Expandable light guide for backlight
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A backlight assembly comprising:
- a light guide plate having a pair of opposing edges;
a light guide spacer located rearward of the light guide plate and coupled to the light guide plate so as to be movable therewith;
a back pan located rearward of the light guide spacer; and
a sliding LED subassembly, the sliding LED subassembly comprising a connecting assembly, and a plurality of LEDs that are separated from the edge of the light guide by a gap of some distance, a portion of the connecting assembly of the LED subassembly located rearward of the back pan and coupled to the light guide spacer by an element that passes through a slot in the back pan such that the LED subassembly is movable with the light guide spacer and the distance between the LEDs and the edge of the light guide plate will remain the same during movement of the light guide plate.
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Abstract
The exemplary embodiments herein disclose a backlight assembly having a light guide with a pair of opposing edges and a sliding LED subassembly placed along an edge of the light guide and attached to the light guide so that movement of the light guide causes movement of the sliding LED subassembly. In some embodiments, a first slot may be positioned within the light guide where a post extends from the sliding LED subassembly to engage with the first slot in the light guide. In some embodiments, a back pan may be positioned behind the light guide where a post can extend from the back pan to engage with a second slot in the light guide.
194 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A backlight assembly comprising:
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a light guide plate having a pair of opposing edges; a light guide spacer located rearward of the light guide plate and coupled to the light guide plate so as to be movable therewith; a back pan located rearward of the light guide spacer; and a sliding LED subassembly, the sliding LED subassembly comprising a connecting assembly, and a plurality of LEDs that are separated from the edge of the light guide by a gap of some distance, a portion of the connecting assembly of the LED subassembly located rearward of the back pan and coupled to the light guide spacer by an element that passes through a slot in the back pan such that the LED subassembly is movable with the light guide spacer and the distance between the LEDs and the edge of the light guide plate will remain the same during movement of the light guide plate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A backlight assembly comprising:
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a light guide having a first pair of opposing edges and a second pair of opposing edges; a first slot in the light guide located near and oriented substantially parallel to a first one of the first pair of opposing edges; a second slot in the light guide located near and oriented substantially parallel to a second one of the first pair of opposing edges; a third slot in the light guide located along and oriented substantially perpendicular to at least the first one of the first pair of opposing edges; a back pan located rearward of the light guide and having a slot that is oriented substantially parallel to the third slot in the light guide; a sliding LED subassembly extending along at least the first one of the first pair of opposing edges of the light guide, the LED subassembly having a coupling element that extends through the slot in the back pan and into the third slot in the light guide, and is slidable within said slots. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A backlight assembly comprising:
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a back pan having first and second opposing edges; a light guide located forward of the back pan, the light guide having first and second opposing edges that are substantially parallel to the first and second opposing edges of the back pan; a light guide spacer interposed between the back pan and the light guide; a sliding LED subassembly located along each of the opposing edges of the light guide, the LED subassembly including a connecting member that resides rearward of the back pan; a plurality of LEDs affixed to each of the LED subassemblies such that the LEDs are respectively positioned along each of the opposing edges of the light guide at a set distance therefrom; a plurality of back pan coupling slots located near the first edge of the light guide and oriented substantially parallel thereto; a plurality of back pan coupling posts extending forward from the back pan and aligned within corresponding back pan coupling slots in the light guide; a plurality of light guide spacer coupling slots located near the second edge of the light guide and oriented substantially parallel thereto; a plurality of light guide spacer coupling posts extending forward from the light guide spacer and aligned within corresponding light guide spacer coupling slots in the light guide; a plurality of clearance slots located near each of the first edge and the second edge of the back pan and oriented substantially perpendicular to the first and second opposing edges thereof; a plurality of clearance slots located near each of the first edge and the second edge of the light guide and oriented substantially perpendicular to the first and second opposing edges thereof, the clearance slots in the light guide aligned with the clearance slots in the back pan; and a plurality of light guide spacer coupling elements extending forward from the connecting member of the LED subassembly, the light guide spacer coupling posts passing through corresponding clearance slots in the back pan, through the light guide spacer, and aligned within corresponding clearance slots in the light guide, the light guide spacer coupling elements coupling the LED subassembly to the light guide spacer; wherein expansion or contraction of the light guide in a direction substantially parallel to the first and second opposing edges thereof will not substantially effect the position of the light guide spacer, while expansion or contraction of the light guide in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second opposing edges thereof will result in a like movement of the light guide spacer and the LED subassembly coupled thereto, thereby maintaining the set distance of the LEDs from the first and second opposing edges of the light guide. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification