Electronic devices with yielding substrates

Abstract

In accordance with certain embodiments, a light-emitting element composed of one or more discrete units configured for light emission is adhered directly to a yielding substrate with a pressure-activated adhesive notwithstanding any nonplanarity of the surface of the light-emitting element or non-coplanarity of the semiconductor die contacts.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 .- 72 . (canceled) 
     
     
         73 . A lighting assembly comprising:
 a support panel having (i) a front face and (ii) opposite the front surface, a back face configured for mounting the lighting assembly;   an optical sheet disposed over the support panel;   spaced apart from the optical sheet and disposed between the optical sheet and the front face of the support panel, at least one light panel comprising (i) a substrate and (ii) a plurality of light-emitting elements (LEEs) disposed over the substrate; and   a support frame configured to support the support panel and the at least one light panel,   wherein a hollow opening is defined in the lighting assembly between the optical sheet and the at least one light panel.   
     
     
         74 . The lighting assembly of  claim 73 , wherein:
 each LEE comprises a light-emitting diode (LED) having first and second spaced-apart contacts;   the substrate is a yielding substrate having, on a first surface thereof and associated with each LEE, first and second conductive traces separated on the substrate by a gap therebetween; and   for each LEE, the first and second contacts are adhered to and in electrical contact with, respectively, the first and second conductive traces with an adhesive material without electrically bridging the traces or the contacts.   
     
     
         75 . The lighting assembly of  claim 74 , wherein the substrate is a flexible substrate. 
     
     
         76 . The lighting assembly of  claim 74 , wherein, for each LEE, the substrate comprises a local flexing or a local deformation for maintaining electrical contact between the contacts and traces during operation of the LEE. 
     
     
         77 . The lighting assembly of  claim 74 , wherein, for each LEE, the first and second spaced-apart contacts are substantially coplanar. 
     
     
         78 . The lighting assembly of  claim 74 , wherein the adhesive material comprises a heat-activated and pressure-activated adhesive material. 
     
     
         79 . The lighting assembly of  claim 74 , wherein the adhesive material comprises an anisotropic conductive adhesive (ACA) electrically connecting the first contact only to the first trace and the second contact only to the second trace. 
     
     
         80 . The lighting assembly of  claim 74 , wherein the adhesive material is activatable via application of at least one of pressure, heat, or a magnetic field. 
     
     
         81 . The lighting assembly of  claim 74 , further comprising a power supply unit having a first output and a second output, wherein (i) the first output of the power supply unit is configured to be electrically coupled to the first conductive trace, and (ii) the second output of the power supply unit is configured to be electrically coupled to the second conductive trace. 
     
     
         82 . The lighting assembly of  claim 73 , wherein a reflectivity of the substrate for a wavelength emitted by the LEEs is greater than 80%. 
     
     
         83 . The lighting assembly of  claim 73 , further comprising a housing in which the at least one light panel is at least partially disposed, the housing being configured to transmit light emitted from the LEEs. 
     
     
         84 . The lighting assembly of  claim 73 , further comprising, disposed on at least one said light panel, a control circuit electrically connected to the LEEs. 
     
     
         85 . The lighting assembly of  claim 73 , wherein the optical sheet comprises a diffuser. 
     
     
         86 . The lighting assembly of  claim 73 , wherein the hollow opening comprises an aperture defined in a lateral portion of the support frame. 
     
     
         87 . The lighting assembly of  claim 73 , wherein the support frame comprises a metallic material. 
     
     
         88 . The lighting assembly of  claim 87 , wherein the metallic material comprises steel. 
     
     
         89 . The lighting assembly of  claim 73 , further comprising at least one sensor. 
     
     
         90 . The lighting assembly of  claim 89 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one occupancy sensor. 
     
     
         91 . The lighting assembly of  claim 89 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one light-intensity sensor. 
     
     
         92 . The lighting assembly of  claim 73 , wherein the support frame is mechanically rigid. 
     
     
         93 . The lighting assembly of  claim 73 , wherein the support panel is mechanically rigid. 
     
     
         94 . The lighting assembly of  claim 73 , wherein the substrate is flexible. 
     
     
         95 . The lighting assembly of  claim 73 , further comprising one or more spacers disposed between the at least one light panel and the optical sheet. 
     
     
         96 . The lighting assembly of  claim 73 , wherein the hollow opening is defined in the support frame.