Linear Light-Emitting Module for Textile Uniformity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional light-emitting fabrics suffer from inferior light uniformity and limited color variety due to directional light sources and conspicuous connections between conducting lines and light sources, restricting their ability to display more complex colors.

Innovation Solution

A linear light-emitting module comprising isolated conducting wires covered by a light-guiding insulating material, with LED packages disposed between the wires, each connected to exposed local portions, allowing for uniform and varied color emission, and integrated into a textile product with a structure-reinforcing textile for enhanced strength and durability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If conventional point light sources are used in light-emitting fabrics, then the structure is simple, but the light uniformity is inferior and color variety is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidlight uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the light source from the conducting line by using separate LED packages mounted on a substrate, with light-guiding insulating material directing light away from the conducting line. This segmentation allows the light emission to be uniform along the linear module while keeping the conducting line structure simple and separate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces light-guiding insulating material as an intermediary between the LED packages and the surrounding environment. This intermediary material guides and distributes the light uniformly along the linear module, preventing direct exposure of the conducting line while achieving uniform illumination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If conventional point light sources with directional limits are used, then the device complexity is low, but the light distribution and color display capability are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidcolor variety
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses multi-color LED packages that can emit different colors (red, green, blue, yellow, etc.) within the same linear light-emitting module. This multi-functionality allows the device to display a wide variety of colors and patterns without requiring multiple separate devices, maintaining simplicity while achieving versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables dynamic color changing capability by incorporating multi-color LED packages that can be controlled to emit different colors. The linear light-emitting module can dynamically switch between various colors and display patterns, providing adaptability for different applications while maintaining a single unified structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of manufacture

If conducting lines and light sources are closely connected in conventional designs, then the connection is straightforward, but the connections become conspicuous and reduce light uniformity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection simplicityVSAvoidlight uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the light-emitting function from the conducting line by using separate LED packages mounted on a substrate. The light-guiding insulating material further extracts and redirects the light away from the conducting line, making the conducting line invisible and achieving uniform light distribution without the conducting line being conspicuous.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Adaptability or versatility

If flexible conducting wires are used for adaptability, then the adaptability to textile products is improved, but the tensile strength may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidtensile strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a composite structure where flexible conducting wires are mounted on a flexible substrate with light-guiding insulating material. This composite construction combines the flexibility needed for textile integration with the structural integrity required for tensile strength, as the substrate and insulating material provide mechanical support to the conducting wires.

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 achieves uniform and varied color emission with improved light distribution and increased tensile strength and anti-abrasiveness, enabling a wide range of applications from garments to safety signs, while maintaining light intensity and optical quality.

Implementation Method 1

a light-guiding insulating material partially covers the conducting wires which are isolated from each other

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight guidance: Waveguide (optics)

Implementation Method 2

A linear light-emitting module comprises a conducting line, a plurality of LED packages

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight-emitting diode effect: Light Emitting Diode

Implementation Method 3

each of the LED packages comprises a light-emergence surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectroluminescence: Electroluminescence

Data Source

PatentEP2418417B1Linear light-emitting module and textile product having the same
Publication Date: 2014.05.07 TAIWAN TEXTILE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
  • EP2418417B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2418417B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP2418417B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

A linear light-emitting module (100) including a conducting line (110), a plurality of LED packages (120), and a plurality of package colloid (130) is provided. The conducting line (110) includes a pair of conducting wires (112a, 112b) which are isolated from each other and a light-guiding insulating material (114). The light-guiding insulating material (114) partially covers the conducting wires (112) so as to expose a plurality of local portions (140). The LED packages (120) are disposed between the conducting wires (112a, 112b), and each of the LED packages (120) is electrically connected to one of the local portions (140), wherein each LED package (120) has a light-emergence surface (122), and the light-emergence surface (122) is substantially perpendicular to an extension direction (d) of the corresponding local portion (140). The package colloid (130) cover the LED packages (120) and the local portions (140). A textile product having the foregoing linear light-emitting module (100) is also provided.