Flexible substrate mounted solid-state light sources for exterior vehicular lighting

A flexible light emitting panel for application to an exterior surface of a vehicle, comprising:

• (a) a flexible substrate sized and shaped to cover a selected portion of an exterior surface of a vehicle, said flexible substrate including a positive flexible conductive trace and a negative flexible conductive trace, each flexible conductive trace being adapted to couple to an electrical system of a vehicle to receive an electrical current,
• (b) a plurality of solid-state light emitting devices mounted on at least a defined portion of an outer surface of the flexible substrate in a spaced-apart array extending in two orthogonal directions, an anode of each solid-state light emitting device being electrically′connected to the positive flexible conductive trace and a cathode of each solid-state light emitting device being electrically connected to the negative flexible conductive trace so that an electrical current conveyed thereby is applied to energize each of the plurality of solid-state light emitting devices, the plurality of solid-state light emitting devices so energized thereby emitting light-outwardly and away from said flexible substrate;
• (c) a flexible protective, generally light transmitting cover overlying said plurality of solid-state light emitting devices, but not overlying a rear surface of said flexible substrate, said flexible substrate on which the solid-state light emitting devices are mounted and said flexible protective cover comprising a flexible panel that is adapted to be affixed to and conform to the exterior surface of a vehicle, even though the exterior surface is non-planar, producing light when the solid-state light emitting devices are energized by the electrical current.

A method for providing external lighting for a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a flexible substrate having an electrical conductor adapted to couple to a source of electrical power on a vehicle, said flexible substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface, the electrical conductor being disposed in at least one of the following locations:
• (i) on the lower surface of the flexible substrate;
• (ii) on the upper surface of the flexible substrate;
• and
• (iii) within an internal portion of the flexible substrate;
• (b) mounting a plurality of solid-state light emitting devices in a spaced-apart array on the upper surface of the flexible substrate, so that the plurality of solid-state light emitting devices are coupled to the electrical conductor, light emitted from the plurality of light sources when they are energized being directed outwardly and away from the flexible substrate;
• (c) protecting the plurality of solid-state light emitting devices with a flexible, generally light transmissive cover that overlies the array of solid-state light emitting devices and also conforms to the exterior, so that the flexible cover does not overlie the lower surface of the flexible substrate;
• and
• (d) attaching the lower surface of the flexible substrate to an external surface of the vehicle, so that the flexible substrate and the flexible generally light transmissive cover conform to even a non-planar shape of the external surface.

A multi-layer flexible vehicular light source adapted to mount on and conform to a shape of an external surface of a vehicle and to emit light that provides illumination of a surface over which the vehicle is traveling, indicates an intention of a driver to turn or stop the vehicle, and/or provides an indication of a location of the vehicle, said flexible vehicular light source comprising:

• (a) a first flexible layer comprising a flexible substrate having a rear surface, a front surface, and a plurality of edge surfaces, such, that a surface area of both said rear surface and said front surface are each individually substantially larger than a surface area of any of said edge surfaces, said flexible substrate including a plurality of flexible conductive traces, said plurality of flexible conductive traces being adapted to connect to an electrical system of a vehicle to receive an electrical current therefrom;
• (b) a second flexible layer comprising a plurality of solid-state light emitting devices mounted in a spaced-apart array on the front surface of the flexible substrate, said array extending in two orthogonal directions, said plurality of solid-state light emitting devices being electrically connected to the plurality of flexible conductive traces and energized by the electrical current, thereby emitting light outwardly and away from the front surface of the flexible substrate;
• and
• (c) a third flexible layer comprising a transparent flexible envelope that extends over the plurality of solid-state light emitting devices, and which does not cover the rear surface of the flexible substrate, providing protection against abrasion, the light emitted by the plurality of solid-state light emitting devices passing through the transparent flexible envelope, each flexible layer having sufficient flexibility that when all three flexible layers are combined to achieve the multi-layered flexible vehicular light source, the resulting multi-layered flexible vehicular light source is sufficiently flexible to conform to a substantially non-planar surface.

A multi-layered flexible vehicular light source adapted to mount on and conform to a shape of an external surface of a vehicle and to emit light that provides illumination of a surface over which the vehicle is traveling, indicates an intention of a driver to turn or stop the vehicle, and/or provides an indication of a location of the vehicle, said flexible vehicular light source comprising:

• (a) a first flexible layer comprising a flexible substrate having a rear surface, a front surface, and a plurality of edges, such that a surface area of both said rear surface and said front surface are each individually substantially larger than a surface area of any of said edges, said flexible substrate including a plurality of flexible conductive traces, said plurality of flexible conductive traces being adapted to connect to an electrical system of a vehicle to receive an electrical current therefrom;
• (b) a second flexible layer comprising a plurality of solid-state light emitting devices mounted in a high density array on the front surface of the flexible substrate, said high density array having a size and shape substantially similar to a size and shape of the front surface of the flexible substrate, such that substantially all of the front surface of the flexible substrate is covered by the plurality of solid-state light emitting devices, the plurality of solid-state light emitting devices being electrically connected to the plurality of flexible conductive traces and energized by the electrical current, emitting light outwardly and away from the front surface of the flexible substrate;
• and
• (c) a third flexible layer comprising a transparent flexible envelope that extends over the plurality of solid-state light emitting devices, but which does not cover the rear surface of the flexible substrate, providing protection against abrasion, the light emitted by the plurality of solid-state, light emitting devices passing through the transparent flexible envelope, each flexible layer having sufficient flexibility that when all three flexible layers are combined to achieve the multi-layered flexible vehicular light source, the resulting multi-layered flexible vehicular light source is sufficiently flexible to be able to conform to a substantially non-planar surface.