Flat panel display lighting system
First Claim
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1. A thin, large-area lighting system comprising:
- a thin, transparent, rectangular light guide having first and second parallel major surfaces, said first major surface having a plurality of uniform, spaced v-shaped parallel microgrooves each extending continuously across a substantial portion of said first major surface and a plurality of planar surface portions between said microgrooves, said light guide having a uniform thickness, said microgrooves having a longitudinal axis;
means for introducing light into said light guide from at least one edge in a direction generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said microgrooves,said microgrooves having surfaces which form an angle with respect to the first major surface which, when taken together with the index of refraction of the material of said light guide, internally reflects substantially all the light striking said surfaces of said microgrooves toward the second major surface at a first angle of incidence for emission from said second major surface,said planar surface portions being configured for internally reflecting a substantial portion of light striking said planar surface portions toward said second major surface at a second angle of incidence for internal reflection by said second major surface along said light guide.
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Abstract
A flat panel display lighting system is disclosed wherein a thin, flat light guide has two spaced major surfaces with light introduced into one edge of the guide. Light is extracted from the light guide by the facets in a plurality of parallel microgrooves disposed to intersect the light introduced into the light guide. A liquid crystal display is placed adjacent to the light guide to be backlit or frontlit.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A thin, large-area lighting system comprising:
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a thin, transparent, rectangular light guide having first and second parallel major surfaces, said first major surface having a plurality of uniform, spaced v-shaped parallel microgrooves each extending continuously across a substantial portion of said first major surface and a plurality of planar surface portions between said microgrooves, said light guide having a uniform thickness, said microgrooves having a longitudinal axis; means for introducing light into said light guide from at least one edge in a direction generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said microgrooves, said microgrooves having surfaces which form an angle with respect to the first major surface which, when taken together with the index of refraction of the material of said light guide, internally reflects substantially all the light striking said surfaces of said microgrooves toward the second major surface at a first angle of incidence for emission from said second major surface, said planar surface portions being configured for internally reflecting a substantial portion of light striking said planar surface portions toward said second major surface at a second angle of incidence for internal reflection by said second major surface along said light guide. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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3. A thin, large-area lighting system comprising:
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a thin, transparent, rectangular light guide having first and second parallel major surfaces, said first major surface having a plurality of uniform, spaced v-shaped parallel microgrooves extending continuously across a substantial portion of said first major surface and a plurality of planar surface portions between said microgrooves, said microgrooves having a longitudinal axis; means for introducing light into said light guide from at least one edge in a direction generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said microgrooves, said microgrooves having surfaces which form an angle with respect to the first major surface which, when taken together with the index of refraction of the material of said light guide, internally reflects substantially all the light within said light guide toward the second major surface at a first angle of incidence for emission from said second major surface, said planar surface portions being configured for internally reflecting a substantial portion of light striking said planar surface portions toward said second major surface at a second angle of incidence for internal reflection by said second major surface along said light guide, and reflecting means adjacent to said second major surface for reflecting light toward said first major surface where the reflected light is emitted from said first major surface between said microgrooves.
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10. An illuminated LCD system including a thin, large-area lighting system comprising:
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a thin, transparent, rectangular light guide having first and second parallel major surfaces, said first major surface having a plurality of v-shaped parallel microgrooves extending across said first major surface, said microgrooves having a longitudinal axis; means for introducing light into said light guide from at least one edge in a direction generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said microgrooves; said microgrooves having surfaces which form an angle with respect to the first major surface which, when taken together with the index of refraction of the material of said light guide, internally reflects substantially all the light within said light guide toward the second major surface for emission from said second major surface; and a front-lit LCD having a front surface in contact with said second major surface and a reflecting back surface which reflects light introduced into the front surface to display information in the display, whereby the display is illuminated from the front and the display information is viewed through the light guide.
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11. An illuminated LCD system comprising:
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a thin, transparent, rectangular light guide having first and second parallel major surfaces, said first major surface having a plurality of spaced v-shaped parallel microgrooves extending continuously across a substantial portion of said first major surface and a plurality of planar surface portions between said microgrooves, said light guide being of a uniform thickness, said microgrooves having a longitudinal axis; means for introducing light into said light guide from at least one edge in a direction generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said microgrooves; said microgrooves having a uniform configuration with each of said microgrooves having surfaces which form an angle with respect to said first major surface which, when taken together with the index of refraction of the material of said light guide, internally reflects substantially all the light striking said surfaces of said microgrooves toward the second major surface at a first angle of incidence for emission from said second major surface; said planar surface portions being configured for internally reflecting a substantial portion of light striking said planar surface portions toward said second major surface at a second angle of incidence for internal reflection by said second major surface along said light pipe; and a backlit LCD placed with the back surface of said LCD adjacent to said second major surface. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. An illuminated LCD system comprising:
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a thin, transparent, rectangular light guide having first and second parallel major surfaces, said first major surface having a plurality of v-shaped parallel microgrooves extending continuously across a substantial portion said first major surface and a plurality of planar surface portions between said microgrooves, said microgrooves having a longitudinal axis; means for introducing light into said light guide from at least one edge in a direction generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said microgrooves; said microgrooves having a uniform shape and size with each of said microgrooves having surfaces which form an angle with respect to said first major surface which, when taken together with the index of refraction of the material of said light guide, internally reflects substantially all the light within said light guide toward the second major surface at a first angle of incidence for emission from said second major surface; said planar surface portions being configured for internally reflecting a substantial portion of light striking said planar surface portions toward said second major surface at a second angle of incidence for internal reflection by said second major surface along said light guide, and a backlit LCD placed with the back surface of said LCD adjacent to said first major surface; and reflecting means adjacent to said second major surface for reflecting light emitted from the second major surface toward said first major surface for emission from said first major surface between said microgrooves where the reflected light illuminates the LCD. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification