Bidirectional lighting apparatus with light emitting diodes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9410684-B2
Application number	US-201514868691-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2015
Priority date	May 31, 2007
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

An exemplary printable composition of a liquid or gel suspension of diodes comprises a plurality of diodes, a first solvent and/or a viscosity modifier. An exemplary apparatus comprises: a plurality of diodes; at least a trace amount of a first solvent; and a polymeric or resin film at least partially surrounding each diode of the plurality of diodes. Various exemplary diodes have a lateral dimension between about 10 to 50 microns and about 5 to 25 microns in height. Other embodiments may also include a plurality of substantially chemically inert particles having a range of sizes between about 10 to about 50 microns.

First claim

It is claimed:

1. A bidirectional lighting apparatus comprising:
a flexible substrate at least partially transmissive to light;
at least one first conductor coupled to the substrate, the at least one first conductor at least partially transmissive to light;
a plurality of light emitting diodes distributed in parallel on the at least one first conductor, at least some of the plurality of light emitting diodes having a first, forward-bias orientation and at least one of the plurality of light emitting diodes having a second, reverse-bias orientation or a third, unbiased orientation;
a dielectric material between the lateral sides of the light emitting diodes of the plurality of light emitting diodes;
at least one second conductor coupled to the plurality of light emitting diodes and dielectric material, the at least one second conductor at least partially transmissive to light.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each light emitting diode of the plurality of light emitting diodes has a lateral dimension of 10 microns to 50 microns and a height of 5 microns to 25 microns.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each light emitting diode of the plurality of light emitting diodes comprises:
a light emitting or absorbing region having a lateral dimension of 6 microns to 30 microns and a height of 1 micron to 7 microns;
a first conductive terminal coupled to the light emitting or absorbing region on a first side, the first conductive terminal having a height of 3 microns to 6 microns; and
a second conductive terminal coupled to the light emitting or absorbing region on a second side opposite the first side, the conductive second terminal having a height less than or equal to 2 microns.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first conductive terminals of at least some of the light emitting diodes are coupled to the at least one first conductor in the forward-bias orientation and the second conductive terminals of at least some of the light emitting diodes are coupled to the at least one first conductor in the reverse-bias orientation; or wherein the first conductive terminals of at least some of the light emitting diodes are coupled to the at least one first conductor in the reverse-bias orientation and the second conductive terminals of at least some of the light emitting diodes are coupled to the at least one first conductor in the forward-bias orientation.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the light emitting or absorbing region further comprises:
a surface texture for light extraction.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein each light emitting diode of the plurality of light emitting diodes emits light bidirectionally through the first and second sides of the light emitting or absorbing region.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first conductor or the at least one second conductor further comprises a busbar, or a comb structure, or both a busbar and a comb structure.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the busbar or comb structure further comprises at least one third conductor, the at least one third conductor opaque or non-transmissive to light.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of first conductors and a plurality of second conductors arranged to provide series coupled regions of the plurality of light emitting diodes.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first conductor and the at least one second conductor comprise:
a transparent conductive material or compound.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a light dispersion structure, panel or layer.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one emissive or luminescent layer or region comprising at least one phosphor or fluorescent emitter.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when a voltage differential is applied to the plurality of light emitting diodes, light is emitted from the plurality of light emitting diodes through the at least one first conductor and the at least one second conductor.

14. A bidirectional lighting apparatus comprising:
a flexible substrate at least partially transmissive to light;
a plurality of first conductors coupled to the substrate, the plurality of first conductors at least partially transmissive to light;
a plurality of light emitting diodes distributed in parallel on a first conductor of the plurality of first conductors, at least some of the plurality of light emitting diodes having a first, forward-bias orientation and at least one of the plurality of light emitting diodes having a second, reverse-bias orientation or a third, unbiased orientation, wherein each light emitting diode of the plurality of light emitting diodes has a lateral dimension of 10 microns to 50 microns and a height of 5 microns to 25 microns;
a dielectric material between the lateral sides of the light emitting diodes of the plurality of light emitting diodes;
at least one second conductor coupled to the plurality of light emitting diodes, to the dielectric material and to a second conductor of the plurality of first conductors, the at least one second conductor at least partially transmissive to light.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first conductive terminals of at least some of the light emitting diodes are coupled to the at least one first conductor in the forward-bias orientation and the second conductive terminals of at least some of the light emitting diodes are coupled to the at least one first conductor in the reverse-bias orientation; or wherein the first conductive terminals of at least some of the light emitting diodes are coupled to the at least one first conductor in the reverse-bias orientation and the second conductive terminals of at least some of the light emitting diodes are coupled to the at least one first conductor in the forward-bias orientation.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the at least one first conductor or the at least one second conductor further comprises a busbar, or a comb structure, or both a busbar and a comb structure.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the busbar or comb structure further comprises at least one third conductor, the at least one third conductor opaque or non-transmissive to light.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:
a plurality of second conductors, wherein the at least one second conductor is a first second conductor of the plurality of second conductors;
wherein the plurality of first conductors and the plurality of second conductors are arranged to provide series coupled regions of the plurality of light emitting diodes.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of first conductors and the at least one second conductor comprise:
a transparent conductive material or compound.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the apparatus is at least one of the following:
a light bulb, a light tube, a lamp, a lighting fixtures, an indoor lighting fixture, an outdoor lighting fixture, a lamp shade, an architectural lighting fixture, work or task lighting fixture, an overhead lighting fixture, a safety lighting fixture, a dimmable lighting fixture, a colored lighting fixture, a theatrical lighting fixture, a color-changeable lighting fixture, a display lighting fixture, display lighting, an addressable display, a backlight, a display backlight, a mirror, indicia, signage, a package, a carton, a business product, an industrial product, an architectural product, a building product, and combinations thereof.

21. A bidirecti

Assignees

• Nthdegree Tech Worldwide Inc
• Nthdegree Tech Worldwide Inc

Inventors

• Lowenthal Mark David
• Ray William Johnstone
• Shotton Neil O
• Blanchard Richard A
• Oraw Brad
• Lewandowski Mark Allan
• Baldridge Jeffrey
• Perozziello Eric Anthony

Classifications

• F21K9/64

  using wavelength conversion means distinct or spaced from the light-generating element, e.g. a remote phosphor layer · CPC title

• F21K9/23

  Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings · CPC title

• F21K9/60

  Optical arrangements integrated in the light source, e.g. for improving the colour rendering index or the light extraction · CPC title

• H10W90/734

  between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL · CPC title

• H10W90/10

  Configurations of laterally-adjacent chips · CPC title