Light guide plate with v-shaped grooves and backlight module incorporating same

• US 7,156,548 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2005
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: InnoLux Corporation
• Original Assignee: Innolux Display Corporation (InnoLux Corporation)
• Inventors: Yang, Chiu-Lien, Pang, Jia-Pang, Teng, Ching-Hung
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Laura K.
• Application Number:
  US11/120,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20050243574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 362/31, 362/601, 362/623, 362/625, 362/626
• US Class Current: 362/625
• 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 6/0061 to provide homogeneous light output intensity

Abstract

A light guide plate (10) of a preferred embodiment includes: an incident surface (12) for receiving incident light beams from a corresponding light source; an emitting surface (16); and a bottom surface (11) opposite to the emitting surface. The bottom surface defines a plurality of V-shaped grooves. A side (17) of each V-shaped groove is a curved surface, and at least one part of the curved surface is wave-shaped. The light guide plate can improve the utilization of light beams, reduce wastage of light beams and configure the uniformity of luminance.

Claims

1. A light guide plate, comprising:

an incident surface for receiving incident light beams from a corresponding light source;

an emitting surface; and

a bottom surface opposite to the emitting surface, a plurality of V-shaped grooves being defined at the bottom surface, wherein a side of each V-shaped groove defines a curved surface, and at least one part of the curved surface is wave-shaped.

2. The light guide plate as claimed in claim 1, wherein each V-shaped groove defines a top line, and the top line is curved.

3. The light guide plate as claimed in claim 1, wherein each V-shaped groove defines two bottom lines, and at least one bottom line is curved.

4. The light guide plate as claimed in claim 1, wherein each V-shaped groove defines two bottom lines, and the bottom lines are rectilinear.

5. The light guide plate as claimed in claim 1, wherein a density of the V-shaped grooves progressively increases in a direction away from the incident surface.

6. The light guide plate as claimed in claim 1, wherein a height of the V-shaped grooves progressively increases in a direction away from the incident surface.

7. A backlight module, comprising:

a light source, and

a light guide plate comprising an incident surface for receiving light beams from the light source, an emitting surface, and a bottom surface opposite to the emitting surface, a plurality of V-shaped grooves being defined at the bottom surface, a side of each V-shaped groove defining a curved surface, and at least one part of the curved surface being wave-shaped.

8. The backlight module as claimed in claim 7, wherein the light source is a point source.

9. The backlight module as claimed in claim 8, wherein the light source is set adjacent a corner of the light guide plate.

10. The backlight module as claimed in claim 7, wherein the light source is a linear source.

11. The backlight module as claimed in claim 10, wherein the light source is set adjacent a main side of the light guide plate.

12. The backlight module as claimed in claim 7, wherein each V-shaped groove defines a top line, and the top line is curved.

13. The backlight module as claimed in claim 7, wherein each V-shaped groove defines two bottom lines, and at least one bottom lines is curved.

14. The backlight module as claimed in claim 7, wherein each V-shaped groove defines two bottom lines, and the bottom lines are rectilinear.

15. The backlight module as claimed in claim 8, wherein a density of the V-shaped grooves progressively increases in a direction away from the incident surface.

16. The backlight module as claimed in claim 8, wherein a height of the V-shaped grooves progressively increases in a direction away from the incident surface.

17. A light guide plate, comprising:

an incident surface for receiving incident light beams from a corresponding light source;

an emitting surface; and

a bottom surface opposite to the emitting surface, a plurality of grooves being defined at the bottom surface, a side of each groove defining a curved configuration, and at least one part of the curved configuration being wave-shaped;

wherein

said wave-shaped part extends in either a vertical plane or a horizontal plane relative to said light guide plate.

18. The light guide plate as claimed in claim 17, wherein said grooves are of a V-shaped cross-section.

19. The light guide plate as claimed in claim 18, wherein said wave-shaped part occurs at a bottom edge of the groove.

20. The light guide plate as claimed in claim 18, wherein said wave-shaped part occurs at one of two opposite top edges of the groove.