Surface-Mounted Light Guide with Encapsulated Sources
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light guiding devices face complexity in production due to edge coupling of light sources, which increases mechanical damage risk and reduces optical performance, especially in backlighting applications where light is emitted perpendicular to the propagation direction.
Innovation Solution
A light guiding device with a transparent base substrate and a guide substrate that encapsulates the light sources, providing enhanced mechanical protection and optical coupling, and featuring scattering structures or reflectors to redirect light, allowing for independent light control areas and compact designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If light sources are edge-coupled to the transparent light guide, then light can be guided through the device, but the production process complexity significantly increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of coupling light sources to the edge of the light guide (conventional approach), the patent inverts the arrangement by mounting light sources directly onto the surface of the transparent substrate and using the substrate itself as the light guide. This eliminates the need for separate edge-coupling mechanisms and significantly simplifies the production process.
2Reliability
If light sources are edge-coupled to the transparent light guide, then light guidance is achieved, but mechanical damage risk increases during production and use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the light source mounting function with the transparent substrate structure by directly attaching light sources to the substrate surface. This integration eliminates separate coupling components that would be vulnerable to mechanical damage, making the overall structure more robust and reliable during both production and operation.
3Illumination intensity
If fluorescent lamps or LEDs are integrated by mechanical attachment at the edge, then light source integration is achieved, but optical performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the light source integration from the edge of the light guide and relocates it to the surface of the transparent substrate. This repositioning improves optical performance by enabling better light coupling and distribution while simplifying the integration process through direct surface mounting rather than complex edge attachment mechanisms.
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 enhances mechanical protection, simplifies production, improves optical coupling, and allows for flexible output surfaces, resulting in a more robust and efficient light guiding device with reduced mechanical damage risk and increased flexibility for illumination, backlighting, and signage applications.
Implementation Method 1
light from the light source is guided through a transparent guide, typically made of plastic, by total internal reflection
Implementation Method 2
light is directed so as to interact with scattering structures or films located within, or on the surface of, the transparent guide
Data Source
AI summary
A light guiding device and in particular to a light guiding device that can be used for illumination, backlighting, signage or display purposes is described. The light guiding device comprises a transparent base substrate, upon a first surface of which are mounted light sources, and a guide substrate arranged so as to encapsulate the light sources upon the first surface. In this way the guide substrate provides a means for guiding light produced by the one or more light sources over the first surface. The incorporation of scattering structures along with appropriate choice of the refractive indices of the various layers provides a highly flexible light guiding device that is typically less than 1 mm thick. The described light guiding device provides particular application as a seven segment display.