Light Guide Patents (Class 362/615)
  • Patent number: 7722224
    Abstract: The present invention provides improved optical elements, such as light diffusing films, plates, and lenses, which can be used in light-emitting devices, such as light fixtures to control the distribution of light projected onto illuminated objects, such as walls, sculptures, and landscaping. Compared to traditional light scattering films, plates or lenses, improvements in illuminance uniformity, optical throw, system efficacy, and aesthetic appearance are achieved. Embodiments of the invention utilize region(s) of volumetric asymmetric diffusion that allow a partial quantity of light to be transmitted without significant scattering in order to improve optical throw and illuminance uniformity. Embodiments can also eliminate hotspot and thus improve the illuminated uniformity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Fusion Optix, Inc.
    Inventors: Zane Coleman, Timothy Kelly, Mark Chu
  • Publication number: 20100124439
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an illuminating device that is disposed in an image-reading apparatus and image-forming equipment, comprising: a light-source portion on one side; a light-source portion on the other side; and a long translucent light-guiding member having a light-discharging face long in a longitudinal direction thereof, and guiding light derived from the one light-source portion from one end face in the longitudinal direction, and light derived from the other light-source portion from the other end face in the longitudinal direction so that the guided light is irradiated to an object through the long light-discharging face; wherein the one and the other light-source portions are arranged such that positions of optical axes thereof differ from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Inventors: Yasuhiro SUTO, Mitsuharu YOSHIMOTO, Tomohiko OKADA, Shohichi FUKUTOME, Hisashi YAMANAKA, Kenji NAKANISHI, Yoshihisa YAMADA
  • Patent number: 7720347
    Abstract: Provided is an all-in-one type light guide plate including a plurality of prism-shaped structures that are integrally formed on the all-in-one light guide plate and which totally internally reflect light incident from a light source and emit the totally internally reflected light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hong-seok Lee, Eung-yeoul Yoon
  • Patent number: 7717572
    Abstract: An adjusting device for positioning an integration rod within an optical engine module is provided. The optical engine module includes a casing having four sidewalls defining an optical path. The integration rod is disposed in the optical path. Each sidewall has a screw hole. The adjusting device includes two adjusting screws extending through the screw holes in two adjacent sidewalls of the casing in order to abut against the integration rod, thereby adjusting the position of the integration rod in the optical path and two positioning screws extending through the screw holes in remaining two adjacent sidewalls of the casing to abut against the integration rod for immobilizing the integration rod within the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Wei-Po Hsu, Tai-Li Chang, Chin-Ku Liu, Chia-Lun Liu
  • Patent number: 7717600
    Abstract: Disclosed is a backlight unit and an LCD device having the same. The backlight unit comprises a plurality of light sources for generating light, a light guide plate for converting linear light generated from the light source into planar light and irradiating the light onto an LCD panel, a plurality of optical patterns formed on the light guide plate, wherein the optical patterns have different sizes for uniformly applying light incident onto the LCD panel to the entire LCD panel, and a diffusion sheet for transmitting light emitted from the light guide plate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the LCD panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dae-San Lim, In-Jae Chung, Jin-Hwan Jeon
  • Publication number: 20100110728
    Abstract: The present invention provides light-emitting diode (LED) devices comprises compositions and containers of hermetically sealed luminescent nanocrystals. The present invention also provides displays comprising the LED devices. Suitably, the LED devices are white light LED devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: NANOSYS, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. DUBROW, Jian Chen, Veeral D. Hardev, Hans Jurgen Hofler, Ernest Lee
  • Patent number: 7708445
    Abstract: A light guide device (21) includes an incident surface (211), an emitting surface (212) and a plurality of protrusions (212a). The incident surface is configured so as to allow an incident light to pass therethrough. The emitting surface is adjoining the incident surface and configured so as to allow the light to emit out of the light guide device. The protrusions are formed on at least a portion of the emitting surface. The protrusions are configured for concentrating light that emits out from said portion of the emitting surface. The present application is also concerned to a backlight module (2) including a light source (22) and the light guide device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ming-Yi Liao
  • Patent number: 7708444
    Abstract: A primary object of the present invention is to provide a surface light source device attaining a homogenous luminance distribution on a light emitting surface of a light guiding plate in which a dot light source having a high directivity of emitted light is employed. The device includes: a light guiding plate 5 including a plurality of primary holes in such a manner as to locate each dot light source 3 inside; and dot printing 7a being employed as an auxiliary light source means which diffuses light from the dot light source 3 to the position between dot light sources 3 being adjacent to each other, wherein the dot printing 7 is provided at a base of the light guiding plate 5 and a middle point of the connected dot light sources 3 being adjacent to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seiji Sakai, Takuya Sakamoto, Toshiyuki Yoneda
  • Patent number: 7710514
    Abstract: An liquid crystal display (LCD) including an LCD panel and a light guiding plate disposed on the rear of the LCD panel. The light guiding plate includes a main body, a fixing part extended from a side of the main body, and a protrusion formed on a rear of the light guiding plate and on a boundary area of the fixing part and the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seong-sik Choi
  • Publication number: 20100103349
    Abstract: A backlight of the present invention (illumination device) 2 includes: light sources (5); light guide plates (7) for causing surface emission of light from the light sources (5); and a diffusing plate (8) for diffusing light from the light guide plates (7), the diffusing plate (8) facing a light-emitting surface (7a) of each of the light guide plates (7) at a predetermined distance. Each light guide plate (7) includes: a light-emitting section (7b) having the light-emitting surface (7a); and a light guide section (7c) for guiding, to the light-emitting section (7b), light from a corresponding light source (5), where the light-emitting section of one of any adjacent two light guide plates is placed over the light guide section (7c) of the other light guide plate (7). The illumination device further includes at least one maintaining section between the light-emitting surface (7a) and the diffusing plate (8), the maintaining section (10) maintaining the predetermined distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventors: Samuel Emil Schmidt, Claus Graff, Johannes Jan Struijk
  • Patent number: 7703973
    Abstract: A backlight module includes a light source, a light guide plate and a reflector. The light guide plate includes a light incidence surface, a light-emitting surface opposite to the light incidence surface, and a pair of side surfaces connecting the light incidence surface to the light-emitting surface. The light-emitting surface of the light guide plate includes a groove formed therein. The reflector is placed between the light source and the light incidence surface of the light guide plate, and located corresponding to the groove of the light-emitting surface of the light guide plate. The reflector includes a light-receiving surface. The light source is facing the light-receiving surface of the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Zhu, Guo-Fan Jin
  • Patent number: 7699496
    Abstract: A structure for attaching a fluorescent tube includes a base, a holder supported by the base, and a pair of contacts. The holder holds an intermediate portion of the fluorescent tube while restraining the fluorescent tube from moving in a radial direction. To the pair of contacts, terminals of a pair of end portions of the fluorescent tube are respectively attachable in an attaching direction corresponding to the radial direction of the fluorescent tube. Each contact includes a pair of elastic pieces facing each other. The pair of elastic pieces have a pair of straight portions extending substantially straight along the attaching direction and facing each other. On the pair of straight portions, a pair of contact portions for clamping the corresponding terminal of the fluorescent tube therebetween are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: J.S.T. Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsunori Miyazono
  • Patent number: 7699516
    Abstract: A back light module where one of the top and bottom surfaces of the light guide contain a micro Fresnel lens array which is off-axis so that a portion of the light won't initially escape from the back light module. The light is reflected down the length of the light guide, spreading the light across the back light module. In one embodiment, the Fresnel lens array is designed to have its efficiency vary across the back light. A smaller percentage of the light is directed out of the module near the light source, with most of the light being directed down the light guide. In an LED embodiment, the LED is mounted on the top or bottom edge of the light guide with a diffraction structure on the opposite side to diffract the light down the light guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Finity Labs
    Inventor: Wai-Hon Lee
  • Patent number: 7699517
    Abstract: An LED surface lighting device (100) comprises a plurality of LED light source modules (120) assembled together side-by-side. Each of the LED light source modules comprises a light guiding plate (122) and at least one LED (124). The light guiding plate comprises a light emitting surface (1222) and a plurality of lateral sides (1225, 1227) adjacent to the light emitting surface. At least one of the lateral sides defines a groove (123) for receiving the at least one LED. The groove keeps a predetermined distance (D) from the light emitting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Foxsemicon Integrated Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Chih-Ming Lai
  • Patent number: 7697813
    Abstract: A light guide member capable of guiding light received from at least a first light source and second light source, wherein the first light source is spaced a distance D3 from the second light source. The light guide member may include a first side including a plurality of first grooves extending along a first direction and a plurality of second grooves extending along the first direction, wherein the first grooves may have a first pitch and the second grooves have a second pitch, the first pitch being different from the second pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong Ho Lee, Won Ki Cho, Min Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 7695150
    Abstract: To provide a lighting unit which: does not greatly affect the design of a light guide plate; and has a long lifetime, high efficiency, and a wide color reproduction range by means of a phosphor. In view of the foregoing, the lighting unit of the present invention is constituted in such a manner that a phosphor bead or a phosphor film is arranged on at least one of the light irradiation plane of a light guide plate, the rear surface of the light guide plate, and the light incidence plane of the light guide plate. In addition, a phosphor film is constituted by using: a phosphor bead formed of a phosphor particle and a water-impervious material with which the phosphor particle is coated so that the particle is confined in the material; and a polymer film holding the phosphor bead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Norihiro Dejima, Makoto Kurihara, Tomoki Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20100085773
    Abstract: A light guide with optics accurately controls the light exiting the guide. The device achieves accurate control of the reflected light by extracting light from a limited area of the light guide. The configuration of the reflectors used for the selective extraction determines the nature of the output light. The reflectors are preferably located on a side of the light guide opposite to an output side of the light guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Inventor: Brian Edward Richardson
  • Patent number: 7690810
    Abstract: A plurality of LEDs are arrayed in the X-direction, and a light-guide plate is provided facing the LEDs. A plurality of prisms extending in the Y-direction are formed on a light-receiving surface of the light-guide plate. A plurality of prisms are additionally formed on a light-emitting surface of the light-guide plate. Light emitted from the LED is thereby divided into a plurality of light beams by the prisms, and a portion of the light is condensed toward the prisms. Light that is condensed toward the prisms is divided in a plurality of directions and transmitted in the light-guide plate. When the light reaches another prism, the light is reflected by the prism and emitted from the light emitting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Goroh Saitoh, Masao Imai
  • Patent number: 7690830
    Abstract: The present invention makes a radiation angle of light at a portion of a light guide plate in front of an LED formed on one edge of a light guide plate and a radiation angle of light at a corner portion of the light guide plate equal to each other as much as possible. A shape of beam control elements which are arranged on a lower surface of a light guide plate is arranged concentrically about the LED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignees: Hitachi Displays, Ltd., Hitachi Display Devices, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Koganezawa, Akiyoshi Tobe, Fumiyuki Sato
  • Patent number: 7690803
    Abstract: A light emitting sheet module includes a light guiding sheet to cover a plurality of key switches, at least one LED disposed on at least one end portion of the light guiding sheet, and a circuit board disposed on the one end portion of the light guiding sheet on which the LED is disposed. When the light emitting sheet module is, mounted on a switch board, it is capable of adaptation to key switches in a wide variety of forms and to illuminate the key switches with light emission of high brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Isao Miyashita, Kenshi Aihara
  • Publication number: 20100067256
    Abstract: A light source set including a light cover has an opening, a first side and a second side, a first circuit board disposed on the first side, a plurality of first point light sources disposed on the first circuit board, a second circuit board disposed on the second side and a plurality of second point light sources disposed on the second circuit board is provided. The first side and the second side are located at two opposite sides of the opening. Each first point light source has a first light-emitting surface facing to the opening and a first top surface departing from the first circuit board. Each second point light source has a second light-emitting surface facing to the opening. A distance between the first top surface and the second circuit board is smaller than a height of the second point light sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, LTD.
    Inventor: Chia-Chun Chang
  • Publication number: 20100066946
    Abstract: A backlight assembly includes an optical member that diffuses light generated from lamps. The optical member includes first and second diffusion members that are designed to have light transmittance that complementarily vary according to areas. Thus, an optical member capable of supplying light having uniform brightness onto the whole display area of the LCD is easily designed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventors: Min-Young Song, Byung-Yun Joo, Jin-Sung Choi, Sang-Hoon Lee, Dong-Kwan Kim
  • Publication number: 20100053993
    Abstract: A display device is provided, which can precisely control a light source by measuring the quantity of light from the light source under uniform conditions. The display device includes a display panel displaying an image, a light source generating light, a light guide plate guiding and providing the light to the display panel, a receptacle accommodating the light source and the light guide plate, an optical sensor fixed to the receptacle to sense the light, a light receiving hole formed at an edge of the receptacle to provide a path through which the light reaches the optical sensor, and an optical adjustment member interposed between the light guide plate and the optical sensor to reduce luminance of the light incident to the optical sensor. The optical sensor is completely exposed to the optical adjustment member through the light receiving hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Hyun-Seok Hong, Yo-Han Lee, Su-Hag Ha
  • Publication number: 20100053148
    Abstract: A light guide device includes a light guide body and two or more pluralities of spaced-apart slits. The slits are formed by undercuts in the light guide body. Sidewalls of the slits form facets that redirect light impinging on the facets. In some embodiments, the light guide body is attached to a light source. The light source emits light that is injected into the light guide body and the slits redirect the light out of the light guide body and towards a desired target. In some embodiments, the target is a display and a first plurality of slits directs light from the light source across the light guide body and over the face of the display. A second plurality of slits then directs light out of the light guide body and towards the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kasra Khazeni, Manish Kothari, Gang Xu, Ion Bita, Kollengode S. Narayanan
  • Publication number: 20100053992
    Abstract: The invention relates to an illumination system (10) for illuminating a display device, and to the display device. The illumination system comprises a light distribution element (20 for distributing light across the display device. The light distribution element comprises a light output window (40), a rear wall (42) situated opposite the light output window, and edge walls (44, 46) extending between the light output window and the rear wall, at least one of the edge walls comprising a light input window (48) for admitting light into the light distribution element. The light distribution element further comprises specularly reflective light-outcoupling means (50) for specularly reflecting light from the light distribution element towards the display device via the light output window. A first light beam (100) comprises light of a first primary color (R) impinging on the light input window for coupling the light of the first primary color into the light distribution element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Marcellinus Petrus Carolus Michael Krijn, Martin Jacobus Johan Jak, Ramon Pascal Van Gorkom, Hugo Johan Cornelissen, Dirk Kornelis Gerhardus De Boer
  • Publication number: 20100053995
    Abstract: A backlight unit is provided that, for a case where on a mounting board on which a plurality of point light sources are mounted, an electronic component other than those point light sources is mounted, can reduce the occurrence of uneven luminance, with no increase in the size of the backlight unit. This backlight unit (10) is provided with a PWB (6) having at least an LED mounting region (6a) extending along a side surface (3a) of a light guide plate (3). The LED mounting region (6a) of the PWB (6) is, at an end portion thereof on one side, provided with an FPC mounting region (6b) and is, at an end portion thereof on the other side opposite to the one side, provided with a capacitor mounting region (6c) extending along a side surface (3b) perpendicular to the side surface (3a) of the light guide plate (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Kazuki Ohfuku, Masashi Miwa, Masakazu Takeuchi
  • Publication number: 20100053996
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a light guide is provided which includes a light guide substrate having a top surface through which light is to be emitted, a bottom surface, an incident edge surface through which incident light is to be introduced into the light guide substrate, and another edge surface. The another edge surface includes at least one micro structure operative to reflect at least a portion of the incident light, which travels through the light guide substrate and is incident on the another edge surface, back within the light guide substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Tong Zhang, David James Montgomery, James Rowland Suckling, Harry Garth Walton, Jonathan Mather
  • Patent number: 7671935
    Abstract: A display comprises: a transmissive pixellated spatial light modulator (21); and a backlight (22). The backlight has a light-transmissive waveguide (26), with a first face of the waveguide being opposed to the spatial light modulator (21). The first face of the waveguide comprises a plurality of regions that are not totally internally reflective for at least one polarisation of light propagating within the waveguide, and the remainder of the first face of the waveguide is totally internally reflective for light propagating within the waveguide. Light is extracted from the waveguide at the regions where first face of the waveguide is not totally internally reflective. The pitch of the regions where first face of the waveguide is not totally internally reflective is substantially an integer multiple of the pitch of the pixels of the spatial light modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jonathan Mather, Etienne Lesage, David James Montgomery
  • Patent number: 7671534
    Abstract: When a long illuminant module is constructed, debonding of a bonded interface or bending occurs due to a difference in a magnitude of thermal deformation between a lens material and a metal substrate. In an illuminant module including light emitting elements, a substrate on which the light emitting elements are mounted, a transparent encapsulating resin which encapsulates the light emitting elements, and a lens material having cavities formed therein, in which the respective light emitting elements and transparent encapsulating resin are stored, notches are formed in a surface of the lens material on the side of the substrate, and the notch surfaces of the notches and the surface of the substrate are bonded using a bonding material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Lighting, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Kinoshita, Norio Nakazato, Naoki Yotsumoto, Keisuke Nishimura, Daisuke Nakahara
  • Patent number: 7665877
    Abstract: A prism sheet capable of enhancing light efficiency and viewing angle characteristics, a backlight unit using the prism sheet, and a method for fabricating the prism sheet are disclosed. The prism sheet includes a transparent substrate, a plurality of grooves formed in an upper surface of the transparent substrate to extend in a parallel direction with each other and to be uniformly spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance, a plurality of reflection patterns respectively formed in the grooves, and a plurality of lenticular lenses formed on the upper surface of the transparent substrate formed with the reflection patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Man Hoan Lee, Ji Su Yoon, Sung Keun Lee
  • Patent number: 7667788
    Abstract: An illumination system for a flat panel display device includes: a light guide plate made of an optically isotropic material; a light source disposed at a side of the light guide plate; an upper layer disposed on a top surface of the light guide plate and made of an optically anisotropic material; and a polarization selection emitting structure which is disposed at an interface of the light guide plate and the upper layer. The upper layer has two different refractive indices and one of the two refractive indices is the same as a refractive index of the light guide plate. In the polarization selection emitting structure differently polarized light is differently refracted, reflected, diffracted, or scattered based on polarization direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Moon-gyu Lee, Seung-ho Nam, Seong-mo Hwang, Young-chan Kim, Dong-ho Wee, Kyung-yeup Kim
  • Patent number: 7665880
    Abstract: The backlight assembly includes a lamp unit, a light guide plate and a receiving container. The light guide plate includes a light exiting surface, a light reflecting surface facing the light exiting surface, and side surfaces. The receiving container includes a frame plate and sidewall protruding from an outer edge of the frame plate to form a receiving space for receiving the lamp unit and the light guide plate. The first distance between an inner surface of the sidewall and an outer surface of the light guide plate at a first region is greater than a second distance between the inner surface of the sidewall and the outer surface of the light guide plate at a second region. The light guide plate is more spaced apart from the sidewall at the corners where much noise was made, in a general backlight assembly, so that the noise is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seung-Chul Jeong
  • Publication number: 20100039832
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a light guide. A first light input section receives light in a first direction into said light guide. First direction-dependent outcoupling structures selectively couple out light propagating in said first direction in said light guide. A second light input section receives light in a second direction into said light guide. Said second direction is different than said first direction. Second direction-dependent outcoupling structures selectively couple out light propagating in said second direction in said light guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2006
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: Pentti Ahlgren, Pauli Laitinen
  • Patent number: 7663713
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel and an illumination device. The illumination device has a light guide plate and at least one spot light source on at least one side surface of the light guide plate. The light guide plate includes a large number of upper-surface arcuate cross-sectional grooves in a direction orthogonal to the one side surface on a surface thereof which faces the liquid crystal panel, and a large number of light-incident-surface arcuate cross-sectional grooves are formed in a thickness direction of the light guide plate on at least a portion of the one side surface which faces a position at which the spot light source is arranged. A relationship is provided between a contact angle Oa of the upper-surface arcuate cross-sectional grooves and a contact angle Ea of the light-incident-surface arcuate cross-sectional grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken Saito, Shigeo Shimano, Hiroshi Nakamoto, Hiroyuki Yoshida, Hirokazu Yabe, Toshitsugu Miyawaki, Akiyoshi Tobe
  • Patent number: 7661841
    Abstract: An illumination device has a blue light emitting element that emits blue light and a light guide member that guides blue light emitted from the blue light emitting element to a light exit surface of the light guide member. A first color conversion element includes a red phosphor that emits red light in response to excitation with the blue light. The first color conversion element is disposed on an optical path between the blue light emitting element and the light guide member. A second color conversion element is disposed on a light exit surface side of the light guide member and separated from the first color conversion element. The second color conversion element comprises a pair of non-permeable transparent substrates, a resin disposed between the non-permeable transparent substrates, and a green phosphor dispersed in the resin for emitting green light in response to excitation with the blue light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Matoko Kurihara, Kazuya Kato
  • Patent number: 7662905
    Abstract: A copolycarbonate; a copolycarbonate composition that contains the copolycarbonate and a polycarbonate resin; a polycarbonate base resin composition that contains the copolycarbonate and an acryl base resin; an optical molded article containing the copolycarbonate; a light guide plate containing the copolycarbonate; a lens containing the copolycarbonate; an optical molded article containing the copolycarbonate composition; a light guide plate containing the copolycarbonate composition; a lens containing the copolycarbonate composition; an optical molded article containing the polycarbonate base resin composition; a light guide plate containing the polycarbonate base resin composition; and an optical molded article containing the polycarbonate base resin composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Ishikawa, Hiroshi Kawato, Atsushi Sato
  • Publication number: 20100033988
    Abstract: An edge lighting back light unit (BLU) includes at least a point illuminant, a light guide unit, and a light guide plate. The light guide unit includes a plurality of micro-structures for breaking the total reflection inside the light guide unit to generate a uniform linear light illuminating outside the light guide unit. Then, the light guide plate could reflect the light from the linear illuminant to form a uniformly planar illuminant. The edge lighting BLU in the present invention could reduce the components, lower the temperature, and avoid the light mura.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Kuan-Her Chiu, Irene Chen
  • Publication number: 20100027292
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a light guiding structure, comprises: a printed circuit board for carrying following units; a light guiding column retained on the printed circuit board; at least one light-emitting member disposed on the printed circuit board and provided beside the light guiding column, and lights emitted by the light-emitting member can be refracted or reflected by the light guiding column for increasing the brightness of lateral light emitting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventor: Yun-Yuan YEH
  • Publication number: 20100027294
    Abstract: An optical sheet includes a base film in which light is incident from a lower side, a plurality of prism patterns and a diffusion member. The prism patterns are protruded to be spaced apart from each other on the base film to enhance the front luminance of light incident from the lower side of the base film. The diffusion member is disposed between prism patterns to have a diffusion surface in parallel with the base film. The diffusion member includes a plurality of diffusion dots capable of enhancing the luminance uniformity of light incident from the lower side of the base film. Thus, front luminance and luminance uniformity may be enhanced due to a juxtaposition of the prism patterns and the diffusion portion, and the viewing angle of the LCD device may be enhanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: Dae-Hwan Lee, Woo-Tae Kim, Kyoung-Soo Lee, Suk Kim, Jae-Sun Hwang, Kwang-Joon An, Jin-Yong Chung, Dal-Seok Byun
  • Patent number: 7654722
    Abstract: The wedge-shaped light guide plate has a number of reflection structures with gaps therebetween arranged along the light reflection plane. Each reflection structure from a previous gap contains sequentially a slant surface extended away from the light emission surface, a second reflection surface further slanting away from the light emission plane, and a first reflection surface slanting towards the light emission plane to connect to a next gap. The second and first reflection surfaces form a prism element. In one embodiment of the present invention, the reflection structures are more densely arranged as they are more distant from the light source. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the reflection structures are arranged uniformly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Radiant Opto-Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Wei-Hsuan Chen, Yi-Lin Tsai
  • Patent number: 7656470
    Abstract: An exemplary backlight module (11) includes a frame (17), and a light guide plate (16) received in the frame. The frame includes a supporting board (170) defining a notch (174) therein. The light guide plate includes a light incident surface (160), a side surface (166), and a first ear (168) outwardly extending from the side surface. The first ear is received in the notch, and a top surface of the first ear is coplanar with a top surface of the supporting board at the notch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Innolux Display Corp.
    Inventor: Chih-Chia Yu
  • Publication number: 20100020334
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light incident face onto which light is incident, a light guide plate that has a light emitting face that is disposed adjacent to the light incident face and intersects the light incident face, an illumination light source that is disposed to face the light incident face such that an optical axis thereof faces the light incident face, a position detecting beam source that is disposed to face the light incident face such that an optical axis thereof faces the light incident face, and a wiring substrate that extends along the light incident face and has both the illumination light source and the position detecting beam source mounted thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Daisuke NAKANISHI
  • Publication number: 20100014315
    Abstract: A linear light source apparatus (100) includes a light guide member (120) made of a transparent resin, and a light emitting element (200) for emitting light to the light guide member (120). The light guide member (120) includes a columnar main body (130), and a first end (121) and a second end (122) at two ends of the main body (130). The main body (130) includes a circumferential surface that is a smooth mirror surface and formed with a plurality of recesses (131) or projections (132) in a predetermined strip-shaped region extending in the longitudinal direction. The light emitted from the light emitting element (200) is emitted from a region of the main body (130), which faces the strip-shaped region, along the length of the main body (130). The recesses (131) or projections (132) extend straight in the width direction of the strip-shaped region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2008
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: ROHM CO., LTD
    Inventor: Hisayoshi Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 7646448
    Abstract: A method for providing a hot spot filter for a light guide is provided by taking an image of the light output pattern of an illuminated light guide. The hot spot filter may be a film, a layer, or an additional liquid crystal display dedicated to attenuating bright spots from the light guide. The hot spot filter may be incorporated into the image display by adjusting the grey scale of individual pixels to provide sufficient compensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Research in Motion Limited
    Inventors: James Robinson, Marc Drader, Michael Purdy
  • Publication number: 20100002466
    Abstract: In a light guide plate and a backlight unit, a light guide plate includes a light incident surface, an opposite surface, a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of optical path changing units. The optical path changing units are aligned on at least the bottom surface of the top surface and the bottom surface at a predetermined interval while protruding in parallel to a reference line perpendicular to the light incident surface. Accordingly, power consumption used to generate the light may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Sang-Soo Kim, Jin-Sung Choi, Tae-Seok Jang, Sang-Hoon Lee
  • Publication number: 20090323371
    Abstract: In a light source apparatus, a method of manufacturing the light source and a backlight assembly having the same, a light guide plate (LGP) includes an upper surface and a lower surface facing each other and a first side surface and a second side surface. The light source is placed in the LGP adjacent to the first side surface and emits light toward the second side surface. The power supply unit is electrically connected to the light source and partially placed in the LGP. The light source may include a lamp or a light-emitting diode (LED). The power supply unit may include a wire or a power supply substrate. The light source apparatus may be formed by an injection molding process using lower and upper mold frames. Therefore, backlight assembly size, the number of parts and manufacturing steps may be decreased, and the illumination quality may be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Ho-Han RYU, Tae-Seok Kim, Jin-Gwan Kim
  • Patent number: 7637646
    Abstract: A backlight assembly includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), a light guiding plate disposed on the same plane as the LEDs, and a plurality of optical correcting portions formed on a side of the light guiding plate and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance to change an optical path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kwan Seob Byun, Jae Lag Ma, Myung Woo Jung, Sun Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 7639918
    Abstract: A light guide includes a body having an elongate shape and a plurality of light-reflecting faces and light-emitting faces extending along the body. The light-reflecting faces extend in a stepped fashion along the body in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the light guide and are configured to reflect light rays by the principle of total internal reflection. Each light-emitting face is disposed along the body opposite a corresponding light-reflecting face. Each light-emitting face is configured to emit light reflected by the corresponding light-reflecting face. The light-emitting faces are also disposed on the body in a stepped fashion. Steps of the light-emitting faces correspond to steps of the light-reflecting faces. In another aspect, the light-reflecting faces are separated by stepped-down faces. The stepped-down faces are oriented at a stepped-down angle in the range of about 1 and 10 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the light guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Edwin Mitchell Sayers, Christopher L. Eichelberger
  • Publication number: 20090316434
    Abstract: A planar illumination device comprises a light guide plate, a point-like light source arranged on an incoming-light face of the light guide plate, an inner frame formed substantially in a U-shape on a top view, and an outer frame having a seat portion and side walls wherein the light guide plate is accommodated in the inner frame and mounted on the seat portion of the outer frame, while the point-like light source is arranged along the incoming-light face of the light guide plate and held between the incoming-light face and the side wall of the outer frame. At the inner frame, an elastic action portion which is elastically deformed so as to make a partial contact with the outer frame and energizes the light guide plate toward the point-like light source is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuo Ohno
  • Patent number: 7636508
    Abstract: A display device includes an edge-lit light-transmitting sheet having first and second opposed parallel surfaces. A matrix is applied to at least one of the first and second surfaces and comprises a series of lines extending between opposed edges of the sheet. The spacings between the lines and/or the thicknesses of the lines are so chosen as to obtain a desired intensity of illumination at selected areas of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Inventor: David Noel Oliver