back surface extending parallel to the front surface and configured for both receiving and distributing light, the thin and flexible layer of optically transmissive material comprising an optical waveguide configured to guide light using optical transmission and a total internal reflection;
• a plurality of discrete cavities formed in the back surface and distributed over the back surface according to a two-dimensional pattern with varying spacing;
• a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged along the light input edge and configured to emit light towards the light input edge;
• and
• a sheet of reflective material approximately coextensive with and positioned on a back side of the thin and flexible layer of optically transmissive material,
• wherein at least one of the plurality of discrete cavities has a curved wall, wherein at least a portion of the curved wall forms an angle of about 27 degrees with respect to a plane defined by the back surface.

An edge-lit waveguide illumination system, comprising:

• a thin and flexible layer of optically transmissive material having a monolithic structure, a rectangular shape, a length dimension greater than a thickness dimension by at least 40 times, a width dimension greater than the thickness dimension by at least 20 times, a light input edge configured for receiving light, a front surface configured for both receiving and distributing light, and an opposing back surface extending parallel to the front surface and configured for both receiving and distributing light, the thin and flexible layer of optically transmissive material comprising an optical waveguide configured to guide light using optical transmission and a total internal reflection,
• a plurality of discrete cavities formed in the back surface and distributed over the back surface according to a two-dimensional pattern with varying spacing;
• a planar heat-dissipating substrate disposed parallel to the thin and flexible layer of optically transmissive material and comprising a metallic material;
• a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged along the light input edge and configured to emit light towards the light input edge;
• and
• a sheet of reflective material approximately coextensive with and positioned on a back side of the thin and flexible layer of optically transmissive material,
• wherein at least one of the plurality of discrete cavities has a curved wall, wherein at least a portion of the curved wall forms an angle of about 27 degrees with respect to a plane defined by the back surface, and wherein at least one of the plurality of light emitting diodes comprises a side-emitting LED which is mounted to a surface of the planar heat-dissipating substrate and configured to emit light from a surface which is perpendicular to the planar heat-dissipating substrate.