Flexible Transparent Substrate Lightguide for Compact Optoelectronics

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional optoelectronic solutions for controlling light emission and transmission in electronic products are complex, bulky, fragile, and costly, failing to meet the requirements of miniaturization, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness in applications like consumer electronics.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a flexible, optically transparent substrate with printed electrical conductors and optoelectronic components, combined with a flexible lightguide sheet, which allows for efficient light coupling and outcoupling, using standard equipment and scalable manufacturing processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If traditional coupling and filtering structures are used for light control, then light transmission control is achieved, but the structure becomes complex, bulky, and fragile

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight transmission controlVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical coupling structures with optical waveguides that use total internal reflection to guide light. This substitution eliminates complex mechanical filtering structures while achieving precise light control through optical principles, directly resolving the contradiction between light control capability and structural complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention employs thin film waveguide structures instead of bulky traditional optical components. These thin film structures provide efficient light coupling and control while being compact and flexible, thereby reducing both structural complexity and physical size while maintaining light transmission control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Illumination intensity

If traditional optoelectronic components are used, then light control function is provided, but manufacturing cost increases and yield decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight control functionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost and yield

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the optical system into modular waveguide components that can be manufactured separately and assembled. This segmentation enables standardized production processes, improves manufacturing yield, and reduces costs while maintaining the required light control function through the modular waveguide structures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Stability of the object's composition

If traditional rigid structures are used, then structural stability is achieved, but flexibility and miniaturization are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidflexibility and size

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses composite material structures combining rigid and flexible layers in the waveguide system. This composite approach maintains structural stability for optical alignment while incorporating flexible elements that enable miniaturization and adaptation to curved surfaces, resolving the contradiction between stability and flexibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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

The solution results in a robust, compact, and flexible electronic product with efficient light transmission, maintaining low manufacturing costs and utilizing easily obtainable materials, suitable for various applications including mobile devices and automotive displays.

Implementation Method 1

the light emitted by the light emissive components is incoupled to the lightguide, propagates therewithin, and is at least partly outcoupled to the environment through the substrate sheet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTotal internal reflection: Total Internal Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS9869810B2Method for manufacturing electronic products, related arrangement and product

Publication Date: 2018.01.16 TACTOTEK

AI summary

A method for manufacturing an electronic product, includes: obtaining a flexible, optically substantially transparent or translucent, substrate sheet; printing a number of electrical conductors on the substrate sheet in accordance with a predefined schematic; printing or disposing a number of electronic components including optoelectronic light emissive, preferably LED (light-emitting diode), components on the substrate sheet in accordance with the schematic, wherein at least some of the printed conductors are configured to provide electrical current thereto; and attaching a flexible, optically substantially transparent, lightguide sheet to the substrate so as to establish a functional multi-layer structure, where the light emitted by the light emissive components is incoupled to the lightguide, propagates therewithin, and is at least partly outcoupled to the environment through the substrate sheet. Related arrangement and electronic device are presented.