Type Of Surface Patents (Class 362/625)
  • Patent number: 11947154
    Abstract: The invention relates to a luminaire comprising a stack of parallel light transmissive transparent plates comprising a light guide plate and an optical plate. The light guide plate comprises a first and a second major light guide surface and a circumferential edge-wall and is edge-lit by LEDs. At least one of the major light guide surfaces is provided with a light outcoupling structure comprising outcoupling elements arranged at a first pitch P1. The optical plate comprises a first and a second major optical surface, the first major optical surface facing towards the second major light guide surface and only one of the first and second major optical surfaces being provided with an optical structure comprising optical elements arranged at a second pitch P2. The second major light guide surface and the first major optical surface are spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the major light guide surface by a spacing S, with S being in the range of 0-12 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: SIGNIFY HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Peter Johannes Martinus Bukkems, Ludovicus Johannes Lambertus Haenen, Johannes Petrus Maria Ansems, Barry Mos, Martinus Hermanus Wilhelmus Maria Van Delden
  • Patent number: 11841135
    Abstract: A light emitting module includes: a light guide member including: an emission region defined by a sectioning groove, a light source placement part located in the emission region, and a light adjusting hole that, in a schematic top view, is located between the sectioning groove and the light source placement part; and a light source disposed in the light source placement part. A refractive index of an inside of the light adjusting hole is lower than a refractive index of the light guide member. In the schematic top view, the light adjusting hole is positioned to intersect with a first straight line connecting a center of the light source and a farthest point in the sectioning groove, the farthest point being farthest from the center of the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Nakabayashi, Toru Hashimoto, Keiji Emura
  • Patent number: 11796153
    Abstract: A backlight module includes a light source array, a reflector module, and an optical film. The light source array includes a plurality of light sources. The light emitted from the light source can be refracted by the lens unit to obtain a specific light-output angle and uniformity. The reflector module includes a plurality of reflector units. Each reflector unit includes a flat portion, a first wall portion, and a corner wall portion, which have structures and arrangements designed to enable the light source to achieve a display effect of less shadows and better contrast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: AU OPTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ming-Lung Chen, Kun-Cheng Tien, Yi-Wen Lin, Cheng-Chuan Chen
  • Patent number: 11761900
    Abstract: A light projecting device comprises a flat light guide plate and a light source that introduces light into the light guide plate from a side peripheral surface thereof. A plurality of concave parts are formed on one plate surface of the light guide plate, and the light entering the light guide plate reflects off the concave parts while spreading out, and the light is emitted outside from the other plate surface of the light guide plate. Each concave part is formed by a smooth concave curved surface. A tangential angle that is an angle between a tangential line at an opening edge of the concave part and the plate surface is set to be ?50° and ?85° in a cross-sectional shape of the concave part cut by a plane that is both perpendicular to the plate surface and passing through the center of the concave part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: CCS INC.
    Inventor: Norihisa Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 11619367
    Abstract: The disclosed subject matter generally relates to a lighting device including at least two optical output modules for jointly providing transformable output light. The transformable output light is transformable a diffuse light output and a light output that has higher contrast than the diffuse light. Accordingly, the inventors realized that an enhanced user experience for vehicle occupants is provided by a lighting device that can seamlessly transform its output light between diffuse light to more high contrast light. For example, a vehicle interior component may be illuminated with a diffuse light when it is in one state, e.g. when it is not used. In a second state, when the component is used or intended to be used, it may be illuminated with a high contrast light to provide the user with more helpful assist light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Markus Andersson, Stefan Langner
  • Patent number: 11604381
    Abstract: An illuminating unit includes: a plurality of light sources; a light-guide plate including an end surface disposed to face the plurality of light sources, a first surface that outputs light which is based on incident light from the end surface, and a second surface that faces the first surface and includes a plurality of convex parts; and an optical sheet adhered to side of the second surface of the light-guide plate, with the plurality of convex parts being interposed therebetween. The plurality of convex parts include a plurality of first convex parts disposed in a first region inside the second surface, and one or plurality of second convex parts disposed in at least a portion of a second region on a periphery of the first region inside the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: SATURN LICENSING LLC
    Inventors: Kenji Hata, Yuji Iwai, Seiji Hayashimoto, Yuji Nakahata
  • Patent number: 11428983
    Abstract: An illuminating unit includes: a plurality of light sources; a light-guide plate including an end surface disposed to face the plurality of light sources, a first surface that outputs light which is based on incident light from the end surface, and a second surface that faces the first surface and includes a plurality of convex parts; and an optical sheet adhered to side of the second surface of the light-guide plate, with the plurality of convex parts being interposed therebetween. The plurality of convex parts include a plurality of first convex parts disposed in a first region inside the second surface, and one or plurality of second convex parts disposed in at least a portion of a second region on a periphery of the first region inside the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: SATURN LICENSING LLC
    Inventors: Kenji Hata, Yuji Iwai, Seiji Hayashimoto, Yuji Nakahata
  • Patent number: 11415736
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a backlight module including a light guide plate including a light-emitting surface, a bottom surface opposite to the light-emitting surface, and a light-incident side connecting the light-emitting surface and the bottom surface and light-emitting elements disposed at the light-incident side along a first direction. The light guide plate includes first columnar microstructures extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction on the light-emitting surface and columnar microstructure groups with second columnar microstructures, which are 1-15 times the number of the adjacent first columnar microstructures, between the first columnar microstructures extending along the second direction on the light-emitting surface. A first width of the first columnar microstructures is larger than or equal to a second width of the columnar microstructure groups along the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: DARWIN PRECISIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu-Huan Chiu, Chien-Wei Liao, Yen-Lung Chen
  • Patent number: 10868936
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes an illumination unit that illuminates light on an image surface of a sheet, and a photoelectric conversion element that converts reflected light from the sheet illuminated by the illumination unit into an electric signal. The illumination unit includes a circuit board including a light emitting element, and a light guide that guides light, emitted from the light emitting element, to a sheet read surface. In the image reading apparatus, the light guide includes a positioning surface that abuts against a first surface of the circuit board and that performs positioning of the light guide and the circuit board, and a pressing portion that abuts against a second surface of the circuit board on an opposite side of the first surface and that presses the circuit board against the positioning surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takayuki Suga
  • Patent number: 10754067
    Abstract: A self-cleaning film system includes a substrate and an anti-reflection film disposed on the substrate. The anti-reflection film includes a first sheet formed from titanium dioxide, a second sheet formed from silicon dioxide and disposed on the first sheet, and a third sheet formed from titanium dioxide and disposed on the second sheet. The system includes a self-cleaning film disposed on the anti-reflection film and including a monolayer disposed on the third sheet and formed from a fluorinated material selected from the group consisting of fluorinated organic compounds, fluorinated inorganic compounds, and combinations thereof. The self-cleaning film includes a first plurality of regions disposed within the monolayer such that each of the first plurality of regions abuts and is surrounded by the fluorinated material and includes a photocatalytic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Thomas A. Seder, James A. Carpenter, Gayatri V. Dadheech
  • Patent number: 10731815
    Abstract: A lamp for a vehicle includes a cover lens, a housing that is coupled to the cover lens and that defines a lamp space with the cover lens, a light output unit including a plurality of light generation groups that are arranged inside of the lamp space in a first direction, and a light guide that has a three-dimensional (3D) shape and that is configured to guide light from the light output unit in a light output direction. The light guide includes: a first surface that defines a portion of the 3D shape of the light guide and that faces the light output unit, and a second surface that defines a portion of the 3D shape of the light guide and that defines an acute angle with respect to the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: ZKW Group GmbH
    Inventors: Youngil Kim, Yongjae Kim, Myungjae Song
  • Patent number: 10730430
    Abstract: A sidemarker light assembly includes a support bracket, a light blade carried on the support bracket and a light source in communication with the first end of the light blade. Light from that light source is then transmitted through the light blade and emitted from a second end of the light blade to provide a sidemarker indication. A motor vehicle light assembly incorporating the sidemarker light assembly is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bruce Preston Williams, Gary Edward Henige, Nicholas James Nowicki, Timothy Scott Vladu
  • Patent number: 10583428
    Abstract: A self-cleaning film system configured for reducing a visibility of a contaminant includes a substrate and a film. The film includes a monolayer defining a plurality of cavities and formed from a first material having a first surface energy, and a plurality of patches disposed within the plurality of cavities. Each of the patches is formed from a photocatalytic material having a second surface energy that is higher than the first. The film has a touchpoint area having a first use frequency, and a second area having a second use frequency that is less than the first. The patches are present in the touchpoint area in a first concentration and are configured to direct the contaminant towards the second area. The patches are present in the second area in a second concentration that is higher than the first and are configured to reduce the visibility of the contaminant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Thomas A. Seder, James A. Carpenter, Gayatri V. Dadheech
  • Patent number: 10564342
    Abstract: A light diverging structure, a backlight module and a display device are provided. The light diverging structure includes a substrate and multiple light diverging units arranged on the substrate and spaced from each other. The multiple light diverging units are used to diverge an incident light into at least two beams of emergent light propagated in different directions, the at least two beams of emergent light propagated in the different directions form a light band having a preset curvature. The backlight module includes multiple light sources, a light guide plate and the light diverging structure. The light diverging structure is arranged between a light-entering face of the light guide plate and the multiple light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ruoyu Ma
  • Patent number: 10556231
    Abstract: A self-cleaning film system includes a substrate and a film. The film includes a monolayer formed from fluorinated material and a first plurality of regions disposed within the monolayer and spaced apart from one another such that each of the first plurality of regions abuts, is surrounded by, and is not covered by the fluorinated material. Each of the first regions includes a photocatalytic material. A method of forming a self-cleaning film system includes depositing a monolayer formed from fluorinated material onto a substrate. After depositing, the method includes ablating the monolayer to define a first plurality of cavities therein, wherein each of the first cavities is spaced apart from an adjacent one of the first cavities along the monolayer. After ablating, the method includes embedding a photocatalytic material into each of the first plurality of cavities to form a film on the substrate and thereby form the film system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Gayatri V. Dadheech, Thomas A. Seder, James A. Carpenter
  • Patent number: 10509941
    Abstract: An optical fingerprint imaging system (200) and an optical assembly (300, 400, 500, 600, 700) are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: SHANGHAI OXI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yong Han, Hong Zhu, Wei Fang, Yan Ling
  • Patent number: 10139074
    Abstract: The invention is a light guide member that utilizes total reflection to guide light. An entry surface, an exit surface, a main reflection portion, a secondary reflection portion, and a linking portion are provided. The main reflection portion has a main reflection surface. The secondary reflection portion has a secondary reflection surface. The linking portion is provided between the main reflection portion and the secondary reflection portion. As a result of the present invention, mold machining is straightforward, and the flow of resin material during casting is adequate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Koshiro
  • Patent number: 10073209
    Abstract: An object of the present disclosure is to provide a surface light source lighting device capable of realizing direction control and a stable operation with respect to vibration or a great temperature change, required for use in a backlight. This surface light source lighting device causes linear light incident from a light source (2a) to be incident to an edge surface (1L) of a light guide plate (1) via a light incidence portion (3a) including a light incidence lens and a louver, and can thus maintain high reliability with respect to vibration or a temperature change in a use environment. In the light guide plate (1), light reflected by a first light guide pattern (4A) provided on a rear surface thereof is reflected by a second light guide pattern (4B) provided on the same rear surface so that an emission direction is set, and thus light is emitted from a front surface of the light guide plate (1) with desired distribution characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Mase, Sadafumi Oota
  • Patent number: 9989691
    Abstract: A lightguide (100) is disclosed. The lightguide includes a plurality of light extractors (120-123). Each light extractor is designed primarily to extract light that propagates within the lightguide and is incident on the light extractor from a first direction and reflect light that propagates within the lightguide and is incident on the light extractor from a second direction different than the first direction, toward another light extractor, where the other light extractor extracts the reflected light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventor: David A. Ender
  • Patent number: 9739923
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display device including: an illumination device, and a liquid crystal panel that is arranged so as to be stacked on a light-emitting surface side of the illumination device, wherein the illumination device includes a light guide plate in which a side end surface extending in a first direction is a light incident portion, a plurality of light-emitting elements that align along a first direction and, each of the plurality of light-emitting elements faces a light-irradiating surface in the light incident portion, and a plurality of groove rows that are formed of a plurality of grooves which are linearly arranged in a second direction on an opposite surface facing the light-emitting surface of the light guide plate, the second direction intersects the first direction in an in-plane direction of the light-emitting surface, and that are arranged in parallel in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichi Momose, Nobutaka Urano
  • Patent number: 9632326
    Abstract: The invention provides a collimator comprising a prismatic layer stack. The prismatic layer stack comprises a first prismatic layer comprising ID arranged first prisms, with first prism tops having first prism top angels, and first grooves, having first groove angles; and a second prismatic layer comprising ID arranged second prisms, with second prism tops having second prism top angels, and second grooves, having second groove angles. The first prismatic layer and the second prismatic layer are in a crossed configuration. Further, the first and second prism tops of the first and the second prismatic layers point in the same direction. The first and second prism top angels and the first and second groove angles are selected from the range of 120-160°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventor: Erik Boonekamp
  • Patent number: 9339977
    Abstract: Optical elements of a light guide plate are formed by repeatedly aligning convex parts in a longitudinal direction of the optical elements. Concave/convex shaped parts whose recess amount and/or protrusion amount are not constant are formed by three-dimensional curved surfaces that constitute the convex parts. An optical path of light that enters from an incident light surface of the light guide plate is modified by the concave/convex shaped parts that constitute the optical elements as the light progresses through the inside of the light guide plate, and thereby the light is diffused. Further, since the recess amount and/or protrusion amount of the concave/convex shaped parts are not constant, the optical path of light progressing through the inside of the light guide plate is modified randomly, and therefore a light diffusing effect is efficiently exhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Reishi Shimaoka, Shinji Kawai
  • Patent number: 9329328
    Abstract: A backlight module includes a light guide plate (LGP), a light source, and at least one prism sheet. The LGP includes a light emitting surface, a bottom surface, a light incident surface, and a plurality of first microstructures on the bottom surface. Each of the first microstructure is a recessed structure and includes a first surface and a second surface. An included angle between the first surface and the bottom surface ranges from 15 degrees to 27 degrees. An included angle between the second surface and the bottom surface ranges from 50 degrees to 90 degrees. The light source provides a light beam, and an included angle between a light emitting direction of the light beam emitted from the light emitting surface of the LGP and a normal direction of the light emitting surface is greater than 30 degrees. The prism sheet is disposed above the light emitting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Shang-Wei Chen, Min-Yi Hsu, Chao-Hung Weng, Wen-Hsin Lo, Han-Wen Tsai, Ming-Feng Kuo, Ming-Dah Liu
  • Patent number: 9274262
    Abstract: A light guiding plate includes a light guiding main body, a first light guiding unit and a second light guiding unit. The light guiding main body has a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface and a light inlet face connecting between the first and second surfaces. The first light guiding unit includes first and second light guiding structures disposed on the first surface. The first and second light guiding structures are parallel aligned, each second light guiding structure has a plurality of first light guiding bodies that is individually separating and connecting the immediately abreast first light structures, and the arrangement density of the plurality of first light guiding bodies decreases toward the light inlet face. The second light guiding unit includes a plurality of third light guiding structures disposed on the second surface. The third light guiding structures are parallel arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: INNOLUX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ming Yi Liao
  • Patent number: 9239420
    Abstract: A light guide plate 13 has a number of back surface-side unit optical structures 131 arranged in a back surface 13d along a light guide direction. Each back surface-side unit optical structure 131 is tapered in a direction away from a light exit surface 13c, and has a first inclined surface 132 lying on the light entrance surface side, a second inclined surface (133) lying opposite the first inclined surface and which totally reflects at least part of incident light, and a top surface region 134 lying between the first inclined surface 132 and the second inclined surface 133, and located farthest from the light exit surface 13c. The top surface regions 134 each include a plurality of surfaces 134a to 134d which are parallel to the light exit surface 13c and have different heights “h” in the direction away from the light exit surface 13c.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Asano, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Masahiro Goto
  • Patent number: 9207387
    Abstract: A back light module is provided, which includes a light guide plate, a first light source device and a second light source device. The light guide plate has a first side surface, a second side surface and a third side surface, wherein the first side surface is opposite to the third side surface, and the second side surface is orthogonal to the first and third side surfaces. The first lighting device is disposed at two sides of an intersection corner of the first and second side surfaces and faces the first and second side surfaces. The second light source device is disposed at two sides of an intersection corner of the second and third side surfaces and faces the second and third side surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: INNOLUX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Cheng-Kung Chen, Wen-Yu Lin, Hsien Wen Chang, Yuan-Sheng Chien
  • Patent number: 9194994
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes: a light guide plate including a front surface, a back surface and an edge surface, the light guide plate being arranged such that the edge surface faces a light source, the light guide plate internally reflecting light incident from the edge surface and causing surface emission from the front surface; a liquid crystal display panel; and a reflective sheet arranged so as to face the back surface of the light guide plate. The back surface includes a first portion and a second portion. A surface of the second portion is located at a position recessed relatively from a surface of the first portion. The surface of the first portion is a rough surface. The surface of the second portion is a smooth surface. The reflective sheet is in contact with the first portion but avoids contact with the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
    Inventors: Ken Kagabu, Yasuhisa Shiraishi, Yoshikazu Tanabe, Yoshihiro Nishimine
  • Patent number: 9169987
    Abstract: A lighting appliance for vehicles includes a flat light guide having a light coupling section for the coupling of light into a first or a second end of the light guide, a narrow-side front serving as a light coupling section for the coupling-out of light into the main radiation direction extending between the first end and the second end of the flat light guide, a first flat side and a second flat side arranged on the opposite side, on which the coupled-in light can be fully reflected, a rear extending between the first end and the second end of the flat light guide having a number of optic elements for the redirection of the light into the direction of the narrow-side front, wherein the flat light guide is held with fastening means in a holding section of a holding lens running at right angles to the main radiation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: HELLA KGAA HUECK & CO.
    Inventors: Christoph Kirchner, Martin Mügge Mügge, Heinz Albert Püttmann
  • Patent number: 9134008
    Abstract: Light emitting decorative panels using a light source at the edge thereof that may have a desired uniformity of light emission from a pattern thereon, and which are not subject to local shadows (shading) in a pattern part from patterns or pattern parts between the respective pattern or pattern part and the light source. The elimination of shading is achieved by the depressions of a given geometry disposed in an arc having a center at the light source, and sizes each depression or arc segment of a depression in being chosen accordance with 1), the distance of the respective depression or depression segment from the source of light, and 2), the number of depressions between the respective depression and the source of light, with a second order correction for the position of depressions between the respective depression and the source of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Shoot the Moon Products II, LLC
    Inventors: William J. Hudson, Christopher B. Schmidt, David B. Small
  • Patent number: 9110211
    Abstract: A light guide plate and a plane light source unit are provided. The light guide plate for a plane light source unit includes a plurality of unit pattern regions each having a plurality of optical patterns on surfaces thereof, wherein one or more unit pattern regions have different sag values (height:lens size) of the optical patterns constituting the unit pattern regions. Unit pattern regions are implemented with segmented optical patterns, which are equal in height, from the outside of the light guide plate to the central part thereof, by adjusting the density and size of microlenses, thereby improving the light uniformity and light efficiency and improving the efficiency of manufacturing processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Beom Sun Hong, Jun Phill Eom, Dong Mug Seong, Dong Hyun Lee
  • Patent number: 9075478
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a display device, and more particularly to a reflective touch display and a fabrication method thereof. The reflective touch display comprises a reflective display device, a first bonding layer, a light guiding plate, a second bonding layer, and a touch screen. The light guiding plate is laminated to top surface of the reflective display through the first bonding layer. The touch screen is laminated to top surface of the light guiding plate through the second bonding layer. The first bonding layer and the second bonding layer are formed by a liquid bonding material that transforms from a liquid state to a solid state, wherein refraction index of each of the first and second bonding layer is less than that of the light guiding plate. In accordance with the present disclosure, yield rate can be increased and production cost can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: TPK TOUCH SOLUTIONS (XIAMEN) INC.
    Inventors: Jianxing Luo, Jiodong Chen, Pingping Huang, Yau-Chen Jiang
  • Patent number: 9052431
    Abstract: A backlight module and a liquid crystal device are disclosed. The backlight module includes a plastic frame, an aluminum extrusion, and a light guiding plate. The plastic frame and the aluminum extrusion prohibit the light guiding plate from moving in an up and down direction. Wherein the light guiding plate is disposed on the aluminum extrusion. The light guiding plate includes a body, and a first position portion extends along the body towards the aluminum extrusion. The aluminum extrusion includes a position slot corresponding to the first position portion, and the first position portion closely engages with the first position slot. The backlight module and the liquid crystal device fix the light guiding plate by engaging the light guiding plate, the aluminum extrusion, and the plastic frame so that the light guiding plate is stably fixed and the light coupling is stable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chengwen Que, Shih Hsiang Chen
  • Patent number: 9028124
    Abstract: A backlight module includes a light guide plate and a number of light sources. The light guide plate includes a frosted light incident surface, diffusion structures positioned on the frosted light incident surface, and dot-shaped micro-recesses positioned on the diffusion structures. The light sources face the frosted light incident surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yung-Chang Tseng
  • Patent number: 9010983
    Abstract: A light guide device for illumination, lighting and display purposes that exhibits an output light having a predetermined, and preferably uniform, angular luminance profile is described. The device comprises a light guide (13) suitable for guiding light coupled thereto and a plurality of extraction features (10, 11) located on one or more surfaces of the light guide. The plurality of extraction features comprises an interleaved pattern of first (11) and second extraction features the arrangement of which provides a means for defining the predetermined angular and spatial luminance profiles for the output light. The device allows for a uniform angular luminance profile to be produced that is maintained even when the light guide is curved or bent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Inventor: James Gourlay
  • Publication number: 20150092444
    Abstract: A light guide including a plurality of reflection patterns in a reflection area in a facing surface facing a light exit surface, which area corresponds to a light emitting area, and the reflection patterns are arranged so that an amount of light reflected by the reflection patterns, emitted from the light emitting area to arrive at an observer observing the light exit surface is continuously changed in accordance with a position in the light emitting area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Takagi, Masayuki Shinohara, Yoshimasa Osumi, Norikazu Kitamura
  • 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: 8979350
    Abstract: A light guide plate includes an incident surface, an emitting surface, and a reflecting surface opposite to the emitting surface. The incident surface connects the emitting surface to the reflecting surface. A plurality of microstructures is defined in the reflecting surface. Each microstructure is a slot. A cross-section across each microstructure and parallel to a light emitting direction is substantially V-shaped. Each microstructure is formed with two sidewalls. Each sidewall includes a plurality of stepped portions connected in order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Li-Ying Wang He
  • 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: 8950920
    Abstract: A light reflector including a multilayer film wherein the multilayer film includes a substrate layer and an emission line preventing layer including a scale-like light reflecting section, and the reflection angle light quantity ratio is from 1.5 to 6.5. The light reflector is capable of preventing generation of emission lines when it is incorporated in a planar light source device or an illuminating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Yupo Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiko Ueda, Hiroshi Koyama
  • Patent number: 8950921
    Abstract: The invention described herein is a very thin flat panel LED luminaire, including a flat baseboard, a flat reflection panel, a flat acrylic panel, a flat diffusion panel, LED bar, and aluminum encasement frame which combines with the baseboard to form the chassis for the luminaire. The LED bar is placed along either or both sides of the stack. The acrylic panel is printed with a mesh-like mask pattern of dots in a pattern in which the density of the pattern is decreases the farther away from the LED bar the pattern is, differentially coupling the light from the point source LED bar from the reflection panel into the flat acrylic panel so that illumination across the luminaire is substantially uniform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: CT Advanced LED Lighting, LLC
    Inventor: Yu Lin Sheng
  • Publication number: 20150029745
    Abstract: A light guide plate 13 has a number of back surface-side unit optical structures 131 arranged in a back surface 13d along a light guide direction. Each back surface-side unit optical structure 131 is tapered in a direction away from a light exit surface 13c, and has a first inclined surface 132 lying on the light entrance surface side, a second inclined surface (133) lying opposite the first inclined surface and which totally reflects at least part of incident light, and a top surface region 134 lying between the first inclined surface 132 and the second inclined surface 133, and located farthest from the light exit surface 13c. The top surface regions 134 each include a plurality of surfaces 134a to 134d which are parallel to the light exit surface 13c and have different heights “h” in the direction away from the light exit surface 13c.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Eiji ASANO, Hiroshi YAMAMOTO, Masahiro GOTO
  • Publication number: 20140354919
    Abstract: Provided is a light guide plate including: a main body for guiding incident light and transmitting the incident light from an upper surface of the main body; and a plurality of light converging patterns in a rounded wedge shape having a rounded upper surface on a lower surface of the main body to converge and reflect the incident light in a predetermined direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: LG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dong Yul KIM, JongHyeok KIM, JiHo SON, JungHun CHANG
  • Patent number: 8899815
    Abstract: A uniform reflective light-guide for accompanying an edge light source to form a backlight module for an LCD display includes a light-guiding layer and a reflective layer. The light-guiding layer further defines a light-introducing surface and a light-exiting surface. The light-introducing surface is to allow lights emitted from the edge light source to enter the light-guiding layer. The light-exiting surface perpendicular to the light-introducing surface is to allow at least a portion of the lights to leave the light-guiding layer. The reflective layer is to reflect the incident lights back to the light-guiding layer. The reflective layer and the light-guiding layer are manufactured integrally into a unique piece by a co-extrusion process so as to avoid possible existence of an air spacing in between. A reflective surface is defined to interface the reflective layer and the light-guiding layer, and a three-dimensional micro-structure is constructed on the reflective surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Entire Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jia-Jen Chen, Yu-Chun Tao, Yan Zuo Chen, Hao-Xiang Lin, Cheng-Yu Hsieh
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20140333738
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical valve or light valve for providing large area collimated illumination from localized light sources, and system and method thereof for 2D, 3D, and/or autostereoscopic displays. An optical valve may include a stepped structure, in which the steps include separated extraction features which may be optically hidden to light propagating in a first direction. Light propagating in a second direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the optical valve. Such controlled illumination may provide for efficient, multi-user autostereoscopic displays as well as improved 2D display functionality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Michael G. Robinson, Graham J. Woodgate, Jonathan Harrold
  • 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: 8876355
    Abstract: A light guide includes an incident surface, an emitting surface, a reflecting surface, and a light guide section. The incident surface receives light from a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged at least in a first direction. The emitting surface outputs incident light from the incident surface. The reflecting surface includes a plurality of lenses having optical power in the first direction and a second direction different from the first direction and is provided to be opposed to the incident surface. The light guide section includes a surface including the incident surface, the emitting surface, and the reflecting surface, and causes the light that has entered from the incident surface to be reflected by the plurality of lenses of the reflecting surface to guide the light to the emitting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Koya Nomoto, Nobuaki Kuribara, Kazuhito Kunishima
  • Patent number: 8858025
    Abstract: Provided is a lighting device, including: a printed circuit board; one or more light emitting units formed on the printed circuit board; a resin layer which is formed on the printed circuit board, in which the light emitting units are embedded; a diffusion plate formed on an upper side of the resin layer, whereby an entire thickness of the lighting device can be reduced, and when the product is designed, a degree of freedom in design can be improved because flexibility is secured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Moo Ryong Park, Chul Hong Kim, Kwang Ho Park
  • Publication number: 20140293654
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a light emitting device includes: a light source which emits light; a light guide portion which has an emission surface which emits light and a back surface which opposes to the emission surface, and which has at the back surface a reflecting portion which the light emitted from the light source enters and which reflects the entering light toward the emission surface; a heat transfer portion which opposes to the back surface of the light guide portion and is provided with an interval which is a wavelength of the light or more being spaced from the back surface; and a support portion which is provided between the reflecting portion and the heat transfer portion, and which keeps the interval between the light guide portion and the heat transfer portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Kato, Hiroshi Ohno, Katsumi Hisano, Masataka Shiratsuchi, Tomonao Takamatsu, Tomoyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: RE47656
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical assembly, a backlight unit, and a display apparatus thereof. According to an embodiment of the present invention, an optical assembly includes a first layer, a plurality of light sources disposed over the first layer, a second layer that is disposed above the first layer and covering the plurality of light sources, and a pattern layer disposed above or in the second layer, wherein the pattern layer includes a plurality of patterns disposed at positions substantially corresponding to the light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Seung Choon Bae, Sung Woo Kim, Soon Hyung Kwon, Bup Sung Jung, Sang Tae Park, Bu Wan Seo