The invention relates to an illuminating structure according to the preamble of claim 1. Background

Currently there exist flexible illuminating plane surfaces where the light is produced by LEDs. However, there are deficiencies concerning the control and mechanical structure of lighting produced in such a manner. Therefore, there is a need to develop illuminating structures. Brief disclosure

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved illuminating structure. This is achieved by the illuminating structure of claim 1.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in dependent claims.

The apparatus of the invention provides several advantages. In the illuminating structure, the light produced by LED units may be controlled independently of each other. A porous material and covering structure protect the LED units, flexible conductive pattern, and flexible base film from mechanical stress while they also modify the produced light. List of figures

The invention is now described in closer detail in connection with the preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 shows an example of an illuminating structure;

Figures 2, 3 and 4 show examples of a controlling LED units; and,

Figure 5 shows different areas that are controllable independently of each other. Description of embodiments

The following embodiments are presented by way of example. Even though the description may refer to "an" embodiment or embodiments at different points, this does not necessarily mean that each such reference refers to the same embodiment or embodiments or that the feature only applies to one embodiment. Individual features of different embodiments may also be combined in order to enable other embodiments.

Figure 1 shown and illuminating structure 90 which comprises a first flexible film 100, a first flexible translucent covering structure 110 and a first porous, flexible and translucent material 108.

The flexible film 100 comprises a flexible conductive pattern 102 and at least two LED units 104, 106, wherein LED stands for the English words Light Emitting Diode. These at least two LED units 104, 106 are electrically connected to the conductive pattern 102, which may supply operating electric power to said at least two LED units 104, 106. When operating electric power is fed to said at least two LED units 104, 106, said at least two LED units 104, 106 produce light. Light in turn is produced as defined by the supplied operating electric power so that the illuminating structure 90 supplies operating electric power to said at least two LED units 104, 106 independently of each other. This independent supply of operating electric power is implemented in a structural manner. The independent method of supplying operating electric power makes possible different control of power supply to different areas of the illuminating structure 90, which in turn allows the different areas to illuminate with different brightness and/or colour shade. The different areas of the illuminating structure 90 may have one or more LED units 104, 106 (see Figure 5).

The first flexible and translucent covering structure 110 is placed on one side of said at least one flexible film 100. The first flexible and translucent covering structure 110 modifies the distribution of the light originating from the at least two LED units 104, 106 as the light passes through the first flexible and translucent covering structure 110. In an embodiment, the distribution of light may refer to the surface brightness of the covering structure 110 as a function of location in the area of the covering structure 110. In an embodiment, the distribution of light may refer to the colour shade of the covering structure 110 as a function of location in the area of the covering structure 110. In an embodiment, the distribution of light may refer to the colour shade and brightness of the covering structure 110 as a function of location in the area of the covering structure 110.

In an embodiment, the distribution of light may refer to the magnitude of the light intensity as a function from the angle of detection of the covering structure 110. In an embodiment, the distribution of light may refer to the colour shade of the light as a function from the angle of detection of the covering structure 110. In an embodiment, the distribution of light may refer to the magnitude of the intensity and the colour shade of the light as a function from the angle of detection of the covering structure 110.

The first porous, flexible and translucent material 108 is of a predetermined thickness. Said at least one flexible film 100 and said first covering structure 110 are separated from each other by the predetermined distance. The predetermined distance is defined by the first porous, flexible and translucent material 108 with its own desired thickness. The first flexible and translucent material 108 scatters the light emitted by said at least two LED units 104, 106 as the light passes through the first flexible and translucent covering structure 108. The scattering may be single scattering, multiple scattering, or isotropic scattering. Scattering may be so intense that the light is diffused.

Translucent means that at least part of the light produced by the LED units may pass through the material layer (108, 110) either everywhere in the area of the material layer or at least in places without changing its wavelength (so, inelastic scattering is not taken into account here).

The first porous, flexible and translucent material 108 referred to in an embodiment comprises cotton wool or similar material. The cotton wool may comprise intertwined fibres that may be natural of synthetic. The first porous, flexible and translucent material 108 referred to in an embodiment comprises foamed polymer or similar material. The foamed material may be synthetic or natural biomaterial.

In an embodiment, the first flexible and translucent covering structure

110 is woven or meshy. In an embodiment, the first flexible and translucent covering structure 110 comprises cloth, plastic, or fibre-containing plastic.

In an embodiment, the first flexible and translucent covering structure

110 comprises on or more areas where the refractive index of light differs from that of the surrounding area. The change of the refractive index between areas having a different refractive index may be continuous or discontinuous. Continuous change refers to a slow and smooth change. Discontinuous change refers to a sudden change.

In an embodiment, the first flexible and translucent covering structure

110 comprises one or more areas where the colour shade of the covering structure 110 differs from that of the surrounding area. The change in the colour shade between areas having a different colour shade may be continuous or discontinuous. Continuous change refers to a slow and smooth change.

Discontinuous change refers to a sudden change.

In an embodiment, the first flexible and translucent covering structure

110 comprises one or more areas where the shape of the surface of the covering structure 110 differs from that of the surrounding area. The change in shape between areas having a different shape may be continuous or discontinuous.

Continuous change refers to a slow and smooth change. Discontinuous change refers to a sudden change. The shape of the surface causes the light to refract according to the shape of the surface. The shape of the surface may result from embossing and/or groove-pattern in the surface. The shape of the surface may result from the thickness of the woven or meshy structure and/or the distance between the threads.

In an embodiment, the first flexible and translucent covering structure

110 comprises one or more areas where the optical roughness of the covering structure 110 differs from the shape of the surrounding area. The different optical roughness causes a different light scatter from the surface The change in the roughness between areas having a different roughness may be continuous or discontinuous. Continuous change refers to a slow and smooth change. Discontinuous change refers to a sudden change.

In an embodiment, the LED units 104, 106 may be or may comprise packaged LEDs, unpackaged LEDs, bare chips, or the like.

In an embodiment, at least one of the LED units 104, 106 may comprise at least two LEDs whose optical bands differ from each other. The illuminating structure 90 may supply operating electric power to said at least two LEDs independently of each other to allow an independent illuminating colour shade and/or intensity of the at least two LED units 104, 106.

In some embodiments, shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, said at least two LED units 104, 106 may comprise at least two of the following: a red LED, blue LED, green LED, and white LED. As a combination of these, light of any colour shade may be produced by emphasising the colours the different LEDs produce in a suitable manner. Emphasising different LEDs may be performed by means of a control part 200 or separate conductors as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, and relating to them the control of LED units 104, 106 is explained.

One LED unit 104, 106 may comprise one or more light-producing p-n interface. Each p-n interface may in turn connect to the aforementioned LED. Each p-n interface of the LED unit 104, 106 may produce similar of different light as regards the power spectrum. In two similar power spectrums, the spectrum formed by the light wavelengths and the light intensity are the same, that is, both the wavelength distribution and the intensities of the wavelengths are the same. One p-n interface of the LED unit 104, 106 may produce red light, a second p-n interface may produce green light, and a third p-n interface may produce blue light. As a combination of these, light of any colour shade may be produced by emphasising the colours the different p-n interfaces produce in a suitable manner.

In an embodiment, the optical radiation of one or more p-n interfaces of each LED unit may be converted into light which has the desired colour by a fluorescent material, and which has the desired power spectrum. This applies to, for example, the p-n interfaces that emit blue light. This way, the blue light emitted by the p-n interface emitting blue light may be converted partly or entirely into white light, for example, by means of fluorescent material. In such a case, one p-n interface of the LED unit may produce red light, a second p-n interface may produce green light, and a third p-n interface may produce blue light. In addition, the fourth p-n interface of said LED unit may also emit blue light, but it may be converted into white light by means of fluorescent material. As a combination of these (red, green, blue, and white colour), light of any colour shade may be produced, having a visually natural feel to it.

In an embodiment, each LED unit may comprise only one or more p-n interfaces each of which producing at least approximately the same power spectrum. At least two LED units may in turn produce a different power spectrum. In an embodiment, at least one LED unit may produce red light, at least one LED unit may produce green light, and at least one LED unit may produce blue light. In addition, at least one LED unit may emit white light. As a combination of these (red, green, blue, and white colour), light of any colour shade may be produced by the illuminating structure 90.

In an embodiment, of which Figure 2 shows an example, the illuminating structure 90 may comprise a control part 200 in connection with at least one LED unit 104. There may be a control part 200 also in connection with all the LED units 104, 106. In this embodiment, the LED units 104, 106 are connected in parallel. The control part 200 may receive a control signal that adjusts the light produced by said at least one LED unit 104 by regulating input of electric power to the LED units 104, 106. This way, the light production by said at least two LED units 104, 106 may be adjusted independently of each other. The control signal may come from a user interface 202, by means of which a user may adjust the intensity and/or colour shade of the lighting produced by the LED units 104, 106.

In an embodiment, of which Figure 3 shows an example, the illuminating structure 90 may comprise a control part 200 in connection with at least one LED unit 104. There may be a control part 200 also in connection with all the LED units 104, 106. The control part 200 may allow electric power pass the LED unit 204, 206 to the desired extent. In this case, the amount of light the LED unit 204, 206 emits is dependent on the electric power going in to each LED unit 204, 206.

The user interface 202 and the control part 200 are as such of prior art, and there is no need to explain them in any closer detail in this context.

In an embodiment, of which Figures 2, 3 and 4 show an example, the illuminating structure 90 may comprise, in the conductive pattern 102, dedicated separate conductors 210, 212 from the terminals of one or more power source 206 to said at least two LED units 104, 106 to produce light with said at least two LED units 104, 106 in a manner independent of each other according to the operating electric power received by the separate conductors. In the solution according to the example of Figure 4, at least two LED units 104 have separate conductive patterns 102 in the illuminating structure 90.

In an embodiment, the texture of the first flexible and translucent covering structure 110 may modify the intensity of the light and/or the spatial distribution of the light originating from said at least two LED units 104, 106 and having passed through the first porous material 108 as it passes through the covering structure 110.

In an embodiment, a surface 112 of the first porous, flexible and translucent material 108, which is facing at least one LED unit 104, 106 may be formed curved, as desired, to direct the light and/or to coarsely scatter the light. That is to say that the texture and/or structure of the interface may be used to change the direction of the light as desired. This interface may be considered the light material incoupling structure.

In an embodiment, the illuminating structure 90 may comprise a second flexible and translucent covering structure 110' and a second porous, flexible and translucent material 108'. Said at least one flexible film 100 may be between said first porous, flexible, and translucent material 108 and said second porous, flexible and translucent material 108'. Said second porous, flexible, and translucent material 108' may be between said at least one flexible film 100 and said second translucent covering structure 110'. Said second flexible and translucent covering structure 110' may be similar to said first flexible and translucent covering structure 110, and said second porous, flexible and translucent material 108' may be similar to the first porous, flexible and translucent material 108.

Figure 5 shows and example of different areas that are controllable independently of each other. The division or areas is not restricted to that shown in Figure 5. The circles represent LED units 104, 106, and dotted lines separate the different areas 500, 502, 504, 506. The LED units of each area 500, 502, 504, 506 are independently controllable from the LED units of the other areas 500, 502, 504 and 506. The different areas 500, 502, 504, and 506 may thus illuminate with a different brightness or colour shade. The different areas 500, 502, 504, and 506 may also be controlled to illuminate with the same brightness and colour shade.

Even though the invention has been described above with reference to the examples according to the accompanying drawings, it is clear that the invention is not restricted thereto but may be modified in many ways within the scope of the accompanying claims.