Light Guide Patents (Class 362/615)
  • Patent number: 8480285
    Abstract: A light guide plate includes a light source, a first light guide area and a second light guide area. The first light guide area and the second light guide area are formed by a single light guide plate. The first light guide area defines a notch, and the light source is positioned in the notch. A plurality of microdots are provided on one side of the second light guide area, and the microdots uniformly guiding light from the light source to the second light guide area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignees: Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industry Co., Ltd., FIH (Hong Kong) Limited
    Inventors: Zheng-Ping Tan, Kuan-Hung Chen, Shi-Feng Wang
  • Patent number: 8475033
    Abstract: A first aspect of the invention relates to a luminescent object comprising an aligned polymer that contains an oriented photoluminescent material, said aligned polymer having a pretilt angle of 10-90°. The luminescent object according to the present invention may advantageously be employed in luminescent solar concentrator systems as it enables highly efficient transportation of radiation emitted by the photoluminescent material following exposure to incident solar light. Another aspect of the invention concerns a photovoltaic device comprising an electromagnetic radiation collection medium containing the aforementioned luminescent object and a photovoltaic cell capable of converting optical radiation to electrical energy which is optically coupled to the luminescent object. Further aspects of the invention include a fluorescent light activated display and a room lighting system comprising the aforementioned luminescent object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Michael G. Debije, Cees W. M. Bastiaansen, Dick J. Broer, Michael J. Escuti, Carlos Sanchez
  • Patent number: 8475031
    Abstract: LED backlight module structure for increasing process yield comprises a housing, a copper circuit layer, a plurality of LED chips, a plurality of solder paste overflow prevention members, a light guide plate, and a bottom reflector. In the present invention, it mainly disposed the solder paste overflow prevention members between the LED chips and the copper circuit layer, therefore, the solder paste overflow phenomenon is prevented when using a pressing fixture to assist in executing the welding process of LED chips, and it ensures that the soldering pins of the LED chips would not electrically connect to each other due to the solder paste overflow phenomenon. Moreover, a position limiting band can be further disposed on the copper circuit layer for receiving and fixing the LED chips, in addition, the position limiting band is helpful to the LED chips in heat dissipation when the LED chips emit light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Kocam International Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsan-Jung Chen
  • Patent number: 8475032
    Abstract: A backlight device, where expense reduction is promoted by standardizing lengths of LED boards to one type. The backlight device includes: a light guide plate; and LED boards which are arranged facing end surfaces of side surface portions of the light guide plate and on which LEDs introducing light to the light guide plate are mounted, wherein lengths of long sides of the LED boards arranged on long sides facing end surfaces in a long side direction of the light guide plate and lengths of long sides of the LED boards arranged on short sides facing end surfaces in a short side direction of the light guide plate are all the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
    Inventor: Shigehiro Masuji
  • Patent number: 8465191
    Abstract: A planar light emitting device provided with a light source; a sheet-like light guide that guides light from the light source in a planar direction, and has a plurality of light emitting regions, and a through slit formed between the light emitting regions to penetrate the light guide in a thickness direction; a switch sheet arranged so as to face one of the front face and the rear face of the light guide; and a light-blocking layer that has a flange portion that covers an opening edge portion of the through slit, a main body portion that covers at least one of the mutually facing inner wall surfaces of the through slit so as to form a space in the interior of the through slit and that continuous with the flange portion, and a bottom portion that is extended from a lower portion of the main body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomosada Inada, Shimpei Sato, Takashi Edo
  • Patent number: 8459854
    Abstract: A lighting device (30) comprises a side-light light guide 1? located in a support (2) that has an elongate opening for the passage of light emitted by the light guide. The support (20) is shaped to provide contact edges (24) and the only physical engagement between the support and the light guide is along those contact edges. The support also has planar surfaces internal positioned adjacent, and parallel to, planar surfaces (15) in the light guide to retain the light guide in the required orientation in the support. To enhance the flexibility of the support, in some embodiments only part of the support is continuous along the whole length of the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: David M. Rudek, Joerg Roberto Purfuerst, Hans-Michael Vogt
  • Patent number: 8454221
    Abstract: An end of a light guide plate used for a liquid crystal display and a lighting unit, which is positioned on one side in a first direction, is provided with a depressed portion, and another end of the light guide plate, which is positioned on the other side in the first direction, is provided with a projecting portion. Using the depressed portion and the projecting portion, the light guide plate is placed in a predetermined position of a frame body. The depressed portion and the projecting portion are formed at positions opposite each other in the first direction, and the projecting portion is equal to or smaller than the depressed portion in size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Nobutaka Urano, Yoichi Momose
  • Publication number: 20130135559
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a backlight module and an LCD device, comprising: a backplane and an LGP; the edge(s) of the LGP is provided with lug boss(es), each lug boss is provided with a positioning hole, and the backplane is provided with rivet(s) for matching with the positioning hole; a buffer structure is arranged between the rivet and the wall of the positioning hole. In the present invention, because the edge(s) of the LGP is provided with lug boss(es), each lug boss is provided with a positioning hole, the arrangement of the positioning hole does not influence the light guide area of the LGP; meanwhile, because a layer of buffer structure is arranged between the positioning hole and the rivet, the rupture of the part with concentrated stress in the positioning hole during collision is avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Inventors: Mingfeng Deng, Jungmao Tsai, Songxian Wen, Yizhuang Zhuang, Hui Zhou, Jingming Wu
  • Publication number: 20130128129
    Abstract: Provided is an edge light type illuminating device, in which an adverse effect of noise and the amount of electric wires are decreased by reducing the length of power supply wires arranged to supply electric power to light sources. An illuminating device (20) includes a chassis plate (22) having a square shape in a plan view, edge light type light sources (28) disposed along at least one side face of the plate and another side face perpendicular to the one side face, power supply means (30) arranged to supply electric power to the light sources, and a power supply wire arranged to electrically connect the light sources and the means, wherein at least a portion of the power supply wire includes bridging wires (33ac, 33bd) arranged to connect the light sources perpendicular to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Inventor: Yasumori Kuromizu
  • Patent number: 8436876
    Abstract: Provided are a backlight unit and a display device having the same. The backlight unit includes a case having an opening, at least one lamp assembly disposed on a side surface of the case and including a light source, an optical transreflective unit on the case, the optical transreflective unit transmitting a portion of first light passing through the opening and reflecting a portion of second light generated from the light source, and an optical sheet including a first diffusion unit on the optical transreflective unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ho Young Jeong, Deuk Su Lee, Jun Hyeok Yu, Jae Jung Han, Mi Young Do, Tae Han Kim
  • Patent number: 8434926
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ho-Han Ryu, Tae-Seok Kim, Jin-Gwan Kim
  • Patent number: 8434923
    Abstract: An LED backlight module includes at least one LED and a light guide plate. The light guide plate includes a light incident surface, a light emitting surface connected to the light incident surface, and a bottom surface parallel to the light emitting surface. The at least one LED is placed on the light incident surface and spaced at regular intervals. The light from the at least one LED enters the light guide plate from the light incident surface and is reflected to the light emitting surface by the bottom surface. The light guide plate defines a plurality of concave dots on the bottom surface. The bottom surface is divided into a plurality of discontinuous dot zones. In the dot zone closest to the incident surface, proximity of the dot to the LED decreases the depth and the distribution density of the dots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yung-Lun Huang
  • Publication number: 20130106918
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for providing illumination using a light-turning stack having diffractive light-turning features to eject light out of the light-turning stack. In one aspect, light ejected from the light-turning stack may be applied to illuminate a display. The light-turning stack includes a light-guiding layer having a surface on which the diffractive light-turning features are disposed. A planarization layer having a refractive index different than a refractive index of the light-guiding layer directly contacts the diffractive light-turning features and has a planar surface opposite the light-turning features. The light-guiding layer can also have a planar surface opposite the light-turning features. Both these planar surfaces, on opposite sides of the light turning stack, facilitate the integration of the light-guiding layer with other layers of material, including functional layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ion Bita, Gang Xu, Marek Mienko, Russell Wayne Gruhlke
  • Patent number: 8430552
    Abstract: The main body of the main unit has a light-receiving surface, a light-reflecting surface, and a light-projecting surface. The reflecting unit includes a plurality of reflecting microstructures formed on the light-reflecting surface. Each reflecting microstructure has a first reflecting curved surface, and the first reflecting curved surface of each reflecting microstructure has a first reflecting curved line shown on the lateral surface thereof. The first reflecting curved line of each first reflecting curved surface is substantially composed of a first base point as an initial point on the first bottom portion of the light-reflecting surface, a second base point as an end point on the second bottom portion of the light-reflecting surface, and a first curve track connected from the first base point to the second base point and passing through a plurality of first trajectory points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Entire Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hao-Xiang Lin, Wen-Feng Cheng, Yan Zuo Chen, Jui-Hsiang Chang
  • Patent number: 8430551
    Abstract: In a display apparatus, a light guide plate includes a chamfered corner portion that defines a light incident surface. A light source unit is arranged adjacent to the light incident surface to provide the light to the light guide plate through the light incident surface. A display panel receives light from the light guide plate to display an image. A receiving container includes sidewalls and a bottom portion to accommodate the light guide plate and the light source unit. At least one sidewall adjacent to the corner portion is divided into a first part and a second part that may be coupled to or separated from each other. Thus, the light guide plate and the light source unit may be easily accommodated in the receiving container, thereby improving an assembling efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyoung-Joo Kim, Joo Young Kim, Young-Min Park, So-Yeon Lee, Gicherl Kim
  • Patent number: 8430550
    Abstract: An exemplary backlight module includes a light guiding plate, a light source, and a light guiding bar. The light guiding plate includes a light incident surface and a light emitting surface. The light guiding bar includes a light incident surface and a light emitting surface. The light incident surface of the light guiding bar faces the light source. The light source is configured for emitting light along a lengthwise direction of the light guiding bar. The light emitting surface of the light guiding bar is opposite to the light incident surface of the light guiding plate. The light emitting surface of the light guiding bar has a larger length than that of the light incident surface of the light guiding plate. Thus two opposite end portions of the light emitting surface of the light guiding bar is offset across from the light incident surface of the light guiding plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: I-Thun Lin
  • Patent number: 8430517
    Abstract: Lighting system for a data display device (56), said lighting system including a light guide (30) into which the light produced by a light source (38) is injected, said lighting system being characterized in that the light guide (30) includes a plane light injection and collimation zone (32) in the form of a parabola, said parabola including two branches (48a, 48b) connected to each other via an apex (40), the light source (38) being arranged opposite the apex (40), the branches (48a, 48b) of the parabola which delimit the contour of the plane injection and collimation zone (32) being extended by a plane extraction zone (36) for the light propagating inside the guide (30), said extraction zone (36) having a rectangular section and being provided with light extractors (54).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventor: Pierpasquale Tortora
  • Publication number: 20130100703
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a thermoforming method and a plate assembly thereof. The thermoforming method applicable for manufacturing a plate assembly having a first plate and a second plate comprises the steps of disposing the second plate on a lamination surface of the first plate; putting the first plate and the second plate into a first mold and a second mold respectively; heating and pressing the first mold and the second mold to deform any one of the lamination surfaces of the first plate and the second plate in order to laminate the first plate and the second plate; and opening the first mold and the second mold to remove the plate assembly. The first plate can be a light guide plate, and the second plate can be a reflector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Inventors: Hsueh-Tsu CHANG, Yuan-Li CHUANG
  • Publication number: 20130093979
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a back light module and a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. A back light module comprises a light guide plate; both sides of the light guide plate are respectively provided with multiple notches; the back light module is provided with riveted nut studs in the notches; and buffer parts are arranged between the riveted nut studs and the notches. In the present invention, because buffer material such as silicone, rubber and the like is arranged between each notch and each riveted nut stud of light guide plate, the buffer material can provide effective buffer function when the light guide plat is affected by impact force to avoid damage caused by direct impact between the light guide plate and the riveted nut studs. Thus, low cost is achieved because of simple process and economic material. In addition, the tight contact of the light guide plate and the riveted nut stud is kept by the buffer part, and the shake of the light guide plate is avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Inventor: Quan Li
  • Patent number: 8421954
    Abstract: An auxiliary light source device for a reflective liquid crystal display device includes a light source; a light directing member for directing incident light from the light source toward the reflective liquid crystal display device, the directing member having upper and lower surfaces, the lower surface having a plurality of convex portions protruding from the lower surface of the display device, each of the convex portions having a substantially planar surface at its end, the planar surface of the convex portion being substantially parallel to the lower surface; and a light reflecting member which guides light from the light source into the light directing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeongmin Moon
  • Patent number: 8419263
    Abstract: A light source module including a light guide plate (LGP) and a light source device is provided. The LGP has a light exiting surface, a light reflecting surface opposite to the light exiting surface and at least one light entering surface connecting the light exiting surface and the light reflecting surface. The LGP has light reflective structures disposed on the light reflecting surface and each including a closed light active region and protrusions disposed in the light active region. The light active region and the light reflecting surface are not coplanar. The protrusions extend outward from the LGP. The light source device is disposed corresponding to the light entering surface. The light source device provides a light entering the LGP from the light entering surface and exiting the LGP from the light exiting surface after the light is redirected by one of the protrusions on the light reflecting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Chiung-Han Wang, Chun-Shiang Yan, Ren-Wei Huang
  • Patent number: 8422840
    Abstract: A light guide of the tapered-waveguide type includes an input slab for expanding a projected image between an input end and an output end, and an output slab arranged to receive rays from the said output end, and to emit them at a point on its face that corresponds to the angle at which the ray is received. The input slab and output waveguide are matched so that all rays injected into the input end undergo the same number of reflections before leaving the output surface. With the invention, the input slab is itself tapered slightly towards the output waveguide. This means that input and output waveguides can be made the same length, in the direction of ray travel, and can therefore be folded over each other with no wasted space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy Large
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8416364
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a technique which makes a backlight used in a liquid crystal display device thin and light-weight. The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device which includes a display panel and a backlight arranged behind the display panel, wherein the backlight includes a film-like light guide member, a film-like light semi-transmissive member adhered to a first surface of the light guide member which faces the display panel in an opposed manner, a film-like reflective member adhered to a back surface of the light guide member opposite to the first surface, and a spot light source arranged at a position of the light guide member at which light is incident on the light guide member from the first surface or the back surface. A refractive index of the light semi-transmissive member is set smaller than a refractive index of the light guide member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignees: Hitachi Displays, Ltd., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kurihara
  • 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: 8408775
    Abstract: In one embodiment of this invention, an optical element comprises a light recycling directional control element and provides increased spatial color or luminance uniformity, desired angular color uniformity, and customizable light re-direction properties. In one embodiment, the optical element comprises at least one light blocking region and a lenticular lens element. Further embodiments incorporate an anisotropic light backscattering region within a light transmitting layer. The optical element may further comprise a light collimating element or an additional light lenticular lens element and light transmitting region that may be oriented parallel or perpendicular to the first lenticular lens element. Light emitting devices and displays incorporating the light recycling direction control element are further embodiments of this invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Fusion Optix, Inc.
    Inventor: Zane Coleman
  • Patent number: 8408721
    Abstract: An imaging light source module that includes a plurality of light guides, a plurality of light emitting sources, and an intermediate image surface is disclosed. Each of the plurality of light guides has an entrance face, an exit face, and at least one side wall, and all of the light guides are capable of delivering light along associated light distribution axes intersecting a common reference point. Each of the plurality of light emitting sources delivers light only to a single light guide of the plurality of light guides. The intermediate image surface comprises a plurality of pixels, where each pixel receives light from the exit face of a single associated light guide of the plurality of light guides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Roy A. Auerbach, Stephen J. Willett, Simon Magarill
  • Publication number: 20130077020
    Abstract: A light guide plate includes a first major surface, a second major surface opposite the first major surface, and a pair of opposite primary side surfaces and a pair of opposite secondary side surfaces that are perpendicular to the first and second major surfaces. The light guide plate further includes a plurality of pairs of opposing grooves including a first groove provided on the first major surface and a second groove provided on the second major surface. The light guide plate further includes a plurality of light sources configured relative to the grooves. A backlight unit includes the described light guide plate fixed to a back plate. A liquid crystal display device includes the backlight unit positioned behind a liquid crystal panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Stefan ROHRMOSER, Tong ZHANG
  • Patent number: 8403549
    Abstract: An edge-type backlight module and a direct-type backlight module with a optical device are provided. The optical device comprises an array layer and a second refractive layer. The array layer has a first refractive index (n1) and contains pluralities of lenticular lens disposed on a base surface side by side. The lenticular lens contains a curving structure with a peak, a trough, a curvature radius (R), a width (P) and an altitude (H) between the peak and the trough. The trough is disposed on the base1 surface. The array layer has a first critical angle (?1c) relative to the normal of the base surface and satisfies ? 1 ? c = sin - 1 ? ( 1 n 1 ) and H = R 1 + K ? [ 1 - 1 - ( 1 + K ) ? ( P 2 ? R ) 2 ] . The conical constant (K) of the lenticular lens ranges from ?2.1 to ?1.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Entire Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hao Xiang Lin, Yan Zuo Chen, Wen Feng Cheng, Jui Hsiang Chang
  • Patent number: 8400584
    Abstract: A backlight which arranges light emitting diodes on a side surface of light guide plate adopts the structure which allows the easy removal of the light guide plate from a mold and makes it difficult for a stress or the like to influence the fine structure of a light incident portion of the light guide plate. In a liquid crystal display device having a backlight which radiates light to a liquid crystal panel, LEDs which constitute a light emitting element are mounted on a light guide plate which is mounted on a backlight, and edge portions of the light guide plate are tapered such that a width of the light guide plate is increased in the removal direction of the side surface of the light guide plate. Further, an ejector-pin mark is formed on a lower surface of the light guide plate by pushing an ejector pin in the removal direction of the light guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignees: Hitachi Displays, Ltd., Hitachi Display Devices, Ltd., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayuki Mifune
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8398287
    Abstract: A multicolor light source including a first light source operably to emit a first light of a first color and a second light source operably to emit a second light of a second color. The multicolor light source also includes a first wave guide optically connected to the first light source and a second wave guide optically coupled to the second light source and to the first wave guide. The combination of the first wave guide and the second wave guide couples the first light to the second light to create an outputted light having at least one aspect, other than hue, different from the first light and the second light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Aleksandar Pance, Duncan Kerr, Brett Bilbrey, Michael F. Culbert
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8393776
    Abstract: A backlight module is provided in the present invention. The backlight module includes a light guide plate, a light source plate and a plurality of side-view lighting elements. The light guide plate comprises a light guide body being an integrally-formed single plate body and comprising a plurality of elongated grooves and a plurality of penetrated grooves. The penetrated grooves and the elongated grooves are collectively arranged on a surface of the light guide plate to separate the light guide plate into a plurality of light emitting regions. The side-view lighting elements arranged on the light source plate are attached to a side of the light guide body and respectively disposed for the penetrated grooves to illuminate corresponding light emitting regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Global Lighting Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Huang-Chun Liu, Chung-Lin Tsai, Sheng-Ju Chung
  • Patent number: 8395585
    Abstract: Disclosed are a display device and a front cover thereof. The display device includes a display module to form an image, a front cover to cover a rim of a front surface of the display module, a keypad display provided at the front cover, at least one light emitting unit to emit light to the keypad display disposed between the display module and the front cover, and at least one light guide channel provided at the keypad display, the light guide channel having a cross-sectional area decreasing away from the light emitting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyong Jun Yoo, Hyeon Joo Lee, Sang Hak Kim, Jeong Su Lim
  • Patent number: 8393774
    Abstract: It is provided a luminaire kit of parts (100) for assembling a luminaire. The luminaire kit of parts (100) comprises light sources (107a-b) and light out-coupling devices (105a-b), The luminaire kit of parts (100) further comprises a light guiding element (101), the light guiding element (101) being configured to receive at least a subset of the light sources (107a-b) and at least a subset of the light out-coupling devices (105a-b) into a first type of 5 openings (103a-c) and a second type of openings (104a-b) respectively. It is also provided a method for assembling a luminaire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Marcellinus Petrus Carolus Michael Krijn, Oscar Hendrikus Willemsen, Michel Cornelis Josephus Marie Vissenberg, Ramon Pascal Van Gorkom
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8388211
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a display panel and a light guide unit. The light guide unit includes a body portion and a support portion. The body portion includes a light outputting surface near the display panel, and the support portion is placed on the edge of the light outputting surface to support the display panel. The support portion has an inclined surface, and at least one groove is formed between the inclined surface and the display panel for accommodating glue that combines the display panel and the light guide unit. In addition to being disposed in the groove, glue may be further disposed in a gap between the display panel, a back bezel, and the light guide unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Chih Wei Chen, Hsu Sheng Hsu, Jia Lang Hsu
  • Patent number: 8388207
    Abstract: Provided is an illuminating device including a plurality of light sources. Micro prisms are provided in an opposed surface of a light guide plate. Each of the micro prisms is provided so that a reflective surface has a bottom side located at substantially 90 degrees with respect to an optical path of a beam from any one of the light sources. In a display device including a liquid crystal panel illuminated by the illuminating device, at least two micro prisms are provided in each area overlapped with aperture portions of the liquid crystal panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto Kurihara, Norihiro Dejima
  • Patent number: 8388208
    Abstract: A method and a structure for improving the uniformity of light emitted from a backlight module are provided. In accordance with the present invention, a plurality of optical microstructures are intermittently distributed on an LGP of a backlight module. Each of the microstructures further includes a plurality of optical sub-microstructures. The optical microstructures and the optical sub-microstructures are distributed on the LGP with varied distribution intensities in three dimensions, such that at where the optical microstructures and the optical sub-microstructures are distributed with a larger distribution intensities the LGP refracts and reflects more light, and at where the optical microstructures and the optical sub-microstructures are distributed with a smaller distribution intensities the LGP refracts and reflects less light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Global Lighting Technologies (Taiwan) Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Huang Wen, Chun Pin Chang, Chan Chang Ni, Tsung Yung Hung, Chung Lin Tsai
  • Patent number: 8382361
    Abstract: A backlight assembly includes a light source, a light-guiding member, a mold frame and a printed circuit board (“PCB”). The light source generates light. The light-guiding member guides the light generated from the light source. The mold frame receives the light-guiding member. An opening is formed through a side of the mold frame. The PCB drives the light source, and includes an extension portion extending through the opening of the mold frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang-Jun Park
  • Patent number: 8384838
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is provided, capable of minimizing deterioration in display quality of a liquid crystal panel due to external force generated by connection with an external chassis such as a customer's chassis. The liquid crystal display device has, at least, a front frame, a liquid crystal panel, and a backlight unit having at least a rear frame, arranged in this order. A back fixing frame to be fixed to the front frame is provided on the back face of the liquid crystal display device, and attachment portions to be attached to an external chassis are provided in the back fixing frame. This makes it difficult for external force generated by connection with the external chassis to be transmitted to the liquid crystal panel or the backlight unit, suppresses deformation of the liquid crystal panel or reflection sheet and prevents deterioration in display quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: NLT Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Sugawara, Yasushi Takada
  • Patent number: 8376603
    Abstract: An input device and display apparatus with multi-light segments has been disclosed. The input device may comprise a rigid light guide layer having alignment structures that define the rigid light guide layer into multiple light segments, a plurality of first layer flexible light guide films and a plurality of second layer flexible light guide films. The alignment structures may be formed together when making the rigid light guide layer in an injection molding process. By coupling multiple light sources into each of the light guides, the display may be configured to display multiple color and multiple symbols, independently. In another embodiment, the light guide may be utilized in a display apparatus without a LCD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Intellectual Discovery, Ltd.
    Inventors: Muh Fong Chung, Choon Guan Ko, Sian Tatt Lee, Fook Chuin Ng
  • Patent number: 8373817
    Abstract: A backlight unit includes a rectangular light guide plate including a first edge and a second edge orthogonally crossing each other. A light source arranged on a flexible substrate emits light to the first edge of the light guide plate and then the light emitted from the light source is emitted to outside from an upper surface of the light guide plate. A connection flexible substrate is connected to the flexible substrate and arranged along the second edge of the light guide plate to outside of the backlight unit. The second edge of the light guide plate facing the connection flexible substrate is cut out at an acute angle to the first edge of the light guide plate to pass around the connection flexible substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Japan Display Central Inc.
    Inventor: Tsutomu Arihara
  • Patent number: 8371734
    Abstract: A tab is cut into a sheet of transparent material. The tab has a free end and a fixed end. A source of light is attached to the tab and the tab and the sheet are displaced along the z-axis of the sheet to direct light from the source into an edge of the sheet. The tab can include conductive traces for electrical connection to the light source or other electrical devices on the sheet. A variable display device adjacent the sheet is viewed through the sheet and the sheet with attached light source provides front lighting for the variable display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Rogers Corporation
    Inventor: Mahyar Vahabzadeh
  • Patent number: 8373822
    Abstract: A surface emitting device includes a light guide plate having a light outgoing surface and a reflection surface and an LED light source that includes an LED element provided so that light from the LED element enters the light guide plate through a light incoming end surface of the light guide plate. The light guide plate includes a concave portion corresponding to the LED element on a side of the reflection surface just in front of the LED light source. The concave portion has dimensions in which a width of the light guide plate is equal to or larger than a width of a light outgoing surface of the LED element, and a depth from the reflection surface in a thickness direction of the light guide plate is set so that the concave portion does not overlap with a region opposed to the light outgoing surface of the LED element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: NLT Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukinori Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20130033657
    Abstract: A backlight module comprises a back frame, a light guide plate disposed in the back frame, and elastic corner parts for locating the light guide plate. The elastic corner parts are disposed at diagonal corners of the backlight module and sandwiched between the back frame and the light guide plate. The elastic corner parts can locate the light guide plate in the back frame, and the desirable cushioning performance and appropriate hardness of the elastic corner parts provide a desirable space for thermal expansion and contraction of the light guide plate. Meanwhile, the elastic corner part corresponding to the light incident side is greater than that of the non-light-incident sides for ensuring the light mixing distance between the LEDs and the light incident side of the light guide plate, which can improve the light unitization factor of the LEDs and save both the product cost and the mold cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Inventors: Quan LI, Yu-chun Hsiao
  • Patent number: 8368846
    Abstract: A two-dimensional light source includes a base substrate having holes, wires disposed on a lower surface of the base substrate, a light emitting diode (LED) chip disposed on an upper surface of the base substrate, plugs that connect two electrodes of the LED chip to the wires through the holes, a buffer layer covering the LED chip, and an optical layer that is disposed on the buffer layer and has an optical pattern formed at a portion of the optical layer corresponding to the LED chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gi-Cherl Kim, Se-Ki Park, Ju-Young Yoon, Byung-Choon Yang, Seok-Hyun Nam, Sang-Yu Lee
  • Publication number: 20130027635
    Abstract: An end of a light guide plate used for a liquid crystal display and a lighting unit, which is positioned on one side in a first direction, is provided with a depressed portion, and another end of the light guide plate, which is positioned on the other side in the first direction, is provided with a projecting portion. Using the depressed portion and the projecting portion, the light guide plate is placed in a predetermined position of a frame body. The depressed portion and the projecting portion are formed at positions opposite each other in the first direction, and the projecting portion is equal to or smaller than the depressed portion in size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobutaka URANO, Yoichi MOMOSE
  • 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