Film-Based Lightguide Manufacturing via Segmented Cutting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional edge-lit light emitting devices with rigid lightguides are limited in reducing thickness and volume, restricting design flexibility and illumination modes due to the difficulty in coupling sufficient light flux into thinner lightguides.
Innovation Solution
A method of manufacturing film-based lightguides involves cutting a film using different cutting processes in distinct regions to form an array of coupling lightguides, which are then folded and optically coupled to create a light input coupler, allowing for efficient light transmission and extraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If rigid lightguides are used to reduce thickness, then device thickness is reduced, but design flexibility and illumination modes are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid lightguides with flexible film-based lightguides that can be folded and bent. The film structure allows the lightguide to be conformally mounted to various surfaces and configured in different illumination modes, thereby maintaining thinness while significantly improving design flexibility and adaptability.
2Volume of moving object
If lightguide thickness is reduced, then device volume is reduced, but light flux coupling efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lightguide into multiple thin film layers with different optical properties. This segmentation allows optimization of light coupling at each interface while maintaining overall thinness, thereby preserving light flux coupling efficiency despite reduced volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite film structures with different refractive indices and optical characteristics. This composite approach enables effective light flux coupling into thinner films by creating optimal optical interfaces, thus maintaining coupling efficiency while reducing lightguide volume.
3Stability of the object's composition
If rigid frames are used to house light emitting devices, then structural stability is improved, but device flexibility and reconfigurability are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid frames with flexible film-based lightguide structures that can be conformally mounted to various surfaces. This allows the device to be reconfigured in different illumination modes and adapted to different form factors while maintaining sufficient structural stability through the film's mechanical properties and mounting methods.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the reduction of lightguide thickness and volume, enhancing design flexibility and illumination modes by effectively coupling light into thinner films, thereby improving the efficiency of light emitting devices.
Implementation Method 1
edge-lit configurations using rigid lightguides have been used to receive light from the edge of and direct light out of a larger area surface
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a lightguide includes cutting into a first region of a film using a first cutting process with a first cutting device to form a plurality of slits in the film defining lateral edges for each of a plurality of coupling lightguides extending from a body of a film, and cutting in a second region of the film different than the first region using a second cutting process different than the first cutting process with a second cutting device.