Abstract: A display comprises a reflective spatial light modulator having an active area, a plurality of lightguides stacked above the active area with one or more cladding or adhesive layers therebetween, and a light source positioned behind the reflective spatial light modulator to emit light that propagates into the plurality of lightguides such that it totally internally reflects within each lightguide of the plurality of lightguides, is extracted from each lightguide, and illuminates the active area, wherein each lightguide is folded at a first fold. In one embodiment a light mixing region of the plurality of lightguides comprises the first fold. In another embodiment, each lightguide comprises an array of coupling lightguides folded at the first fold such that they are stacked with their bounding edges positioned to receive the light from the light source.

Abstract: A film-based lightguide comprises a major sheet area comprising a light extracting region and a minor sheet area positioned between the major sheet area and an array of strips extended from the minor sheet area. Each strip of the array of strips is bent and stacked such that stacked ends of the array of strips define an input surface. The lightguide further comprises a bend in the minor sheet area that positions the array of strips behind the major sheet area in a thickness direction of the film in the major sheet area. In one embodiment, the bend in the minor sheet area bends the film by an angle of 180 degrees. In another embodiment, the bend in the minor sheet area positions the light input surface behind the major sheet area in the thickness direction of the film in the major sheet area.

Abstract: A display includes a reflective spatial light modulator; a lightguide having a core layer, at least a first cladding layer, and a light emitting region with a plurality of light extraction features arranged in a pattern that varies spatially in the light emitting region such that light exits the core layer in the light emitting region; a light source positioned to emit light into the core layer; a light redirecting optical element optically coupled to the second side of the first cladding layer including a plurality of light redirecting features directing light exiting the core layer toward the reflective spatial light modulator. The largest dimension of the light emitting region divided by the average thickness of the core layer in the light emitting region is greater than 100.

Abstract: A film-based lightguide comprises a major sheet area comprising a light extracting region and a minor sheet area positioned between the major sheet area and an array of strips extended from the minor sheet area. Each strip of the array of strips is bent and stacked such that stacked ends of the array of strips define an input surface. The lightguide further comprises a bend in the minor sheet area that positions the array of strips behind the major sheet area in a thickness direction of the film in the major sheet area. In one embodiment, the bend in the minor sheet area bends the film by an angle of 180 degrees. In another embodiment, the bend in the minor sheet area positions the light input surface behind the major sheet area in the thickness direction of the film in the major sheet area.

Abstract: In one aspect, a light emitting device comprises a lightguide formed from a film with a glass core layer and a thickness less than 0.5 millimeters, a plurality of strips extending from a lightguide region forming a light input surface, a light emitting region, and a light source positioned to emit light into the light input surface. In one embodiment, the light emitting device comprises a cladding layer optically coupled to the glass core layer. In one embodiment, a largest dimension of the light emitting region in a plane comprising the light emitting region divided by an average thickness of the glass core layer in the light emitting region is greater than 500. The light source may comprise a peak wavelength between 350 nanometers and 400 nanometers or between 800 nanometers and 1200 nanometers. The glass core layer may be a borosilicate glass.

Abstract: A light emitting device disclosed herein includes a light source and component thermally coupled to the component. The device further includes a lightguide formed from a film. The lightguide includes an array of strips extending from an area of the film. The array of strips is positioned adjacent the array of protruding teeth, the component thermally conducts heat from the light source, and the component at least partially restrains the film relative to the component.

Abstract: In one aspect, a light emitting device comprises a lightguide formed from a film, a plurality of strips of the film extended from a lightguide region of the film, each strip is folded and stacked such that the strips of the plurality of strips are parallel to each other and ends of the strips of the plurality of strips define a light input surface, light extraction features defining a light emitting region of the film, and at least one light source emitting light into the light input surface, the light propagating through the strips and the lightguide region by total internal reflection where it is directed by the light extraction features to emit a first light flux and the light from the at least one light source has an average light flux density in a cross-section of the light emitting region of the film greater than 100 lumens per square millimeter.

Abstract: A display includes a reflective spatial light modulator and a frontlight formed from a film having a light mixing region positioned along the film between a light emitting region and an array of coupling lightguides. In one embodiment, the light mixing region of the film and an electrical display connector are folded behind an active display area of the reflective spatial light modulator such that a light source positioned on the electrical display connector emits light into the array of coupling lightguides. In one embodiment, the light source and the reflective spatial light modulator are electrically driven by electrical connections on the flexible electrical display connector.

Abstract: In one aspect, a light emitting device comprises a lightguide formed from a film, a plurality of strips of the film extended from a lightguide region of the film, each strip is folded and stacked such that the strips of the plurality of strips are parallel to each other and ends of the strips of the plurality of strips define a light input surface, light extraction features defining a light emitting region of the film, and at least one light source emitting light into the light input surface, the light propagating through the strips and the lightguide region by total internal reflection where it is directed by the light extraction features to emit a first light flux and the light from the at least one light source has an average light flux density in a cross-section of the light emitting region of the film greater than 100 lumens per square millimeter.

Abstract: A display includes a reflective spatial light modulator having a reflective surface, a lightguide comprising a core layer, a first cladding layer, and a light emitting region comprising a plurality of light extraction features arranged in a pattern that varies spatially in the light emitting region to frustrate totally internally reflected light propagating within the core layer such that light exits the core layer in the light emitting region into the first cladding layer. A light redirecting optical element is optically coupled to the second side of the first cladding layer and includes a plurality of light redirecting features directing frustrated totally internally reflected light from the plurality of light extraction features toward the reflective spatial light modulator. In some embodiments the largest dimension of the light emitting region divided by the average thickness of the core layer in the light emitting region is greater than 100.

Abstract: In one aspect, a film-based lightguide includes a film comprising a light emitting region defined by a plurality of light extracting features, a plurality of coupling lightguide strips extending from the lightguide region of the film, wherein the light mixing region of the film is positioned along the film between the plurality of coupling lightguide strips and the light emitting region, the light mixing region comprises a plurality of interior light directing edges positioned between the lateral edges of the body of the film, wherein the interior light directing edges totally internally reflect light propagating in the light mixing region and redistribute light flux propagating within the lightguide region. In one aspect, pairs of the plurality of interior light directing edges define a plurality of channels that totally internally reflect light propagating therein and are tapered outward toward the light emitting region.

Abstract: In one aspect, a light fixture for illuminating an environment below a ceiling tile comprises a lightguide formed from a film including folded and stacked strips extending from a lightguide region of the film. In one aspect, the film comprises light extracting features defining one or more light emitting regions that extract light from at least one light source positioned to emit light into the stacked end of strips. In another aspect a region of the film between the one or more light emitting regions and the strips comprises a bend or fold such that when the film is positioned between the ceiling tile and a ceiling tile rail support with the one or more light emitting regions of the film positioned below the ceiling tile, the at least one light source is positioned above the ceiling tile or above the ceiling tile rail support.

Abstract: A lightguide, formed from a film with a thickness not greater than 0.5 mm, includes an array of coupling lightguide strips with bounding edges, a light mixing region, and a light emitting region. The coupling lightguides are folded such that the bounding edges are stacked together, and a light source is positioned to emit light into the lightguide through the stacked bounding edges, to conduct light into the light mixing region and then into the light emitting region. At least a portion of the light mixing region of the lightguide is wrapped around the stack of coupling lightguides such that it surrounds the stack of coupling lightguides and/or is in contact with at least two sides of the stack of coupling lightguides. The light mixing region might include a cladding with a pressure sensitive adhesive material.

Abstract: In one aspect, a display comprises a light source, a film-based lightguide with a light emitting region positioned adjacent to and directing light to an active area of a spatial light modulator in a thickness direction. The film may have a light mixing region positioned between a light input region and the light emitting region. In one aspect the display comprises a guide element having a surface curved in a first plane positioned along a first edge of the spatial light modulator, wherein the film is folded along the curved surface at a first fold such that the first fold positions a portion of the light mixing region above or below the active area, the light mixing region comprises the first fold, and an inner surface of the film in the light mixing region is in contact with and curved along the curved surface of the guide element.

Abstract: A light emitting device disclosed herein includes at least one light source and an array of coupling lightguide strips continuous with a lightguide region of a lightguide formed from a film, light extraction features, a cladding layer in the light emitting region of the film, and a light input surface defined by the stacked bounding edges of the coupling lightguide strips, wherein an area percentage of the light input surface comprising a core region is at least 98 percent. In another embodiment, the light from the at least one light source is not directly coupled into the cladding layer at the light input surface. In a further embodiment, a total thickness of the coupling lightguide strips at the light input surface is less than (n) times a thickness of the lightguide region of the lightguide where (n) is the number of coupling lightguide strips.

Abstract: In one aspect, a light fixture for illuminating an environment below a ceiling tile comprises a lightguide formed from a film including folded and stacked strips extending from a lightguide region of the film. In one aspect, the film comprises light extracting features defining one or more light emitting regions that extract light from at least one light source positioned to emit light into the stacked end of strips. In another aspect a region of the film between the one or more light emitting regions and the strips comprises a bend or fold such that when the film is positioned between the ceiling tile and a ceiling tile rail support with the one or more light emitting regions of the film positioned below the ceiling tile, the at least one light source is positioned above the ceiling tile or above the ceiling tile rail support.

Abstract: In one aspect, a light emitting device comprises a light source, a film-based lightguide with a light emitting region. The film may have a light mixing region positioned between a light input region and the light emitting region. In one aspect a ratio of a length of the light mixing region to a length of the light emitting region is greater than 0.1 in a first plane comprising the thickness direction. In one aspect the light emitting device comprises a guide element having a surface curved in a first plane positioned adjacent the inner surface of the film, wherein the film is folded along the curved surface at a first fold such that the first fold positions a portion of the light mixing region above or below the active area of the display and the light mixing region comprises the first fold.

Abstract: In one aspect, a light emitting device comprises a film-based lightguide including folded and stacked strips extending from a lightguide region of the film. In one aspect, the film comprises light extracting features defining light emitting regions that extract light from at least one light source positioned to emit light into the stacked end of strips. The light emitting device may include a light reflecting layer physically coupled to the light emitting device, laminated to a layer of the film, or printed onto a layer of the film proximate the light emitting region of the film. The light emitting device may also include a fastener configured to attach the light emitting device to a wall or ceiling.

Abstract: In one aspect, a light emitting device comprises a light source, a film-based lightguide with a light emitting region. The film may have a light mixing region positioned between a light input region and the light emitting region. In one aspect a ratio of a length of the light mixing region to a length of the light emitting region is greater than 0.1 in a first plane comprising the thickness direction. In one aspect the light emitting device comprises a guide element having a surface curved in a first plane positioned adjacent the inner surface of the film, wherein the film is folded along the curved surface at a first fold such that the first fold positions a portion of the light mixing region above or below the active area of the display and the light mixing region comprises the first fold.

Abstract: In one aspect, a display comprises a light source, a film-based lightguide with a light emitting region positioned adjacent to and directing light to an active area of a spatial light modulator in a thickness direction. The film may have a light mixing region positioned between a light input region and the light emitting region. In one aspect the display comprises a guide element having a surface curved in a first plane positioned along a first edge of the spatial light modulator, wherein the film is folded along the curved surface at a first fold such that the first fold positions a portion of the light mixing region above or below the active area, the light mixing region comprises the first fold, and an inner surface of the film in the light mixing region is in contact with and curved along the curved surface of the guide element.