OPTICAL SHEET FOR BACKLIGHT, BACKLIGHT, AND DISPLAY DEVICE

• US 20090268128A1
• Filed: 11/28/2006
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Maxell Limited (Maxell, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Maxell Limited (Maxell, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Yukinori
• Granted Patent: US 7,884,898 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/67
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/06 with cylindrical or toric faces
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133604 with lamps
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133606 including a specially adapted diffusing, scattering or light controlling members
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133607 the light controlling member including light directing or refracting elements, e.g. prisms or lenses

Abstract

An optical sheet for a backlight is provided on a surface light source in the backlight. An optical reflection layer has a plurality of through grooves formed on a transparent substrate and arranged at a prescribed interval. The width of the through hole is narrowed from the upper surface opening to the lower surface opening. Each of the cylindrical lenses is filled within a corresponding through groove, and its surface is a cylindrical surface that covers the upper surface opening of the through groove. Light from the light source comes in only from the lower surface opening, so that the angle of incidence of light when the light reaches the cylindrical surface can be controlled, and an increased amount of light deflected toward the front surface can be emitted. Therefore, the optical sheet for a backlight can collect light from the surface light source in the front surface direction.

Claims

1. An optical sheet for a backlight provided on a surface light source in the backlight, comprising:

an optical reflection layer having a plurality of through grooves arranged at a prescribed interval; and

a plurality of cylindrical lenses each provided at a corresponding through groove,

the width of said through groove being narrowed from the upper surface to the lower surface of said optical reflection layer,

said cylindrical lens being filled in said through groove and having a cylindrical surface on the upper surface side of said optical reflection layer.

2. The optical sheet for a backlight according to claim 1, wherein

the refractive index of said cylindrical lens is n, the radius of curvature of said cylindrical surface is r, and the height h from the top of said cylindrical lens to the opening of the through groove formed at the lower surface of said optical reflection layer satisfies the following Expression (1):

nr/(n−

1)×

0.8≦

h≦

nr/(n−

1)×

1.3 

 

(1)

3. An optical sheet for a backlight provided on a surface light source in the backlight, comprising:

a sheet-type optical reflection layer having a plurality of through holes; and

a plurality of micro-lenses each provided in a corresponding through hole,

said through hole being gradually reduced in size from the upper surface to the lower surface of said optical reflection layer,

said micro-lens being filled in said through hole and having a spherical surface on the upper surface side of said optical reflection layer.

4. The optical sheet for a backlight according to claim 3, wherein a cross sectional shape of each said through hole is a rectangle, and the longer sides of the cross sectional shapes of the through holes are substantially parallel to each other.

5. A backlight comprising:

a surface light source; and

an optical sheet provided on said surface light source, said optical sheet including an optical reflection layer having a plurality of through grooves arranged at a prescribed interval and a plurality of cylindrical lenses each provided in a corresponding through groove, the width of said through groove being narrowed from the upper surface to the lower surface of said optical reflection layer, said cylindrical lens being filled in said through groove and having a cylindrical surface on the upper surface side of said optical reflection layer.

6. A display device comprising:

a backlight including an optical sheet and a surface light source provided with said optical sheet, said optical sheet including an optical reflection layer having a plurality of through grooves arranged at a prescribed interval and a plurality of cylindrical lenses each provided in a corresponding through groove, the width of said through groove being narrowed from the upper surface to the lower surface of said optical reflection layer, said cylindrical lens being filled in said through groove and having a cylindrical surface on the upper surface side of said optical reflection layer; and

a liquid crystal panel provided on said backlight.

7. A backlight comprising:

a surface light source; and

an optical sheet provided on said surface light source, said optical sheet including a sheet type optical reflection layer having a plurality of through holes and a plurality of micro-lenses each provided in a corresponding through hole, said through hole being gradually reduced in size from the upper surface to the lower surface of said optical reflection layer, said micro-lens being filled in said through hole and having a spherical surface on the upper surface side of said optical reflection layer.

8. A display device comprising:

a backlight including an optical sheet and a surface light source provided with said optical sheet, said optical sheet including a sheet type optical reflection layer having a plurality of through holes and a plurality of micro-lenses each provided in a corresponding through hole, said through hole being gradually reduced in size from the upper surface to the lower surface of said optical reflection layer, said micro-lens being filled in said through hole and having a spherical surface on the upper surface side of said optical reflection layer; and

a liquid crystal panel provided on said backlight.