Plural Or Compound Patents (Class 362/616)
  • Patent number: 8052316
    Abstract: A lighting device and a display device are provided. The lighting device includes: a light source; a light dividing member; and a beam shaper. The light dividing member includes a light receiving surface, on which light is incident, and divides the incident light into a plurality of light beam groups each having a predetermined width and interval therebetween. The beam shaper is disposed between the light source and the light dividing member. Light from the light source is incident on the beam shaper, and light emitted form the beam shaper is parallel and has a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the shape of the light receiving surface of the light dividing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young-chol Lee
  • Patent number: 8042984
    Abstract: A point light source is converted into a plane light source having a satisfactory uniformity. The point light source is converted into a line light source by means of a linear light guiding plate, and further into the plane light source by means of a plane-like light guiding plate. Light from the point light source is reflected at a lamp reflector to be incident on at least two side surfaces of the plane-like light guiding plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Kimura, Rumo Satake
  • Patent number: 8025435
    Abstract: A light guide sheet and a movable contact element using the single sheet have a simple structure and can be variously illuminated. The light guide sheet includes irregular-shaped light extracting elements formed on a film-like base material; and light-transmissive, belt-shaped light guide parts each connecting a predetermined number of groups of the light extracting elements. In addition, dome-shaped movable contacts formed of a conductive sheet metal are arranged on the bottom surfaces of the light extracting elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Tatehata, Yousuke Chikahisa, Tsutomu Aisaka, Koji Tanabe
  • Patent number: 8025434
    Abstract: A two-sided illumination device including a printed wiring board, a first light source and first translucent member connected to a first side of the wiring board, and a second light source and second translucent member connected to a second side of the wiring board. The first translucent member is configured to transfer light from the first light source to a surface of the first translucent member, while the second translucent member is configured to transfer light from the second light source to a surface of the second translucent member. The illumination device is used for illuminating a user input region of an apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Pentti Olavi Ahlgren, Ilkka Tapani Heikkilä
  • Publication number: 20110221977
    Abstract: In a light source unit, a lighting device, a display device and a television receiver, display quality is not deteriorated. A light source unit includes a number of light guide members 27. The light guide members 27 are arranged in a first direction and in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. Each light guide member 27 is formed in a flat shape and includes a light exit portion 27A and a light guide portion 27B. Light entering the light guide member 27 exits from the light exit portion 27A and the light guide portion 27B guides light entering the light guide member 27 to the light exit portion 27A. Extended portions 40 are formed on facing side end portions of the light guide members 27 that are arranged in adjacent to each other in the second direction. Each of the extended portions 40 extends from the corresponding side end portion of the light guide member so as to be fitted to and overlap each other in a front-rear direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahiro Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 8016473
    Abstract: A device (100) for diffusing light comprising a light guide (101), light input means (102), and light output means (103). The light input (102) and light output (103) means are connected to the light guide (101), and the device (100) is arranged to allow light of at least two separate frequencies from a light source (108, 109, 110) to enter the light guide (101) through the light input means (102), propagate through said light guide (101) and exit at the light output means (103). The light guide (101) is circumferential, such that light is allowed to propagate for a distance greater than the external dimensions of said light guide (101) before reaching the output means (103), and hence, producing a mix of the light from said at least two frequencies. A display apparatus in which the invention is implemented is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Bart Andre Salters, Marcellinus Petrus Carolus Michael Krijn
  • Patent number: 8016472
    Abstract: An optical plate has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first surface defines a plurality of elongated arcuate troughs therein. The second surface defines a plurality of triangular pyramid depressions and a plurality of hexagonal pyramid depressions therein. Each side of the triangular pyramid depressions borders three hexagonal pyramid depressions. A backlight module using the optical plate is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shao-Han Chang
  • Patent number: 8016445
    Abstract: A planar light emitting element is capable of outputting light having high directivity in at least one direction. The planar light emitting element has a light guide plate and first and second low refractive index layers. Light incident on the light guide plate is totally reflected on the interface between the light guide plate and the second low refractive index layer, propagates in the light guide plate, and is output from the light guide plate to the first low refractive index layer through a light output opening section. When a refractive index of the first low refractive index layer is sufficiently smaller than a refractive index of the light guide plate, the light propagates in the light guide plate at a large angle with respect to a light output surface of the light guide plate. When the difference between the refractive indexes of the first and second low refractive index layers is small, a spreading angle of light output to the first low refractive index layer is small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Sugita, Masaya Adachi, Shinichi Komura
  • Patent number: 8011820
    Abstract: A wireless communication device includes a plurality of light sources and a light guide including a light guiding element and a light shielding element. The light guiding element includes a plurality of guiding portions. Each guiding portion includes an expander having a first end corresponding to a respective one of the light sources and a second end opposite to the first end. The second ends of the expanders collectively form a continuous end surface. At least one cavity is defined between each two neighboring guiding portions. The light shielding element includes at least one shielding portion received in the at least one cavity to prevent light interference between the plurality of guiding portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jiunn-Her Li
  • Publication number: 20110205450
    Abstract: A lighting device 20 including a plurality of planar light sources 21 arranged in a planar direction. Each planar light source 21 has a light exit surface 43 on which a brightness distribution is biased. Bias directions of brightness distributions of the planar light sources 21 are the same. The planar light sources 21 are arranged with some of the planar light sources 21 and the other planar light sources 21 in alternate orientations such that the bias directions are different. High brightness areas and low brightness areas on the light exit surfaces 43 are arranged in lines. With this configuration, the high brightness areas are not in line and thus a bright band does not appear. Therefore, high display quality can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirokazu Mouri
  • Publication number: 20110199789
    Abstract: A light source apparatus including a light source, an optical fiber, a light guide module, and a light shape adjustment element is provided. The light source emits a light beam. The optical fiber disposed in a transmission path of the light beam has a light incident end and a light emitting end. The light beam enters the optical fiber through the light incident end and leaves the optical fiber through the light emitting end. The light guide module 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 beam from the light emitting end enters the light guide module through the light incident surface. The light shape adjustment element is connected to the light guide module and capable of changing a light shape of an emitted light from the light guide module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: CORETRONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ching-Chou Huang, Han-Wen Tsai, Chin-Ming Lin
  • Patent number: 7988322
    Abstract: A decorative lamp includes an opaque bracket, an opaque cover, a transparent light source consisting of a plurality of LEDs and a light guiding sheet. The cover engages with the bracket to define a chamber between the bracket and the cover. A slit is defined in the cover and communicates with the chamber. The light source is received in the chamber of the bracket and the cover and thermally connects with a heat sink in the chamber. The light guiding sheet includes a first end filled in the slit of the cover and a terminal second end opposite to the first end and located at outside of the cover. Light emitted from the light source travels to an outside of the decorative lamp along the light guiding sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignees: Fu Zhun Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd., Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shi-Song Zheng
  • Patent number: 7980716
    Abstract: A technique for a display device using a display panel with Lambert light distribution, such as a plasma display panel, which displays a bright image with less contrast deterioration. This device has a front sheet which is integrally or separately located in front of the display panel. The front sheet includes light guides which extend in the horizontal direction and have a virtually convex cross section in the vertical direction with their apexes on the light exit side. A light reflection layer and a light-absorbing layer are sequentially stacked on the lateral sides of the light guides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Kei Adachi
  • Publication number: 20110170022
    Abstract: A backlight (2) of the present invention includes a light source (5), a plurality of light guides (7) and (17) for emitting light emitted from the light source (5), and a reflecting material (6), which is disposed so as to face surfaces of the plurality of light guides (7) and (17) which surfaces are opposite to light emission surfaces (7a) of the plurality of light guides (7) and (17). The light guide (7) and the light guide (17) are adjacent to each other. The reflecting material (6) includes a protruding section (20) having a curved surface in a region on that surface of the reflecting material (6) which faces the light guides (7) and (17), which region corresponds to a region between the light guide (7) and the light guide (17). The arrangement makes it possible to realize an illumination device having further improved uniformity of luminance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kaori Ikuta
  • Patent number: 7976208
    Abstract: A light guide with input and output faces 2, 3a is polar-symmetric about the first face 2 and has optical properties such that the angle at which a ray is injected into the first face determines the position at which it leaves the second face 3a, or, if operated in the reverse direction, the position at which the ray enters the second face determines the angle at which the ray leaves the second face. The light guide includes a tapered transparent sheet 3, light from the first face entering at the thick end of this sheet, and the second face forming one face of the tapered sheet. An input/output slab 4 adjoins the tapered sheet 3 for fan-out of light from the first face 2 to the tapered sheet, and a transition region 8 is located between flat and tapered sheets. The polar symmetry means that light rays always travel in line with the taper direction, which suppresses banding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Adrian R. L. Travis
  • Patent number: 7973880
    Abstract: A transparent substrate 2, into which light from a light source 9 is introduced through at least one side, includes a transparent first glass substrate (substrate body) 5a and a low refractive index layer 6 that is disposed on the first glass substrate 5a and has a lower refractive index than the first glass substrate 5a. Moreover, a high refractive index layer 7 having a higher refractive index than the low refractive index layer 6 is disposed on the low refractive index layer 6, thereby preventing the generation of light that leaks from the first glass substrate 5a to the outside through the low refractive index layer 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukihiro Sumida, Takeshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 7963688
    Abstract: The present invention has a configuration is one example in which a second body is connected to be rotatable around a rotational axis to a first body. A light emitting element that emits light and a first light guiding member, which propagates light emitted from the light emitting element as well as irradiating light from an irradiating unit, are housed in the first body. A light receiving element that receives light and a second light guiding member, which lets in light from the light collecting portion irradiated by the irradiating unit as well as propagates light in the light receiving element, are housed in the second body. Complimentary location regions of the irradiating units and light collecting portions are multiply provided between the first light guiding member and the second light guiding member, thereby multiply forming propagating paths of light from the irradiating units to the light collecting portions, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventor: Kanji Satake
  • Patent number: 7954989
    Abstract: A backlight module includes a frame, a diffuser, a first light source, and a light guiding plate. The diffuser is disposed in the frame. A plurality of diffusing particles is doped into the diffuser. The refractive index of the plurality of diffusing particles is less than that of the diffuser. Furthermore, the diffuser has a first light entrance surface and a light exit surface. The first light source is disposed in a long-axial direction of the diffuser and is located at a side of the first light entrance surface. The light guide plate is disposed at a side of the light exit surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Fu-Cheng Fan, Yi-Hsuan Lan
  • Patent number: 7954990
    Abstract: A light guiding device (1) and in particular to a light guiding device that can be used for illumination, backlighting, signage or display purposes is described. The light guiding device (1) comprises a transparent base substrate (2), upon a first surface of which are mounted light sources (3), and a guide substrate (4) arranged so as to encapsulate the light sources (3) upon the first surface. In this way the guide substrate (4) provides a means for guiding light produced by the one or more light sources over the first surface. The incorporation of scattering structures (5) along with appropriate choice of the refractive indices of the various layers provides a highly flexible light guiding device that is typically less than 1 mm thick. The described light guiding device (1) provides particular application as a seven segment display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Design LED Products Limited
    Inventor: James Gourlay
  • Publication number: 20110128256
    Abstract: A light guide apparatus is adapted to a touch display apparatus. The touch display apparatus has a display area. The light guide apparatus includes a plurality of light guide units and a plurality of light sources. The light guide units are disposed beside a first side of the display area. Each of the light guide units has a light incident surface, and a space is between each two adjacent light guide units. The light sources are disposed beside the light incident surfaces of the light guide units. Each of the light sources is capable of providing a beam. The beam is capable of entering the light guide unit through the light incident surface and is capable of being transmitted to an external environment from the light guide unit. An optical touch display apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: CORETRONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Han-Wen Tsai, Ping-Feng Hwang
  • Patent number: 7946721
    Abstract: An exemplary backlight module includes a base plate, a plurality of light guide plates and a plurality of light sources. The light guide plates are juxtaposed and attached on the base plate. The light guide plates are optically isolated from each other. The light sources are disposed adjacent the respective light guide plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jen-Tsorng Chang
  • Patent number: 7946746
    Abstract: A surface light source device includes a plurality of light guide plates spliced together side by side and forming a plurality of jointing interfaces. A plurality of LEDs is attached to a side face of each of the light guide plates. The LEDs are arranged in a linear LED array along the side face of each of the light guide plates. At most one linear LED array is arranged at the jointing interface between each two neighboring light guide plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Foxsemicon Intergrated Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shu-Hui Hsieh, Jyh-Ming Chen, Chih-Ming Lai
  • Patent number: 7934857
    Abstract: An illuminating device includes: an illuminating board having a plate-like transparent board, a reflector provided on a back surface of the transparent board to reflect light, and a cloudy, translucent medium provided on a front surface of the transparent board; a support member supporting an end of the illuminating board in a cantilever fashion, so as to provide a free end for the other end of the illuminating board; a light emitting portion, arranged beside the supported end of the illuminating board, that emits light to the transparent board at the supported end; and an emission control unit that causes the light emitting portion to emit light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventor: Noritoshi Kukita
  • Publication number: 20110088292
    Abstract: The invention relates to the provision of a toy and/or packaging and/or another item which includes a light illumination system to allow one or more features provided on at least one sheet of material provided as part of the item, to be rendered more viewable when the light sources are illuminated. The feature is formed on a surface of the sheet material and into the same, typically by etching or another material removal operation. Animated effects can be created by the sequential illumination of the light sources. Audio means can also be provided to be operated in conjunction with the light sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Robert Kay, Ross Worthington
  • Patent number: 7927001
    Abstract: In a backlight assembly and a display device including the backlight assembly, the backlight assembly includes a light dispersion member and a light source having a plurality of light source members, a distance defined between the light sources members adjacent to each other. The light dispersion member includes a lower face portion having alternately arranged ridges and grooves. Each light source is positioned under a respective ridge. An interval between a center of each light source and the respective ridge positioned directly over the light source is from about 0.2 to about 0.55 times the distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seong-Sik Choi, Dong-Lyoul Shin, Jae-Hwan Chun, Byung-Yun Joo, Jung-Wook Paek, Jin-sung Choi, Ju-Hwa Ha, Heu-Gon Kim, Sang-Hoon Lee
  • Patent number: 7926999
    Abstract: A planar light-emitting device includes an elongate first lightguide plate (13) having a light entrance end surface (13a) disposed facing an exit surface (12a) of a light-emitting package (12), a reflecting side surface (13b) extending substantially at right angles to the light entrance end surface to reflect light entering through the light entrance end surface, and a light exit side surface (13c) facing the reflecting side surface, and a flat plate-shaped second lightguide plate (14) having a light entrance side edge surface (14a) facing the light exit side surface (13c). The first lightguide plate is configured to satisfy the condition of t1<t2?t3, where: t1, t2 and t3 are the respective heights of the light exit side surface (13c), the reflecting side surface (13b) and the light entrance end surface (13a). The surfaces of the first lightguide plate other than the light entrance end surface (13a) and the light exit side surface (13c) are reflecting surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Miyashita, Takumi Miyashita
  • Patent number: 7922381
    Abstract: In a two-way backlight assembly and a two-way LCD apparatus, the two-way backlight assembly provides light emitted from one light source to a first direction where a main LCD panel is placed and to a second direction where a sub LCD panel is placed. Also, a sub mold part for receiving the sub LCD panel comprises a black-colored material so as to prevent reflection of the light. Accordingly, thickness and power consumption of the backlight assembly may be reduced and display quality may be also improved by preventing leakage of the light at ends of the sub LCD panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byung-Woong Han, Sang-Hee Lee, Jae-Kwang Kim, Young-Bee Chu, Kyu-Seok Kim
  • Patent number: 7924370
    Abstract: A backlight assembly for a display panel includes a light pipe that is divided into a plurality of horizontal portions, a light source including a plurality of selectively illuminated lamps arranged at lateral sides of each of the horizontal portions for emitting light into the light pipe, a plurality of diffusion surfaces, each of the diffusion surfaces being provided on a selected area of a respective one of the plurality of the horizontal portions, wherein each of the diffusion surfaces causes light to be emitted from the selected area of the respective horizontal portion when the light pipe is illuminated by the lamp associated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: TTE Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Michel Cadio, Estill Thone Hall, Jr., Brent Hoffman
  • Patent number: 7918600
    Abstract: A thin planar illumination device with a high light utilization efficiency is provided. In a planar illumination device 10, light source sections 15, 16, 17 and 18 each radiates laser light. The light guide members 19 and 20 polarize, by total reflection, light incident from side surfaces 19b and 20b on two opposite sides thereof, so as to be radiated from incident surfaces 19a and 20a, respectively. In a light guide plate 21, the light is incident from side surfaces beside the respective light guide members 19 and 20 so as to radiate irradiation light 24 from main surfaces 21a and 21b. The main surface of the light guide plate 21 is formed by a plurality of inclined surfaces, each being gradually thinned from the edge surfaces on two sides thereof toward a center thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Nagata, Kazuhisa Yamamoto, Tatsuo Itoh
  • Patent number: 7914195
    Abstract: A display device has a light guide plate formed with a display pattern by a plurality of diffusion dots having translucency in a display pattern formed region, a light shielding layer, and a light source. A plurality of the light guide plates are arranged facing each other, and the light shielding layer is sandwiched between the light guide plates. Light from the light source is selectively introduced to one of the light guide plates to display the display pattern of the light guide plate. The light shielding layer has a surface facing an observer's side formed by a low reflectivity material and a surface facing a side opposite to the observer's side formed by a high reflectivity material. A region facing the display pattern of the light guide plate positioned on the side opposite to the observer's side than the light shielding layer is cut out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Sawada, Toshimitsu Fujiwara, Yuji Sakashita, Yusuke Akioka
  • Patent number: 7909496
    Abstract: The present invention combines point light sources in combination with a light guide element and light redirecting elements into a system which can emit light across one or more extended surfaces of the light guide and may be designed to be able to emit light uniformly across the extended surfaces. The system comprises one or more light-emitting elements and a light guide in which are defined one or more voids. The light-emitting elements are optically coupled to the light guide by positioning them adjacent to a surface of the light guide, or by positioning them proximal to one or more of the voids. One or more light-emitting elements can be optically coupled to one void such that they emit light into the light guide substantially through that void and not through any other void of the one or more voids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: George E Matheson, Ingo Speier
  • Patent number: 7905646
    Abstract: A light-guiding member is provided with two light source groups on its both terminals and the light-guiding board comprises two light mixing areas which have a cross section form which is symmetry for its center line, and a light outputting area between these. The light mixing areas function as an area in which the lights from each adjacent light source group are mixed and at the same time function as an area to output the mixed lights from each remote light source group. The light outputting area functions as an area to pass a part of the mixed lights from the two light source groups and at the same time functions as an area to output the rest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaya Adachi, Tatsuya Sugita
  • Patent number: 7907804
    Abstract: In one aspect, a planar illumination area includes two light-guide elements, each with an out-coupling region. At least a portion of each out-coupling region overlaps with at least a portion of the other. The overlapping region emits a substantially uniform light output power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Oree, Inc.
    Inventors: Noam Meir, Micha Zimmermann, Yosi Shani
  • Patent number: 7902531
    Abstract: A window assembly (100,110,120,130) for irradiating infrared light (L) comprises a light guide (5) for infrared light (L), which is formed by a gap between a first transparent substrate (2), having an exterior surface and an interior surface, which faces the light guide (5), and a second transparent substrate (3) substantially parallel to the first transparent substrate (2) and having an exterior surface and an interior surface, which faces the light guide (5) and the interior surface of the first transparent substrate (3). A first and a second reflective layer (12,13), that are both substantially reflective for infrared light (L), extend over the interior surfaces of respectively the first and the second transparent substrate (2,3). The second reflective layer (13) is provided with an opening (21) through which at least part of the infrared light (L) exits the light guide (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Willem Lubertus Ijzerman, Michel Cornelis Josephus Marie Vissenberg, Marcellinus Petrus Carolus Michael Krijn
  • Patent number: 7901124
    Abstract: A light guide member in which a light that has entered one major face from an illuminant is emitted from the other major face, includes a cut portion provided with a specified face inclined toward the other face at a section of one major face that faces the illuminant, and a reflecting portion, which reflects a light emitted from the illuminant, on the inclined face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Showa Denko K.K.
    Inventors: Shuji Gomi, Kenji Shinozaki, Shuichi Naijo, Takeo Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20110051045
    Abstract: A backlight unit may be provided that includes a substrate, light sources, a light guide plate, at least one reflecting member, and an optical sheet. The light sources may be on the substrate. The light guide plate may include a light incident part having a light incident surface to which streaks of light respectively emitted from the light sources are laterally incident, and a light emitting part emitting the incident streaks of light upward. The reflecting member may be disposed on a lower surface of the light guide plate, and may reflect the incident light. The optical sheet may be disposed above the light guide plate. The reflecting member may include a first region having a first reflectance and a second region having a second reflectance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hoon Hur, Bup Sung JUNG, Won Do Kee
  • Patent number: 7891855
    Abstract: A light guiding structure for connector includes a light-guiding unit having more than one light guiding post, and each of the light guiding posts having a light-input end and a light-output end; and a shielding unit enclosing an outer side of the light guiding posts. When the light guiding structure is mounted on a connector case for guiding light, light beams propagating in different light guiding posts are isolated from one another by the shielding unit. Therefore, light beams can be stably and exactly guided by the light guiding posts without light loss and mutual interference to thereby avoid error determination by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: All Best Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Haven Yang
  • Patent number: 7891852
    Abstract: The invention provides an illumination system and a method for illumination. The illumination system includes one or more light sources that produce a primary light, a light-mixing zone that homogenizes the primary light, a wavelength-converting layer that converts the primary light to a secondary light, and a light-transmitting zone that receives the secondary light and transmits the secondary light to, for example, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignees: Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV, Philips Lumileds Lighting Company, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Pugh, Gerard Harbers
  • Publication number: 20110038178
    Abstract: A planar illumination device includes: a light guide plate formed by arranging a plurality of unit light guide plates each having a light emission surface as a front surface and a reflection surface as a back surface so that facing end surfaces of adjacent unit light guide plates of the plurality of unit light guide plates are closely arranged; and one or two or more light sources arranged on a side surface, in a direction where the plurality of unit light guide plates are arranged, of each of the plurality of unit light guide plates, in which a projection section is arranged on one of facing surfaces of two adjacent unit light guide plates in the arrangement direction and a recession section in which the projection section is engaged is arranged on the other of the facing surfaces of the two adjacent unit light guide plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuro Kuwayama, Hiromasa Suzuki, Motosuke Ohmi, Masaru Minami, Kanji Yokomizo
  • Patent number: 7883258
    Abstract: In order to realize a thin and simple-structured planar illuminating device which is capable of carrying out the regional light control, a backlight module 1 of the present invention includes a light guiding plate 2 including steps 21a, 21b, and 21c, a plurality of LEDs 3 provided in the vicinity of one side surface of the light guiding plate 2, and light guides 4a, 4b, and 4c which are provided respectively between each of the steps 21a, 21b, 21c and each of the LEDs 3 facing each other. The regional light control is possible by controlling brightness of each of the LEDs 3. Each of the regions is formed so as to correspond to each of the bottom surfaces 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Fujiyama, Hiroaki Kimura
  • Publication number: 20110025730
    Abstract: An illumination device (L) includes a plurality of light source units (20) each having a light guide plate (1) and a plurality of light sources (21). The light guide plate (1) has an illumination region (4) through which incident beams of light from the light sources (21) are emitted outward and a light guide region (3) through which the incident beams of light from the light sources (21) are guided toward the illumination region (4), with the light guide region (3) and the illumination region (4) laid side-by-side. The illumination region (4) is divided into a plurality of light-emitting sections (9) by slit sections (8), provided in such a way as to extend along directions of optical axes of the light sources (21), which restrict transmission of light. At least one of the light sources (21) is provided to each of the light-emitting sections (9) in such a way as to be placed side-by-side along the light guide region (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2008
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuhsaku Ajichi
  • Publication number: 20110013421
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a backlight unit including a plurality of light guide plates, each discretely arranged with an interval, one or more light sources formed at a lateral surface of the plurality of light guide plates, and a filling material filled among the plurality of light guide plates and having a lower refractive index than that of the light guide plate, whereby each of the plurality of light guide plates can be split-driven to guarantee a uniform luminance at an interval among the plurality of light guide plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventor: Keetae Um
  • Publication number: 20110007524
    Abstract: A display apparatus is provided which includes a plurality of transparent plates which are disposed to be superimposed and which allow entered light to pass therethrough and allow the light to exit through an exiting surface, light sources provided for the respective transparent plates to irradiate light onto a side end surface of each of the transparent plates, and a plurality of diffusion portions, each of which is formed on a surface of each of the transparent plates facing the exiting surface, and which diffuse light from the light sources such that a position of maximum luminance of light exiting from each of the transparent plates differs between the transparent plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventor: Shinpei NAGATANI
  • Patent number: 7868970
    Abstract: In order to provide a larger-sized light guide plate that is thin and lightweight and allows more uniform, less uneven and higher-luminance illuminating light to emit from a light exit surface, a sectional shape of each back surface of the rectangular light exit surface satisfies the following 10th-order function formula. X is a position from the origin in a direction parallel to the one side of the light guide plate, and Y is a position from the origin in a direction perpendicular to the one side. Y=A0+A1×X+A2×X2+A3×X3+A4×X4+A5×X5+A6×X6+A7×X7+A8×X8+A9×X9+A10×X10, ?1.3×105?A0?2.4×105, ?2.0×104?A1?9.4×104, ?2.6×104?A2?5.7×104, ?5.5×103?A3?2.2×103, ?2.1×102?A4?1.1×102, ?3.7×10?A5?2.2×10, ?1.4×10?A6?3.3×10, ?3.6?A7?1.5, ?7.8×10?2?A8?3.3×10?2, ?1.2×10?2?A9?3.2×10?2, ?1.4×10?3?A10?4.9×10?4. A planar lighting device includes the light guide plate, and a liquid crystal display apparatus includes the planar lighting device as a backlight unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Iwasaki
  • Publication number: 20110001901
    Abstract: A backlight subsystem includes first and second lightguides separated by an interfacial layer. The first lightguide has an output surface oriented toward an associated first illumination field, a back surface, and at least one light input edge. The second lightguide has output surface oriented toward an associated second illumination field, a back surface, and at least one light input edge. An interfacial layer is arranged between the back surfaces of the first lightguide and the second lightguide. The interfacial layer is substantially optically non-absorbing and may be predominately optically transmissive or predominately optically reflective.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Solomon, Gary T. Boyd, James W. Laumer, Brian A. Kinder, L. Peter Erickson
  • Patent number: 7862222
    Abstract: A backlight module includes a light guide plate and two light emitting elements for emitting light beams. The light guide plate includes first and second light guide portions and a connecting portion interconnecting the first and second light guide portions. The first light guide portion has two opposite first light incident surfaces at opposite sides thereof, and a first light output surface. The second light guide portion has a second light incident surface facing first light output surface of the first light guide portion. Each of the light emitting elements faces one of the first light incident surfaces of the first guide portion. The first guide portion receives the light beams via the first light incident surfaces and output them via the first light output surface. The second light guide portion receives the light beams from the first light output surface via the second light incident surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kun-Jung Tsai
  • Patent number: 7857476
    Abstract: A backlight assembly includes an array of optical waveguides that are arranged in rows and columns. The array of optical waveguides has a planar upper surface substantially comprised of light exit facet of optical waveguides and spaced-apart lower surface substantially comprised of light input facet of optical waveguides. Backlight assembly also includes a light reflector panel that is spaced-apart from the lower surface of the array. Disposed between reflector panel and the lower light input facet of the optical waveguides are light sources. Light sources comprise light emitting diodes having 120 degree emission angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Inventors: Edward Pakhchyan, Haik Mesropian, Syuzi Pakhchyan
  • Patent number: 7857489
    Abstract: A mixed light apparatus for mixing light emitted from a first light source and a second light source includes a body, a first light reflecting element and a second light reflecting element. The body has a light emitting surface. A first reflecting element extends from the light emitting surface. The first light reflecting element has a first emanating point and a first focal point. The first light source is disposed at the first focal point. A second reflecting element extends from the light emitting surface. The second light reflecting element has a second emanating point and a second focal point. The second light source is disposed at the second focal point. The first emanating point and the second emanating point overlaps and are disposed on the light emitting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Zhu, He Zhang, Guo-Fan Jin
  • Publication number: 20100296314
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a plurality of light-transmitting guide plates 1, 2, 3 laminated in at least three layers and a plurality of light emitting elements 4, 5, 6 arranged so as to oppose to respective lateral sides of the light-transmitting guide plates 1, 2, 3 to allow luminance flux in different color with respect to each light-transmitting guide plate to be incident on the corresponding light-transmitting guide plate. Each of the light-transmitting guide plates 1, 2, 3 has a plurality of reflecting surfaces 7, 8, 9 formed on the backside of the plate to change a propagation direction of the luminance flux propagated in the each light-transmitting guide plate, allowing the luminance flux, of which propagation direction has been changed by the reflecting surfaces 7, 8, 9, to be emitted from the front side of the each light-transmitting guide plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: VICTOR COMPANY OF JAPAN, LIMITED
    Inventor: Masaru Segawa
  • Patent number: 7834537
    Abstract: A foldable display device is designed so that a junction between at least two display panels connected to each other is not visibly seen. The display device displays an image on a plurality of display panels that are connected together. Pixels near the junction between every two adjacent display panels of the at least two display panels are smaller and have a higher brightness than the other pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: In-Seo Kee, Hong-shik Shim, Jung-Woo Kim