Prism Patents (Class 362/626)
  • Patent number: 11921314
    Abstract: A backlight module includes a light guide plate, a light source, and an optical film. The light guide plate has a light incident surface and a light exiting surface opposite to the light incident surface, in which the light exiting surface has a normal line. The light source is adjacent to the light incident surface. The optical film is disposed to the light exiting surface and includes plural parallel prisms and plural microstructures. An extending direction of each of the prisms is perpendicular to the normal line, and each of the prisms faces the light exiting surface of the light guide plate. Each of the microstructures is located on a surface of the optical film which faces away from the light guide plate. Each of the microstructures has a pyramid structure with plural facets. The prisms are located between the microstructures and the light exiting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Radiant Opto-Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Chia-Yin Chang, Po-Chang Huang, Kun-Cheng Lin
  • Patent number: 11650365
    Abstract: A surface light source includes: a light guide plate having an upper surface and a lower surface located opposite the upper surface, and including at least one through hole extending from the upper surface to the lower surface; a wiring substrate located on a lower surface side of the light guide plate and including a wiring layer; and at least one light source including a light-emitting element electrically connected to the wiring layer of the wiring substrate. The light source is located inside the through hole. The upper surface of the light guide plate has a first region including a plurality of depressed portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryohei Yamashita, Toshinobu Katsumata
  • Patent number: 11585966
    Abstract: The disclosure describes asymmetric turning films (ATFs) that may be used in conjunction with multiple light sources in a liquid crystal display assembly to provide multiple different characteristic output distributions of light. In some examples, the ATFs include a structured surface defining a plurality of microstructures having two or more faces with each face configured to reflect light in different directions. The microstructure may define a microstructure axis and an angle gradient characterizing the rotation of the microstructure axis across the structured surface of the ATF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Epstein, Nicholas A. Johnson, Michael E. Lauters, Shannon L. Siefken, Gary T. Boyd
  • Patent number: 11408572
    Abstract: A lighting device comprises a body of optically transmissive material exhibiting a total internal reflection characteristic, the body further comprising a light input surface for receiving light, a light extraction portion spaced from the light input surface, a light transmission portion disposed between the light input surface and the light extraction portion, and at least one light deflection surface for deflecting light toward the light extraction portion. Further in accordance with this aspect the light extraction portion comprises a first extraction surface for extracting light deflected by the at least one light deflection surface out of the body and a second extraction surface for extracting light other than light deflected by the at least one light deflection surface out of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: IDEAL INDUSTRIES LIGHTING LLC
    Inventors: Jin Hong Lim, Curt Progl, Kurt Wilcox, Steve Wilcenski, Zongjie Yuan
  • Patent number: 11385396
    Abstract: A collimating device includes at least one microstructure portion. Each microstructure portion includes a bottom surface; a side surface connected to the bottom surface, an angle between the side surface and the bottom surface being an obtuse angle; and a top surface opposite to the bottom surface and connected to the side surface, the top surface being a convex free-form surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignees: HEFEI BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hai Tang, Liang Gao, Bing Zhang, Xiaolin Geng
  • Patent number: 11187843
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a backlight module. The backlight module includes a light-guiding plate and a light-guiding element, and the light-guiding element is disposed under the light-guiding plate. In addition, the light-guiding element has a protruding structure, and the protruding structure faces the light-guiding plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: INNOLUX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wei-Tsung Hsu, Hui-Wen Su, Chun-Fang Chen
  • Patent number: 10914885
    Abstract: A light guide plate, a backlight module and a display device are provided. The light guide plate includes a main body and optical structures. The main body has a light-incident surface, an opposite light-incident surface, and an optical surface. The optical structures are disposed on the optical surface. Each of the optical structures has a first optical active surface and a second optical active surface, and the first optical active surface and the second optical active surface are inclined towards different directions and formed in a non-symmetrical shape. A first inclined angle is formed between the first optical active surface and the optical surface. A second inclined angle is formed between the second optical active surface and the optical surface. The first included angle is greater than the second included angle, and a light-emitting angle of the light guide plate decreases exponentially with the first inclined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignees: Radiant(Guangzhou) Opto-Electronics Co., Ltd, Radiant Opto-Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Chia-Yin Chang, Chin-Ting Weng, Hao Chen, Yi-Ching Chung
  • Patent number: 10802203
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a light source having a light exit surface, an optical member covering the light exit surface and applying an optical action to light exiting the light source, and a prism sheet coveting the optical member from an opposite side from the light source, and the prism sheet includes prism portions and a light reflecting portion that covers a part of a surface of the prism portions opposite from the optical member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Masuda, Takeshi Ishida
  • Patent number: 10506032
    Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to systems and methods for automatically distributing loads among computing devices involved in message delivery within a group-based communication platform. Embodiments utilize a status checker to monitor the relative health and/or utilization of various channel servers each servicing a group-based communication channel for communication among a particular group of client devices. Upon detecting that one or more of the channel servers exhibit failing health characteristics, the status checker may automatically reallocate the messaging load performed by the failing channel server to other servers, thereby redefining the group-based communication channel associated with a particular group to encompass the newly assigned channel server and minimizing the impact of the failed channel server on message distribution within the group-based communication channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: SLACK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Raissa Largman, Ananya Yadav, Serguei Mourachov, Neil Walker, Denis Sodol, Paul Lloyd
  • Patent number: 10454004
    Abstract: A light source module having high efficiency and high heat dissipation characteristics and a backlight unit and a liquid crystal display device including the same are disclosed. The light source module comprises light sources packaged in a printed circuit board, and an encapsulation film surrounding the light sources, wherein the light sources have a triangular prism shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: KyuOh Kwon, Junghun Choi
  • Patent number: 10386564
    Abstract: A light emitting device of the disclosure includes a first light source and a second light source. A light-guiding plate having a first main surface and a second main surface that face each other, a first end surface facing the first light source, and a second end surface facing the first end surface and the second light source. The light-guiding plate includes a plurality of first slope sections and a plurality of second slope sections both provided on one of the first main surface and the second main surface, in which the plurality of first slope sections are provided to allow the light-guiding plate to be thinner in a first direction, and the plurality of second slope sections are provided to allow the light-guiding plate to be thicker in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shingo Ohkawa
  • Patent number: 10281640
    Abstract: An illumination system comprises a lightguide (12) having a plurality of light extraction features (LEFs); and a plurality of independently controllable light sources (11a, 11b, 11c). The LEFs have a preferred direction, with light that is incident on an LEF along the preferred direction of the LEF being extracted from the lightguide generally parallel to a reference plane, and light that is incident on an LEF not along the preferred direction of the LEF being extracted from the lightguide at an extraction angle to the reference plane, the extraction angle being related by a response function to an incidence angle between the light propagation direction and the preferred direction of LEF. The shape of the LEFs varies with distance from a reference point or respective reference point so that the response function becomes larger with increasing distance of the LEFs from the reference point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: David James Montgomery, Peter John Roberts, Paul Antony Gass
  • Patent number: 10078175
    Abstract: An illuminating device may include an optical guiding body configured to dispose linear optical guiding members side by side, the linear optical guiding members guiding light incident from one end side in a longitudinal direction to another end side. The illuminating device may also include optical sources to emit light toward corresponding linear optical guiding members. The optical guiding body may include first and second optical guiding members adjacent in a width direction. A luminance distribution of the light in the longitudinal direction emitted from the first optical guiding member becomes darker, and that emitted from the second optical guiding member becomes brighter, according to being closer to the other end side from the one end side. The illuminating device may further include a control unit configured to light up the optical sources of the first and second optical guiding members in order and thereafter, light them out in order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Valeo Japan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamaguchi, Masaaki Toju, Masamichi Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 9753209
    Abstract: Provided are a light guide plate, and a backlight unit and a display device including the same. The light guide plate includes a light output surface configured to output light to the outside, a reflective surface positioned opposite the light output surface, a light incident surface provided on at least one side surface of side surfaces which connect the light output surface and the reflective surface, and configured to receive light projected from a light source, and a reflection pattern having an embossed portion formed to protrude to the outside of the reflective surface and a concave portion having a ring shape which surrounds the embossed portion and recessed in the reflective surface, wherein the embossed portion has a recessed region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: New Optics, Ltd
    Inventors: Dong-Yong Kim, Jong-Moon Yoon, Min-Kyoung Park
  • Patent number: 9316780
    Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a light guide and solid-state light emitters to edge-light the light guide, the light emitters arrayed along a transverse direction. The light guide includes two or more sets of optical elements of well-defined shape. Light output from the lighting assembly by the first and second set of optical elements have a first and a second light ray angle distribution, respectively. The optical elements are configured such that when measured in a plane perpendicular to the light guide and the transverse direction: 1) the first and second light ray angle distributions are significantly narrower than an omnidirectional output distribution; and 2) the peak of the second light ray angle distribution is displaced from the peak of the first light ray angle distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Rambus Deleware LLC
    Inventor: Robert M. Ezell
  • Patent number: 9239419
    Abstract: A narrow border backlight module includes a frame, a reflective isolation layer, and a light guide element. The frame includes a plural of sidewalls connected to each other, and the bottom of the frame is hollow. The sidewalls define a cavity. The reflective isolation layer is disposed on an inner surface facing the cavity of the sidewalls. The light guide element is formed inside the frame, and the light guide element and the frame are integrally formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignees: AU OPTRONICS (XIAMEN) CORPORATION, AU OPTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hua-Sheng Yan
  • Patent number: 9200781
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Shoot the Moon Products II, LLC
    Inventors: William J. Hudson, Christopher B. Schmidt, David B. Small
  • Patent number: 9039222
    Abstract: A backlight module includes a substrate, a plurality of LED packages mounted on the substrate and a light diffusion board located above the LED packages. The light diffusion board includes a light incident surface facing toward the LED packages and a light output surface. A plurality of light-guiding portions is configured extending from the incident surface of the light diffusion board toward the LED package. Each light-guiding portion comprises a concave surface at an outer periphery thereof. A diameter of each light-guiding portion decreases gradually from light diffusion board toward the LED packages. The concave surface of each light-guiding portion is recessed inwardly from the outer periphery of the light-guiding portion. Light from the LED packages and emitting into the light-guiding potions is divergently and uniformly adjusted into the light diffusion board by the concave surfaces of the light-guiding portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: ADVANCED OPTOELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Chao-Hsiung Chang, Pin-Chuan Chen, Li-Hsiang Chen
  • Patent number: 9025253
    Abstract: An optical device, includes a light-transmitting substrate (20) having an input aperture and first and second major surfaces (26, 32) parallel to each other and edges, one partially reflecting surface located in the substrate which is non-parallel to the major surfaces of the substrate and an external optical arrangement having an output aperture for coupling light into the substrate by total internal reflection. The optical arrangement for coupling light having an output aperture optically attached to the input aperture of the substrate with the part of the substrate located next to the substrate input aperture, being substantially transparent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Lumus Ltd.
    Inventors: Mali Hadad, Yaakov Amitai
  • Patent number: 9010984
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a two-sided prism sheet, and an optical path conversion unit with linear prisms. Each apex angle of the prisms increases the closer the linear prism is formed to the center in the light guide direction, and when a pair of inclined surfaces of each of the prisms has a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface, an inclination angle of the second inclined surface is larger than the one of the first inclined surface. Among the prisms, inclination angles e1 and e2 of a pair of inclined surfaces of a linear prism formed closest to the center and an inclination angle c of the first inclined surface and an inclination angle d of the second inclined surface of a linear prism formed closest to the side end surfaces at which the light sources are disposed satisfy a relationship 2×c<e1?e2<d/2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taku Yamada, Tomoko Ohara
  • Patent number: 9004708
    Abstract: An apparatus to widen the light dispersion pattern of a light source shining through an overlay window from the viewing side of an electrical computer system. The overlay window is coupled to a panel of the system. The overlay window includes a transparent material, which has a first surface facing the light source and a second surface facing away from the light source to define a viewing side. An opaque material can be disposed on the first surface to partially cover the first surface to form a viewing window. A first diffusing mechanism is disposed on the first surface, and a second diffusing mechanism is disposed on the second surface. In response to the passage of the light output through the viewing window, the light dispersion pattern of the light output from the viewing side of the overlay window has a viewing angle of up to about 180 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Perry L. Hayden, Sr., Ronald D. Lutz, Jr., Charles Ingalz, Bill Hin Yi Fong
  • Publication number: 20150085530
    Abstract: Provided a light guide (11) including side surfaces on which light is incident, a reflection prism surface having plural prisms (12) on which light is reflected, and a light emitting surface from which the light is emitted, in which the reflection prism surface includes a first region (PA) in which a pitch of the prisms (12) varies and a second region (TA) in which a depth of the prisms (12) varies. In the light guide (11), the first region is arranged in the side surface on which the light is incident, and a second region (TA) is arranged adjacent to the first region and in an inward side of the light guide (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Masaru Fujita, SHOHROH Mochida, Yoshihiko Kanayama, Yusuke Kusaka, Masami Ito, Takanori Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8979351
    Abstract: A light guide plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface receives light in a first direction parallel with the second surface and emits the light towards the first surface in a third direction perpendicular to the first surface. The light guide plate includes a light receiving portion which receives the light; a light guiding path which guides the light in the first direction; and an emitting portion which emits the light by reflecting the guided light towards the first surface in the third direction. The emitting portion includes a plurality of V-shaped grooves extending on the second surface in a second direction crossing the first direction. Each V-shaped groove extends in the first direction and is formed so as to be deepest in the center in the second direction and become shallower as a distance from the center increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaru Fujita, Masami Ito, Takanori Kikuchi, Yusuke Kusaka
  • Patent number: 8979350
    Abstract: A light guide plate includes an incident surface, an emitting surface, and a reflecting surface opposite to the emitting surface. The incident surface connects the emitting surface to the reflecting surface. A plurality of microstructures is defined in the reflecting surface. Each microstructure is a slot. A cross-section across each microstructure and parallel to a light emitting direction is substantially V-shaped. Each microstructure is formed with two sidewalls. Each sidewall includes a plurality of stepped portions connected in order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Li-Ying Wang He
  • Patent number: 8979349
    Abstract: Illumination devices and methods of making same are disclosed. In one embodiment, an illumination apparatus includes a light source, a light guide having a planar first surface, a first end and a second end, and a length therebetween, the light guide positioned to receive light from the light source into the light guide first end, and the light guide configured such that light from the light source provided into the first end of the light guide propagates towards the second end, and a plurality of light turning features that are configured to reflect light propagating towards the second end of the light guide out of the planar first surface of the light guide, each light turning feature having a turning surface and an interferometric stack formed on the turning surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ion Bita, Sapna Patel, Clayton Ka Tsun Chan, SuryaPrakash Ganti, Brian W. Arbuckle
  • Patent number: 8944663
    Abstract: A light guide plate having a V-cut structure and a backlight module are disclosed. The light guide plate comprises straight-striped V-cut structure sets and a base plate having a light-entering side. The straight-striped V-cut structure sets are formed on a surface of the base plate adjacent to the light-entering side, wherein each straight-striped V-cut structure set is composed of at least one V-cut element, each V-cut element having a first base angle and a second base angle formed between its respective two inclined surfaces and a horizontal surface of the base plate. The first base angle is located closer to the light-entering side than the second base angle is, and is smaller than or equal to the second base angle. The straight-striped V-cut structure sets have a plurality of second average angle values which are gradually decreased from the light-entering side to a central position of the base plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Chiung-Han Wang, Jing-Huan Liao
  • Patent number: 8939633
    Abstract: An area light source device has a light guide plate including a light incident end face, a light guide plate main body thinner than a thickness of the light incident end face, and a light introducing unit formed in continuation with the light guide plate main body and so that thickness gradually becomes thinner from the light incident end face side towards the light guide plate main body side, a light source arranged at a position facing the light incident end face, a diffuser plate and one or more prism sheets arranged on a surface on a light emission side of the light guide plate main body, and a light shielding sheet arranged on an upper side of the diffuser plate and the prism sheet in a region excluding a light emitting region of the light guide plate main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Yabe, Tomokazu Shimoda, Yoshiyuki Masu
  • Patent number: 8936383
    Abstract: A position light and light guide that serve as a light source are disposed on a front cover. The light guide extends in a width direction and receives and reflects light from the position light that is emitted in the width direction of the chassis. The light guide has first and second emission faces. The first emission face emits a first portion of the reflected light and faces upward or downward. The second emission face emits a second portion of the reflected light and faces forward. A length of the light guide in a front and back direction and a length of the light guide in a normal direction of the first emission face that is normal to the first emission face are both shorter than a length of the light guide in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Sumi, Masumi Tachibana
  • Patent number: 8915604
    Abstract: A prism sheet includes a base film having one flat surface and an optical refractive section having a plurality of prisms arranged along a first direction to constitute first and second prism parts. The optical refractive section is integrally formed with another surface of the base film that is opposite to the flat surface of the base film, and each of the prisms has a predetermined cross-sectional shape. The first prism part includes a first prism of the plurality of prisms, which first prism has a constant height along a second direction that intersects the first direction. The second prism part includes a second prism of the plurality of prisms, which second prism has a variable height in the second direction, and a maximum value of the variable height of the second prism is higher than the constant height of the first prism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Cheil Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Mi Jeong Choi, Kyoung Gon Park, Su Kyong Lee
  • Publication number: 20140355299
    Abstract: A light guide plate includes a bottom surface, a light-emitting surface, a light incident surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, and a number of ribs protruding from the bottom surface away from light-emitting surface. The ribs extend substantially parallelly from the first side surface to the second side surface and are continuously arranged without gaps in between. Each rib includes a first surface, a second surface, and a third surface. The first surface and the second surface extend from the bottom surface. The second surface is further from the light incident surface than is the first surface. A first included angle between the first surface and the bottom surface is an acute angle, and the third surface connects the first surface to the second surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: YUNG-CHANG TSENG
  • Patent number: 8899814
    Abstract: An optical sheet includes a sheet-like body portion, and unit prisms arranged on one surface of the body portion. Each unit prism extends linearly in a direction intersecting the arrangement direction. Each unit prism, when viewed in a direction parallel to the arrangement direction of the unit prisms, has an uneven polygonal-line-shaped contour and, with reference to raised portions defined by the polygonal-line-shaped contour of each unit prism, the distance between a top of each raised portion, a farthest point from the body portion in the raised portion, and the body portion in the normal direction of the body portion is not constant. The optical sheet can prevent significant problems when it is superimposed on another member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kojima, Satoshi Goishihara, Satoko Maenishi
  • Patent number: 8894243
    Abstract: An optical filter which minimizes color shift, increases brightness and improves visibility and an organic light-emitting display having the same. The optical filter includes a micro pattern film disposed on an organic light-emitting panel. The micro pattern film includes a base material and a micro pattern engraved from the surface of the base material that adjoins the organic light-emitting panel. The micro pattern has a plurality of engraved shapes with a non-circular cross-section which has a depth greater than a width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eun Young Cho, Eui Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 8882325
    Abstract: An optical sheet includes a light-passing base sheet, a plurality of light-passing first patterns formed on a front major surface of the base sheet, and a plurality of light-passing second patterns formed on a rear major surface of the base sheet. The first patterns protrude from the front surface of the base sheet, a top portion of each of the second patterns makes contact with the rear surface of the second patterns while a larger lower surface of each of the second patterns is exposed to serve as a light receiving surface. Voids having relatively low refractive indices are formed between the light-passing second patterns. The optical sheet employs just one base sheet in one embodiment, thereby reducing a manufacturing cost of the optical sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seung-Mo Kim, Jinsung Choi, DongHoon Kim, Seunghwan Chung
  • Patent number: 8882326
    Abstract: A light guide plate includes an incident surface on which light outputted from point light sources is incident and an outgoing surface for outputting light incident from the incident surface, wherein a reflection-and-propagation surface for reflecting light toward the outgoing surface is formed in a back surface opposite to the outgoing surface. The outgoing surface is made up of a propagation region adjacent to the incident surface, a diffusion-and-propagation auxiliary region adjacent to the propagation region, and a diffusion-and-propagation region adjacent to the diffusion-and-propagation auxiliary region. Hot spots and bright/dark lines in vicinities of the incident surface are controlled primarily by curved portions of prism upper ends formed in the diffusion-and-propagation region, and viewing-angle characteristics of the light guide plate are controlled primarily by linear portions of the prisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takanori Kikuchi, Masami Ito, Masaru Fujita, Yusuke Kusaka
  • Patent number: 8876351
    Abstract: A light emitting diode (LED) lamp includes a heat dissipation module, a circular light guide plate (LGP), and LED light sources. The heat dissipation module includes a heat dissipation element and a heat-conducting base that has a containing concave. The heat dissipation element connecting and surrounding the heat-conducting base is distant from the circumference of the heat-conducting base. The circular LGP in the containing concave has a top surface, a bottom surface, and an annular side surface. The top surface faces the heat-conducting base and has concentric annular trenches. The LED light sources are configured in the containing concave and face the annular side surface. The LED light sources are suitable for emitting a light beam which is capable of passing through the annular side surface to enter the circular LGP and capable of being reflected by the annular trenches and emitted from the bottom surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Young Lighting Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Chia-Hung Wei, Sheng-Hung Lin, Jung-Min Hwang
  • Patent number: 8870430
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a transparent light guide plate, a light source provided on at least one end surface of the light guide plate, and a mask provided on a front surface of the light guide plate. The light guide plate is formed of a plurality of reflecting and scattering portions having reflecting and scattering surfaces that reflect a light emitted from the light source and emit the reflected light from a front surface side. The mask allows an observer to visually recognize the light reflected from a reflective portion for the right eye, using the right eye, and the light reflected from a reflective portion for the left eye, using the left eye, whereby the reflected light beams can be stereoscopically recognized due to binocular parallax.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Kamikatano, Takashi Tsumanuma
  • Patent number: 8864359
    Abstract: An ultra thin lighting element including at least one light source (1b). A lightguide element (2c) includes one lightguide layer comprising a plurality of discrete fine optic surface relief structures (3e) on at least one portion of at least one surface. Each surface relief structure (3e) includes basic structural features on the order of about 10 microns or less in height, and on the order of about 10 microns or less in each lateral dimension. The number, arrangement and size of each surface relief structure (3e) and height and lateral dimensions of the structural features of the surface relief structures (3e) being varied to provide a desired degree of outcoupling modulation of light incoupled into the light guide element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Modilis Holdings LLC
    Inventor: Kari J. Rinko
  • Publication number: 20140307472
    Abstract: A light guide plate includes a light emitting surface, a bottom surface opposite to the light emitting surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, and a light incident surface. The first side surface and the second side surface connect the light emitting surface to the bottom surface. The light incident surface is connected to the light emitting surface, the bottom surface, the first side surface, and the second side surface. A plurality of V-shaped grooves is defined in the bottom surface. The V-shaped grooves form concentric arcs, sectional surfaces of the V-shaped grooves along radial directions of the concentric arcs are isosceles triangles, and a top angle of each of the isosceles triangles is equal to about 80 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventor: YUNG-CHANG TSENG
  • Patent number: 8858059
    Abstract: A surface illumination device has a light source and a light guide plate having a light-emitting surface. The light guide plate guides light from the light source such that the light is emitted from a display region of the light-emitting surface. A plurality of first deflection patterns having deflection inclined surfaces and a plurality of second deflection patterns having deflection inclined surfaces are formed in the display region in at least one of the light-emitting surface of the light guide plate and an opposite surface to the light-emitting surface. When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the light-emitting surface of the light guide plate, the first deflection pattern is disposed such that an angle formed by a line normal to the deflection inclined surface and a direction connecting the light source and the first deflection pattern is less than or equal to 30°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuru Okuda, Masayuki Shinohara, Kazuhide Hirota, Kazuyuki Okada
  • Patent number: 8845176
    Abstract: An optical assembly includes a light emitting panel having a light output surface with non-uniform directional light output distribution, and a light redirecting film located to receive light emitted from the light output surface. The light redirecting film has a pattern of individual non-prismatic optical elements of well defined shape with a total of two surfaces that intersect each other, the shape varying at different locations on the light redirecting film to redistribute the light received from the light output surface within a desired light ray angle distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Rambus Delaware LLC
    Inventors: Jeffery R. Parker, Timothy A. McCollum, Robert M. Ezell
  • Patent number: 8848132
    Abstract: A backlight (120) that includes a front reflector (130) and a back reflector (160) that form a hollow light recycling cavity (162) having an output surface (164) is disclosed. The front reflector includes at least four directional recycling films (132). The backlight also includes a semi-specular diffuser disposed between the front reflector and the back reflector, and one or more light sources (166) disposed to emit light into the light recycling cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Mark B. O'Neill, Shandon D. Hart, Kenneth A. Epstein, David G. Freier, David J. Lamb
  • Patent number: 8842239
    Abstract: A light-guide apparatus for accompanying an edge light source to form a backlight module for an LCD display includes an upper light-distributing layer, a middle light-guiding layer and a lower reflective layer. The light-guiding layer further defines a light-introducing surface for allowing lights emitted from the edge light source to enter the light-guiding layer. The reflective layer reflects the lights back to the light-guiding layer. A light-exiting surface for allowing at least a portion of the lights to leave the light-guiding layer is defined on the top surface of the light-distributing layer and is perpendicular to the light-introducing surface. The light-distributing layer, the light-guiding layer and the reflective layer are manufactured integrally into a unique piece by a co-extrusion process so as to avoid possible existence of air spacing in between. Three-dimensional micro-structures are constructed on a reflective surface interfacing the reflective layer and the light-guiding layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Entire Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jia-Jen Chen, Yu-Chun Tao, Yan Zuo Chen, Hao-Xiang Lin, Cheng-Yu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8834001
    Abstract: An edge light backlight device includes a light guide plate having a base portion and microstructures, LEDs, and a reflective plate. The base portion has a light emitting side, a rear side, and a light incident side. The microstructures are formed on one of the light emitting side and the rear side and each of which extends from the light incident side in a longitudinal direction. Each of the microstructures includes a curved surface with a radius of curvature (R). The light guide plate has a thickness (T). R/T ratio ranges from 0.04 to 0.15 and each of the microstructures has a height ranging from 20 ?m to 300 ?m so that the light guide plate has a performance of local lighting ranging from 1% to 40%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Chi-Mei Corporation
    Inventors: Cheng-Feng Lin, Chun-Liang Kuo, Hsin-Hung Chen
  • Patent number: 8764269
    Abstract: A light guide plate (LGP) includes a first surface, a second surface, at least one light incident surface, and a plurality of micro-structure sets. The second surface is opposite to the first surface. The light incident surface connects the first surface to the second surface. The micro-structure sets are separately disposed on the second surface, and the micro-structure sets are not continuous in any direction parallel to the first surface. Each of the micro-structure sets includes at least one protrusive structure that protrudes from the second surface and at least one recessive structure that is recessed in the second surface. A light source module is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Shingo Matsumoto, Han-Wen Tsai, Ming-Feng Kuo, Chih-Chieh Yu
  • Publication number: 20140133183
    Abstract: A light guiding member includes a first end portion including an incident surface on which light emitted from a light source is incident; an emitting surface that extends in such a direction as to be at an angle to the incident surface, the emitting surface emitting the light that has been emitted from the light source and that has entered from the incident surface to a target object; and a second end portion including a reflection portion and a refraction portion, the reflection portion having a reflection surface that reflects the light that has entered from the incident surface in a direction away from the emitting surface, the refraction portion reflecting the reflected light that has been reflected by the reflection surface toward the incident surface and then refracting the light toward the emitting surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Inventors: Tetsuya HAGIWARA, Osamu Ueno
  • Patent number: 8721149
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for illumination devices. In one aspect, an illumination device having a longitudinal axis includes a light source and a light guide. The light guide has a peripheral edge, a transmissive illumination surface, a center portion, and an upper surface. The transmissive illumination surface is oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and disposed between the center portion and the peripheral edge. The upper surface is oriented relative to the illumination surface to define an angle ? therebetween. In some implementations, the angle ? can be greater than 15 degrees, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Holman, Matthew B. Sampsell
  • Patent number: 8721153
    Abstract: A back reflector for a lightguide in a turning film backlight includes a prism film layer in direct contact with a reflective layer. The lightguide includes a light guiding region having a refractive index that is substantially spatially uniform. The reflective layer may be specular or diffuse and may include a multilayer polymeric film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Brian A. Kinder, Gary T. Boyd, Stephen K. Eckhardt, Chun-Yi Ting, Han-Lin Tung, Linda M. Rivard, Tao Liu
  • Patent number: 8714802
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an input device with multi pattern layers including an input interface, a first light emitting element for generating a first light beam, a first light guiding plate, a second light emitting element for generating a second light beam, a second light guiding plate, a first circuit board and a second circuit board. The input interface is stacked on the first light guiding plate, and the first light guiding plate is stacked on the second light guiding plate, such that a first space and a second are formed individually at the two ends of the first light guiding plate and the second light guiding plate. The first circuit board and the second circuit board block the first light beam and the second light beam individually by inserting into the first space and the second space individually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventor: Chung-Yuan Chen
  • Publication number: 20140104885
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a light guide plate, a backlight module and a display device. The light guide plate having at least one side for placing a light source assembly comprising a plurality of light source units, wherein a plurality of microstructure protrusions are provided on the inner side of the bottom surface of the light guide plate, in regions close to the light source assembly, and the microstructure protrusions are provided with at least one reflective surface, which faces toward the regions of the light guide plate corresponding to the gaps between the light source units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicants: BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhidan ZHANG, Qing MA, Hao ZHOU, Sijun LEI, You LI, Hai CHI
  • Patent number: 8696188
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a light guide plate includes the following steps. At least one dot area and at least one non-dot area are defined on a mask. A lithography and etching process using the mask is performed a mold to form at least one recess having a rough surface on the mold and leave at least one non-etched microstructure on the mold. The recess corresponds to the non-dot area, and the non-etched microstructure corresponds to the dot area. An injection molding process using the mold is performed to form the light guide plate. The light guide plate has at least one protrusion having a rough surface on the light guide plate and at least one indented microstructure in the light guide plate. The protrusion corresponds to the recess, and the indented microstructure corresponds to the non-etched microstructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Wei-Tien Chang, Chih-Chin Hsieh