Backlight unit for portable terminal

• US 20080019150A1
• Filed: 04/18/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Joong-Wan, Park, Seong-Ha
• Application Number:
  US11/787,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20080019150A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/621
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/002 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide, e.g. with collimating, focussing or diverging surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0036 2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0043 provided on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/006 to produce indicia, symbols, texts or the like

Abstract

A Backlight Unit (BLU) of a portable terminal and a Light Guide Panel (LGP) are disclosed. The BLU includes an LGP having upper and lower surfaces facing each other and first and second side surfaces located between the upper and lower surfaces and facing each other and allowing light to travel therethrough by means of internal reflection between the upper and lower surfaces; at least one light source arranged to face the first side surface and outputting light to the inside of the LGP; and at least one light extracting pattern formed on the LGP to output the light traveling through the LGP to the outside of the LGP. An edge part of the LGP, where the first side surface is disposed, includes at least one inclined plane inclined from at least one of the upper and lower surfaces to the first side surface.

Claims

1. A Backlight Unit (BLU) of a portable terminal, the BLU comprising:

a Light Guide Panel (LGP) having upper and lower surfaces that face each other and first and second side surfaces that are located between the upper and lower surfaces and that face each other, the LGP being configured to allow light to travel therethrough by internal reflection between the upper and lower surfaces;

at least one light source being arranged to face the first side surface and being configured to output light to the inside of the LGP; and

at least one light extracting pattern being formed on the LGP and being configured to output the light traveling through the LGP to the outside of the LGP,

wherein an edge part of the LGP, the edge part where the first side surface is disposed, comprises at least one inclined plane being inclined from the first side surface to at least one of the upper and lower surfaces.

2. The BLU of claim 1, wherein the inclined plane has an inclined angle in a range between 2.5°

and 10°

.

3. The BLU of claim 1, wherein the light extracting pattern is being formed on the lower surface of the LGP and being configured to diffusely reflect incident light toward the upper surface of the LGP.

4. The BLU of claim 1, further comprising at least one diffusing panel being disposed on the LGP and being configured to scatter and transmit incident light.

5. The BLU of claim 1, further comprising at least one prism sheet being disposed on the LGP and being configured to concentrate and transmitting incident light.

6. The BLU of claim 1, further comprising at least one reflecting panel being disposed below the LGP and being configured to reflect light transmitted through the lower surface of the LGP toward the LGP.

7. The BLU of claim 1, further comprising at least one key button disposed on the upper surface of the LGP.

8. The BLU of claim 7, wherein the LGP is configured to restore the key button to its original position after the key button operates.

9. The BLU of claim 1, further comprising at least one protrusion being disposed on the lower surface of the LGP.

10. The BLU of claim 9, wherein the light extracting pattern is being disposed on and around the protrusion.

11. The BLU of claim 1, wherein the first side surface of the LGP is perpendicular to the upper surface.

12. The BLU of claim 1, wherein the second side surface of the LGP has a larger surface area than the first side surface.

13. A Light Guide Panel (LGP) comprising

upper and lower surfaces that are disposed on opposite sides of the LGP;

first and second side surfaces that are disposed between the upper and lower surfaces and that face each other; and

at least one inclined plane adjoined to the first side surface and one of the upper and lower surfaces,

wherein the first side surface is configured to input light to the LGP, and

wherein the LGP is configured to transmit the light input therein by internal reflection.

14. The LGP of claim 13, wherein the at least one inclined plane has an inclined angle in a range between 2.5°

and 10°

.

15. The LGP of claim 13, wherein the first side surface is perpendicular to the upper surface.

16. The LGP of claim 13, wherein the second side surface has a larger surface area than the first side surface.

17. The LGP of claim 13, wherein the LGP is configured to restore its original shape after experiencing deflection.

18. A method for providing a Backlight Unit (BLU) of a portable terminal, the method comprising:

providing a Light Guide Panel (LGP) having upper and lower surfaces that are disposed on opposite sides of the LGP, and first and second side surfaces that face each other and that are disposed between the upper and lower surfaces, and at least one inclined plane adjoined to the first side surface and one of the upper and lower surfaces, the LGP being configured to transmit light input therein by internal reflection; and

providing at least one light source that is configured to input light into the LGP.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one inclined plane has an inclined angle in a range between 2.5°

and 10°

.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first side surface of the LGP is perpendicular to the upper surface.