US4743410A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for manufacturing a flat illumination unit
Assignee: Siemens AG
•
Filing: 1986-03-28
•
Granted: 1988-05-10
•
Expires: 2006-03-28
Abstract
Abstract A method for manufacturing a flat illumination unit provides light guide channels in the form of transparent rods arranged in lines on the upper side of a plate. The upper side of a plate is coated with a casting compound and, after hardening of the casting compound, the plate is eroded from the opposite side until only the light guide channels remain respectively surrounded on three sides by the casting compound and therewith form a film.
Inventors
- 👤 Hartmut Grethen
- 👤 Werner Nickel
- 👤 Udo Scheer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 09:55
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B33/00; H05B33/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
79 words
A method of making a flat illumination unit, comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of spaced parallel transparent rods as light guide elements on one side of a plate; applying a casting compound over and between the light guide elements and permitting the compound to harden; and removing material of the plate from the side opposite that carrying the light guide elements until only the light guide elements, each surrounded on three sides by the casting compound remain.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
79 words
A method of making a flat illumination unit, comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of spaced parallel transparent rods as light guide elements on one side of a plate; applying a casting compound over and between the light guide elements and permitting the compound to harden; and removing material of the plate from the side opposite that carrying the light guide elements until only the light guide elements, each surrounded on three sides by the casting compound remain.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of applying a casting compound is further defined as: applying a casting compound of transparent material having an optical index of refraction which is lower than that of the light guide elements.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of: mirror coating of the one side of the plate carrying the light guide elements before applying a casting compound.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming transparent rods as light guide elements is further defined as: press forming transparent rods securing the same to the plate along parallel lines.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 4, wherein the step of removing material of the plate is further defined as: stripping the plate from the light guide elements after the casting compound has hardened.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming transparent rods as light guide elements in further defined as: forming web-shaped elevations as the light guide elements in a plate of transparent material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the step of forming web-shaped elevations is further defined as: molding a transparent plastic molding plate with a bottom die having depressions corresponding to the web-shaped elevations to be formed by the molding.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the step of molding is further defined as: applying a photopolymerizable clear lacquer as transparent plastic material; and hardening the plastic material by radiating it with light.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the step of forming web-shaped elevations is further defined as: injection molding a transparent plastic plate with a bottom die as a press die having depressions corresponding to the web-shaped elevations to be formed by the molding.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
81 words
The method of claim 9, and further comprising the step of: before pressing, making the press die by the steps of forming a plurality of webs by incising a plurality of spaced parallel grooves into a substrate to a predetermined depth and a predetermined width so that the web cross sections are equal to the cross sectional dimensions of light guide elements to be formed in the illumination unit, and making a form impression of the grooved side of the substrate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 10, and further comprising the step of: cutting the notches in the lacquer layer in columns, transversely of the grooves.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 11, wherein the step of cutting notches is further defined as: cutting progressively deeper notches along the lengths of the grooves.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method of claim 12, wherein the step of making a press die is further defined as: applying a lacquer layer onto a carrier layer; cutting parallel grooves into the lacquer layer to a respective depth and width equal to the height and intermediate spacings of the elevations to be formed; applying a conductive layer to the grooved lacquer layer; electrolytically forming a metal layer on the conductive layer; and removing the lacquer layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 9, and further comprising the step of: applying a lacquer layer onto a carrier as the substrate.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of making a flat illumination unit, comprising the steps of: making a bottom press die by the steps of incising a plurality of parallel grooves into a substrate line-by-line to a predetermined depth and a predetermined spacing relative to one another corresponding to the cross sectional dimensions of light guide elements to be produced in the illumination unit, making a first form impression of the grooved side of the substrate, and making a second form impression of the first form impression to be used for pressing a carrier plate; prior to incising the grooves, incising a plurality of parallel notches in columns into the substrate perpendicular to the line direction of the grooves; pressing a carrier plate with the bottom press die to produce a plurality of spaced parallel grooves in a substrate to a predetermined depth and a predetermined width equal to the cross sectional dimensions of light guide elements to be formed in the illumination unit; and filling the grooves with the transparent material.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of making a flat illumination unit, comprising the steps of: making a bottom press die by the steps of incising a plurality of parallel grooves into a substrate line-by-line to a predetermined depth and a predetermined spacing relative to one another corresponding to the cross sectional dimensions of light guide elements to be produced in the illumination unit, making a first form impression of the grooved side of the substrate, and making a second form impression of the first form impression to be used for pressing a carrier plate; prior to incising the grooves, incising a plurality of parallel notches in columns into the substrate perpendicular to the line direction of the grooves; pressing a carrier plate with the bottom press die to produce a plurality of spaced parallel grooves in a substrate to a predetermined depth and a predetermined width equal to the cross sectional dimensions of light guide elements to be formed in the illumination unit; and filling the grooves with the transparent material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 15, and further comprising the step of: mirror coating the groove side of the carrier plate before filling the grooves.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 15, wherein the step of incising notches is further defined as: incising the notches progressively deeper from column-to-column.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 17, and further comprising the step of: applying a lacquer layer as the substrate onto a carrier layer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 17, and further comprising the step of: applying a metal plate as an substrate onto a carrier layer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 15, wherein the step of making a first form impression is further defined as: applying silicon caouthchouc to the grooved side of the substrate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 15, wherein the step of making the first form impression is further defined as: applying a conductive layer to the grooved side of the substrate; electrolytically building up a metal layer on the conductive layer in an electrolytic bath; and removing the metal layer from the substrate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2185492A
Cited
US2274907A
Cited
US3238859A
Cited
US3431333A
Cited
JPS5829630A
Cited
US4482511A
Cited
JPS5872105A
Cited
US4408833A
Cited
US4478769A
Cited
US4619804A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-05-10 | 1991-11-09 | 1992-05-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-05-10 | 1995-11-09 | 1996-05-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-05-10 | 1999-11-09 | 2000-05-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |