Planar light source unit and display device

• US 6,991,358 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2003
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Advanced Display Technologies
• Inventors: Kokogawa, Toru
• Primary Examiner(s): Ward, John Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choi, Jacob Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/649,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20040109244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 362/31, 362/330, 362/331, 362/333, 362/339, 349/62, 349/64, 349/65, 349/67
• US Class Current: 362/619
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1866 Transmission gratings characterised by their structure, e.g. step profile, contours of substrate or grooves, pitch variations, materials G02B5/1809, G02B5/1828, G02B5/1833, G02B5/1838 and G02B5/1847 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0036 2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0038 Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0053 Prismatic sheet or layer; Brightness enhancement element, sheet or layer

Abstract

A light guide plate has a hologram pattern on a light exit surface. The hologram pattern anisotropically diffuses light in the direction parallel with a light incident surface of the light guide plate. On a back surface of the light guide plate are formed mirror-polished prism structures extending parallel with the light incident surface. A downward-pointing prism sheet with a given prism apex angle is placed on the light exit surface of the light guide plate. The use of the downward-pointing prism sheet together with the light guide plate having the anisotropic diffusion hologram pattern integrally formed thereon produces a liquid crystal display device with enhanced luminance properties.

Claims

1. A planar light source unit comprising:

a light source;

a light guide plate having a light incident surface through which light from the light source enters, a light exit surface through which light exits, and an anisotropic diffraction grating formed on the light exit surface or a surface opposite to the light exit surface for diffusing light in a principal diffusing direction along the light incident surface; and

a prism sheet for collecting light traveling from the light incident surface to an opposite side surface, having a plurality of prism structures on a surface opposite to the light exit surface, each of the plurality of prism structures having an apex angle of larger than 65 degrees and smaller than 68 degrees,

wherein the anisotropic diffraction grating does not substantially diffuse light in a direction perpendicular to the principal diffusing direction.

2. A planar light source unit according to claim 1, wherein the anisotropic diffraction grating comprises a hologram pattern integrally formed on the light guide plate.

3. A planar light source unit according to claim 2, wherein an apex angle of each of the plurality of prism structures is 66 degrees.

4. A planar light source unit according to claim 2, wherein the light guide plate has smooth prism structures on a surface opposite to a surface where the anisotropic diffraction grating is formed for controlling an emission angle of light exiting through the light exit surface.

5. A planar light source unit according to claim 2, wherein the prism sheet is directly placed on the light exit surface.

6. A planar light source unit according to claim 1, wherein an apex angle of each of the plurality of prism structures is 66 degrees.

7. A planar light source unit according to claim 1, wherein the light guide plate has smooth prism structures on a surface opposite to a surface where the anisotropic diffraction grating is formed for controlling an emission angle of light exiting through the light exit surface.

8. A planar light source unit according to claim 1, wherein the prism sheet is directly placed on the light exit surface.

9. A display device, comprising:

a planar light source unit; and

a display panel displaying images by controlling transmission of light from the planar light source unit;

the planar light source unit comprising;

a light source;

a light guide plate having a light incident surface through which light from the light source enters, a light exit surface through which light exits, and an anisotropic diffraction grating formed on the light exit surface or a surface opposite to the light exit surface for diffusing light in a principal diffusing direction along the light incident surface; and

a prism sheet for collecting light traveling from the light incident surface to an opposite side surface, having a plurality of prism structures on a surface opposite to the light exit surface, each of the plurality of prism structures having an apex angle of larger than 65 degrees and smaller than 68 degrees

wherein the anisotropic diffraction grating does not substantially diffuse light in a direction perpendicular to the principal diffusing direction.

10. A display device according to claim 9, wherein the anisotropic diffraction grating comprises a hologram pattern integrally formed on the light guide plate.

11. A display device according to claim 10, wherein an apex angle of each of the plurality of prism structures is 66 degrees.

12. A display device according to claim 10, wherein the light guide plate has smooth prism structures on a surface opposite to a surface where the anisotropic diffraction grating is formed for controlling an emission angle of light exiting through the light exit surface.

13. A display device according to claim 10, wherein the prism sheet is directly placed on the light exit surface.

14. A display device according to claim 9, wherein an apex angle of each of the plurality of prism structures is 66 degrees.

15. A display device according to claim 9, wherein the light guide plate has smooth prism structures on a surface opposite to a surface where the anisotropic diffraction grating is formed for controlling an emission angle of light exiting through the light exit surface.

16. A display device according to claim 9, wherein the prism sheet is directly placed on the light exit surface.