Light Guide Patents (Class 362/615)
  • Patent number: 8262274
    Abstract: Light guides and backlight systems are disclosed that include one or more groups of geometric light redirectors whose density and/or orientation across the surface of a light guide varies to improve light emission uniformity and to reduce visual artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Pitronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Je Hong Kim, Jignesh Gandhi
  • Patent number: 8256948
    Abstract: An LED 1 and an LED 2 are respectively arranged at diagonal positions so as to face the long sides of a lens 3 having a shape of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped. Further, the LED 1 and the LED 2 respectively emit light beams to the side surface portions of the long sides of the lens 3 so as to prevent the light beams from intersecting with each other. The lens 3 has a function to reflect the light beams emitted by the LED 1 and the LED 2 by cut-out sections 34 to 36 and projecting sections 31 to 33. Therefore, the light beams emitted by the LED 1 and the LED 2 are emitted from holes of a display section side case 10, which holes are formed in correspondence with the three light-emitting sections 31 to 33 of the lens 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Akimasa Matsushita
  • Publication number: 20120218780
    Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed, which includes a housing, a touch pad structure, and a light-guiding structure. The light-guiding structure includes a light-guiding plate and a plurality of light-emitting units. The light-guiding plate has a main body and a thru-opening formed on the main body. The main body has a pair of opposing first edge portions and a pair of opposing second edge portions. A light-guiding member is formed on the main body around the thru-opening. The light-emitting units are disposed on or beyond the light-guiding pate and around the light-guiding member and illuminate toward the first and second edge portions. The touch pad structure is received in the thru-opening and surrounded by the light-guiding member. The touch pad structure and the light-guiding member are exposed through a slot of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2011
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicants: LITE-ON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, SILITEK ELECTRONIC (GUANGZHOU) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: HUI-LING LIN, CHIH-WEI WANG, SHIH-CHUNG LO
  • Patent number: 8251565
    Abstract: A display device has at least one light source for emitting light and a light guide plate having a first surface for inputting light emitted from the at least one light source, a second surface for outputting illumination light, and a third surface opposite to the second surface. A display element having dots for displaying image information is arranged over the second surface of the light guide plate for receiving the illumination light. At least two microprisms are arranged on the third surface of the light guide plate in areas overlapping the dots of the display element. Each microprism has a height in the range of from 1 ?m to 10 ?m and a mirror surface for reflecting light emitted from the at least one light source. Each mirror surface has a base disposed perpendicular to a light path of the light emitted from the at least one light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto Kurihara, Norihiro Dejima
  • Patent number: 8246229
    Abstract: A master/museum picture frame containing integral lighting and a light director (FIG. 1) in accordance with Snell's law of Total Internal Reflection and Refraction By a Prism. Said lights, wired in series with a resistance wire parallel to the filament on the lights dumet, in accordance with the Shunt Theory, such that if one light burns out the remainder remain lighted, to present the artwork in the most favorable manner for the longest period of time when viewed in a depreciating environment. The master/museum frame is interchangeable, both forward and backward, with the capability of being used as a lighted frame or an unlighted frame by substituting a spacer in place of the light director and vice versa as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Inventor: Stephen Hilary Silder
  • Patent number: 8246236
    Abstract: A light guide loop includes a number of optical coupling structures and a number of luminaries. Each of the optical coupling structures includes a light incident surface and a reflecting surface. The luminaries are respectively facing the light incident surfaces of the optical coupling for emitting light to the optical coupling structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jen-Tsorng Chang
  • Publication number: 20120206938
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light-guide (100), an illumination system (200), a luminaire (400), a scanning backlight system (200) and a display device. The light-guide comprises a plurality of light-guide segments (10), each light-guide segment being substantially optically separated from a neighboring light-guide segment. Each light-guide segment comprises light-extraction means (40) for extracting at least part of the distributed light via a front wall (20) to illuminate in operation a light output window (220). A distance (D) between the front wall and the light output window being smaller at a center (C) of the front wall compared to a predefined edge (50) of the front wall. The predefined edge of the front wall is an edge at which the light-guide segment is arranged adjacent to the neighboring light-guide segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Gabriel-Eugen Onac, Marcellinus Petrus Carolus Michael Krijn
  • Patent number: 8240906
    Abstract: Provided is a backlight unit of a liquid crystal display (LCD). The backlight unit includes: a plurality of light guide plates (LGPs) arranged in M layers and separated from each other by a predetermined gap, wherein M is a natural number equal to or greater than two, a light source unit disposed on at least one side surface of each of the LGPs and including N light source blocks whose brightnesses are controlled individually, and wherein N is a natural number equal to or greater than two. The backlight unit further includes a plurality of light output regions defined by each of the LGPs being divided into a plurality of regions according to a distance from the light source unit and by a plurality of light output patterns being formed in some of the regions, and wherein the light output regions do not overlap each other in a stacking direction of the LGPs and are arranged to correspond to a whole surface of the LGPs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-Chan Kim, Min-Young Song, Jung-Han Shin
  • Publication number: 20120201048
    Abstract: Apparatus for illuminating one or more components of an electronic device having a visual display (e.g., a backlit display), such as one or more keys of keyboards, one or more interface ports, or one or more external surfaces are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, a component illumination apparatus has a visual display and a light guide optically coupled to the visual display and that is adapted to illuminate one or more components external to the visual display. Methods of component illumination and illumination systems are described, as are other embodiments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: BAYER HEALTHCARE LLC
    Inventor: Eugene Prais
  • Patent number: 8231236
    Abstract: The invention provides a light guiding plate. The light guiding plate is transparent and applied to an input apparatus. A surface of the light guiding plate comprises a first region and a second region. The first region is covered by a non-transparent material. If a light is emitted into the light guiding plate, the light can be emitted out from the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Dafron Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chih-Hsiang Chiang, Chih-Chung Yen, Liang-Ta Yeh
  • Patent number: 8226287
    Abstract: A light guide plate capable of guiding a light beam from a light emitting device and a backlight module using the light guide plate are provided. The light guide plate includes a light-transmissive substrate and optical structures. The light-transmissive substrate has a first surface, an opposite second surface, and an incident surface connecting the first and the second surface. The light beam enters the light-transmissive substrate through the incident surface and is emitted out of the light-transmissive substrate through the first surface. The optical structures are disposed on the second surface. Each optical structure has a first total internal reflection (TIR) surface, a second TIR surface, and a third TIR surface. The second TIR surface connects the first and third TIR surfaces. Part of the light beam from the incident surface is totally internally reflected by any adjacent two of the first, second, and third TIR surfaces in sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Tun-Chien Teng, Jyh-Ming Chen, Ming-Feng Kuo, Chih-Jen Tsang
  • Publication number: 20120182766
    Abstract: This invention has an object to provide a manufacturing method for light guide plate, from small to relatively large sizes, capable of corresponding to an arbitrary shape and the optical characteristics suitable for the shape and reducing the takt time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: S.K.G. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhide Sakamoto, Hiroshi Nakashima, Eisuke Hatano
  • Publication number: 20120182494
    Abstract: The display apparatus includes a backlight module, which includes a light source, a light-emitting surface, a light-emitting counter surface and a flexible circuit. The light-emitting counter surface is disposed opposite to the light-emitting surface. The flexible circuit is electrically connected with the light source, and has a portion covering the light-emitting counter surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: HANNSTAR DISPLAY CORP.
    Inventors: Dong-Xian YU, Ying-Che HUANG
  • Patent number: 8223297
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device and a method for fabricating the same, and the liquid crystal display device may be configured by including a light guide plate with a plurality of movement prevention structures at both sides thereof, respectively; a lower cover with opening portions at the positions corresponding to the plurality of movement prevention structures, and on which the light guide plate being disposed; a light source unit disposed at a side of the light guide plate; a support main with insertion portions for inserting and mounting the movement prevention structures at the positions corresponding to the opening portions; a diffuser sheet and an optical sheet disposed on the light guide plate; and a liquid crystal panel disposed at an upper portion of the support main.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ki-Won Kim
  • Patent number: 8215817
    Abstract: Provided is a backlight unit. The backlight unit includes a frame, a light guide plate, a light absorption adhesive member, and a white light source. An opening is formed in the frame. The light guide plate is attached to the frame and formed larger than the opening. The light absorption adhesive member attaches the light guide plate to the frame and absorbs incident light. The white light source provides white light to the light guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Myong Rock Oh
  • Patent number: 8215815
    Abstract: In one aspect, an illumination apparatus includes a waveguide, embedded in which are a light-emitting source and a photoluminescent material. Output light is emitted from at least a portion of a first surface of the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Oree, Inc.
    Inventors: Noam Meir, Eran Fine
  • Publication number: 20120170316
    Abstract: A light guide panel (LGP) having a surface which has a first direction and a second direction vertical with each other is provided. The LGP includes an optical element array and a rubbing portion. The optical element array is disposed on the surface of the LGP and extended in the first direction. The rubbing portion is disposed on the surface of the LGP and extended in the second direction. Moreover, a fabricating method of the LGP by utilizing a cutting tool is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: GLOBAL LIGHTING TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Guo-Chen Lee, Shin-Kun Lee, Chia-Chen Lee, I-Ping Huang, Tsung-Yung Hung
  • Publication number: 20120170311
    Abstract: A light guide plate positioning design in backlight module includes a base, a light guide plate, a first positioning unit, and a second positioning unit. The base has a sidewall extending along a second direction. The first positioning unit is disposed on the sidewall for contacting the light guide plate to resist a displacement of the light guide plate in a first direction, and further to position the light guide plate relatively to the sidewall in the first direction. The second positioning unit is disposed on the base for contacting the light guide plate to resist a displacement of the light guide plate in the second direction, and further to position the light guide plate in the second direction in a position along the side wall. The resistance of the first positioning unit to the displacement of the light guide plate is greater than that of the second positioning unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: AU OPTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jien-Feng Huang, Chi-Chen Huang
  • Publication number: 20120170314
    Abstract: A local dimming side-lighting light guide plate and a local dimming side-lighting backlight module are disclosed. The light guide plate includes a light guide plate body and a first medium, wherein the refractive index of the light guide plate body is greater than the refractive index of the first medium. The light guide plate body includes a plurality of gaps parallel with each other, wherein the first medium is disposed in those gaps. The light guide plate body further includes a light entrance end, wherein the gaps extend in directions both away and toward the light entrance end. Furthermore, an active region is defined on the light guide plate body and the gaps are located in the active region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: AU OPTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wei-Tien Chang, Kuang-Tao Sung
  • Patent number: 8210700
    Abstract: A backlight module including a housing, a first reflector plate, a light guide plate, a second reflector plate and at least one light bar is provided. The first reflector plate is disposed on a bottom of the housing, and the light guide plate is disposed within the housing. The light guide plate includes a first optical surface, a second optical surface and a light emitting surface, and the first optical surface is adjacent to the first reflector plate. The second reflector plate is adjacent to the second optical surface of the light guide plate. The light bar is disposed between the first reflector plate and the light guide plate, and the light bar is opposite to the second optical surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chin-Hsing Cho, Tsao-Yuan Fu
  • Patent number: 8210731
    Abstract: The transparent light guide plate includes a rectangular light exit surface, a thick portion positioned at substantially a central portion of the surface, thin edge portions formed in parallel on both sides of the thick portion, a parallel groove accommodating a bar-like light source and being formed at substantially a center of the thick portion and inclined rear portions whose thickness is reduced from the thick portion toward the thin edge portions. An end portion of the groove is narrowed toward the surface symmetrically to a center line of the groove in a sectional shape thereof according to a ratio of a peak value of illuminance or luminance of emitted light at a first portion of the surface corresponding to the groove to an average value thereof at second portions corresponding to the inclined rear portions. The planar lighting device includes the light guide plate. The liquid crystal display device includes the planar lighting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Iwasaki
  • Publication number: 20120163027
    Abstract: It is disclosed a light-emitting device (100) comprising a light guide (101), comprising a first (101a) and a second (101b) output surface portion. The light-emitting device (100) further comprises a plurality of light-outcoupling elements (103) and an array of beam-forming structures (104). The light-outcoupling elements (103) are positionally arranged relatively to the beam-forming structures (104) such as to enable light that is impinging on at least one of the light-outcoupling elements (103) and subsequently being incident on a surface portion of a beam-forming structure (104) to be within a predetermined angle interval with respect to the surface portion. Each of the beam-forming structures (104) is adapted to enable light leaving a surface portion of the beam-forming structure (104) to be within a predetermined angle interval with respect to the surface portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Michel Cornelis Josephus Marie Vissenberg, Giorgia Tordini
  • Publication number: 20120155118
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for extraction of light from a light conducting medium in a preferred emanation pattern are described. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a first light conducting sheet including aspherical particles, and a light source placed along the edge of the first sheet. The first sheet diffuses light generated by the light source such that light emanates in a predetermined light emanation pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: I2IC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Udayan Kanade, Balaji Ganapathy
  • Patent number: 8197112
    Abstract: A backlight assembly includes: a light guide plate having a light entering surface, a light facing surface that is substantially parallel to the light entering surface, a light emitting surface connecting first edges of the light entering surface and the light facing surface, and a bottom surface connecting second edges of the light entering surface and the light facing surface. A light source unit provides light to the light entering surface. At least one color sensor is disposed to receive light from the light guide plate, and at least one light amplifying member is disposed between the light guide plate and the color sensor to collect and concentrate the light from the light guide plate on the color sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-hoon Park, Young-joo Nam, Dong-gyun Ra
  • Patent number: 8199278
    Abstract: Surface light source device includes: point light sources (13); light guide plate (1) having (i) two end parts in length direction, one of which serves as incident surface (2), and (ii) two end parts in thickness direction which serve as exit surface (7) and back surface (8), light guide plate (1) directing light, emitted from point light sources (13), incident on incident surface (2), so as to cause light to exit from substantially entire area of exit surface (7); and reflector (14) which reflects, toward incident surface (2), part of light which is emitted from point light sources (13) and is then reflected from incident surface (2). Incident surface (2) has elliptic arc (10) which is concave part having surface shape along elliptic arc identical to elliptic arc which is part of ellipse (31) having two focal points corresponding to point light sources (13) and reflector (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Tohoku University
    Inventors: Tatsuo Uchida, Yoshito Suzuki, Tohru Kawakami, Takahiro Ishinabe, Baku Katagiri, Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Shoichi Ishihara, Shuichi Kozaki, Yutaka Ishii
  • Publication number: 20120140513
    Abstract: An illumination device (10) includes (i) a light guide plate (1) made from a light-transmitting material, (ii) a light extracting layer (7) including (a) a light reflecting member, which is provided on a first surface (lower surface (1a)) side of the light guide plate (1), for reflecting light (3) that enters from the light guide plate (1) such that the light (3) is emitted from a second surface (upper surface (1b)) side of the light guide plate (1), the second surface facing the first surface of the light guide plate (1) and (b) a shutter member for switching between transmission and non-transmission of light, and (iii) LEDs (2) each serving as a primary light source. The light guide plate (1) includes a plurality of pillar regions (4) which are provided in a direction perpendicular to an in-plane direction of the light guide plate (1), and which have a refractive index different from that of the light-transmitting material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Shibata, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Hideki Uchida
  • Patent number: 8192066
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a lighting device (10) comprising a tiled light guide (16) comprising a central tile (12b) and at least one end tile (12a, 12c), the end tile(s) (12a, 12c) being arranged at an edge (24, 26) of the light guide (16); at least one solid state light source (18) arranged for coupling light into the light guide (16) in a general direction towards or away from the end tile(s) (12a, 12c); and a plurality of out-coupling structures (20) arranged for coupling light out of the light guide (16); wherein the end tile(s) (12a, 12c) has inherent in-coupling and/or inherent out-coupling of light different from the central tile (12b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Peter Hubertus Franciscus Deurenberg, Michel Cornelis Josephus Marie Vissenberg, Willem Lubertus Ijzerman, Erik Boonekamp
  • Publication number: 20120134176
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a backlight module and a light guide plate thereof. The light guide plate has a side incident surface, a light-emitting surface adjacent to the side incident surface, and a micro-structure array adjacent to the side incident surface. The side incident surface receives incident lights from a light source. The micro-structure array has a plurality of elongated prisms, and an end of each of the prisms is oriented to the side incident surface, so that an extension direction of each prism is parallel to or nearly parallel to a normal line of a light-emitting surface of the light source. The light guide plate can increase light transmission distance to provide uniform brightness. The structures of the prisms are maintained in a uniform arrangement, so that a prism mold need not be re-designed to satisfy requirements of panels with different sizes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kuangyao Chang, Kuojun Fang
  • Publication number: 20120134174
    Abstract: A backlight device wherein LEDs which are arranged side by side at a first arrangement interval (P1) are provided to each LED unit. The LED units are mounted to a flexible board at a second arrangement interval. A light guide plate is disposed in such a manner that an end surface thereof is spaced from the LEDs by a distance (H). The light guide plate is disposed so as to satisfy the following relationship: first arrangement interval (P1)?distance (H)?second arrangement interval (P2). Specifically, the LEDs are arranged side by side in such a manner that the first arrangement interval (P1) is not less than 0.1 mm but not greater than 3 mm and the second arrangement interval (P2) is not less than 5 mm but not greater than 15 mm. The light guide plate is disposed in such a manner that the distance (H) is not less than 1 mm but not greater than 7 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: VICTOR COMPANY OF JAPAN, LIMITED
    Inventors: Naoto Hirohata, Yasuhiro Ueki, Nobuyoshi Yamagishi, Takuya Kakinuma, Mikio Okumura
  • Patent number: 8186866
    Abstract: A metallic panel assembly having multilayer arrays of micropores includes a backlight module and a panel body. The backlight module is constituted of a first and a second light-guiding plate. First and second light-guiding microstructures are provided on the first and second light-guiding plates. A first and a second set of light-emitting units are disposed on one end of the first and second light-guiding plates, respectively. A first and a second shielding unit are disposed on the first and second light-guiding plates and the first and second sets of light-emitting units respectively. The panel body is disposed on one side surface of the first light-guiding plate. The panel body has thereon a plurality of hollowed portions with the hollowed portions encircling a key body. The key body has thereon a plurality of micropores. The plurality of micropores is arranged to form a pattern of each key body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Ichia Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chang-Li Liu, Che-Tung Wu
  • Publication number: 20120127397
    Abstract: A light guide plate (30) has a light exit surface (30a), a back surface (30b) opposed to the light exit surface, and a light entrance surface (30c) consisting of at least part of a side surface. The light guide plate has a body portion (40), and a light exit-side layer (50) formed from an ionizing radiation curable resin. The light exit-side layer includes an optical element portion (54) which defines the light exit surface. The optical element portion includes unit shaped elements (55) arranged in one direction intersecting a light guide direction, each unit shaped element extending linearly in a direction intersecting the one direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: Dal Nippon Printing Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamamoto, Hiroshi Sekiguchi, Masahiro Goto, Keiji Kashima
  • Patent number: 8184236
    Abstract: LEDs (light sources) are disposed in a row in the width direction of a light-guiding plate near the edge surface of the light-guiding plate. In the edge surface of the light-guiding plate, diffractive optical elements (DOEs) are disposed to face the LEDs, respectively. These DOEs are constituted of binary concave and convex patterns, and the diffusion angle of the DOEs disposed near the center is set smaller than that of the other DOEs disposed near the edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hirokazu Aritake, Satoshi Maeda
  • Patent number: 8182131
    Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a light guide plate includes a first light incident surface receiving a first external light, a second light incident surface receiving a second external light and opposite to the first light incident surface, a light exit surface connecting the first and second light incident surfaces to output the first and second external lights, a reflective surface reflecting the first and second external lights in opposition to the light exit surface, and optical path changing portions each of which having a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface. The optical path changing portions are provided on the reflective surface with a predetermined interval and recessed toward the light exit surface to reflect the first and second external lights to the light exit surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Kyu Shim, In-Sung Hwang, Hyoung-Joo Kim, Jae-Joong Kwon, Seung-In Baek
  • Patent number: 8182129
    Abstract: A light guide unit including a light guide plate and a plurality of rod lenses is provided. The light guide plate has a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a light incident surface connecting the first surface and the second surface. The light guide plate further has a plurality of diffusion net points located at the second surface. The rod lenses are disposed on the first surface. Each of the rod lenses extends along a first direction and has a curved surface curving in a second direction. The rod lenses are arranged along the second direction. Pitches of the adjacent diffusion net points in the first direction are smaller than pitches of the adjacent diffusion net points in the second direction. A backlight module using the light guide unit is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Tun-Chien Teng, Jyh-Ming Chen
  • Patent number: 8177409
    Abstract: A light guide sheet of the present invention includes a silicone rubber sheet 1 and plural printed mark parts 3a to 3d printed on the front surface of the silicone rubber sheet 1. The silicone rubber sheet 1 has a visible light transmittance of 80 to 99% and is provided at an end face thereof with a light incidence portion 2a allowing light to be incident upon the interior of the silicone rubber sheet 1. The light guide sheet is capable of causing the light incident upon the interior of the silicone rubber sheet 1 from the light incidence portion 2a to be diffused by the printed mark parts 3a to 3d, and pass through the printed mark parts 3a to 3d, thereby guiding the light outside from the printed mark parts 3a to 3d.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Polymer Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Ohta, Kitaaki Ohmori
  • Patent number: 8177408
    Abstract: In one embodiment of this invention, a light filtering directional control element provides increased spatial color or luminance uniformity and desired angular color uniformity and customizable light re-direction properties. In one embodiment of this invention, a light filtering directional control element directs light off-axis and focuses light in the far field. In a further embodiment of this invention a light fixture comprising the light filtering collimation element has a spatial luminance uniformity greater than 80%, a color uniformity ?u?v? of less than 0.04 and a short mixing distance. In a further embodiment, the light fixture incorporating the element has electronically or manually configurable light output profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Inventor: Zane Coleman
  • Publication number: 20120113680
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a light guide body includes a light guide plate and a prism array unit. The light guide plate has a major surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface on an opposite side to the first side surface. The prism array unit is provided on the major surface to be in contact with the major surface. The prism array unit includes a plurality of prism bodies. Each of the prism bodies extends along a first direction from the first side surface to the second side surface. The prism bodies are disposed to align along a second direction parallel to the major surface and perpendicular to the first direction. A vertex angle of the prism bodies is a substantially right angle. A refractive index of the prism bodies is higher than a refractive index of the light guide plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yutaka NAKAI, Tsuyoshi HIOKI, Yoshinori HONGUH, Takeshi MORINO, Masataka SHIRATSUCHI
  • Patent number: 8174643
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a light guide plate including: a side end face on which light from a light source is incident; an incoming part which forms the side end face and by which the light coming in through the side end face is guided; a principal surface which is formed in a direction perpendicular to the side end face and through which the light guided by the incoming part is let go out; and a main body part which forms the principal surface and which is continuous with the incoming part on the opposite side from the side end face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiromasa Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8174638
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal display (LCD) device capable of minimizing the occurrence of light leakage at peripheral regions of protrusions by maximizing a distance between an image display region and the protrusions, by forming the protrusions at one or more corners of the light guide plate. The LCD device comprises: a light guide plate having protrusions at one or more corners thereof; a main support having fixing grooves formed at one or more corners thereof corresponding to the corners of the light guide plate, the locking grooves for coupling the protrusions of the light guide plate; an LC panel for displaying an image by using light emitted from the light guide plate; an optical source having one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) for irradiating light to the light guide plate; a reflection sheet for reflecting light emitted from a rear surface of the light guide plate to the light guide plate; and one or more optical sheets disposed between the light guide plate and the LC panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ki-Won Kim
  • Patent number: 8172413
    Abstract: A keypad assembly having a light guide sheet having a first surface with a layer of graphics printed thereon, a second surface opposite the first surface, and an edge surface; and a flexible sheet having a central portion engaged with the light guide sheet second surface and having a peripheral portion positioned in light blocking relationship with the light guide sheet edge surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Avago Technologies ECBU IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Muh Fong Chung, Choon Guan Ko, Sian Tatt Lee, Fook Chuin Ng
  • Publication number: 20120105767
    Abstract: Directional light guide plates, directional surface light sources, and three-dimensional (3D) image display apparatuses employing the directional surface light sources are provided. Each of the directional light guide plates includes a plurality of viewing zone separation units having a refractive index different from that of a light guide unit, for separating light into left and right viewing zones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyu-hwan Choi, Hong-seok Lee, Byung-hee Sohn, Yong-kweun Mun
  • Publication number: 20120106200
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus to collimate light. In one aspect, a manifold to collimate light can be used to illuminate a display or project an image. The manifold can be formed of optically transmissive material and can have a backside for receiving light from a light source and a front wall, opposite the backside, for outputting collimated light. The front wall can include a plurality of lens. The upper and bottom walls of the manifold can extend along a curve from the backside to the front wall. The manifold can be hollowed, with an internal cavity that opens to the backside. The manifold can be configured to collimate light propagating in directions extending out of a plane, while light propagating from the light source in directions within the plane is not collimated or is less collimated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ye Yin, Russell Wayne Gruhlke, Zhengwu Li
  • Patent number: 8167472
    Abstract: An optical sheet (140) includes a base layer (142a) and a light condensing pattern (142b) formed on the base layer integrally with the base layer and including one or more peaks and one or more valleys. Each of the base layer and the light condensing pattern includes a continuous phase and a dispersed phase. The dispersed phase is stretched in a main stretching direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-Hoon Kim, Jin-Sung Choi, Joong-Hyun Kim, Seung-Hwan Chung, Seung-Mo Kim
  • Patent number: 8160409
    Abstract: A light guide of the tapered-waveguide type includes an input slab (30) for expanding a projected image between an input end and an output end, and an output slab (10) 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 (30) 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: September 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy Large
  • Publication number: 20120087151
    Abstract: Disclosed is a display device wherein a light emitting element can have a longer service life, while suppressing luminance unevenness without causing an increase in cost or size. The display device comprises a light guide plate (21), an LED (25) that is arranged on the side of at least one corner portion (21d) of the light guide plate (21), a frame (4) that has a lateral portion (4b), and a bezel (5) that has a lateral portion (5b). The LED (25) is attached to a part (4d) of the lateral portion (4b) of the frame (4), and the part (4d) is thermally connected to a part (5d) of the lateral portion (5b) of the bezel (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuya Hamada
  • Publication number: 20120087152
    Abstract: A light guiding structure of a light guide plate is provided. The light guiding structure comprises a plurality of protrusion ridge portions extending along a longitudinal direction. The height or the vertex angle of each protrusion ridge portion periodically or randomly varies along the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: AU OPTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Chiung-Han Wang, Jing-Huan Liao, Yu-Tsung Huang
  • Patent number: 8154687
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal display (LCD) device having light scattering patterns at an edge region of a light guide plate, capable of preventing a hot spot phenomenon occurring when an edge-type backlight unit is implemented with using light emitting means such as light emitting diodes (LED). The LCD device comprises: an LC panel; a light guide plate disposed below the LC panel, and having light scattering patterns formed in a plurality of groups with a constant gap therebetween at one or more edge regions on an upper surface thereof; and light emitting devices disposed at a side wall of the light guide plate, each light emitting device disposed to correspond to a region between the light scattering patterns, for emitting light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: LG. Display Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Kew-Yong Sung
  • Patent number: 8152353
    Abstract: A surface emission apparatus includes a first light source for emitting invisible light rays; a second light source for emitting visible light rays; a light guide having a light entrance surface for entering therethrough into the light guide the invisible light rays emitted from the first light source and the visible light rays emitted from the second light source, and a light exit surface for emitting the invisible light rays and the visible light rays therethrough out of the light guide; and a plurality of optical devices disposed on a surface of the light guide which confronts the light exit surface, for scattering more of the invisible light rays than the visible light rays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ying Bao Yang, Masaru Higuchi, Tsutomu Tanaka, Kazunori Yamaguchi, Masumitsu Ino
  • Patent number: 8152352
    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: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Rambus International Ltd.
    Inventor: Brian Edward Richardson
  • Patent number: 8147111
    Abstract: A light guide plate including a body and a plurality of prism microstructures is provided. The body has a bottom surface, a light emitting surface opposite to the bottom surface, and a plurality of side surfaces. The light emitting surface has a central area and at least one peripheral area outside the central area. The prism microstructures are disposed on the light emitting surface and the bottom surface. The prism microstructure disposed on the light emitting surface includes a plurality of first prism microstructures in the central area and a plurality of second prism microstructures in the peripheral area. A top angle ?2 of the second prism microstructure is greater than a top angle ?1 of the first prism microstructure. A backlight module including the above-mentioned light guide plate is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Chiung-Han Wang, Jing-Huan Liao, Yu-Tsung Huang