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US 8,064,743 B2Granted
Discrete light guide-based planar illumination area
AssigneeOree, Inc.
InventorsNoam Meir, Micha Zimmermann, Yosi Shani
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one aspect, a planar illumination area includes two light-guide elements, each with an out-coupling region. At least a portion of each out-coupling region overlaps with at least a portion of the other. The overlapping region emits a substantially uniform light output power.
Claims21
A planar illumination area comprising:
- a first discrete light-guide element comprising (i) first and second adjoining non-parallel sidewalls spanning top and bottom surfaces, the first sidewall being reflective, and (ii) an out-coupling region partially bounded by the sidewalls;
- and
- a second discrete light-guide element comprising (i) first and second adjoining non-parallel sidewalls spanning top and bottom surfaces, the first sidewall being reflective, and (ii) an out-coupling region partially bounded by the sidewalls, the first sidewall of the second light-guide element being adjacent and opposed to the first sidewall of the first light-guide element,
- wherein (i) light in the first light-guide element striking its first sidewall substantially reflects therefrom rather than travelling into the second light-guide element, and (ii) light in the second light-guide element striking its first sidewall substantially reflects therefrom rather than travelling into the first light-guide element.
1 more element
A planar illumination area comprising:
- a first discrete light-guide element comprising (i) first and second adjoining non-parallel sidewalls spanning top and bottom surfaces, the first sidewall being reflective, and (ii) an out-coupling region partially bounded by the sidewalls;
- and
- a second discrete light-guide element comprising (i) first and second adjoining non-parallel sidewalls spanning top and bottom surfaces, the first sidewall being reflective, and (ii) an out-coupling region partially bounded by the sidewalls, the first sidewall of the second light-guide element being adjacent and opposed to the first sidewall of the first light-guide element,
- wherein (i) light in the first light-guide element striking its first sidewall substantially reflects therefrom rather than travelling into the second light-guide element, and (ii) light in the second light-guide element striking its first sidewall substantially reflects therefrom rather than travelling into the first light-guide element,
- and further comprising additional discrete light-guide elements forming, with the first and second light-guide elements, an array extending in first and second non-parallel directions, wherein the light-guide elements do not overlap in the first or second direction.
2 more elements
A planar illumination area comprising:
- a first discrete light-guide element comprising (i) first and second adjoining non-parallel sidewalls spanning top and bottom surfaces, the first sidewall being reflective, and (ii) an out-coupling region partially bounded by the sidewalls;
- and
- a second discrete light-guide element comprising (i) first and second adjoining non-parallel sidewalls spanning top and bottom surfaces, the first sidewall being reflective, and (ii) an out-coupling region partially bounded by the sidewalls, the first sidewall of the second light-guide element being adjacent and opposed to the first sidewall of the first light-guide element,
- wherein (i) light in the first light-guide element striking its first sidewall substantially reflects therefrom rather than travelling into the second light-guide element, (ii) light in the second light-guide element striking its first sidewall substantially reflects therefrom rather than travelling into the first light-guide element, (iii) each of the first and second light-guide elements comprises, spatially distinct from its out-coupling region, an in-coupling region, whereby light entering the in-coupling region is substantially retained within the light-guide element for emission from the out-coupling region, and (iv) each in-coupling region comprises a reflector to redirect light toward the out-coupling region.
1 more element
A planar illumination area comprising:
- a first discrete light-guide element comprising (i) first and second adjoining non-parallel sidewalls spanning top and bottom surfaces, the first sidewall being reflective, and (ii) an out-coupling region partially bounded by the sidewalls;
- and
- a second discrete light-guide element comprising (i) first and second adjoining non-parallel sidewalls spanning top and bottom surfaces, the first sidewall being reflective, and (ii) an out-coupling region partially bounded by the sidewalls, the first sidewall of the second light-guide element being adjacent and opposed to the first sidewall of the first light-guide element,
- wherein (i) light in the first light-guide element striking its first sidewall substantially reflects therefrom rather than travelling into the second light-guide element, (ii) light in the second light-guide element striking its first sidewall substantially reflects therefrom rather than travelling into the first light-guide element, (iii) each of the first and second light-guide elements comprises, spatially distinct from its out-coupling region, an in-coupling region, whereby light entering the in-coupling region is substantially retained within the light-guide element for emission from the out-coupling region, and (iv) in each of the first and second light-guide elements, light is emitted into the in-coupling region in a first direction, light propagates through the light-guide element in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and is emitted from the out-coupling region in a third direction substantially perpendicular to the second direction.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.