Backlighting system with a multi-reflection light injection system and using microprisms
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An assembly for backlighting a liquid crystal display, comprising:
- (a) a backlighting light pipe having opposing top and bottom surfaces which define the thickness of the light pipe, opposing sides which define its width, and opposite ends which define its length;
(b) means for directing light into said light pipe and for causing it to move therethrough; and
(c) an arrangement of immediately adjacent pyramid microprisms in rows extending normal to the lengthwise axis of the light pipe from one side of said light pipe to its opposing side along the entire extent of and serving as the bottom surface of the light pipe, each of said pyramid microprisms having its vertex extending downward from a rectangular base so as to define from said vertex first and second pairs of opposing, upwardly angled light reflecting surface segments for reflecting light within said light pipe upwards through its top surface in a generally collimated manner.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An assembly for backlighting a liquid crystal flat panel display or other such arrangement requiring backlighting is disclosed herein. The assembly is composed of a multi-reflection light injection system, a light pipe and a set of specifically configured microprisms which, cooperating with the light pipe, provides an efficient backlighting technique with a controllable degree of collimation. The disclosed assembly may employ up to four light sources to give a brighter backlighting.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An assembly for backlighting a liquid crystal display, comprising:
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(a) a backlighting light pipe having opposing top and bottom surfaces which define the thickness of the light pipe, opposing sides which define its width, and opposite ends which define its length; (b) means for directing light into said light pipe and for causing it to move therethrough; and (c) an arrangement of immediately adjacent pyramid microprisms in rows extending normal to the lengthwise axis of the light pipe from one side of said light pipe to its opposing side along the entire extent of and serving as the bottom surface of the light pipe, each of said pyramid microprisms having its vertex extending downward from a rectangular base so as to define from said vertex first and second pairs of opposing, upwardly angled light reflecting surface segments for reflecting light within said light pipe upwards through its top surface in a generally collimated manner. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An assembly for backlighting a liquid crystal display, comprising:
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(a) a backlighting light pipe having opposing top and bottom surfaces which define the thickness of the light pipe, opposing sides which define its width, and opposite ends which define its length; (b) an arrangement of light reflecting surfaces along the entire extent of and serving as the bottom surface of the light pipe for reflecting light within said light pipe upwards through its top surface in a generally collimated manner; and (c) means for directing light into said light pipe from at least one end or one side thereof and for causing it to move from said one end or one side of the light pipe toward the opposite end or side thereof, said means for directing light into said light pipe including means for limiting the maximum angle at which light enters the light pipe in relation to the lengthwise and/or widthwise axis of the light pipe to an angle no greater than a predetermined angle, said light reflecting surfaces being configured such that the light entering said light pipe is reflected off the light reflecting surfaces toward the top surface of the light pipe at angles no greater than one-half said maximum angle with respect to lines normal to said top surface. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. An assembly for backlighting a liquid crystal display, comprising:
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(a) a backlighting light pipe having opposing top and bottom surfaces which define the thickness of the light pipe, opposing sides which define its width, and opposite ends which define its length; (b) an arrangement of pyramid microprisms extending along the entire extent of and serving as the bottom surface of the light pipe for reflecting light within said light pipe upwards through its top surface in a generally collimated manner; and (c) means for directing light into said light pipe from at least one end or side thereof and for causing it to move from said one end or side of the light pipe toward the opposite end or side thereof, said means for directing light into said light pipe including light control means for limiting the maximum angle at which light enters the light pipe in relation to the lengthwise axis of the light pipe.
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13. A liquid crystal display assembly, comprising:
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(a) a backlighting light pipe having opposing top and bottom surfaces and opposing sides and extending lengthwise between opposite ends; (b) means for directing unpolarized light into said light pipe and for causing it to move from one end of the light pipe towards the opposite end thereof; (c) an arrangement of pyramid microprisms serving as the bottom surface of the light pipe for reflecting light within said light pipe upwards through its top surface in a generally collimated manner; (d) means for linearly polarizing in a given polarity direction the light directed out of said light pipe through the top surface thereof, said polarizing means including a polarization arrangement which cooperates with said arrangement of pyramid microprisms such that substantially all of the light directed out of said light pipe through the top surface thereof is linearly polarized in said given polarity direction, said polarizing means including a retroreflecting sheet polarizer containing a series of longitudinally extending, adjacent parallel triangle microprisms, said retroreflecting sheet polarizer being positionable in parallel relationship with and in front of the top surface of said light pipe such that said triangle microprisms extend in directions transverse but not perpendicular to the microprisms of said light pipe.
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14. An assembly for backlighting a liquid crystal display, comprising:
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(a) a backlighting light pipe having opposing top and bottom surfaces which define the thickness of the light pipe, opposing sides which define its width, and opposite ends which define its length; (b) an arrangement of light reflecting surfaces extending along the entire extent of and serving as the bottom surface of the light pipe for reflecting light within said light pipe upwards through its top surface in a generally collimated manner; and (c) means for directing light into said light pipe from at least one end or side thereof and for causing it to move from said one end or side of the light pipe toward the opposite end or side thereof, said means for directing light into said light pipe including light control means for limiting the maximum angle at which light enters the light pipe in relation to the lengthwise or widthwise axis of the light pipe, said light control means including a light collimating light pipe having opposing top and bottom surfaces which define its thickness, opposing sides which define its width, and opposite rearward and forward ends which define its length, said light collimating light pipe being disposed in end-to-end relationship directly adjacent to the light entering end or side of said back lighting light pipe, and said top and bottom surfaces of the light collimating light pipe tapering outward from its rearward end to its forward end. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An assembly for backlighting a liquid crystal display, comprising:
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(a) a backlighting light pipe having opposing top and bottom surfaces which define the thickness of the light pipe, opposing sides which define its width, and opposite ends which define its length; (b) light source means for directing light into said light pipe from one end or side thereof and for causing the light to move toward the opposite end or side, said light source means including means for limiting the maximum angle at which light enters said light pipe in relation to the lengthwise or widthwise axis of the light pipe, said light angle limiting means including light collimating light pipes, each having opposing top and bottom surfaces which define its thickness, opposing sides which define its width and opposing rearward and forward ends which define its length, said light collimating light pipes being disposed in end-to-end relationship with and directly adjacent to the light entering end or side of said back lighting light pipe, the top and bottom surfaces of each light collimating light pipe tapering outward away from one another from its rearward end to its forward end; and (c) an arrangement of immediately adjacent light reflecting surfaces extending along the entire extent of and serving as the bottom surface of the light pipe for reflecting light within said light pipe upwards through its top surface in a generally collimated manner. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. An assembly for backlighting a liquid crystal display, comprising:
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(a) a backlighting light pipe having opposing top and bottom surfaces and opposing sides and extending lengthwise between opposite ends; (b) means for directing light into said light pipe and for causing it to move from one end of the light pipe towards the opposite end thereof; and (c) an arrangement of microprisms extending the entire extent of and serving as the bottom surface of the light pipe, each of said microprisms defining opposing, upwardly angled light reflecting surface segments for reflecting light within said light pipe upwards through its top surface in a generally collimated manner, said microprisms being spaced predetermined but varying distances from one another so as to define correspondingly varying flat, upwardly facing light reflecting surface segments between adjacent microprisms. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An assembly for backlighting a liquid crystal display, comprising:
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(a) a backlighting light pipe having opposing top and bottom surfaces which define the thickness of the light pipe, opposing sides which define its width, and opposite ends which define its length; (b) means for directing light into said light pipe and for causing it to move therethrough; and (c) an arrangement of immediately adjacent microprisms extending along the entire extent of and serving as the bottom surface of the light pipe, each of said microprisms extending downward to a bottom-most segment thereof in a direction away from the top surface of said backlighting light pipe so as to define from said bottom-most segment upwardly angled light reflecting surface segments for reflecting light within said light pipe upwards through its top surface in a generally collimated manner. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification