Portable lighting systems incorporating deformable light sheets

Abstract

In accordance with certain embodiments, illumination systems include a flexible light sheet that may be wound within and unwound from, or folded within and unfolded from, a storage unit having a power source for powering light-emitting elements on the light sheet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An illumination device comprising:
 a flexible light sheet comprising (i) a flexible substrate, (ii) a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed over the substrate, and (iii) a plurality of conductive traces disposed on the substrate and electrically interconnecting the plurality of light-emitting elements;   a storage unit configured to (i) accept and contain the light sheet in a rolled configuration therewithin, the light sheet being wound around an axis of the storage unit when contained therewithin, and (ii) dispense at least a portion of the light sheet therefrom via unwinding of the light sheet from the rolled configuration;   a winding mechanism for at least one of winding or unwinding the light sheet around the axis of the storage unit; and   disposed within or on the storage unit, a power source for supplying power at least to an unrolled portion of the light sheet and thereby illuminating the light-emitting elements of at least the unrolled portion.   
     
     
         2 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the winding mechanism comprises at least one of a hand crank, a motorized mechanism, or a spring mechanism. 
     
     
         3 .- 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein, when the light sheet is extended from the storage unit, a thickness of the light sheet is 5 mm or less. 
     
     
         6 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the light sheet comprises an array of optical elements disposed over the light-emitting elements. 
     
     
         7 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , further comprising a water-resistant or waterproof coating disposed over the light-emitting elements of the light sheet, the coating substantially conforming to a non-planar topography of the light-emitting elements thereunder. 
     
     
         8 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , further comprising a water-resistant or waterproof coating disposed over the light-emitting elements of the light sheet, a top surface of the coating being planar notwithstanding a non-planar topography of the light-emitting elements thereunder. 
     
     
         9 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises at least one of a battery disposed within the storage unit, a solar cell disposed on an outer surface of the storage unit, or a connector configured for connection to an external source of power. 
     
     
         10 .- 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the light sheet is configured to be wound within the storage unit to a radius of curvature of 50 mm or less. 
     
     
         13 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the light-emitting elements comprise at least one of bare-die light-emitting diodes or packaged light-emitting diodes. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the light-emitting elements emit substantially white light. 
     
     
         16 . The illumination device of  claim 15 , wherein a correlated color temperature of the substantially white light is in the range of 2000 K to 10,000 K. 
     
     
         17 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , further comprising a stiffener disposed along at least a portion of a leading edge of the light sheet. 
     
     
         18 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , further comprising a rotary electrical joint disposed within the storage unit, the rotary electrical joint being configured to preserve electrical contact between the light sheet and the power source during winding and unwinding of the light sheet. 
     
     
         19 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises at least one of a flexible battery, a flexible capacitor, or a flexible solar cell disposed on a surface of the light sheet opposite the light-emitting elements. 
     
     
         20 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , further comprising, disposed within the storage unit, at least one of (i) drive circuitry configured to convert power from the power source for use by the light-emitting elements, (ii) control circuitry configured to control at least one emission characteristic of the light-emitting elements, or (iii) communication circuitry configured to transmit information to or from the illumination device. 
     
     
         21 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein, when the light sheet is fully extended from the storage unit, a trailing edge of the light sheet remains mechanically anchored within the storage unit. 
     
     
         22 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein only the unrolled portion of the light sheet is illuminated, a rolled portion of the light sheet disposed within the storage unit being unilluminated. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more fasteners on the light sheet for positioning of the light sheet when the light sheet is at least partially extended. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more fasteners on the storage unit for positioning of the light sheet when the light sheet is at least partially extended. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements disposed over the substrate forms a fixed pattern in the shape of one or more symbols and/or letters. 
     
     
         29 .- 50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . The illumination device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one light-emitting element is coupled to one or more of the conductive traces with an anisotropic conductive adhesive, the anisotropic conductive adhesive being activatable via application of at least one of pressure, heat, or a magnetic field.