Prism Patents (Class 362/620)
  • Patent number: 11947217
    Abstract: A backlight module including a light guide plate, a light source, a diffuse reflector and a light-splitting film is provided. The light guide plate has a light incident surface, and a light-emitting surface and a bottom surface which are respectively connected to the light incident surface and opposite to each other. The light source is disposed on one side of the light incident surface of the light guide plate. The diffuse reflector is disposed on one side of the bottom surface of the light guide plate. The light-splitting film is disposed between the light guide plate and the diffuse reflector. The light-splitting film has a substrate and a plurality of first optical microstructures disposed on one side of the substrate. An extending direction of the first optical microstructures intersects with the light incident surface of the light guide plate. A display apparatus using the backlight module is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Tzeng-Ke Shiau, Yi-Cheng Lin, Chia-Liang Kang
  • Patent number: 11774068
    Abstract: A light source device includes: a substrate; a plurality of light sources disposed on the substrate; a wavelength conversion member disposed to face the plurality of light sources; and a diffusion member disposed between the wavelength conversion member and the plurality of light sources, and configured to uniformize distribution of traveling direction angle of incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: SATURN LICENSING LLC
    Inventors: Koichi Yamamoto, Kenji Kobayashi, Yasuhiro Nishida
  • Patent number: 11774663
    Abstract: A light guide plate includes a main body, stripe structures, and light-adjusting structures. The main body includes a light-incident surface and an optical surface. The stripe structures are disposed on the optical surface. The light-adjusting structures are disposed between two adjacent stripe structures. Each of the light-adjusting structures includes a first light active surface and a second light active surface. The first light active surface faces towards the light-incident surface. The second light active surface faces towards an opposite light-incident surface. The first light active surface and the second light active surface are inclined towards different directions and formed a non-symmetrical shape. A first included angle is formed between the first light active surface and the optical surface. A second included angle is formed between the second light active surface and the optical surface. The first included angle and the second included angle are acute angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignees: RADIANT(GUANGZHOU) OPTO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD, RADIANT OPTO-ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chia-Yin Chang, Chin-Ting Weng, Hao Chen, Yi-Ching Chung
  • Patent number: 11035996
    Abstract: A light guide plate includes a main body, stripe structures, and light-adjusting structures. The main body includes a light-incident surface and an optical surface. The stripe structures are disposed on the optical surface. The light-adjusting structures are disposed between two adjacent stripe structures. Each of the light-adjusting structures includes a first light active surface and a second light active surface. The first light active surface faces towards the light-incident surface. The second light active surface faces towards an opposite light-incident surface. The first light active surface and the second light active surface are inclined towards different directions and formed a non-symmetrical shape. A first included angle is formed between the first light active surface and the optical surface. A second included angle is formed between the second light active surface and the optical surface. The first included angle and the second included angle are acute angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignees: Radiant(Guangzhou) Opto-Electronics Co., Ltd, Radiant Opto-Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Chia-Yin Chang, Chin-Ting Weng, Hao Chen, Yi-Ching Chung
  • Patent number: 10890708
    Abstract: Disclosed are a light guide plate having an engraved pattern and a backlight unit having the same and a display device having the same, wherein the engraved pattern is configured such that a light incident surface thereof has an arc shape on a plane and a vertical section taken along a straight line passing through a center of the light incident surface is triangular. This makes it possible to maximize total reflection efficiency to increase luminous intensity of light output, resulting in improved light use efficiency and enhanced brightness of the backlight unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: KOYJ CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jai Hyoung Jo, Cha Yeon Kim, Young Gil Kim
  • Patent number: 10859760
    Abstract: A light guide plate has a light-incident surface, a bottom surface, a light-emitting surface, first microstructures and second microstructures. The bottom surface is opposite to the light-emitting surface, the light-incident surface is connected between the bottom surface and the light-emitting surface. The first microstructures protrude from the bottom surface and are arranged at intervals along a direction parallel to the light-incident surface and extend from the light-incident surface in a predetermined direction. The second microstructures are disposed between the first microstructures away from the light-incident surface, and each them includes light-adjusting blocks protruding from the bottom surface and arranged along the predetermined direction. Each first microstructure has a first height, and each light-adjusting block has a second height smaller than the first height. The light guide plate has a reduced horizontal viewing angle and a maintained luminance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Nano Precision Taiwan Limited
    Inventors: Chao-Hung Weng, Ming-Dah Liu, Hung-Tse Lin
  • Patent number: 10852467
    Abstract: Provided is a light guide plate including: a diverging portion which is provided on an opposite side of a light exit surface from which light is emitted, the diverging portion causing a luminous flux emitted from a light emitting element to diverge; and a restricting portion which is provided, when a prescribed range from the light emitting element on the light exit surface is defined as an illuminated area illuminated by the light emitting element, in at least a periphery of the illuminated area on the light exit surface and which deflects or shields light traveling from inside toward outside of the illuminated area to restrict traveling, toward a side of the light exit surface, of light traveling toward the outside of the illuminated area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shotaro Watanabe, Naoki Ishimi, Yoshinori Ito, Tomokazu Shimoda
  • Patent number: 10837622
    Abstract: A light guide includes a light input surface, a first major surface orthogonal to the light input surface and a second major surface opposing the first major surface and forming a converging wedge with the first major surface. The second surface includes a plurality of doublet light extraction features closely-packed or separated by a land feature. Each doublet feature includes a first prism feature having a first shape and a second prism feature having a second shape and the second shape is different than the first shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Epstein, John A. Wheatley
  • Patent number: 10571622
    Abstract: A light guide plate is provided in the invention. The light guide plate has a light incident surface, a bottom surface and a light exit surface. The bottom surface is opposite to the light exit surface. The light incident surface is connected between the bottom surface and the light exit surface. The light guide plate includes a plurality of light guide units and a plurality of microstructure units. The plurality of light guide units are convex to the bottom surface and arranged to be disposed along a direction parallel to the light incident surface. The plurality of light guide units is connected to each other on the light incident surface. The plurality of microstructure units are disposed corresponding to the plurality of light guide units respectively. Each of the microstructure units includes a plurality of microstructures. The invention further provides a backlight module having this light guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Tzeng-Ke Shiau, Chao-Min Yang
  • Patent number: 10473848
    Abstract: Provided is a display apparatus including a display panel including a display area, a first non-display area surrounding the display area, and a second non-display area surrounding the first non-display area. The display panel includes an upper substrate overlapping the display area, the first non-display area, and the second non-display area. The display panel includes a lower substrate positioned below the upper substrate and overlapping the display area and the first non-display area. The display panel includes a light shielding member positioned below the upper substrate and overlapping the second non-display area. An inner surface of the light shielding member faces a side surface of the lower substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hyunchul Bae
  • Patent number: 10371350
    Abstract: Optical systems are disclosed. More particularly, optical systems including an asymmetric turning film (110) with at least a first (120) and second light source (130) are disclosed. Selection of geometries for the asymmetric turning film can enable different output viewing angles depending on the selective illumination of the first light source, the second light source, or both. The optical systems disclosed may be suitable in both luminaires and displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Nicholas A. Johnson, Gilles J. Benoit, John A. Wheatley, Kenneth A. Epstein, David Scott Thompson, Michael E. Lauters
  • Patent number: 10359669
    Abstract: A display apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a display panel, a light guiding plate that emits light, the light being derived from a light source, through a front surface of the light guiding plate toward a rear surface of the display panel, a spacer that forms a void between the display panel and the light guiding plate, and an optical sheet disposed at the void, the optical sheet having a surface to face the rear surface of the display panel and a surface to face the front surface of the light guiding plate. In the display apparatus, the spacer is formed using a shape memory alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Sakai Display Products Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Iwaki, Nobuhiro Yonezawa, Daishi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 10353237
    Abstract: A lighting device includes LEDs 17, and a light guide plate 19 including an edge surface and a pair of plate surfaces, a part of the edge surface being a light entrance surface 19B through which light from the LEDs 17 enters, and one of the plate surfaces being a light exit surface 19A through which the light exits and another one of the plate surfaces being an opposite plate surface 19C opposite from the light exit surface 19A. The light guide plate 19 includes prism portions 51 on the opposite plate surface 19C, projecting from the opposite plate surface 19C and arranged in the X-axis direction and configured to collect light toward in a normal direction of the light exit surface 19A, and an exit light reflection portion 60 provided in a recessed portion 52 that is formed by two adjacent prism portions 51 and configured to reflect light travelling within the light guide plate 19 and facilitate exiting of light from the light guide plate 19.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Hirayama, Takao Imaoku, Shugo Yagi
  • Patent number: 10132984
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical sheet assembly comprising: a first optical sheet which comprises a first base film and a first optical pattern formed on the first base film, light being incident on the first base film; a second optical sheet which comprises a second base film and a second optical pattern formed on the second base film, the light exiting from the first optical sheet being incident thereon; and a third optical sheet which comprises a third base film and a third optical pattern formed on the third base film, the light exiting from the second optical sheet being incident thereon, wherein the first to third optical patterns perform light condensing or diffusing function, the first optical sheet is joined with the second optical sheet, and the second optical sheet is joined with the third optical sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: LMS CO., LTD
    Inventors: Sung Sik Cho, Dong Cheol Lee, Tae Jun Lee, Hee Jeong Kim, Ki Wook Lee, Jang Hee Cho, Byoung Hun Lee
  • Patent number: 10042104
    Abstract: A curved display device includes a display panel having a curved shape and including a display area having a curved surface and a backlight assembly providing a light to the display panel. The backlight assembly includes a plurality of light sources, a printed circuit board on which the light sources are mounted, and a light guiding plate. The light guiding plate has a curved shape and guides the light provided from the light sources to the display panel. The light sources are sequentially arranged along the curved direction of the light guiding plate, and a longitudinal direction of at least one of the light sources is different from a longitudinal direction of the other light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Donghwan Kim, Young-Min Park, Hyuk-Hwan Kim, Seokhyun Nam
  • Patent number: 9903996
    Abstract: A light guide plate display device includes a light guide plate, a plurality of light source devices, and a plurality of prisms. The light guide plate includes a display face and a plurality of end faces, and is formed of a light transmitting material. The light source devices are provided along respective end faces of the light guide plate, and radiate light from the end face toward an inside of the light guide plate. The prisms are formed inside the light guide plate. The prisms respectively have a plurality of side faces which face the respective light source devices. The respective side faces are inclined at least in two stages of a transmitting inclined face which transmits light radiated from the light source device, and a reflecting inclined face which reflects the light radiated from the light source device, and outputs the light to the display face, in a thickness direction of the light guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Fukui, Keizou Matsumura, Takayuki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9884592
    Abstract: An illuminating device (28) includes a light transmittable shield (38) having a first face (40) and a second face (42) spaced from the first face (40) in a direction. A chamber (43) is defined in the first face (40) and includes an operative face (46) spaced from the second face (42) in the direction. A plurality of refractive units (52) is provided on the operative face (46). Each refractive unit (52) includes a plurality refractive faces (54). Each refractive face (54) is at a non-parallel and non-perpendicular angle (55) to the operative face (46). Light diffusing particles (53) are disposed between the operative face (46) and the second face (42) and are located in the refractive units (52). At least one light emitting diode (34, 36) is fixed in relation to the light transmittable shield (38), is located in the chamber (43), and faces the operative face (46).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: POLYWAY INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hsin-Chien Tseng
  • Patent number: 9778407
    Abstract: A light guide having a first major surface, a second major surface, an input edge and an opposing edge, where at least one of the first major surface and the second major surface includes a plurality of multiplets. Each multiplet includes two or more extraction features having an indented geometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Timothy J. Nevitt, Charles David Hoyle, Michael F. Weber, Andrew J. Ouderkirk
  • Patent number: 9684110
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a lighting device for vehicles. The lighting device has a flat optical waveguide containing two opposing flat sides, a light input surface for the entry of light, and a light output surface for emitting the entering light at a light output side of the flat waveguide. The light input surface has a central input section disposed in the main beam direction in front of the light source, and an outer input section adjacent thereto. The central input section and the outer input section are shaped such that a first sub-light bundle of the light striking the central input section strikes a central region of a sub-surface of the light output surface disposed in the main beam direction in front of the light input surface after being reflected at the flat sides. A second sub-light bundle of the light source, striking the outer input section, strikes an outer region of the same sub-surface, adjacent to the central region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.
    Inventor: Carmen Bungenstock
  • Patent number: 9641796
    Abstract: Embodiments include a telepresence system operative to carry out a teleconference, a lighting arrangement for a telepresence system operative to carry out a teleconference, and a planar panel having a reflective front surface that includes indentations having variable depth operative such that that when the reflective surface is illuminated by a light source, light is directed towards one or more participants in a telepresence system that is operative to carry out a teleconference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Robert G. Aarrestad, Juli A. Satoh, Shawn E. Bender
  • Patent number: 9500331
    Abstract: The present invention provides a light compensator, a shading tape, a backlight module and a display device. The light compensator comprises a first surface on which at least one recess is provided, wherein, when the light compensator is arranged above an edge of an optical element, the first surface faces a light-exiting surface of the optical element, and a surface of the recess is capable of converging light irradiating thereon and reflecting the light toward an area with low luminance on the light-exiting surface of the optical element. The above light compensator can perform light compensation on areas with low luminance on the light-exiting surface of the optical element, enhance the luminance of the areas with low luminance on the light-exiting surface of the optical element, and achieve luminance uniformity of respective areas on the light-exiting surface of the optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI BOE DISPLAY LIGHT TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gang Liu, Shuyong He, Zungan Ling
  • Patent number: 9476565
    Abstract: An illuminating apparatus includes: a light source, and a lens sheet arranged on an optical axis of the light source on which a plurality of prisms arranged in concentric circles centered on the optical axis of the light source are formed. A light diffusing part including a plurality of hemispherical light scattering elements is provided on the lens sheet, the light diffusing part includes light scattering elements whose shape is distorted due to influence of light scattering elements that are adjacent in at least one direction, and the plurality of light scattering elements is arranged in concentric circles centered on the optical axis of the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Sakai, Ryohei Takayama
  • Patent number: 9412313
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a display panel including n×m array of pixels and which sequentially drives the pixels from pixels in a first row to pixels in an n-th row, a panel driving circuit which sequentially applies first, second, third or fourth image data to the display panel, a backlight unit including a first light source disposed adjacent to the pixels in the first row and a second light source disposed adjacent to the pixels in the n-th row, and a backlight control circuit which divides each of first and second time periods into first, second, third and fourth blinking time periods, and applies a control signal to the backlight unit, where the first time period corresponds to two frames during which the first and second image data are applied, and the second time period corresponds to two frames during which the third and fourth image data are applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Won Sik Oh, Jin-Taek Hong
  • Patent number: 9411087
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a backlight unit in which a viewing angle of a liquid crystal display device may be easily enlarged or changed. The backlight unit includes a light source, a light guide plate formed below a liquid crystal panel and including a light emitting surface through which incident light supplied from the light source is emitted toward the liquid crystal panel, a prism sheet formed between the light guide plate and the liquid crystal panel, and a plurality of protrusion patterns formed on one surface of the light guide plate which is opposite to the light emitting surface thereof, each of the plurality of protrusion patterns including a first prism which extends in a first direction and at least one second prism which extends in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, comes into contact with the first prism, and is shorter than the first prism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: LG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Young-Bae Han
  • Patent number: 9291852
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a backlight assembly which provides a light and a display panel which receives the light provided from the backlight assembly to display an image. The backlight assembly includes a light source which generates the light, and a light guide plate. The light guide plate receives the light generated from the light source through an incident surface thereof as an incident light, and outputs the incident light through an exit surface thereof as an exit light. The light guide plate includes a first optical pattern and a second optical pattern. The first optical pattern is disposed corresponding to a first area of the exit surface and collects the incident light. The second optical pattern is disposed corresponding to a remaining second area of the exit surface excluding the first area, and collects the exit light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tae Yong Ryu, Yongkyu Kang, Min-Young Song, Sangwon Lee
  • Patent number: 9166127
    Abstract: Disclosed is a light source module which does not require rigorous adjustments of the light direction and is free from luminance unevenness. Specifically disclosed is a light source module (1) which comprises a light-emitting element (40), and a light direction changing element (10) which is composed of a transparent resin and discharges the light emitted from the light-emitting element (40) toward the lateral direction. The light direction changing element (10) contains not less than 0.01% by weight but not more than 0.1% by weight of a light-diffusing agent (14) per 100% by weight of the transparent resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Koha Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuma Kato, Masatoshi Kawamata
  • Patent number: 9146534
    Abstract: A 3-dimensional (3D) holographic image displaying apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a hologram reproducer configured to generate surface plasmons in response to incident light and reproduce a 3D image by diffracting the generated surface plasmons by a hologram, and a surface light source unit including a light source and a light guide plate, the light guide plate being configured to allow incident light from the light source to enter into the light guide plate, internally reflect the allowed light, and output the internally reflected light through a light-output surface, the surface light source unit being configured to implement colors by adjusting an angle of the light incident to the hologram reproducer so that the outputted light through the light-output surface is incident to the hologram reproducer at a surface plasmon-forming angle for each wavelength to generate the surface plasmons corresponding to a plurality of color beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyu-hwan Choi, Dong-kyung Nam, Seung-hoon Han, Jung-mok Bae, Hoon Song
  • Patent number: 9140932
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a manufacturing method thereof; the LCD comprises a backlight module and a display panel; an included angle ?pb is between a normal direction of a light emission surface of the backlight module and a normal direction of a light emission surface of the display panel. By changing the relative positions of the display panel and the backlight module, the LCD and the manufacturing method thereof of the present invention decrease the phenomenon of asymmetrical light field in the LCD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Kuangyao Chang
  • Patent number: 9110206
    Abstract: A light guide plate includes a light incident surface for incident light, a light emitting surface for emitting the light, and microstructures formed on the light emitting surface to collimate the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chen-Han Lin
  • Publication number: 20150138833
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a backlight module and a liquid crystal display device including the backlight module. The backlight module includes a light guide plate and a planar reflecting sheet arranged below the light guide plate, wherein a plurality of lattice points are provided on the upper surface of the light guide plate so that the upper surface forms a light-emitting surface, and a plurality of cylindrical projections in contact with the planar reflecting sheet are formed on the lower surface of the light guide plate. With this backlight module, the probability of the lattice points being scratched can be significantly reduced, and the quality of the final product can be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: Hu He
  • Publication number: 20150098246
    Abstract: A light guide plate disclosed in the present disclosure includes a board body, a prism component and at least one optical microstructure. The prism component is disposed on at least one surface of the board body. The at least one optical microstructure is disposed on a top end of the prism component. The optical microstructure includes a first light guiding unit and at least two second light guiding units. A first angle is formed between two inclined surfaces of the first light guiding unit, and the first angle is substantially between 45˜60 degrees. The second light guiding units are symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of the first light guiding unit. A second angle is formed between an inclined surface and a bottom surface of each second light guiding unit, and the second angle is substantially between 10˜60 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Ya-Ping Niu, Chin-Yung Liu
  • Patent number: 8988336
    Abstract: Stereoscopic displays and backlights include a light guide with individually addressable light sources disposed at opposite edges of the light guide, and a light redirecting film disposed in front of the light guide. Light from one light source is emitted from the backlight as a right eye elongated light beam, and light from the opposite light source is emitted as a left eye elongated light beam. Structured surface features, e.g. linear prismatic or linear lenticular features, on the light guide and/or the light redirecting film are oriented such that the elongated light beams are offset from an optical axis of the backlight. Moreover, each of the elongated light beams is oriented to intersect both a first observation plane and a second observation plane perpendicular to the first observation plane, the first observation plane defined by the optical axis and an in-plane axis along which the light sources are disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Erik A. Aho, Martin B. Wolk, Michael J. Sykora
  • Patent number: 8979349
    Abstract: Illumination devices and methods of making same are disclosed. In one embodiment, an illumination apparatus includes a light source, a light guide having a planar first surface, a first end and a second end, and a length therebetween, the light guide positioned to receive light from the light source into the light guide first end, and the light guide configured such that light from the light source provided into the first end of the light guide propagates towards the second end, and a plurality of light turning features that are configured to reflect light propagating towards the second end of the light guide out of the planar first surface of the light guide, each light turning feature having a turning surface and an interferometric stack formed on the turning surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ion Bita, Sapna Patel, Clayton Ka Tsun Chan, SuryaPrakash Ganti, Brian W. Arbuckle
  • Patent number: 8970807
    Abstract: Disclosed is a backlight module having light sources and a light guide plate, and the light guide plate has an incident side, and the lights emitted by the light sources pass through the incident side and enter into the light guide plate, and the a light direction changing layer is positioned at the incident side, and the light direction changing layer is employed for changing progress directions of the lights entering the incident side to shorten a distance perpendicular to the incident side from an intersection point of the lights emitted by adjacent light sources to the light sources. The present invention also discloses a liquid crystal display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chihtsung Kang
  • Publication number: 20150055373
    Abstract: A light guide plate includes a light incident surface, a bottom surface connected to the light incident surface, and a light output surface facing away from the bottom surface. The light output surface is a roughened surface. A number of microstructures are formed on the light output surface. A method for making the light guide plate is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: YUNG-CHANG TSENG
  • Patent number: 8956034
    Abstract: The present invention is a display assembly including: a display and a backlight module, the backlight module including a prism structure. The backlight module generates light rays and directs the light rays to the display for illuminating the display. The prism structure of the backlight module is configured for causing the light rays to be directed to the display and for causing substantially all of the light rays to be emitted from the display assembly via the display into a pre-determined viewing envelope (ex.—towards an eye position of a viewer of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: Ricky J. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8950919
    Abstract: An optical element includes a light guide plate, a reflector received in a mounting hole of the light guide plate, and a supporting rod secured to and extending upwardly from the reflector. The light guide plate defines the mounting hole extending through the light guide plate from a top face to a bottom face thereof. The reflector includes a mounting surface coplanar with the top face of the light guide plate and a tapered reflecting face extending slantwise downwardly and inwardly from the mounting surface thereof. A backlight module incorporating the optical element is also provided. The backlight module has an LED located in the mounting hole and faces the reflecting face, and a diffuser plate secured to a top end of the supporting rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Po-Chou Chen
  • Patent number: 8944663
    Abstract: A light guide plate having a V-cut structure and a backlight module are disclosed. The light guide plate comprises straight-striped V-cut structure sets and a base plate having a light-entering side. The straight-striped V-cut structure sets are formed on a surface of the base plate adjacent to the light-entering side, wherein each straight-striped V-cut structure set is composed of at least one V-cut element, each V-cut element having a first base angle and a second base angle formed between its respective two inclined surfaces and a horizontal surface of the base plate. The first base angle is located closer to the light-entering side than the second base angle is, and is smaller than or equal to the second base angle. The straight-striped V-cut structure sets have a plurality of second average angle values which are gradually decreased from the light-entering side to a central position of the base plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Chiung-Han Wang, Jing-Huan Liao
  • Patent number: 8939633
    Abstract: An area light source device has a light guide plate including a light incident end face, a light guide plate main body thinner than a thickness of the light incident end face, and a light introducing unit formed in continuation with the light guide plate main body and so that thickness gradually becomes thinner from the light incident end face side towards the light guide plate main body side, a light source arranged at a position facing the light incident end face, a diffuser plate and one or more prism sheets arranged on a surface on a light emission side of the light guide plate main body, and a light shielding sheet arranged on an upper side of the diffuser plate and the prism sheet in a region excluding a light emitting region of the light guide plate main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Yabe, Tomokazu Shimoda, Yoshiyuki Masu
  • Publication number: 20150009711
    Abstract: In a light guide plate having a light incident surface, a light distributing control surface perpendicular to the light incident surface and a light emitting surface opposing the light distributing control surface, a flat mirror-finish portion is provided on a first area of the light distributing control surface, and a prism sequence is provided on a second area of the light distributing control surface where the flat mirror-finish portion is not provided. The prism sequence is protruded with respect to the flat mirror-finish portion. Each prism of the prism sequence has a rising sloped surface opposing the light incident surface, a first falling sloped surface connected to the rising sloped surface, and a second falling sloped surface connected to the first falling sloped surface, A slope of the first falling sloped surface is larger than a slope of the second falling sloped surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventor: Kazumi Chijiwa
  • Patent number: 8926160
    Abstract: The light guide plate has at least two layers which are superposed on each other in the direction almost perpendicular to the light exit surface and contain the scattering particles at different particle concentrations, the scattering particles are polydisperse particles including a mixture of particles with different particle sizes, and the combined particle concentrations in each portion of the light guide plate is different by changing the thicknesses of the first layer and the second layer in the direction almost perpendicular to the exit surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 8917366
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device, which includes a backlight module and a liquid crystal panel disposed on the backlight module. The backlight module includes an optic film assembly. The optic film assembly includes a first prism plate. The liquid crystal panel includes a first polarization plate. The first polarization plate is arranged to directly confront the first prism plate. The first prism plate includes a first base plate and a plurality of parallel first prism bars formed on an upper surface of the first base plate. The first prism bars have an axial direction that forms an included angle with respect to a polarization direction of the first polarization plate. The liquid crystal display device omits the topmost diffusion plate that is conventionally used in the known the optic film assembly so as to reduce the manufacture cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuangyao Chang, Zanjia Su
  • Patent number: 8915604
    Abstract: A prism sheet includes a base film having one flat surface and an optical refractive section having a plurality of prisms arranged along a first direction to constitute first and second prism parts. The optical refractive section is integrally formed with another surface of the base film that is opposite to the flat surface of the base film, and each of the prisms has a predetermined cross-sectional shape. The first prism part includes a first prism of the plurality of prisms, which first prism has a constant height along a second direction that intersects the first direction. The second prism part includes a second prism of the plurality of prisms, which second prism has a variable height in the second direction, and a maximum value of the variable height of the second prism is higher than the constant height of the first prism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Cheil Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Mi Jeong Choi, Kyoung Gon Park, Su Kyong Lee
  • Patent number: 8899814
    Abstract: An optical sheet includes a sheet-like body portion, and unit prisms arranged on one surface of the body portion. Each unit prism extends linearly in a direction intersecting the arrangement direction. Each unit prism, when viewed in a direction parallel to the arrangement direction of the unit prisms, has an uneven polygonal-line-shaped contour and, with reference to raised portions defined by the polygonal-line-shaped contour of each unit prism, the distance between a top of each raised portion, a farthest point from the body portion in the raised portion, and the body portion in the normal direction of the body portion is not constant. The optical sheet can prevent significant problems when it is superimposed on another member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kojima, Satoshi Goishihara, Satoko Maenishi
  • Patent number: 8894243
    Abstract: An optical filter which minimizes color shift, increases brightness and improves visibility and an organic light-emitting display having the same. The optical filter includes a micro pattern film disposed on an organic light-emitting panel. The micro pattern film includes a base material and a micro pattern engraved from the surface of the base material that adjoins the organic light-emitting panel. The micro pattern has a plurality of engraved shapes with a non-circular cross-section which has a depth greater than a width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eun Young Cho, Eui Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 8896786
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device has brightness uniformity at its front and lateral sides. The liquid crystal display device includes a reflection sheet reflecting light; an optical plate including a substrate for guiding light, a height-varying portion formed on one surface of the substrate, not facing the reflection sheet, and a prism pattern formed on the height-varying portion; and a plurality of light sources arranged on one lateral surface of the optical plate in a first direction so as to correspond to a position of the height-varying portion having a height not greater than an average height from the one surface of the substrate to the height-varying portion. The prism pattern extends in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The average height is in a range of about 0.1% to about 10% of the thickness of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeong-Min Seo, Jee-Hong Min, Young-Chan Kim, Moon-Gyu Lee, Kyu-Seok Kim
  • Patent number: 8882325
    Abstract: An optical sheet includes a light-passing base sheet, a plurality of light-passing first patterns formed on a front major surface of the base sheet, and a plurality of light-passing second patterns formed on a rear major surface of the base sheet. The first patterns protrude from the front surface of the base sheet, a top portion of each of the second patterns makes contact with the rear surface of the second patterns while a larger lower surface of each of the second patterns is exposed to serve as a light receiving surface. Voids having relatively low refractive indices are formed between the light-passing second patterns. The optical sheet employs just one base sheet in one embodiment, thereby reducing a manufacturing cost of the optical sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seung-Mo Kim, Jinsung Choi, DongHoon Kim, Seunghwan Chung
  • Patent number: 8882324
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a light source 30, a light guide 20 provided adjacent to the light source 30 and including a light source light incident surface 21 on which light emitted by the light source 30 enters and a planar light emission surface 22 from which planar light is emitted, and an optical sheet 50 including a planar light incident surface 53 on which the planar light enters, and configured to change a traveling direction of the planar light because a light emission side of the optical sheet 50 has a shape in which plural columnar prisms 51 extending in parallel to the light source light incident surface 21 are arranged side by side. In each of the prisms 51, a distal surface has at least different two kinds of inclination angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Masaya Adachi, Akiyoshi Tobe, Yasuhisa Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 8870431
    Abstract: A mixing light module includes a matrix, a fluorescent film, and a plurality of micro-structures. The matrix includes an incidence surface, an emission surface and a reflective surface. The fluorescent film disposed on or above the emission surface has an upper surface and a lower surface and includes a plurality of fluorescent particles. The matrix receives a first light having a first wavelength, and the reflective surface reflects the first light to make the first light to be emitted from the emission surface. Since the plurality of fluorescent particles receives a part of the first light from the emission surface, the plurality of fluorescent particles is excited to emit a second light having a second wavelength. The second light and the first light are mixed into a predetermined light. The plurality of micro-structures is used to make the first light or the second light uniform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Hui-Hsiung Lin, Chiun-Lern Fu, Hsiao-Wen Hung, Wen-Hsun Yang, Chi-Hung Liao, Wen-Jung Chen
  • Patent number: RE45229
    Abstract: A backlight for a color liquid crystal display apparatus includes a first light-guide plate; a first incidence part for receiving light of a first primary color in a first area on a first lateral surface of the first light-guide plate; a second incidence part for receiving light of a second primary color light in a second area on a second lateral surface that is opposite to the first lateral surface of the first light-guide plate; and a third incidence part for receiving light of a third primary color in a third area on a rear surface of the first light-guide plate. The number of superposition steps is thereby reduced, light-guide plates can easily be superposed onto an LCD panel with high accuracy, and a lightweight and inexpensive backlight for a color liquid crystal display apparatus can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Getner Foundation LLC
    Inventor: Mitsuasa Takahashi