Patent Publication Number: US-10332431-B2

Title: Lighting label

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a lighting label that illuminates using a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) as a light source and adheres to a curved surface of a container. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A product&#39;s label and packaging are the first things a potential customer sees when viewing items. A lighting label increases the visual appeal of the product with a sophisticated and luxurious appearance. Also, a lighting label gives better contrast to the product label that makes it easily distinguishable. Methods and apparatus that assist in advancing technological needs and industrial applications in providing a lighting label are desirable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One example embodiment is a lighting label that adheres on a curved surface of a container. The lighting label includes a translucent layer, an illuminating layer, a flexible printed circuit (FPC) and a waterproof sealant that seals an edge of the lighting label. The translucent layer diffuses light and has a curved surface that matches the curved surface of the container. The illuminating layer has a shape of the translucent layer and includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a light guide panel. The LEDs are located at a bottom periphery of the illuminating layer. The light guide panel connects to the LEDs and includes dots that scatter the light generated from the LEDs. The FPC includes an end that connects to the LEDs and has a shape matches the bottom periphery of the illuminating layer. The waterproof sealant is transparent to illuminate with the light around the edge of the lighting label. A front side of the illuminating layer and the end of the FPC adhere to a back side of the translucent layer. 
     Other example embodiments are discussed herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a block diagram for a lighting label in accordance with an example embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of a lighting label in accordance with an example embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  shows a section view of a lighting label in accordance with an example embodiment. 
         FIG. 4A  shows a front view of a lighting label in accordance with an example embodiment. 
         FIG. 4B  shows a top view of a lighting label in accordance with an example embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  shows a lighting label in accordance with an example embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  shows a light guide panel of a lighting label in accordance with an example embodiment. 
         FIG. 7A  shows a side view of a lighting label in accordance with an example embodiment. 
         FIG. 7B  shows a partial enlarged view of the lighting label in accordance with an example embodiment in  FIG. 7A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Example embodiments relate to a lighting label that adheres on a curved surface of a container. 
     In a dark environment, for example, a dimly lit restaurant or club, it is difficult to read a label of a container or a bottle. A lighting label facilitates the user to recognize the brand, logo or the information of the product. 
     In addition, labelling plays a vital role in the sale of a product and adds aesthetic value to the product itself. A lighting label is eye-catching that attracts customers and helps customers to differentiate the product from others. 
     Conventional or existing lighting labels use electroluminescent (EL) elements that emit light in response to a passage of an electric current. However, EL elements are limited in the color ranges due to the properties of the material used to manufacture the EL elements. Thus, conventional or existing lighting labels cannot change color. Furthermore, conventional or existing lighting labels have limited lighting effects since EL elements cannot blink rapidly. Also, EL elements suffer from performance degradation over time and so conventional or existing lighting labels are short life. Conventional lighting labels are also not able to have curved shapes that can effectively attach to curved surfaces, such as a curved surface of a bottle. Such lighting labels also have power supplies that are bulky or protrude from the bottle or container and thus provide an impractical or unsightly appearance for the product. 
     Example embodiments solve the above-stated problems by using light emitting diode (LED) as light source for a lighting label to produce pure monochromatic light of different colors over a curved surface. Thus, unlimited colors are available in the light label. Also, since LED can run with different blinking patterns and lighting modes by implementing switches in designed circuit that communicates with electronic devices, the lighting label can have different lighting effects, such as strobing, flashing, fade in and fade out according to user&#39;s needs. 
     Example embodiments provide a lighting label that is not easily affected by environmental temperature and humidity changes. The Lighting label is long life and reusable. 
     Furthermore, example embodiments provide a lighting label formed of multiple layers. These layers enable the lighting label to readily attach to curved surfaces, such as a surface of a bottle or other container. These layers include a flexible or bendable printed circuit to accommodate for curved surfaces. 
     Further yet, an example embodiment provides a power supply located in a recess or cavity formed in the container, such as locating the power supply in a cavity formed in an end of a bottle, such as a beer bottle, wine bottle, or champagne bottle. As such, the power supply is unobtrusive and does not interfere with a user handling the bottle. 
     It is technically difficult to have homogenous lighting on a curved surface by scattering light generated from a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) throughout a light guide panel. Example embodiments solve technical difficulties by arranging sizes of dots of a curved light guide panel based on the distance of dots from the plurality of LEDs to produce a highly uniform luminance. 
     Example embodiments satisfy different needs or desires of users by providing a lighting label that illuminates while affixed to a curved surface of a bottle. The lighting label includes a pattern layer which includes a logo of the bottle and illuminates with light from a surface of the lighting label. The lighting label includes a waterproof sealant that seals an edge of the lighting label and is transparent to illuminate with the light around the edge of the lighting label. 
       FIG. 1  shows a lighting label  110  that adheres on a curved surface of a container in one or more example embodiments. The lighting label includes a translucent layer  120 , an illuminating layer  130 , a flexible printed circuit (FPC)  140  and a waterproof sealant  150 . The illuminating layer  130  includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs)  132  and a light guide panel  134 . 
     By way of example, the translucent layer  120  diffuses light and has a curved surface that matches or approximates the curved surface of the container. 
     By way of example, the illuminating layer  130  that matches or approximates a shape of the translucent layer  120 . 
     By way of example, the plurality of LEDs  132  are located at a bottom periphery of the illuminating layer  130 . 
     By way of example, the LEDs  132  include but not limited to red green blue (RGB) LEDs, though other types of lights can also be used for example embodiments. 
     By way of example, the light guide panel  134  connects to the LEDs  132  and includes dots that scatter the light generated from the LEDs  132 . 
     By way of example, the FPC  140  includes an end that connects to the LEDs  132  and has a shape that matches or approximates the bottom periphery of the illuminating layer  130 . 
     By way of example, the waterproof sealant  150  seals an edge of the lighting label  110  and is transparent to illuminate with the light around the edge of the lighting label  110 . 
     By way of example, a front side of the illuminating layer  130  and the end of the FPC  140  adhere to a back side of the translucent layer  120 . 
       FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of a lighting label  200  that illuminates while affixed to a curved surface of a bottle in one example embodiment. 
     The lighting label  200  includes a pattern layer  210 , a translucent layer  220 , a FPC  240 , and an illuminating layer  250 . 
     The illuminating layer  250  is formed with a light guide panel  256  and a plurality of LEDs  254 . The illuminating layer  250  has a shape of a curved surface that affixes to a curved surface of the bottle. 
     The plurality of LEDs  254  are arranged on a bottom periphery  252  of the illuminating layer  250 . 
     The FPC  240  has one end  242  connected to the LEDs  254  and another end  246  connected to a power supply that is located in a cavity formed in an end of the bottle (not shown). By way of example, the power supply sits underneath in a cavity or recess in the bottle and is not observable when the bottle stands on a table. 
     The translucent layer  220  has a shape that matches or approximates the shape of the curved surface of the illuminating layer  250 . The translucent layer  220  adheres to a front side of the illuminating layer  250 . 
     The pattern layer  210  has a shape that matches or approximates the shape of the curved surface of the illuminating layer  250 . The pattern layer  210  adheres to a front side of the translucent layer  220  such that the translucent layer  220  is sandwiched between the illuminating layer  250  and the pattern layer  210 . The pattern layer  210  includes a logo of the bottle and illuminates with light from the LEDs  254 . 
     By way of example, a first adhesive layer  230  is disposed between the translucent layer  220  and the illuminating layer  250  to affix the translucent layer  220  to the illuminating layer  250 . By way of example, a second adhesive layer  260  is disposed between the illuminating layer  250  and the surface of the bottle to affix the illuminating layer  260  to the bottle. 
     By way of example, the first adhesive layer  230  and the second adhesive layer  260  are double sided tape. 
     By way of example, the first adhesive layer  230  is adhesive only around the periphery  232  of the first adhesive layer  230 . 
     By way of example, the translucent layer  220  is made of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET). 
     By way of example, the illuminating layer  250 , the translucent layer  220 , and the pattern layer  210  have a shape of a shield and affix to a surface of a champagne bottle. 
     By way of example, the pattern layer  210 , the translucent layer  220 , the first adhesive layer  203 , the light guide panel  250 , the second adhesive layer and a release paper  270  have the same or similar shape. By way of example, the one end  242  of the FPC  240  has the same shape of the bottom periphery  252  of the illuminating layer  250 . All the layers of the lighting label  200  are aligned such that an edge around the periphery of the lighting label  200  is flat and does not have protrusion of any layer. This example embodiment is advantageous since a sealant seals the edge of the lighting label  200  in a line with minimum amount of the sealant that can prevent entry of moisture or water and can allow uniform brightness of light passing through the line of the sealant. By way of example, the sealant is waterproof and transparent. 
       FIG. 3  shows a section view of a lighting label  300  that adheres on a curved surface of a container in one example embodiment. The lighting label  300  includes a pattern layer  310 , a translucent layer  320  and an illuminating layer  350 . A front side of the illuminating layer  350  and an end  340  of a FPC adhere to the translucent layer  320  via a first double side tape  330 . A back side of the illuminating layer  350  adheres to a second double side tape  360  for adhering on a release paper layer  370  or the curved surface of the container. 
       FIG. 4A  shows a front view of a lighting label  400  that adheres on a curved surface of a container in one example embodiment. The lighting label  400  includes a pattern layer  440 . The pattern layer  440  is waterproof and has one side disposed on an outside of the container and a second side abutting against a translucent layer and a non-exposure portion of a FPC  420  of the lighting label  400 . The pattern layer  440  includes an opaque area (not shown) and a transparent area (not shown) that show a logo of a container. The opaque area does not allow light to pass through and the transparent area allows light to pass through. The pattern layer  440  has a shape that matches or approximates a shape of a translucent layer  446  and a shape of a non-exposure portion  442  of the FPC  420 . 
     By way of example, the length of the shape of a translucent layer  446  is around 94 mm. By way of example, the width of the shape of a translucent layer  446  is around 72.9 mm. By way of example, the length of the shape of the non-exposure portion  442  of the FPC  420  is around 52.6 mm. By way of example, a boundary of the shape of a translucent layer  446  illuminates with light scattered by a light guide panel of the lighting label  400  such that when the container stands on a table, a discontinuous luminance at a bottom periphery where a plurality of LEDs are located is not observable. 
       FIG. 4B  shows a top view of a lighting label  444  in one example embodiment. The lighting label  444  includes different layers which has different thickness and flatness but are aligned to have a flat surface on the edge of the lighting label  444 . The lighting label  444  includes a waterproof sealant (not shown) that seals an edge of the lighting label  444  to block the passage of fluids (e.g. water) through the surfaces of the layers. By way of example, the waterproof sealant is silicone. The lighting label  444  includes layers that are made of waterproof materials and are unaffected by extremes of temperature. By way of example, the lighting label  444  is resistant to temperature of 0° degrees for at least eight hours. By way of example, the lighting label  444  are resistant for normal situation of −5° degrees to 60° degrees. By way of example, a user can remove the lighting label  444  of a bottle and reuse it for another bottle. 
       FIG. 5  shows an illuminating layer  500  of a lighting label that adheres on a curved surface of a container and includes partial enlarged views in one example embodiment. The illuminating layer  500  includes a plurality of LEDs  590  that are located at a bottom periphery of the illuminating layer  500 , and a light guide panel  510  that connects to the LEDs  590  and includes dots that scatter the light generated from the LEDs  590 . The LEDs  590  have different heights with respect to a base of the container. The sizes of the dots of the light guide panel  510  increase with increasing distance from the plurality of LEDs  590  such that a homogeneous brightness of the light is scattered from a surface and an edge of the light guide panel  510 . 
     By way of example, a same or similar brightness of the light is scattered from a surface of the light guide panel  510 . By way of example, the dots  512  at one end of the light guide panel  510  furthest from the LEDs  590  have a largest size. By way of example, the dots  516  at one end of the light guide panel  510  closet to the LEDs  590  have a smallest size. By way of example, the dots  514  that are located between the dots  512  and the dots  516  of the light guide panel  510  have a size between the largest size and the smallest size. 
       FIG. 6  shows a light guide panel  600  of a lighting label in one example embodiment. By way of example, the light guide panel  600  has a plurality of cuts  612  at a bottom periphery  614  of an illuminating layer of the lighting label to accommodate a plurality of LEDs. By way of example, the plurality of LEDs are arranged on the FPC before assembly of the lighting label and the LEDs are press molded to connect with the light guide panel  600  to form the illuminating layer. By way of example, a width of curvature W 1  of the light guide panel  600  is greater than 18 mm. By way of example, W 1  of the light guide panel  600  is around 18.44 mm. By way of example, a thickness T 1  of the light guide panel  600  is not greater than 1 mm. By way of example, T 1  of the light guide panel  600  is around 0.80 mm. 
       FIG. 7A  shows a side view of a lighting label  700  that illuminates while affixed to a curved surface of a bottle in one example embodiment. The lighting label  700  includes a pattern layer  710  at a front side of the lighting label  700  and a release paper layer  770  at a back side of the lighting label  700 . The lighting label  700  also includes a FPC  740  that has one end connected to a plurality of LEDs and another end connected to a power supply that is located in a cavity formed in an end of the bottle. The FPC  740  includes an exposure portion  744  that has one side disposed on an outside of a curved surface of a bottle and a non-exposure portion  742  that has one side abutting against the pattern layer  710 . By way of example, a length of the non-exposure portion  742  is around 28.8 mm. By way of example, a width of curvature W 2  of the lighting label  700  is greater than 18 mm. By way of example, a width of curvature W 2  of the lighting label  700  is around 18.4 mm. 
       FIG. 7B  shows a partial enlarged view  701  of the lighting label  700  shown in  FIG. 7A . The lighting label  700  includes six different layers that include a pattern layer  710  having one side disposed on an outside of the bottle and a second side abutting against a translucent layer  720 , the translucent layer  720 , a first adhesive layer  730  disposed between the translucent layer  720  and an illuminating layer  750 , the illuminating layer  750 , a second adhesive layer  760  disposed between the illuminating layer  750  and a release paper layer  770 , the release paper layer  770 . By way of example, the thickness T 2  of the lighting label  700  is not greater than 1.5 mm. By way of example, the thickness T 2  of the lighting label is around 1.45 mm. The release paper layer  770  protects a back side of the second adhesive layer  760 . By way of example, the release paper layer  770  is a paper or plastic-based film sheet used to prevent the back side of the second adhesive layer  760  from prematurely adhering. To affix the lighting label  700  to the curved surface of the bottle, the release paper layer  770  is removed and the back side of the second adhesive layer  760  is affixed to the curved surface of the bottle. 
     As used herein, “flexible printed circuit” and “FPC” is conductive wires bonded on a flexible substrate that carries electrical signal. 
     As used herein, “container” and “bottle” is interchangeable and is a receptacle that has a curved surface for holding, storing and transporting objects or materials, such as liquids. Examples of a bottle include, but are not limited to, beer bottles, wine bottles, champagne bottles, and other bottles that carry liquids for consumer consumption or use. 
     As used herein, “light guide panel” is an area on which a matrix of dots are protruded from the light guide panel from molding on the same piece and used to distribute light from a light source over an entire surface of the area. By way of example, the light guide panel is made of PET or equivalent. 
     The lighting label in accordance with example embodiments are provided as examples, and examples of one lighting label should not be construed to limit examples from another lighting label. Further, the lighting label discussed within different figures can be added to or exchanged with configurations in other figures. Further yet, specific numerical data values (such as specific quantities, numbers, categories, etc.) or other specific information should be interpreted as illustrative for discussing example embodiments. Such specific information is not provided to limit example embodiments.