Backlighting lightpipes for display applications
First Claim
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1. A light guiding device suitable for display applications comprising:
- (a) a light source and (b) a light guide having an entry edge for light to enter and an exit surface for light to exit, with said light source positioned at said entry edge, wherein said light guide comprises a transparent polymer and a light scattering material with said light scattering material having refractive index different from that of said transparent polymer, and wherein light from said light source scatters substantially internally within said light guide prior to exiting through said exit surface, with said scattering occurring substantially uniform over the wavelength range 400-740 nm, further wherein said light exiting through said exit surface is substantially uniform in brightness and still further wherein said light guide has an impact resistance of at least 0.5 ft-lb per inch.
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Abstract
This invention discloses improved lightpipes for backlighting applications in liquid crystal display devices. The lightpipes comprise transparent polymers with scattering centers. A preferred composition for such lightpipes comprises a cycloolefin polymer containing scattering centers from suitable elastomers and inorganic fillers. The inventive lightpipes offer superior scattering efficiency as well as spatial uniformity of scattering and uniformity of scattering across a wide wavelength range.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A light guiding device suitable for display applications comprising:
- (a) a light source and (b) a light guide having an entry edge for light to enter and an exit surface for light to exit, with said light source positioned at said entry edge, wherein said light guide comprises a transparent polymer and a light scattering material with said light scattering material having refractive index different from that of said transparent polymer, and wherein light from said light source scatters substantially internally within said light guide prior to exiting through said exit surface, with said scattering occurring substantially uniform over the wavelength range 400-740 nm, further wherein said light exiting through said exit surface is substantially uniform in brightness and still further wherein said light guide has an impact resistance of at least 0.5 ft-lb per inch.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
Specification