Illuminator

• US 20050213320A1
• Filed: 06/01/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ace. T Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ace. T Corporation
• Inventors: Chung, Chao-Fang, Liu, Yu-Ping, Kazuhiro, Miyashita
• Application Number:
  US10/859,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20050213320A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/227
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0927 Systems for changing the beam intensity distribution, e.g. Gaussian to top-hat
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0983 being curved
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer

Abstract

The present invention of illuminator pertains to converting spot light source, especially light-emitting-diode, into planar light source with some kind of intensity distribution mode, including a spot light source and a reflector, characterized in that spot light source is located at lateral and nook position, and the reflector can be designed elastically according to requirement of mode of reflected light vector distribution in space and mode of reflected light intensity distribution on illuminated surface. Spot light sources of the present invention include light-emitting-diode LCD. The modes of reflected light include space distribution mode in which light vectors are more orientated or nearly parallel and intensity distribution mode, of reflected light on illuminated surface, in which intensity is nearly even on illuminated surface; Both types of modes can co-exist in a illuminator. The illuminator of the present invention can be applied to display of mobile phone, personal digital assistant PDA, and notebook computer, backlight module, and general illuminating usage.

Claims

1. An illuminator, including one or a plurality of light sources and one or a plurality of reflectors, characterized in that said light sources are located at nook position.

2. An illuminator, including one or a plurality of light sources and one or a plurality of reflectors, characterized in that said light sources are located at nook position, and the reflectors can be designed elastically according to requirement of mode of reflected light vector distribution in space and mode of reflected light intensity distribution on illuminated surface.

3. An illuminator, including one or a plurality of light sources and one or a plurality of reflectors, characterized in that said light sources are located at nook position, and the reflectors can be designed elastically according to requirement of mode of reflected light vector distribution in space and mode of reflected light intensity distribution on illuminated surface, and adjusting the united architecture of light source and reflector by rotation or translation can change the reflected light vector'"'"'s orientations.

4. An illuminator according to claim 3, wherein said reflector has a connecting part, and said light source is located at said connecting part.

5. An illuminator according to claim 3, wherein said light source is light emitting diode LED.

6. An illuminator according to claim 3, wherein said light source is Rod Lens packaged LED.

7. An illuminator according to claim 6, wherein reflecting plates are equipped on both lateral sides of Rod Lens.

8. An illuminator according to claim 3, wherein illuminated face of reflected light is light-entering face of light guide plate LGP.

9. An illuminator according to claim 3, wherein illuminated face of reflected light is a portion of light-entering face of light guide plate LGP.

10. An illuminator according to claim 3, wherein both faces of said reflector contact air directly.

11. An illuminator according to claim 3, wherein said reflector is made of ceramics or metal of high thermal conductivity materials, including cupric, aluminum, and ferric categories.

12. An illuminator, including one or a plurality of light sources and one or a plurality of reflectors, characterized in that said light source is located at nook position;

the 3-dimensional shape of said reflector is inwards inflected surface;

the transverse curves of said reflector are to make energy of reflected light evenly distributed on illuminated face, and longitudinal curves are the parabolic segments, with said nook-positioned light source being common focus, vertexes of said parabolic segments being located at a said transverse curve.

13. An illuminator according to claim 12, wherein adjusting the united architecture of said light source and said reflector by rotation or translation can change the reflected light vector'"'"'s orientations.

14. An illuminator according to claim 12, wherein light source is LED.

15. An illuminator, including one or a plurality of light sources and one or a plurality of reflectors, characterized in that said light source is located at nook position;

when viewed from certain orientation, the vectors of light emitted from said light source appear to be parallel to each other;

the 3-dimensional shape of said reflector is inwards inflected surface;

the transverse curves of said reflector are to make energy of reflected light evenly distributed on illuminated face, and longitudinal curves of said reflector are straight line segments.

16. An illuminator according to claim 15, wherein said light source is Rod Lens packaged LED.

17. An illuminator according to claim 16, wherein illuminated face of reflected light is light-entering face of light guide plate LGP.

18. An illuminator, including one or a plurality of light sources and one or a plurality of reflectors, characterized in that said light source is located at nook position;

in the case that long side of illuminated face of reflected light is set as X-axis, short side of illuminated face of reflected light as Y-axis, and direction vertical to X-axis and Y-axis as Z-axis, vectors of reflected light tend to be parallel distributed when viewed along X-axis;

vectors of reflected light are distributed in sector-like way when viewed Z-axis, and energy distribution of reflected light on illuminated face tends to be even.

19. An illuminator according to claim 18, wherein illuminated face of reflected light is light-entering face of light guide plate LGP.

20. An illuminator, including two light sources and two reflectors, characterized in that said two reflectors are symmetrical to each other;

each of said reflectors is equipped with a said light source;

each of said light sources is located at nook position of corresponding reflector separately;

light emitted from said light sources appears to be parallel as viewed from a certain orientation;

the 3-dimensional shapes of said reflectors are transversely inflected surfaces;

the transverse curves of said reflectors are parabolic segments and the longitudinal curves of said reflectors are straight line segments.

21. An illuminator according to claim 20, wherein the symmetry axes of said parabolic segments are vertical to reflected light'"'"'s illuminated face, and projection'"'"'s length of said parabolic segments on illuminated face equals half length of illuminated face.

22. An illuminator according to claim 20, wherein illuminated face of reflected light is light-entering face of light guide plate LGP.

23. An illuminator, including two light sources and two reflectors, characterized in that said two reflectors are symmetrical to each other;

each of said reflectors is equipped with a said light source;

each of said light sources is located at nook position of corresponding reflector separately;

the said light sources are Rod Lens packaged light emitting diodes LEDs;

the illuminated face of reflected light is light-entering face of light guide plate LGP;

the 3-dimensional shapes of said reflectors are transversely inflected surfaces;

the transverse curves of said reflectors are parabolic segments;

the symmetry axes of said parabolic segments are vertical to reflected light'"'"'s illuminated face;

projection'"'"'s length of said parabolic segments on illuminated face equals half length of illuminated face and the longitudinal curves of said reflectors are straight line segments.

24. An illuminator according to claim 23, wherein said each of light sources is set to be common focus of said parabolic segments of corresponding reflector.

25. An illuminator, including one or a plurality of light sources and one or a plurality of reflectors, characterized in that said light source is located at nook position, the design steps of said reflectors includes:

determining position of light source, which is located at nook position of reflector;

determining latitudinal center curve of reflector which makes light'"'"'s energy, reflected from said center curve of reflector, tend to be evenly distributed on latitudinal center line of light-entering face;

determining longitudinal curves or straight lines of reflector which make reflected light'"'"'s vectors parallel to a given orientation;

determining reflector by combining said latitudinal center line and a plurality of said longitudinal curves or straight lines.

26. An illuminator,

including one light source and one reflector,

characterized in that

said light source is located at nook position;

said light source includes light emitting diode;

the illuminated face of reflected light is light-entering face of light guide plate LGP;

the design processes of said reflector include;

process A, which is to determine latitudinal center curve of reflector, which makes light'"'"'s energy, reflected from said latitudinal center curve of reflector, evenly distributed on latitudinal center line of light-entering face, by means of finite elements method, according to reflective law of optics,

with process A further comprising the following steps

(1) dividing light source energy by angle into N equal-energy elements, wherein N is a natural number;

(2) dividing latitudinal center line of light-entering face into N equal-length elements;

(3) matching each of said N equal-energy elements with corresponding one of said N equal-length elements according to a certain rule;

(4) determining light source position;

(5) determining the initial reflecting point of said latitudinal center curve of reflector from the first emitted ray associated with the first equal-energy element;

(6) determining the first emitting optical path by connecting said light source position with said initial reflecting point of latitudinal center curve of reflector;

(7) determining the first reflected optical path by connecting said initial reflecting point of latitudinal center curve of reflector with the first equal-length element determined by said matching in (3);

(8) determining the first normal (at the initial reflecting point) of latitudinal center curve of reflector from bisector of the angle formed by said first emitting optical path and said first reflected optical path, according to reflective law;

(9) determining the first tangential (at the initial reflecting point) from said first normal;

(10) determining the second reflecting point by intersecting point of the first tangential and the second emitted ray associated with the second equal-energy element;

(11) determining the second emitting optical path by connecting said light source position with said second reflecting point;

(12) determining the second reflected optical path by connecting said second reflecting point with the second equal-length element determined by said matching in (3);

(13) determining the second normal (at said second reflecting point) of latitudinal center curve of reflector from bisector of the angle formed by said second emitting optical path and said second reflected optical path, according to reflective law;

(14) determining the second tangential (at said second reflecting point) from said second normal;

(15) repeating step (10) to (14) until said equal-energy elements and equal-length elements are exhausted, and N reflecting points of latitudinal center curve have been determined;

(16) determining latitudinal center curve of reflector from said N reflecting points of latitudinal center curve;

process B, which is to determine longitudinal curves of reflector, which make reflected light'"'"'s vectors parallel to a given orientation, with process B further comprising the following steps;

(1) connecting each of said reflecting points of latitudinal center curve of reflector with light source to form N line segments;

(2) producing N parabolas, with each of said reflecting points of said latitudinal center curve of reflector being vertex, each corresponding line segment being focal length, and said light source being common focus;

(3) sectioning each said parabola with extended planes of LGP'"'"'s light-outputting surface and its opposite surface 7 to produce N parabola'"'"'s segments, each of which make reflected light'"'"'s vectors parallel to a given orientation;

process C, which is to determine said reflector by combining said “

latitudinal center curve of reflector” and

said “

N parabola'"'"'s segments”

.

27. An illuminator according to claim 26, wherein “

a portion of light-entering face of LGP”

takes the place of “

light-entering face of LGP”

;

“

a portion of latitudinal center line”

takes the place of “

latitudinal center line”

;

said reflector has a connecting part, and LED is located at said connecting part.

28. An illuminator according to claim 26, wherein adjusting the united architecture of light source and reflector by rotation or translation can change the reflected light vector'"'"'s orientations.

32. An illuminator according to claim 26, wherein in the local portion where longitudinal width of reflector is shorter than width of longitudinal side of LGP'"'"'s light-entering face, “

parabola with light source not at its focus”

takes the place of “

parabola with light source at its focus”

.

29. An illuminator, including one light source and one reflector, characterized in that said light source is located at nook position;

light vectors emitted from said light source appear to be parallel to the light-outputting surface of LGP as viewed from a certain orientation;

the illuminated face of reflected light is light-entering face of light guide plate LGP;

the design processes of said reflector include;

process A, which is to determine latitudinal center curve of reflector, which makes light'"'"'s energy, reflected from said latitudinal center curve of reflector, evenly distributed on latitudinal center line of light-entering face, by means of finite elements method, according to reflective law of optics,

with process A further comprising the following steps;

(1) dividing light source energy by angle into N equal-energy elements, wherein N is a natural number;

(2) dividing latitudinal center line of light-entering face into N equal-length elements;

(3) matching each of said N equal-energy elements with corresponding one of said N equal-length elements according to a certain rule;

(4) determining light source position;

(5) determining the initial reflecting point of said latitudinal center curve of reflector from the first emitted ray associated with the first equal-energy element;

(6) determining the first emitting optical path by connecting said light source position with said initial reflecting point of latitudinal center curve of reflector;

(7) determining the first reflected optical path by connecting said initial reflecting point of latitudinal center curve of reflector with the first equal-length element determined by said matching in (3);

(8) determining the first normal (at the initial reflecting point) of latitudinal center curve of reflector from bisector of the angle formed by said first emitting optical path and said first reflected optical path, according to reflective law;

(9) determining the first tangential (at the initial reflecting point) from said first normal;

(10) determining the second reflecting point by intersecting point of the first tangential and the second emitted ray associated with the second equal-energy element;

(11) determining the second emitting optical path by connecting said light source position with said second reflecting point;

(12) determining the second reflected optical path by connecting said second reflecting point with the second equal-length element determined by said matching in (3);

(13) determining the second normal (at said second reflecting point) of latitudinal center curve of reflector from bisector of the angle formed by said second emitting optical path and said second reflected optical path, according to reflective law;

(14) determining the second tangential (at said second reflecting point) from said second normal;

(15) repeating step (10) to (14) until said equal-energy elements and equal-length elements are exhausted, and N reflecting points of latitudinal center curve have been determined;

(16) determining latitudinal center curve of reflector from said N reflecting points of latitudinal center curve;

process B, which is to determine longitudinal curves of reflector, which make reflected light'"'"'s vectors parallel to a given orientation,

with process B further comprising the following steps;

(1) determining N straight lines vertical to light-outputting surface of LGP, and intersecting said N reflecting points of said latitudinal center curve of reflector separately;

(2) sectioning each of said straight lines with extended planes of LGP7'"'"'s light-outputting surface and its opposite surface to produce N straight line segments, each of which make reflected light'"'"'s vectors parallel to a given orientation;

process C, which is to determine said reflector by combining said “

latitudinal center curve of reflector” and

said “

N straight line segments”

.

30. An illuminator according to claim 29, wherein said light source is Rod Lens packaged LED, and the longitudinal symmetry plane of said Rod Lens is parallel to light-outputting surface of LGP.

31. An illuminator according to claim 29, wherein “

a portion of light-entering face of LGP”

takes the place of “

light-entering face of LGP”

;

“

a portion of latitudinal center line”

takes the place of “

latitudinal center line”

;

said reflector has a connecting part, and LED is located at said connecting part.

33. An illuminator,

including two light sources and two reflectors,

characterized in that

said two reflectors are symmetrical to each other;

each of said reflectors is equipped with a said light source;

each of said light sources is located at nook position of corresponding reflector separately;

the illuminated face of reflected light is light-entering face of light guide plate LGP;

light vectors emitted from said light source appear to be parallel to light-outputting surface as viewed from a certain orientation;

in the case that

long side of light-entering face of LGP is X-axis, direction vertical to light-entering face Y-axis, short side of light-entering face Z-axis;

A is transverse axis of another coordinate system, B longitudinal axis of said another coordinate system;

the length scale of A-B coordinate system is the same as that of light-entering face;

L is length of long side of light-entering face;

and n is a real number equaling or larger than 1;

the design processes of said reflectors include;

sectioning a partial parabolic segment from parabola defined by equation B²=4(nL/4)A, with length of said partial parabolic segment'"'"'s projection on “

line vertical to symmetry axis of said parabola”

being L/2;

determining a plurality of straight lines, as longitudinal curves of reflector, vertical to X-Y plane and intersecting a plurality of points of said parabolic segment separately;

sectioning each of said straight lines with extended planes of LGP'"'"'s light-outputting surface and its opposite surface to produce a plurality of line segments;

combining said partial parabolic segments and said a plurality of line segments to form a reflector;

determining another reflector which is symmetrical to the reflector having been formed.

34. An illuminator according to claim 33, wherein the light source is Rod Lens packaged LED, and the longitudinal symmetry plane of Rod Lens is parallel to light-outputting surface of LGP.

35. An illuminator according to claim 33, wherein said reflector has a connecting part, and said light source is located at said connecting part.

36. An illuminator according to claim 33, wherein the parabolic segment'"'"'s end, which is far away from vertex of said parabola defined by equation B²=4(nL/4)A, contacts light-entering face.

37. An illuminator according to claim 33, wherein length L/2 of said partial parabolic segment'"'"'s projection on “

line vertical to symmetry axis of said parabola”

is measured from straight line defined by equation B=k, and k is a real number larger than (−

L/4).

38. An illuminator according to claim 33, wherein length L/2 of said partial parabolic segment'"'"'s projection on “

line vertical to symmetry axis of said parabola”

is measured from the straight line which is vertical to symmetry axis of said parabola and passes through vertex of said parabola i.e. straight line defined by B=0.

39. An illuminator,

including two light sources and two reflectors,

characterized in that

said two reflectors are symmetrical to each other;

each of said reflectors is equipped with a said light source;

each of said light sources is located at nook position of corresponding reflector separately;

the illuminated face of reflected light is light-entering face of light guide plate LGP;

said light source is Rod Lens packaged LED, with the longitudinal symmetry plane of Rod Lens being parallel to light-outputting surface of LGP;

in the case that

long side of light-entering face of LGP is X-axis, direction vertical to light-entering face Y-axis, short side of light-entering face Z-axis;

A is transverse axis of another coordinate system, B longitudinal axis of said another coordinate system;

the length scale of A-B coordinate system is the same as that of light-entering face;

L is length of long side of light-entering face;

and n is a real number equaling or larger than 1;

the design processes of said reflectors include;

sectioning a partial parabolic segment from parabola defined by equation B²=4(nL/4)A, with length of said partial parabolic segment'"'"'s projection on “

line vertical to symmetry axis of said parabola”

being L/2 and length L/2 being measured from straight line defined by equation B=k, and k being a real number larger than (−

L/4);

determining a plurality of straight lines, as longitudinal curves of reflector, vertical to X-Y plane and intersecting a plurality of points of said parabolic segment separately;

sectioning each of said straight lines with extended planes of LGP'"'"'s light-outputting surface and its opposite surface to produce a plurality of line segments;

making the parabolic segment'"'"'s end, which is far away from vertex of said parabola, contact light-entering face;

combining said partial parabolic segments and said a plurality of line segments to form a reflector;

determining another reflector which is symmetrical to the reflector having been formed.

40. An illuminator according to claim 39, wherein n=1 and k=0.

41. An illuminator according to claim 39, wherein said reflector has a connecting part, and said light source is located at said connecting part.

42. An illuminator according to claim 39, wherein adjusting the united architecture of said light source and said reflector by rotation or translation can change the reflected light vector'"'"'s orientations.

43. An illuminator according to claim 39, wherein reflecting plates are equipped on both lateral sides of Rod Lens.

44. An illuminator according to claim 39, wherein both faces of said reflector contact air directly.

45. An illuminator according to claim 39, wherein said reflector is made of ceramics or metal of high thermal conductivity materials, including cupric, aluminum, and ferric categories.