Liquid crystal display device

• US 7,268,844 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2004
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: InnoLux Corporation
• Original Assignee: Innocom Technology Limited, Innolux Display Corporation (InnoLux Corporation)
• Inventors: Yu, Chuan-Pei
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, MINH TOAN T
• Application Number:
  US10/711,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20050206806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 349/113, 349 64- 65
• US Class Current: 349/113
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0053 Prismatic sheet or layer; Brightness enhancement element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133504 Diffusing, scattering, diffracting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133606
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133615 Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side

Abstract

A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel, a light source for providing light beams to irradiate the liquid crystal display panel, and an optical sheet positioned between the liquid crystal display panel and the light source and having a first surface facing the light source. Additionally, the first surface has a plurality of prisms for totally reflecting portions of ambient light beams that have passed through the liquid crystal display panel to irradiate the liquid crystal display panel.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a liquid crystal display panel;

a light source for providing light beams to irradiate the liquid crystal display panel; and

an optical sheet positioned between the liquid crystal display panel and the light source and having a first surface facing the light source, the first surface having a plurality of prisms for totally reflecting portions of ambient light beams that have passed through the liquid crystal display panel to irradiate the liquid crystal display panel and to increase a brightness of the liquid crystal display device by the portions of ambient light beams, each of the prisms comprising a first plane and a second plane, an included angle between the first plane and the second plane being in the range between 80° and

130°

.

2. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 wherein each of the prisms is a symmetric structure or an asymmetric structure.

3. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 wherein the optical sheet comprises a second surface facing the liquid crystal display panel.

4. The liquid crystal display device of claim 3 wherein a is an included angle between a normal of the second surface and the first plane of each prism, and a=90°

−

sin<sup>−

1</sup>(n₁*sin(b)/n₂)−

c wherein b is an incident angle of the ambient light beams when the ambient light beams are incident on the second surface of the optical sheet, c=sin<sup>−

1</sup>(n₁/n₂), n₁ is a refractive index of an ambient environment, and n₂ is a refractive index of the optical sheet.

5. The liquid crystal display device of claim 4 wherein b is less than or equal to 60°

.

6. The liquid crystal display device of claim 4 wherein d is an included angle between the normal of the second surface and the second plane of each prism, and d =45°

+[sin<sup>−

1</sup>(n₁*sin(f)/n₂)−

a+c]/2, wherein f is a refraction angle of the ambient light beams when the ambient light beams leave the second surface of the optical sheet.

7. The liquid crystal display device of claim 6 wherein f is less than or equal to 60°

.

8. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 wherein the optical sheet is a diffusing sheet.

9. The liquid crystal display device of claim 8 wherein the optical sheet comprises polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

10. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 wherein the optical sheet is a polarizer.

11. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a liquid crystal display panel; and

an optical sheet having a first surface facing the liquid crystal display panel and a second surface opposed to the first surface, the second surface comprising a plurality of prisms for totally reflecting portions of ambient light beams that have passed through the liquid crystal display panel to irradiate the liquid crystal display panel and to increase a brightness of the liquid crystal display device by the portions of ambient light beams, each of the prisms comprising a first plane and a second plane, an included angle between the first plane and the second plane being in the range between 80° and

130°

.

12. The liquid crystal display device of claim 11 wherein each of the prisms is a symmetric structure or an asymmetric structure.

13. The liquid crystal display device of claim 11 wherein a is an included angle between a normal of the first surface and the first plane of each prism, and a=90°

−

sin<sup>−

1</sup>(n₁*sin(b)/n₂)−

c, wherein b is an incident angle of the ambient light beams when the ambient light beams are incident on the first surface, c=sin<sup>−

1</sup>(n₁/n₂), n₁ is a refractive index of an ambient environment, and n₂ is a refractive index of the optical sheet.

14. The liquid crystal display device of claim 13 wherein b is less than or equal to 60°

.

15. liquid crystal display device of claim 13 wherein d is an included angle between the normal of the first surface and the second plane of each prism, and d=45°

+[sin<sup>−

1</sup>(n₁*sin(f)/n₂)−

a+c]/2, wherein f is a refraction angle of the ambient light beams when the ambient light beams leave the first surface of the optical sheet.

16. The liquid crystal display device of claim 15 wherein f is less than or equal to 60°

.

17. The liquid crystal display device of claim 11 wherein the optical sheet is a diffusing sheet.

18. The liquid crystal display device of claim 17 wherein the optical sheet comprises polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate or polymethyl methacrylate.

19. The liquid crystal display device of claim 11 wherein the optical sheet is a polarizer.

20. The liquid crystal display device of claim 11 further comprising a light source for providing light beams to irradiate the liquid crystal display panel, and the optical sheet being positioned between the liquid crystal display panel and the light source.