Light emitting decorative panels

摘要

Light emitting decorative panels using a light source at the edge thereof that may have a desired uniformity of light emission from a pattern thereon, and which are not subject to local shadows (shading) in a pattern part from patterns or pattern parts between the respective pattern or pattern part and the light source. The elimination of shading is achieved by the depressions of a given geometry disposed in an arc having a center at the light source, and sizes each depression or arc segment of a depression in being chosen accordance with 1), the distance of the respective depression or depression segment from the source of light, and 2), the number of depressions between the respective depression and the source of light, with a second order correction for the position of depressions between the respective depression and the source of light.

主权项

1. A light emitting panel for displaying at least one viewable illuminated decorative pattern in a viewable area of the panel comprising:
a transparent sheet having first and second surfaces bounded by edges; an LED light source disposed to couple light into an edge of the transparent sheet at a predetermined location on the edge of the transparent sheet; a first decorative pattern formed into the first surface of the transparent sheet to emit light from the source of light primarily from one of the surfaces of the transparent sheet and only in a pattern of the first decorative pattern and any other decorative patterns formed into the first surface of the transparent sheet, all such decorative patterns occupying less than the entire viewable area of the panel; the first decorative pattern being defined by depressions in the first surface of the transparent sheet to intercept some light passing through the transparent sheet from the light source and redirect that light out from a surface of the transparent sheet to illuminate the first decorative pattern; each depression defining the first decorative pattern being disposed in an arc having a center substantially at the source of light; each depression being continuous along its length and having a depth dependent on the combination of:
the distance of each depression from the source of light; andthe number of depressions between the respective depression and the source of light:the depth of each depression in the first decorative pattern or first decorative pattern part being selected to avoid an apparent shadow in the respective first decorative pattern or first decorative pattern part because of a second decorative pattern or decorative pattern part between the first decorative pattern or decorative pattern part and the light sourcethe depressions further away from the light source being deeper than the depressions closer to the light source.