KAANDORP, Wouter, Petrus (LI Eindhoven ADL, Mathildelaan 1, BD Eindhoven, NL-5611, NL)
WU, Peng (Philips China Investment Co, ltdLane 888, Tian Lin Road, shanghai 3, 20023, CN)
MONTFORT, Vincent, Johannes, Jacobus, van (LI Aachen Philips GmbH-OLEDs, Philipsstrasse 8, Aachen, 52068, DE)
KAANDORP, Wouter, Petrus (LI Eindhoven ADL, Mathildelaan 1, BD Eindhoven, NL-5611, NL)
WU, Peng (Philips China Investment Co, ltdLane 888, Tian Lin Road, shanghai 3, 20023, CN)
| CLAIMS: 1. A window blind comprising: a plurality of light guide plates (110), each light guide plate (110) being configured to receive light through a first surface and direct the received light out through a second surface; wherein, for each light guide plate (110), the window blind further comprises: a light source (120) placed at an end of the light guide plate (110) and configured to emit light into the light guide plate (110); a cap (130) configured to house the light source (120); wherein the window blind further comprises a first driving circuit configured to individually drive the plurality of light sources (120). 2. A window blind as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first driving circuit comprises a plurality of second driving circuits, each associated with one light guide plate (110), wherein a second driving circuit of the plurality of second driving circuits is configured to drive a corresponding light source (120). 3. A window blind as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cap (130) is made of a heat-conductive material. 4. A window blind as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cap (130) is made of a heat conductive material and is further configured to cover the second driving circuit. 5. A window blind as claimed in claim 2, wherein the window blind further comprises a heat sink for each light source (120). 6. A window blind as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least any one of the second driving circuit and the heat sink is placed on a rear side (140) of the light guide plate (110). 7. A window blind as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the cap (130) is further configured to cover the second driving circuit and/or the heat sink. 8. A window blind as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a power-supply component (170), wherein the cap (130) comprises an opening (150) on a surface of the cap (130) so as to allow the power-supply component (170) to pass through the opening (150) and feed power to the second driving circuit. 9. A window blind as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the cap (130) has a shape matching the shape of the light guide plate (110) so as to be a tight fit with a part of the light guide plate (110). |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a window blind, in particular an illuminating window blind.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Window blinds are widely used all over the world for their light-blocking and decoration functions. There are two typical types of traditional window blinds, one being horizontal and the other being vertical. Normally, they are just hung inside behind the window and the light passing through the window blinds can be adjusted by adjusting the rotation angle of the blind blades from totally light-blocking to totally light-passing. Window blinds also can be piled to one side of the window area when unused.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
By integrating light guide technology into a window blind, a window blind can be obtained for illumination, decoration, atmosphere creation, space division, functional lighting, signage, etc.
The window blinds may comprise many kinds of components: a power supply component can be used to provide electric power to light sources comprised in a window blind; a heat sink may be used to cool light sources; and a driving circuit can be used to drive the light sources.
It would be advantageous to hide the above components out of the sight of users so as to improve the appearance of the window blinds. It would also be desirable to protect the above components from damage so as to improve the lifetime of the window blinds.
To better address one or more of the above concerns, according to embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a window blind comprising: a plurality of light guide plates, each light guide plate being configured to receive light through a first surface and direct the received light out through a second surface;
wherein, for each light guide plate, the window blind further comprises:
a light source placed at an end of the light guide plate and configured to emit light into the light guide plate;
a cap configured to house the light source;
wherein the window blind further comprises a first driving circuit configured to individually drive the plurality of light sources.
The basic idea of the present invention is to cover the light source with a cap. By applying a cap to house the light source, the users of the window blind will not see the light source.
Therefore, the appearance of the window blind is improved. In addition, the light source can be well protected by the cap and the lifetime of the window blind can be increased.
These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the window blind; and
Fig. 2 depicts schematic diagrams of embodiments of the light guide plate shown in cross- section.
The same reference numerals are used to denote similar parts throughout the Figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention presents a window blind 100. Fig.l depicts a schematic diag embodiment of the window blind 100. As shown in Fig. 1, window blind 100 comprises a plurality of light guide plates 110. Each light guide plate 110 is configured to receive light through a first surface and direct the received light out through a second surface.
The light guide plate is a light conductive plate, which can be made from a material such as quartz, glass, transparent resin like acrylic resin or polycarbonate, or the like. The first surface is the surface through which light from outside enters the light guide plate. The second surface is the surface through which light inside the light guide plate radiates out of the light guide plate for the purpose of illumination, decoration, etc. Thus, the light guide plate with light passing inside it can be used for illumination, decoration, atmosphere creation, space division, functional lighting, signage, etc.
For each light guide plate 110, the window blind 100 further comprises a light source 120 placed at an end of the light guide plate 110 and configured to emit light into the light guide plate 110. The light source 120 can comprise many kinds of illuminating components, such as fluorescent lamps, light emitting diodes, halogen lamps, incandescent lamps, organic light- emitting materials, etc. Each light source can comprise one or several kinds of illuminating components. The light source can be placed near the first surface.
For each light guide plate 110, the window blind 100 further comprises a cap 130 configured to house the light source 120. By applying the cap to house the light source, the users of the window blind will not see the light source. Therefore, the appearance of the window blind is improved. In addition, the light source can be well protected by the cap so as to improve the lifetime of the window blind.
Optionally, the cap can be made of a heat-conductive material. In this way, heat generated by the light sources or other components comprised in the window blind can be more easily dissipated to the outside.
The window blind further comprises a first driving circuit (not shown) configured to individually drive the plurality of light sources. The first driving circuit can have many functions, such as converting alternating current to direct current, or adjusting the strength of current. In an embodiment of the first driving circuit, the first driving circuit comprises a plurality of second driving circuits (not shown). For each light guide plate, a second driving circuit of the plurality of second driving circuits is configured to drive a corresponding light source, i.e. there is a corresponding second driving circuit for each light guide plate.
In an embodiment of the window blind, the cap is made of a heat-conductive material and further configured to cover the second driving circuit. In this way, heat generated by the second driving circuit can be more easily dissipated to the outside, the appearance of the window blind is improved and the covered second driving circuit can be protected from damage, thereby increasing the lifetime of the window blind.
Associated with each light source, the window blind further comprises a heat sink (not shown). The heat sink can dissipate the heat generated by the plurality of light sources and/or the second driving circuit to the outside.
In an embodiment of the window blind, for one light guide plate, the cap is further configured to house the second driving circuit and/or the heat sink. In this way, the appearance of the window blind is improved and the covered heat sink and/or second driving circuit can be protected from damage, thereby increasing the lifetime of the window blind.
In another embodiment of the window blind, at least one of the second driving circuit and the heat sink is placed on a rear side 140 of the light guide plate 110. The rear side of the light guide plate is the side facing the outside of a room when the light guide plate is rotated to block the light coming in from outside the room. By placing the second driving circuit and/or the heat sink at the rear side 140 of the light guide plate 110, the second driving circuit and/or the heat sink will not be seen by users when the light guide plate 110 is rotated to block all the light coming in from outside. In addition, when the cross-sectional 160 shape of the light guide plate 110 is not flat, but for example a curve as shown in Fig. 1, the second driving circuit and/or the heat sink can also be hidden out of the sight of users when the light guide plate is rotated so as to block only a part of the light coming in from outside.
When the second driving circuit and/or the heat sink are placed at a rear side of the light guide plate, the cap is further configured to cover the second driving circuit and/or the heat sink. In this way, the second driving circuit and/or the heat sink can be hidden out of the sight of users no matter how the light guide plate is rotated. In addition, the cap can protect the second driving circuit and/or the heat sink from damage, thereby improving the lifetime of the window blind. The cap can cover the second driving circuit and/or the heat sink in many ways; for example, the cap may comprise an extension part (not shown) to cover the second driving circuit and/or the heat sink. The extension part can be made of the same material as the material used for the cap or of a different material. The extension part can be made of a heat-conductive material. In this way, heat generated by the second driving circuit and/or the heat sink can be more easily dissipated to the outside. The length of the extension part can be the same as the length of the light guide plate or different from the length of the light guide plate, for example less than the length of the light guide plate.
In a further embodiment of the window blind, the window blind further comprises a power-supply component 170, and the cap 130 comprises an opening 150 on a surface of the cap 130 so as to allow the power-supply component 170 to pass through the opening 150 and feed power to the second driving circuit.
The power-supply component can be implemented in many ways, such as a cable. By applying the opening 150 on a surface of the cap 130, electric power can be supplied to the second driving circuit and/or the light sources without spoiling the appearance of the window blind.
Fig. 2 depicts schematic diagrams of embodiments of the light guide plate shown in cross- section.
The cross-section of the light guide plate can assume many kinds of shapes, such as a curve shape, a triangle shape or a trapezium shape, as shown in Fig. 2. For a light guide plate of a certain shape, the cap can have a shape matching the shape of the light guide plate so as to be a tight fit with a part of the light guide plate. For example, the cap has a curve shape if the light guide plate's cross-section has a curve shape, or the cap has a triangle shape if the light guide plate's cross-section has a triangle shape. In this way, the cap looks like a part of the light guide plate instead of mismatching with the light guide plate, so that the appearance of the window blind can be attractive.
In addition, by enlarging the lateral width d of the cross-section of the light guide plate, the second driving circuit and/or the heat sink placed on the rear side of the light guide plate can be better hidden from view of the users, and more components comprised in the window blind can be accommodated on the rear side of the light guide plate. In addition, when the light guide plate is not rotated to block all the light coming in from outside, because the light guide plate has a certain side width, a larger area of the light guide plate can be exposed to the users and hence more light from the light guide plate can be seen by the users. In this way, a better illumination or decoration effect of the window blind is achieved.
The above illustration focuses on the horizontal design of one end of the light guide plates, and the other end of each of the light guide plates can have the same design. In addition, the design of window blinds comprising vertical light guide plates is the same as that for window blinds comprising horizontal light guide plates and is not further elaborated here for the aim of simplicity.
It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention and that those skilled in the art will be able to design alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of elements or steps not listed in a claim or in the description. The word "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The use of the words first, second and third, etc, does not indicate any ordering. These words are to be interpreted as names.
Next Patent: A CHARGING CIRCUIT WITH CURRENT REGULATION