Structure of planar illuminator

• US 7,513,634 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2007
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Tsing Hua University
• Original Assignee: National Tsing Hua University
• Inventors: Chen, Cheng-Huan
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar; Stephen F
• Application Number:
  US11/751,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20080291693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 362/97, 362/223, 362/248, 362/260, 362/290, 362/292, 362/342, 349/66, 349/70
• US Class Current: 362/97.1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0055 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0096 the lights guides being of the hollow type
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133615 Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side

Abstract

A structure of a backlight module, which includes: a light source frame, including: a top plate having a plurality of slits; a bottom plate arranged apart from the top plate; and at least two edge plates arranged oppositely, wherein each of the edge plates has a top end and a bottom end, and both of the bottom ends are separately connected with the bottom plate; wherein the inner surfaces of the top plate, the bottom plate and the edge plates form a reflective cavity; and at least one light source arranged in the reflective cavity. There are several advantages of the backlight module according to the present invention, which includes: 1. the required uniformity and brightness of the backlight module are achieved; 2. its weight is largely reduced; and 3. it can be tiled up to form a large-area backlight module for a large size display.

Claims

1. A structure of a planar illuminator, comprising:

at least a light source frame, comprising;

a top plate having a plurality of slits and a plurality of tilted plates, wherein the tilted plates are arranged on the top plate, and the tilted plates are connected to an edge of the slits;

a bottom plate arranged apart from the top plate; and

at least two edge plates arranged opposite to each other, wherein each of the edge plates has a top end and a bottom end, and both of the bottom ends are separately connected to the bottom plate;

wherein inner surfaces of the top plate, the bottom plate and the edge plates form a reflective cavity of the light source frame;

wherein at least one top end of the two edge plates is open-ended and is bent at an angle; and

at least one light source arranged in the light source frame;

wherein the light source emits light which impinges on an inner surfaces of the light source frame and then the light is repeatedly reflected within the reflective cavity to propagate the light down the light source frame;

wherein a portion of the light pass out of the light source frame via the slits.

2. The structure of the planar illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the planar illuminator is a backlight module for an image panel.

3. The structure of the planar illuminator according to claim 1, wherein at least one top end of the two edge plates is connected to the top plate.

4. The structure of the planar illuminator according to claim 3, wherein at least one light source is arranged proximate to the edge plate whose top end is connected to the top plate.

5. The structure of the planar illuminator according to claim 3, wherein a shape of the edge plate whose top end connected to the top plate is curved.

6. The structure of the planar illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the reflective cavity has a reflective coating.

7. The structure of the planar illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the material of the light source frame is metal.

8. The structure of the planar illuminator according to claim 7, wherein the light source frame is a one-piece structure and is fabricated by using a sheet metal fabrication method, a pressing and stamping method or a punching and bending method.

9. The structure of the planar illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the material of the light source frame is plastic or acrylic.

10. The structure of the planar illuminator according to claim 9, wherein the light source frame is a one-piece structure and is fabricated by using an injection molding process.

11. The structure of the planar illuminator according to claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the reflective cavity, an inner surface and an outer surface of the tilted plates have a reflective coating.

12. The structure of the planar illuminator according to claim 1, wherein a material of the light source frame is metal, and the light source frame is fabricated by using a sheet metal fabrication method, a pressing and stamping method or a punching and bending method.

13. The structure of the planar illuminator according to claim 1, wherein a material of the light source frame is plastic or acrylic, and the light source frame is formed by using an injection molding process.

14. The structure of the planar illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the light source is Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL), Light Emitting Diode (LED) or Laser Diode (LD).

15. The structure of the planar illuminator according to claim 1 further comprising at least one optical film arranged in front of the light source frame.

16. The structure of the planar illuminator according to claim 15, wherein the optical film is a diffusive film, an optical film with microstructure or a reflective polarizer.