Planar light source and image display

• US 7,503,684 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2004
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Shinohara, Masayuki, Ueno, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, ANABEL
• Application Number:
  US10/560,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20060181897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: 362/600, 362/607, 362/610, 362/623
• US Class Current: 362/620
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0018 Redirecting means on the surface of the light guide
• 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 6/0061 to provide homogeneous light output intensity
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0063 for extracting light out both the major surfaces of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133342 for double-sided displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133615 Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side

Abstract

A plane source of light (back light) of the type of emitting light from both surfaces featuring a good light utilization efficiency and without permitting the external light to transmit through a display device even when it is combined with display panels of the transmission type. Light is introduced from a point source of light into a light guide plate. Many deflecting patterns of a triangular shape in cross section are formed in a recessed manner in a surface (pattern surface) on the side opposite to a light-leaving surface of the light guide plate. A prism sheet forming a plurality of arcuate prisms is arranged on a position facing the pattern surface of the light guide plate. Light propagating through the light guide plate is totally reflected by the deflecting pattern and goes out from the light-leaving surface nearly perpendicularly thereto. Light propagating through the light guide plate transmits through the deflecting patterns, goes out aslant, and is bent by the prisms into a direction nearly perpendicular to the pattern surface as it transmits through the prism sheet.

Claims

1. A plane source of light comprising:

a source of light;

a light guide plate which confines light from the source of light, spreads light like a plane, and permits light to go out from the light-leaving surface and from at least a portion of the surface on the side opposite to the light-leaving surface; and

a prism sheet arranged facing the side opposite to the light-leaving surface, wherein

deflecting patterns are formed on the surface of the light guide plate on the side opposite to the light-leaving surface for reflecting light that propagates through the light guide plate;

light reflected by the deflecting patterns goes out from the light-leaving surface in a manner that the direction of a peak intensity thereof is nearly perpendicular to the light-leaving surface;

light goes out from the surface on the side opposite to the light-leaving surface in a manner that the direction of a peak intensity thereof is aslant relative to a direction perpendicular to the surface of the opposite side;

light going out from the surface on the opposite side is deflected by the prism sheet in a manner that the direction of a peak intensity thereof is nearly perpendicular to the surface on the opposite side; and

the source of light is a point source of light, and arcuate patterns are formed on the prism sheet with a position corresponding to the point source of light as nearly a center.

5. An image display device comprising image display panels arranged facing the light-leaving surface of the plane source of light of claim 1 and facing the surface on the side opposite to the light-leaving surface.

2. A plane source of light comprising:

a source of light;

a light guide plate which confines light from the source of light, spreads light like a plane, and permits light to go out from the light-leaving surface and from at least a portion of the surface on the side opposite to the light-leaving surface; and

a prism sheet arranged facing the side opposite to the light-leaving surface, wherein

deflecting patterns are formed on the surface of the light guide plate on the side opposite to the light-leaving surface for reflecting light that propagates through the light guide plate;

light reflected by the deflecting patterns goes out from the light-leaving surface in a manner that the direction of a peak intensity thereof is nearly perpendicular to the light-leaving surface;

light goes out from the surface on the side opposite to the light-leaving surface in a manner that the direction of a peak intensity thereof is aslant relative to a direction perpendicular to the surface of the opposite side;

light going out from the surface on the opposite side is deflected by the prism sheet in a manner that the direction of a peak intensity thereof is nearly perpendicular to the surface on the opposite side; and

patterns of nearly a triangular shape in cross section are formed on the prism sheet, the patterns having, in cross section, a one-side vertical angle on the side of the source of light smaller than the one-side vertical angle on the opposite side.

6. An image display device comprising image display panels arranged facing the light-leaving surface of the plane source of light of claim 2 and facing the surface on the side opposite to the light-leaving surface.

3. A plane source of light comprising:

a source of light;

a light guide plate which confines light from the source of light, spreads light like a plane, and permits light to go out from the light-leaving surface and from at least a portion of the surface on the side opposite to the light-leaving surface; and

a prism sheet arranged facing the side opposite to the light-leaving surface, wherein

deflecting patterns are formed on the surface of the light guide plate on the side opposite to the light-leaving surface for reflecting light that propagates through the light guide plate;

light reflected by the deflecting patterns goes out from the light-leaving surface in a manner that the direction of a peak intensity thereof is nearly perpendicular to the light-leaving surface;

light goes out from the surface on the side opposite to the light-leaving surface in a manner that the direction of a peak intensity thereof is aslant relative to a direction perpendicular to the surface of the opposite side;

light going out from the surface on the opposite side is deflected by the prism sheet in a manner that the direction of a peak intensity thereof is nearly perpendicular to the surface on the opposite side; and

the deflecting patterns are of nearly a triangular shape in cross section, and an angle of inclination of slopes of the deflecting patterns on the light-emitting surface of the light guide plate and on at least a partial region on the surface on the opposite side on the side remote from the source of light, is different from an angle of inclination of slopes of the deflecting patterns in other regions on the side remote from the source of light.

7. An image display device comprising image display panels arranged facing the light-leaving surface of the plane source of light of claim 3 and facing the surface on the side opposite to the light-leaving surface.

4. A plane source of light comprising:

a source of light;

a light guide plate which confines light from the source of light, spreads light like a plane, and permits light to go out from the light-leaving surface and from at least a portion of the surface on the side opposite to the light-leaving surfaces and

a prism sheet arranged facing the side opposite to the light-leaving surface, wherein

deflecting patterns are formed on the surface of the light guide plate on the side opposite to the light-leaving surface for reflecting light that propagates through the light guide plate;

light reflected by the deflecting patterns goes out from the light-leaving surface in a manner that the direction of a peak intensity thereof is nearly perpendicular to the light-leaving surface;

light goes out from the surface on the side opposite to the light-leaving surface in a manner that the direction of a peak intensity thereof is aslant relative to a direction perpendicular to the surface of the opposite side;

light going out from the surface on the opposite side is deflected by the prism sheet in a manner that the direction of a peak intensity thereof is nearly perpendicular to the surface on the opposite side; and

wherein the deflecting patterns are of nearly a triangular shape in cross section, the slopes thereof assuming at least a partly curved surface on the side remote from the source of light, and a curvature of slopes of the deflecting patterns on the light-emitting surface of the light guide plate and on at least a partial region on the surface on the opposite side on the side remote from the source of light, is different from a curvature of slopes of the deflecting patterns in other regions on the side remote from the source of light.

8. An image display device comprising image display panels arranged facing the light-leaving surface of the plane source of light of claim 4 and facing the surface on the side opposite to the light-leaving surface.