Light Source Patents (Class 362/611)
  • Patent number: 8414173
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a plurality of light source units (20) each having a light guide plate and at least one light source. The light guide plate is provided with an illumination region (4) through which an incident beam of light from the at least one light source is emitted outward and a light guide region (3) through which the incident beam of light from the at least one light source is guided toward the illumination region (4), with the illumination region (4) and the light guide region (3) laid side-by-side. Light source units (20) adjacent to each other along a direction of an optical axis of the at least one light source are disposed so that the illumination region (4) of one of the light source units (20) covers at least a part of the light guide region (3) of the other light source unit (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Masuda, Yuhsaku Ajichi, Yukihide Kohtoku
  • Patent number: 8414175
    Abstract: A light source apparatus including a light guide plate, a first light emitting unit, and a second light emitting unit is provided. The light guide plate has a first surface, an opposite second surface, a first side surface, and an opposite second side surface. The first light emitting unit is disposed beside the first side surface for providing a first light beam. The second light emitting unit is disposed beside the second side surface for providing a second light beam. The first light emitting unit has a central line passing through a geometric center of the first light emitting unit and being perpendicular to the first side surface. The second light emitting unit has a central line passing through a geometric center of the second light emitting unit and being perpendicular to the second side surface. The central lines do not coincide with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Young Lighting Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Sheng-Hung Lin, Jung-Min Hwang
  • Publication number: 20130083558
    Abstract: A handheld computing device includes a screen to receive input from and provide graphical output to a user, a housing engaging a peripheral portion of the screen, a light source, at least one light guide to receive incident light from the light source and direct the incident light to the screen to illuminate a portion of the screen, and a light guide bracket to engage the housing and the at least one light guide, the light guide bracket maintaining a position and orientation of the light guide relative to the light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: Z124
    Inventor: Z124
  • Publication number: 20130077343
    Abstract: A backlight unit includes a light source unit emitting a light, a light guide plate guiding the light, and a lower cover accommodating the light guide plate and the light source unit, and a deformation preventing member disposed at two first corners among four corners of the lower cover in a plan view, to prevent the light guide plate from being deformed. The two first corners are spaced apart from the light source unit and remaining two second corners of the four corners are adjacent to the light source unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yongil KIM, Sung Won BAE, Suksun LEE, Jaehwan CHUN, Jaechang CHOI
  • Publication number: 20130076249
    Abstract: An electronic device including a body and a light source module is provided. The body has a side on which an unstable display is disposed and another side on which a bi-stable display is disposed. The light source module is arranged inside the body and configured to provide a light source to one or none of the unstable display and the bi-stable display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: E Ink Holdings Inc.
    Inventor: E Ink Holdings Inc.
  • Patent number: 8402647
    Abstract: Methods of manufacturing light panels having at least one re-entrant turning feature. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a light panel includes providing a base layer, providing a cover layer, and coupling the cover layer to the base layer to form at least one re-entrant turning feature between the base layer and the cover layer. In another embodiment, a method of manufacturing a light panel includes providing a base layer, forming at least one receiving space in the base layer, providing at least one prismatic block, and coupling at least a portion of the prismatic block into the receiving space such that re-entrant turning features are formed between the prismatic block and the base layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Qualcomm Mems Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Clarence Chui, Gaurav Sethi, Jonathan Charles Griffiths, Manish Kothari
  • Publication number: 20130070165
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to suppress the brightness distribution in the lighting device. The backlight unit 12 according to the present invention includes an LED 17 as a light source with a light intensity distribution in which light having a peak light intensity travels in a direction inclined with respect to a front direction, a chassis 14 having an opening on a light exit side and housing the LED 17, and a light leading member 22 provided to extend from a mounting surface of the LED 17 toward the light exit side. The light leading member 22 is configured to lead light from the LED 17 toward the light exit side. The employment of the LED 17 with the above light intensity distribution enables an irradiation area A irradiated with the light having the peak light intensity to be larger. This reduces the uneven that may occur in the brightness distribution of the outgoing light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventor: Takaharu Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8400579
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display includes a display module and a backlight module configured to irradiate light on the display module. The backlight module includes a light guide plate, a first light source, a reflective plate, and a second light source. The light guide plate has a light output face at a position corresponding to a first small area on the display module. The first light source is configured to irradiate light toward the light guide plate from a side of the light guide plate in such a manner that the irradiated light reaches the first small area. The reflective plate is facing to the light guide plate, and the reflective plate has a reflective face configured to reflect light toward a second small area different from the first small area. The second light source is configured to irradiate light toward the reflective plate from a side of the reflective plate in such a manner that the irradiated light reaches the second small area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Momonoi, Kazuyasu Ohwaki, Kenzo Isogawa, Takeshi Morino, Masataka Shiratsuchi
  • Publication number: 20130063680
    Abstract: A backlight module and a liquid crystal display are provided. The backlight module includes a light guide plate, a source, a first back plate and a second back plate. The first back plate includes a first main body and a first bending portion. The second back plate includes a second main body and a second bending portion. The first main body is slidably connected to the second main body. The light guide plate is fixedly connected to the first main body. A light-emitting surface of the light source is against a light incidence surface of the light guide plate, and another surface of the light guide plate is close to an inner side of the second bending portion. When the light guide plate expands with heat, the expanded light guide plate pushes the second bending portion to make the second back plate slide relative to the first back plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Gege Zhou
  • Publication number: 20130063980
    Abstract: Lightguides, devices incorporating lightguides, and processes for making lightguides are described. A lightguide includes light extractors arranged in a pattern on a surface of the lightguide. The pattern of light extractors is arranged to enhance uniformity of light output across a surface of the lightguide and to provide enhanced defect hiding. The efficiency of the light extractors is controlled by a shape factor. The areal density of the light extractors across the surface of the lightguide may be substantially constant or may decrease along the direction of propagation of light from the light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventor: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
  • Publication number: 20130057803
    Abstract: A liquid crystal module includes a planar light source device and a liquid crystal panel which are combined together by use of a double-sided adhesive tape (not illustrated). The double-sided adhesive tape is provided on a part of a resin frame, which part is on a light-exit-plane side. A part of the resin frame, which part is not provided with the double-sided adhesive tape, has an uneven surface or has a slit on a surface thereof. In other words, a part of the resin frame, which part corresponds to sections where the planar light source device and the liquid crystal panel are not combined together, has an uneven surface or has a slit on a surface thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigenori Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20130058131
    Abstract: Provided are a display member and a display device capable of outputting bright and highly uniform light. Provided is a display member (10) comprising a light guiding member (11) which guides light outputted from a first light source (20); a light spreading part (13) which is provided on at least one side surface of the light guiding member (11) and spreads the light guided by the light guiding member (11); a design display part (12) which is provided on at least one surface side of the light guiding member (11) and displays a design; wherein the design display part (12) is provided with a first light transmissive outputting part (122) which transmits and outputs light that was spread by the light spreading part (13) and the light spreading part (13) is provided so as to correspond with the first light transmissive outputting part (122).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: NIPPON SEIKI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazunari Hamada, Sadao Yabe
  • Publication number: 20130051071
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a display panel, a first covering part, an upper frame and a lower frame. The first covering part is disposed on the display panel. The upper frame is disposed under the first covering part and includes a first combining portion. The lower frame is combined with the upper frame through the first combining portion, and overlaps a peripheral portion of the display panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang-Chul LEE, Min-Sung CHOI, Sang-Hyeok LEE
  • Publication number: 20130051072
    Abstract: A light source device includes a first light-emitting element providing illumination beams, a light guide plate (LGP) divided into light-transmissive regions, an optical thin film, and microstructures. The LGP has a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a first light-incident surface connecting the first and second surfaces. The first light-emitting element is beside the first light-incident surface. The illumination beams are capable of entering the LGP through the first light-incident surface. The optical thin film is on the second surface of the LGP. The optical thin film has different thicknesses corresponding to at least two of the light-transmissive regions. The microstructures are on the optical thin film. When the illumination beams pass through the light-transmissive regions corresponding to the different thicknesses of the optical thin film and leave the LGP through the first surface, the illumination beams are converted into color beams with different wavelengths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: CORETRONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu-Chuan Wen, Chen-Kun Liu
  • Publication number: 20130039092
    Abstract: Display apparatuses are provided. The display apparatus includes a light source package generating light, a circuit board including a recessed region in which the light source package is disposed, a display panel displaying images, and a light guide plate directing the light generated from the light source package onto the display panel. The light guide plate includes a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of sidewall surfaces. One of the sidewall surfaces of the light guide plate is a light incident surface on which the light from the light source package is irradiated. A distance between the light source package and the light incident surface is less than a width of the circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Inventors: JOO-WOAN CHO, Hyun-Hua Song, Eui Jeong Kang, Seongsik Choi
  • Publication number: 20130038817
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device (100) of the present invention includes an edge light type backlight unit (10) and a liquid crystal panel (20). The backlight unit (10) includes a light guide plate (2) and a light source (1) that emits light to a light entrance end surface (2a) of the light guide plate (2). An opposite end surface (2b), of the light guide plate (2), which is opposite to the light entrance end surface (2a), is shaped to have one or more triangular shape(s) or one or more rounded shape(s) in a cross section both in a thickness direction of the light guide plate (2) and in a peak luminance direction of light from the light source (1). Light parallel to the peak luminance direction, which light is from the light source (1), is suitably reflected without being scattered by an inclined surface of the opposite end surface (2b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Hirayama, Shigenori Tanaka, Ryoh Araki
  • Publication number: 20130038799
    Abstract: Uneven brightness in light exited from a light guide plate is less likely to be caused in a lighting device. A backlight device 24 includes an LED unit 32, a light guide plate 20 having a light entrance surface 20a on its side surface, and a backlight chassis 22 including a bottom plate 22a and housing the LED unit 32 and the light guide plate 20 on a front surface of the bottom plate. The LED unit 32 is arranged to face the light entrance surface 20a of the light guide plate 20. The backlight chassis 22 includes a positioning pin 40 on its front surface of the bottom plate 22a. The positioning pin 40 is projected from the front surface. The light guide plate 20 has a recessed fitting portion 38 corresponding to the positioning pin 40, and the positioning pin 40 is fitted to the fitting portion 38. A through hole 40a is formed in peripheral surface of the positioning pin 40 so as to be through the positioning pin 40.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Inventor: Yuuki Namekata
  • Patent number: 8373106
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for processing light from a light source. The method includes the steps of measuring a predetermined set of characteristics of the light source and detecting flicker when the predetermined set of characteristics exceed a corresponding flicker fusion threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Dignity Health
    Inventors: Stephen L. Macknik, Susana Martinez-Conde
  • Publication number: 20130033678
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical element that includes: carrier generation layer (16) in which carriers are generated by light from light guide body (12) into which light from a light-emitting element enters; plasmon excitation layer (17) that has a plasma frequency higher than the frequency of light generated when carrier generation layer (16) is excited by light from the light-emitting element; and wave vector conversion layer (18) that converts surface plasmon generated by plasmon excitation layer (17) light having a predetermined exit angle to output the light. Plasmon excitation layer (17) is sandwiched between two layers having dielectric properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanao Natsumeda, Masao Imai, Goroh Saitoh, Shin Tominaga
  • Publication number: 20130033900
    Abstract: A lighting assembly includes an edge-lit light guide and a light redirecting member. Light extracting elements at the light guide extract light from the light guide as intermediate light. Light redirecting elements at the light redirecting film are configured to redirect the intermediate light received from the light guide to illuminate a target surface in accordance with a defined illumination profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: RAMBUS INC.
    Inventors: Timothy A. McCollum, Robert M. Ezell, Jeffery R. Parker, Kurt R. Starkey, Ian Hardcastle, Fumitomo Hide
  • Publication number: 20130033652
    Abstract: A backlight unit 12 includes LED boards 18 including LEDs 17, a light guide member 19 having an end portion facing the LEDs 17, a chassis 14 housing the LED boards 18 and the light guide member 19, holding members 23 fixed to the chassis 14 having the LED boards 18 therebetween, and restricting portions 26 restricting the positional relationship of the holding members 23 with respect to the LED boards 18 such that a gap G is provided between the holding members 23 and the LED boards 18. With this configuration, uneven brightness is less likely to occur in the lighting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Inventor: Yasumori Kuromizu
  • Publication number: 20130033898
    Abstract: A spread illuminating apparatus includes a light source, a flexible printed circuit board, and a light guiding plate. The light guiding plate has a light incident face, and a light output portion planarly outputting light. The light guiding plate has an inclined portion between the light incident face and the light output portion, the inclined portion having an inclined face gradually reducing in thickness from the light incident face toward the light output portion; the flexible printed circuit board is placed on the light guiding plate from the side of the inclined face, and has a mounting portion mounting the light source, and a bent portion bent to the mounting portion and fixed to the inclined face of the inclined portion, and the bent portion includes a thickness reduced portion having a thickness less than the mounting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toru KUNIMOCHI
  • Publication number: 20130033899
    Abstract: A reflecting base material that can reliably prevent the occurrence of uneven brightness, a backlight unit that uses the same, and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. Surface profile information of the reflecting base material 7 is obtained by a laser displacement gauge 3. Next, the unevenness information obtained is subjected to Fourier transform, and the relationship between frequency and intensity for the surface unevenness profile of the reflecting base material is obtained. Next, the calculated relationship between the frequency and intensity is compared with a preset standard data. When the intensity exceeds 0.6 at a predetermined range of frequency domain, a judgment of rejection is made; when no data exceeding 0.6 exists in said judgment domain, a judgment of acceptance is made.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Nishiwaki, Nobuyuki Morita, Akihiko Ishikawa, Motohiro Yamane, Daisuke Hayashi, Koichi Kawai, Yusuke Satoh
  • Publication number: 20130033897
    Abstract: A planar light source device includes: a point light source that emits light; a circuit board that has a mounting portion, on which the point light source mounted, and a fixing portion, on which a connector supplying electric power to the point light source is mounted; and a frame that holds the circuit board with the point light source, wherein the circuit board has a protruding portion that protrudes from an end portion of the fixing portion, and wherein the fixing portion of the circuit board is fixed at an inner portion of the frame, and wherein the protruding portion of the circuit board is fixed at an outer portion of the frame, which is opposite to the inner portion of the fixing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeyuki MATSUMOTO, Yuji TSUCHIYAMA, Kenji ARITA
  • Publication number: 20130027975
    Abstract: A light guide plate with an adjustable illumination angle and an illumination device using the same are provided. The light guide plate has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The second surface further has a plurality of deformable microstructures thereon. The deformable microstructures will be deformed when an external force is applied to the deformable microstructures. The illumination device has a light source and a light guide plate that is disposed next to the light source. A light beam emitted from the light source enters into the light guide plate and leaves the light guide plate via reflecting or refracting by the deformable microstructures. By applying a different external force to the light guide plate, the deformation of the deformable microstructures will be varied. Therefore, the illumination angle of the light beam could be changed according to the deformation of the deformable microstructures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: WALSIN LIHWA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chung-I CHIANG, Chuan-Fa LIN, Ching-Huan LIAO
  • Publication number: 20130021538
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a cold cathode fluorescent tube (CCFT), a chassis housing the CCFT, and a lamp clip. The chassis includes at least three mounting through holes at least one of which is arranged on a first line and a second line. The first line and the second line are separately extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axial direction of the CCFT, whereby the mounting through holes are asymmetrically arranged. The lamp clip includes a main body, a lamp gripping portion capable of gripping the CCFT, and at least three mounting portions protruding from the main body. At least one of the mounting portions is each arranged on the first line and the second line, whereby the mounting portions are asymmetrically arranged. The mounting portions on the first and second lines are passed through the mounting through holes on the first and second lines, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasumori Kuromizu
  • Publication number: 20130021822
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical waveguide plate having a first flat side (2), a second flat side (4), which is parallel to the first flat side, and an end face (6). The end face (6) is provided for coupling in light, and the second flat side (4) is provided for coupling out the light coupled in via the end face (6). The first flat side (2) has structure elements (8) that serve for coupling out the light and comprise phosphorus. In this way, the phosphorus can be arranged at such a spatial distance from a corresponding light source (10), serving for coupling in the light via the end face (6), that heating of the phosphorus that possibly has an adverse effect, caused by the operation of the light source (10), can be avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: Zumtobel Lighting GmbH
    Inventor: Rebekka Wimmer
  • Publication number: 20130016525
    Abstract: Flat illuminating display device with light emitting means to illuminate a film for display of an image applied to a display area, wherein the light emitting means are embodied as at least one light coupling unit arranged laterally at a translucent film thus forming a light duct, wherein the light such fed into the adjacent edge area into the film is reflected by a reflective layer, which is applied on at least one side, to homogeneously spread within the film, wherein a reflection screen to obtain a light emission is provided opposite of the display area to create said display area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Sabine Metzech, Karsten Hesse, Angelo Librizzi, Jörg Günther
  • Patent number: 8353601
    Abstract: The backlight unit may include a plurality of optical assemblies, which each include a light emitting module having a substrate, a plurality of light emitting devices on a top surface of the substrate, and a connector provided on a bottom surface of the substrate and electrically connected to a power supply unit. The optical assembly may also include a light guide plate including a first part to receive the light and a second part to output the light through a top surface. The optical assembly may also include a side cover that may fix the light emitting module and a portion of the first part. The side cover may have a plurality of connector holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kum Tae Lee, Min Sang Kim, Moon Jeong Kim, Sung Young Park, Jeong Hwan Kim
  • Publication number: 20130010497
    Abstract: A display device includes: a first chassis including a bottom surface, and a side wall which extends from an edge of the bottom surface; a light guide plate in the first chassis; a first fixing member which overlaps the side wall of the first chassis and contacts an upper surface of the light guide plate; and a first fastening member which fastens the first fixing member to the side wall of the first chassis. The first chassis includes a groove which extends through the side wall of the first chassis, the light guide plate includes a first protrusion which protrudes from an edge of the light guide plate and extends into the groove, and the first fixing member contacts an upper surface of the first protrusion of the light guide plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae Sang Lee, Jin Seo, Hyung Jin Kim, Joong-Hyun Kim
  • Publication number: 20130003412
    Abstract: Disclosed is a plate-like light guide element (24) provided with a light incident surface, a light exit surface (242), and an underside surface (243) disposed on the opposite side of the light exit surface (242). A foamed surface layer (244) is formed on at least a part of at least either the light exit surface (242) or the underside surface (243). The foamed surface layer (244) contains air bubbles and has a recessed sectional surface including the normal direction of the light exit surface (242) or the underside surface (243). The light guide element (24) is produced by performing infrared laser etching for at least a part of at least one of the main surfaces of a plate-like light guide element material composed of an acryl resin plate produced by a continuous plate production method, to form the foamed surface layer (244).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Yagi, Minoru Shimizu, Yasuo Wakui, Yoshiya Kurachi, Masatoshi Toda
  • Publication number: 20130002979
    Abstract: Provided is an edge-light illuminating device in which a deformation is prevented from occurring in a reflection sheet due to thermal expansion of the reflection sheet. An edge-light illuminating device (3) of the present invention is arranged to illuminate a liquid crystal display panel (2) from a back side of the panel, and includes a light guide plate (7), a light source (5) that faces an edge face (72) of the plate and is arranged to project light onto the edge face, a case (4) arranged to house the plate and the light source, and a reflection sheet (6) laid on a bottom face (41) of the case and sandwiched between the bottom face and a back face (71) of the plate housed in the case, wherein the reflection sheet includes a slot portion (61) disposed along a direction that the reflection sheet expands by heat generated by the light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryuhei Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20130002986
    Abstract: A display device includes: a light source unit configured to emit light from a light emitting surface; and a phosphor layer (120) having a plurality of phosphors (123R, 123G) provided on a light-emitting side of the light source unit so as to correspond to pixels, and configured to absorb the light emitted from the light source unit and produce fluorescence of a predetermined wavelength. A bottom reflective layer (125) is provided on the side of the light source unit with respect to the phosphor layer (120) at least in regions where the phosphors (123R, 123G) are formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinya Kadowaki, Takeshi Ishida, Fumie Kunimasa, Kazuya Kaida
  • Publication number: 20130003411
    Abstract: The present invention provides a planar light guide film for a backlight unit having at least one point light source, the light guide film comprising a light input surface for receiving light from the point light source, a light redirecting surface for redirecting light received from the light input surface and a light output surface for outputting at least the light redirected from the light redirecting surface. The light input surface further comprises a composite lens structure having a circular tip segment with a first contact angle, and a first and second circular base segments with a second contact angle, the second contact angle being greater than the first contact angle and the second contact angle being equal to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: SKC Haas Display Films Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Qi HONG
  • Publication number: 20120327686
    Abstract: A light source module includes a first frame, a second frame, a light guide plate, a light source, at least one positioning element and at least one buffer element. The second frame is disposed corresponding to the first frame and has at least one through hole. The light guide plate is disposed between the first frame and the second frame and has a light incident surface and a side surface, and the side surface faces to the through hole of the second frame. The light source is disposed on the light incident surface of the light guide plate. The positioning element is disposed in the through hole of the second frame. The buffer element is located between the positioning element and the side surface of the light guide plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: AU OPTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shih-Chieh Chen, Yao-Chi Liu
  • Publication number: 20120327684
    Abstract: Provided is a light guide plate that is suited for a compact illumination device emitting high-grade light and that allows the orientation thereof to be recognized with ease, an illumination device equipped with the light guide plate, and a display device equipped with the illumination device. Two protrusions (12A, 12B) are formed on a light-receiving face (11r) of a light guide plate (11), and these protrusions (12A, 12B) serve as a recognition member that allows the orientation of a top surface (11u) of the light guide plate (11) to be recognized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroaki Isobe
  • Publication number: 20120320622
    Abstract: Some embodiments may include a device for displaying and illuminating images. The device may include a housing including an interior portion. An opening in the housing may provide access to the interior portion. A viewing aperture may be formed in the housing. The device may include a light guide having a light source. The light guide may be removably received within the housing via the opening. The device may include a graphic medium with an image printed thereon. The graphic medium may be removeably received within the housing via the opening and guided via a guide surface disposed on a portion of the light guide. The graphic medium may be guided via the guide surface and positioned with respect to the light guide such that at least a portion of the image is viewable through the aperture and at least partially illuminated via light originating from the light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: LIGHTHEADED VENTURES, LLC.
    Inventor: Gerald R. Sanders
  • Publication number: 20120320623
    Abstract: An illuminating device includes a light guide plate; a light source that is located opposite at least two adjacent end faces of four end faces of the light guide plate; and a chassis that has an opening through which light emanating from a light emission surface of the light guide plate passes. At least one optical sheet that includes a corner portion with an interior angle of greater than 90 degrees in a position corresponding to a corner portion of the light guide plate that is sandwiched between the two end faces opposite the light source is disposed between the light emission surface of the light guide plate and the chassis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takeshi Wada
  • Publication number: 20120320630
    Abstract: Provided is an illumination apparatus which prevents variations in the distance between the light-receiving surface of a light guide plate and a light source. Also provided is a display device which incorporates the illumination apparatus. The light guide plate, which constitutes a backlight unit, receives light through a light-receiving surface with the light-receiving surface oriented toward the light being emitted. In the backlight unit, pillars extend to intersect the direction of emission from an LED and are thus brought into contact with a device-carrying board and the light guide plate, which are superposed one on the other, thereby securing the device-carrying board and the light guide plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takaharu Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20120320624
    Abstract: An illuminating device includes a substantially rectangular light guide plate that includes at least one end face as a light incident surface, a frame that is arranged to surround the light guide plate, and a light source that is located between the light guide plate and the frame so as to face the light incident surface of the light guide plate. The light guide plate and the frame are integrally molded by two-color molding, and at least a part of the end faces of the light guide plate except for the light incident surface is spaced from the frame. Thus, the illuminating device can be made thinner and lighter without reducing the strength and the brightness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromasa Yamane, Masahi Miwa
  • Publication number: 20120320629
    Abstract: A backlight assembly includes a light guiding plate, a light source and a bottom receiving plate. The light source is disposed at a first side of the light guiding plate. The bottom receiving plate includes a bottom surface and a side wall to form a receiving space in which at least a portion of the light guiding plate is placed. The bottom surface is smaller than a lower surface of the light guiding plate and has a plurality of openings formed through the bottom surface. The side wall extends from the bottom surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Kyu-Hun LIM, Tae-Seok JANG, Jeong-Weon SEO, Yoon-Ho KIM, Yi-Soo WON, Won-Jong OHN
  • Publication number: 20120321290
    Abstract: An illumination device including a light guide unit in which an optical path through which light propagates is formed in an annular shape such that the light propagating in the optical path is emitted from a front surface side of the light guide unit; a local reflection unit provided on the rear surface side of the light guide unit such that light is emitted from only a portion of the front surface side of the light guide unit; and a light source that moves between the light guide unit and the local reflection unit. When the light source is positioned on the light guide unit side, light output from the light source propagates in the optical path of the light guide unit and is emitted from the front surface side in an annular shape. When the light source is positioned on the local reflection unit side, the light output from the light source is reflected by the local reflection unit and emitted in a concentrated manner from only the portion on the front surface side of the light guide unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Daijo
  • Patent number: 8328405
    Abstract: A light emitting apparatus includes multiple Light Emitting Diode (LED) device controller integrated circuits and multiple LEDs of same color, but of different electrical and/or optical characteristics. A respective LED is electrically connected to a respective LED device controller integrated circuit. The respective LED may also be mounted on the respective LED device controller integrated circuit. The LED device controller integrated circuits are configured to independently control a current and/or voltage that is provided to the LED that is electrically thereto, so as to compensate for the different electrical and/or optical characteristics of the LEDs of the same color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Gerald H. Negley
  • Publication number: 20120307521
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an input device with luminous patterns including an input interface and a backlight module. The backlight module includes a light source and a light guide plate. The input interface has a predetermined light shading rate and at least one pattern formed on the light guide plate. When the light source is turned off, the light passing through the light guide plate is too weak to show the pattern. When the light source is turned on, the luminous pattern is shown. One base plate of the input interface is made from a mixture of transparent plastic particles and light shading particles, and the at least one pattern is formed of the micro light guide structures. The present invention provides the advantages of increasing the light source utilization rate, reducing costs, simplifying the manufacture process, improving the shading uniformity, reducing the thickness of input device and decreasing abrasion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: PRIMAX ELECTRONICS LTD.
    Inventor: Chung-Yuan Chen
  • Patent number: 8322903
    Abstract: A light source module includes a casing, at least one reflective layer, a light bar, and at least one light source. The casing has a first side wall and a second side wall, and the first side wall and the second side wall define an opening. The opening faces a light incident surface of a light guide plate, and the first side wall and the second side wall are respectively positioned on two opposite sides of the opening. The reflective layer is formed inside the casing and adjacent to one of the first side wall and the second side wall. The light bar is disposed inside the casing and forms an angle with the light incident surface of the light guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Young Lighting Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Jui-Nien Jao, Chien-Hao Fu, Chao-Min Yang
  • Patent number: 8322904
    Abstract: A backlight unit is provided that may include a plurality of optical assemblies arranged in a matrix form, and a cover to receive the optical assemblies. Each optical assembly may separately include: a light emitting module having a plurality of light emitting devices, a light guide plate, and a cover provided over a portion of the light guide plate. The optical assemblies may include a first optical assembly, a second optical assembly and a third optical assembly. A top surface of the second optical assembly may be spaced from a top surface of the first optical assembly in a first direction by a first interval, and a top surface of the third optical assembly may be spaced from the top surface of the first optical assembly in the second direction by a second interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kum Tae Lee, Min Sang Kim, Moon Jeong Kim, Sung Young Park, Jeong Hwan Kim
  • Publication number: 20120300137
    Abstract: A lighting device of higher heat radiation performance is provided. A lighting device 21 includes: a light guide plate 31 having an end surface 33 as a light entrance surface; a base 40 having an attachment surface 41 that faces the end surface 33 of the light guide plate 31; an LED board 35 having a light emitting surface and provided on the attachment surface 41 such that the light emitting surface faces the end surface 33 of the light guide plate 31; and a pair of heat conduction walls 42 and 43 each arranged on either side of the LED board 35 on the attachment surface 41 of the base 40 and conducting heat generated from the LED board 35 to the base 40. In the lighting device 21, the heat generated form the LED board 35 is conducted to the base side via the heat conduction walls 42 and 43 to be radiated. This enhances heat radiation performance of the LED board 35 that is a heat generation source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Kasai
  • Publication number: 20120300495
    Abstract: A lighting module may be provided that includes a light guide plate including a predetermined pattern; a case covering both sides of the light guide plate; and a light source which is disposed in the case and is configured to emit light to the both sides of the light guide plate. The light guide plate emits the light from the light source through a top surface and a bottom surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Han Gyoul KIM, Young Kuk KWAK, Sang Jun HONG, Young Sik KIM
  • Patent number: 8317386
    Abstract: A planar illumination device includes an optical element outputting a diffusing light from a laser light source into an incident edge surface of a light guide plate. The optical element provides an output substantially parallel to a thickness direction of the light guide plate. A light deflecting unit, including a plurality of deflectors, is provided on a principal surface of the light guide plate for deflecting incident laser light towards an output surface of the light guide. The light deflecting unit is arranged such that a degree of deflection of the light incident on the light guide plate differs according to positions in the light guide plate, to make an amount of light outputted from the output surface uniform across such output surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Nagata, Shinichi Kadowaki, Kazuhisa Yamamoto, Tatsuo Itoh
  • Publication number: 20120293726
    Abstract: To improve a workability in assembling and disassembling of parts of a lighting device. A backlight unit 12 includes an LED board 18 having LEDs 17, a chassis 14, a light guide member 19 having an end portion arranged to face the LEDs 17, a power supply board 21 arranged outside the chassis 14 and supplying drive power to the LEDs 17, and a connector 20 mounted to the chassis 14 and supplying power between the power supply board 21 and the LEDs 17. The connector 20 includes an LED board supporting portion 20a that supports the LED board 18, a power supply board supporting portion 20b having a plate surface along which the power supply board 21 is inserted into and removed from and that supports the inserted power supply board 21, and a connection terminal 28 that comes in contact with the power supply board 21 with allowing relative slide in an inserting and removing direction of the power supply board 21.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshiki Takata