US2016025311A1PendingUtilityA1

Led lighting system incorporating folded light sheets

51
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jul 28, 2014Filed: Jul 28, 2015Published: Jan 28, 2016
Est. expiryJul 28, 2034(~8 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Michael A. Tischler
F21Y 2103/10F21Y 2105/10H05K 2201/055H05K 2201/09127H05K 1/00F21Y 2115/10F21S 4/20H05K 2201/10106H05K 1/0286F21K 9/90H05K 1/189H10H 20/857F21V 23/002F21V 19/003F21V 7/05F21V 29/70F21Y 2103/003F21V 21/14F21V 11/18
51
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Claims

Abstract

In accordance with certain embodiments, flexible light sheets are folded to define first and second portions of the light sheet divided by the fold, and the first and second portions of the light sheet may both feature light-emitting elements thereon.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of sizing a flexible light sheet, wherein (a) the light sheet comprises (i) a flexible substrate having first and second opposed surfaces and (ii) a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed over the first surface of the substrate, and (b) in a first direction along the light sheet, the substrate has an initial size larger than a desired size, the method comprising:
 folding, along a line not parallel to the first direction, a first portion of the light sheet beneath a second portion of the light sheet,   wherein (a) the second portion of the light sheet has the desired size, (b) a first group of one or more of the light-emitting elements is disposed on the first portion of the light sheet and a second group of one or more of the light-emitting elements is disposed on the second portion of the light sheet, and (c) after the light sheet is folded, (i) light is emitted by both the first and second groups of light-emitting elements, and (ii) light emitted by the folded light sheet and observable to a viewer thereof comprises light emitted by the second group of one or more of the light-emitting elements but not light emitted by the first group of one or more of the light-emitting elements.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (a) the light sheet comprises a plurality of conductive traces disposed on the substrate and electrically interconnecting the plurality of light-emitting elements into a plurality of light-emitting strings, (b) the light-emitting elements are spaced apart at a light-emitting-element pitch in the first direction, (c) the light-emitting strings are spaced apart at a string pitch, in the first direction, that is greater than the light-emitting-element pitch, and (d) the desired size along the first direction is not an integral multiple of the string pitch, further comprising:
 cutting the light sheet along a cut line disposed between first and second light-emitting strings, thereby removing the second light-emitting string and reducing the light sheet to an intermediate size larger than the desired size.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein, after the light sheet is folded, a first portion of the first light-emitting string is disposed on the first portion of the light sheet and a second portion of the first light-emitting string is disposed on the second portion of the light sheet. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the light sheet comprises one or more power conductors thereon, the one or more power conductors providing power to the light-emitting strings. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, after the light sheet is folded, the second surface of the first portion of the light sheet is adjacent to the second surface of the second portion of the light sheet. 
     
     
         6 .- 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disposing a material only (i) over at least a portion of the first portion of the light sheet and/or (ii) between the first and second portions of the light sheet. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the material has a thermal conductivity greater than a thermal conductivity of the substrate. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disposing a cover over at least a portion of the first portion of the light sheet to substantially block emission of light therefrom. 
     
     
         13 .- 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a fixture having a length along the first direction, the length of the fixture being less than the initial size of the light sheet, wherein, after the light sheet is folded, (i) the desired size of the second portion of the light sheet is no greater than the length of the fixture, (ii) the first group of one or more of the light-emitting elements emits light in a second direction, and (iii) the second group of one or more of the light-emitting elements emits light in a third direction different from the second direction. 
     
     
         18 .- 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . An illumination device comprising:
 a flexible light sheet that is substantially planar in an unfolded configuration, the light sheet comprising (i) a flexible substrate having first and second opposed surfaces and (ii) a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed over the first surface of the substrate,   wherein:   the light sheet is folded along a fold dividing a first portion of the light sheet from a second portion of the light sheet,   the first portion of the light sheet comprises a first group of one or more of the light-emitting elements disposed thereon,   the second portion of the light sheet comprises a second group of one or more of the light-emitting elements disposed thereon,   proximate the fold, (a) the first portion of the light sheet is disposed beneath the second portion of the light sheet, (b) the first group of one or more of the light-emitting elements emits light in a first direction, and (c) the second group of one or more of the light-emitting elements emits light in a second direction different from the first direction,   light is emitted by both the first and second groups of light-emitting elements, and   light emitted from the folded light sheet and observable to a viewer thereof comprises light emitted by the second group of one or more of the light-emitting elements but not light emitted by the first group of one or more of the light-emitting elements.   
     
     
         29 . The illumination device of  claim 28 , further comprising a plurality of conductive traces disposed on the substrate and electrically interconnecting the plurality of light-emitting elements into a plurality of light-emitting strings,
 wherein:   the light-emitting elements are spaced apart at a light-emitting-element pitch in a third direction along the light sheet,   the light-emitting strings are spaced apart, in the third direction, at a string pitch that is greater than the light-emitting-element pitch, and   proximate the fold, a first portion of a first light-emitting string is disposed on the first portion of the light sheet and a second portion of the first light-emitting string is disposed on the second portion of the light sheet.   
     
     
         30 .- 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . The illumination device of  claim 28 , further comprising a material disposed only (i) over at least a portion of the first portion of the light sheet and/or (ii) between the first and second portions of the light sheet. 
     
     
         35 . The illumination device of  claim 34 , wherein the material has a thermal conductivity greater than a thermal conductivity of the substrate. 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The illumination device of  claim 28 , further comprising a cover disposed over at least a portion of the first portion of the light sheet to substantially block emission of light therefrom. 
     
     
         38 .- 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . The illumination device of  claim 28 , further comprising a fixture on which the light sheet is disposed,
 wherein (i) a combined length of the first and second portions of the light sheet is longer than a length of the fixture, and (ii) the second portion of the light sheet has a length no greater than the length of the fixture.   
     
     
         41 .- 44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . The illumination device of  claim 40 , further comprising a plurality of conductive traces disposed on the substrate and electrically interconnecting the plurality of light-emitting elements into a plurality of light-emitting strings,
 wherein:   the light-emitting elements are spaced apart at a light-emitting-element pitch in a third direction along the light sheet,   the light-emitting strings are spaced apart, in the third direction, at a string pitch that is greater than the light-emitting-element pitch, and   proximate the fold, a first portion of a first light-emitting string is disposed on the first portion of the light sheet and a second portion of the first light-emitting string is disposed on the second portion of the light sheet.   
     
     
         46 .- 48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . An illumination device comprising:
 a flexible light sheet that is substantially planar in an unfolded configuration, the light sheet comprising (i) a flexible substrate having first and second opposed surfaces and (ii) a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed over the first surface of the substrate,   wherein:   the light sheet is folded along a first fold dividing a first portion of the light sheet from a second portion of the light sheet, whereby the first fold defines a non-zero angle between the first and second portions of the light sheet,   light-emitting elements are disposed on the first portion of the light sheet,   no light-emitting elements are disposed on the second portion of the light sheet, and   the second portion of the light sheet has a reflectance greater than 60% to a wavelength of light emitted by a light-emitting element, and/or the second portion of the light sheet comprises a power conductor thereon, the power conductor providing power to the light-emitting elements.   
     
     
         50 . The illumination device of  claim 49 , wherein the second portion of the light sheet has a reflectance greater than 60% to a wavelength of light emitted by a light-emitting element. 
     
     
         51 . The illumination device of  claim 50 , wherein the second portion of the light sheet comprises the power conductor thereon. 
     
     
         52 . The illumination device of  claim 49 , wherein the second portion of the light sheet comprises the power conductor thereon. 
     
     
         53 . The illumination device of  claim 49 , wherein (i) the light sheet is folded along a second fold dividing the first portion of the light sheet from a third portion of the light sheet different from the second portion of the light sheet, whereby the second fold defines a non-zero angle between the first and third portions of the light sheet, and (ii) no light-emitting elements are disposed on the third portion of the light sheet. 
     
     
         54 . The illumination device of  claim 53 , wherein the third portion of the light sheet has a reflectance greater than 60% to a wavelength of light emitted by a light-emitting element. 
     
     
         55 . The illumination device of  claim 53 , wherein the third portion of the light sheet comprises a second power conductor thereon, the second power conductor providing power to the light-emitting elements. 
     
     
         56 .- 69 . (canceled)

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