DISPLAY DEVICE AND BACKLIGHT MODULE

• US 20170146729A1
• Filed: 06/21/2016
• Published: 05/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Young Lighting Technology Inc. (Coretronic Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsai, Bing-Han, Hsu, Jeng-Bin
• Granted Patent: US 10,330,859 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0018 Redirecting means on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0055 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0065 Manufacturing aspects; Material aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0088 of the light guide or other optical sheets in the package
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/009 of the light source in the package G02B6/0021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0091 of the light source relative to the light guide G02B6/0021 takes precedence

Abstract

A display device including a backlight module and a display panel is provided. The backlight module includes a frame, a light guide element, and a light source. The light guide element is connected to the frame and has a light incident surface, a light emitting surface, and a back surface. The back surface is opposite to the light emitting surface and serves as an appearance surface of the display device. The light source is disposed in the frame and aligned with the light incident surface. The display panel is connected to the frame, and the light emitting surface faces the display panel. A backlight module is also provided. The display device and the backlight module provided in the invention are thinner and lighter, and have a desirable appearance.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a backlight module, comprising;

a frame;

a light guide element connected to the frame and having a light incident surface, a light emitting surface, and a back surface, wherein the back surface is opposite to the light emitting surface and serves as an appearance surface of the display device; and

a light source, disposed in the frame and aligned with the light incident surface; and

a display panel, connected to the frame, wherein the light emitting surface faces the display panel.

2. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light guide element comprises a light guide plate and a reflective layer, the light emitting surface is formed at a surface of the light guide plate facing the display panel, the light incident surface is connected and perpendicular to the light emitting surface, the reflective layer is stacked on the light guide plate to form the back surface, the light source is adapted to emit a light beam, and the light beam is adapted to enter the light guide element through the light incident surface and is reflected by the reflective layer to be transmitted toward the light emitting surface.

3. The display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the light guide element further comprises a decorating layer, the reflective layer is interposed between the decorating layer and the light guide plate, and the decorating layer and the reflective layer together form the back surface.

4. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame has a rear surface, and the rear surface is coplanar with the back surface of the light guide element.

5. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light guide element has at least one first side surface, the at least one first side surface is connected between the back surface and the light emitting surface and serves as an appearance surface of the display device, the frame has at least one second side surface, and the at least one first side surface is coplanar with the at least one second side surface.

6. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the backlight module further comprises an optical film set, the optical film set is disposed at the light emitting surface of the light guide element, and the optical film set and the frame are not overlapped with each other in a light emitting direction of the light guide element.

7. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a material of the light guide element comprises glass.

8. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light guide element comprises a light guide plate and a light guide structure, the light emitting surface is formed on a surface of the light guide plate facing the display panel, the light incident surface is formed at the light guide structure, the light guide structure is connected to the light guide plate, and the frame shields the light source, the light incident surface, and at least a portion of the light guide structure.

9. The display device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the light guide structure has a reflective surface, the reflective surface is inclined with respect to the light emitting surface, the light incident surface is parallel to the light emitting surface, the light source is adapted to emit a light beam, and the light beam is adapted to enter the light guide structure through the light incident surface and is reflected by the reflective surface to enter the light guide plate along a direction parallel to the light emitting surface.

10. The display device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the light guide structure and the light guide plate are integrally formed.

11. The display device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the light guide structure is adhered to the light guide plate by using an optical adhesive.

12. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an inner edge of the frame has a connection part, and the light guide element and the display panel are respectively connected to opposite sides of the connection part.

13. The display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a front panel, wherein the front panel is connected to the frame, and the display panel is located between the front panel and the light guide element.

14. The display device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the front panel is a touch panel or a transparent cover.

15. The display device as claimed in claim 13, wherein an accommodating space is formed between the front panel, the frame, and the light guide element, and at least one electronic element is located in the accommodating space.

16. The display device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the front panel is a front frame, and the front frame exposes a portion of the display panel.

17. A backlight module, adapted for a display device and comprising:

a frame;

a light guide element connected to the frame and having a light incident surface, a light emitting surface, and a back surface, wherein the back surface is opposite to the light emitting surface and serves as an appearance surface of the display device; and

a light source, disposed in the frame and aligned with the light incident surface.

18. The backlight module as claimed in claim 17, wherein the light guide element comprises a light guide plate and a reflective layer, the light emitting surface is formed at the light guide plate, the light incident surface is connected and perpendicular to the light emitting surface, the reflective layer is stacked on the light guide plate to form the back surface, the light source is adapted to emit a light beam, and the light beam is adapted to enter the light guide element through the light incident surface and is reflected by the reflective layer to be transmitted toward the light emitting surface.

19. The backlight module as claimed in claim 18, wherein the light guide element further comprises a decorating layer, the reflective layer is interposed between the decorating layer and the light guide plate, and the decorating layer and the reflective layer together form the back surface.

20. The backlight module as claimed in claim 17, wherein the frame has a rear surface, and the rear surface is coplanar with the back surface of the light guide element.

21. The backlight module as claimed in claim 17, wherein the light guide element has at least one first side surface, the at least one first side surface is connected between the back surface and the light emitting surface and serves as an appearance surface of the display device, the frame has at least one second side surface, and the at least one first side surface is coplanar with the at least one second side surface.

22. The backlight module as claimed in claim 17, further comprising an optical film set, wherein the optical film set is disposed at the light emitting surface of the light guide element, and the optical film set and the frame are not overlapped with each other in a light emitting direction of the light guide element.

23. The backlight module as claimed in claim 17, wherein a material of the light guide element comprises glass.

24. The backlight module as claimed in claim 17, wherein the light guide element comprises a light guide plate and a light guide structure, the light emitting surface is formed at the light guide plate, the light incident surface is formed at the light guide structure, the light guide structure is connected to the light guide plate, and the frame shields the light source, the light incident surface, and at least a portion of the light guide structure.

25. The backlight module as claimed in claim 24, wherein the light guide structure has a reflective surface, the reflective surface is inclined with respect to the light emitting surface, the light incident surface is parallel to the light emitting surface, the light source is adapted to emit a light beam, and the light beam is adapted to enter the light guide structure through the light incident surface and is reflected by the reflective surface to enter the light guide plate along a direction parallel to the light emitting surface.

26. The backlight module as claimed in claim 24, wherein the light guide structure and the light guide plate are integrally formed.

27. The backlight module as claimed in claim 24, wherein the light guide structure is adhered to the light guide plate by using an optical adhesive.