LED lens for backlight

• US 7,549,769 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Jeong, Ho Seop, Kim, Jin Jong
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi; Ali
• Assistant Examiner(s): DZIERZYNSKI, EVAN P
• Application Number:
  US11/511,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20070047232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 362/241, 362/244, 362/235, 362/246, 362/291, 362/299, 362/308, 362/310, 362/326, 362/329, 362/335, 362/336, 362/346, 362/509, 362/561, 362/305, 362/555, 362/327, 362/245, 359/708, 359/711, 359/712, 257 98-100
• US Class Current: 362/241
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/002 with provision for interchangeability, i.e. component parts being especially adapted to be replaced by another part with the same or a different function F21V17/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0091 using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0028 refractive and reflective surfaces, e.g. non-imaging catadioptric systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0061 the light source comprising a LED semiconductor devices with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier specially adapted for light emission H01L33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0071 adapted to illuminate a complete hemisphere or a plane extending 360 degrees around the source
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/54 having a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a Light Emitting Diode (LED) lens for a backlight. The LED lens includes an LED light source, a lens body, and a beam shaping element. The lens body is configured such that the LED light source is accommodated in the lower portion thereof, and light emitted from the LED light source is radiated in vertical and lateral directions of the lens body. The beam shaping element is fastened to the top of the lens body and is configured to adjust light beams radiated through the upper surface of the lens body. Accordingly, the uniformity of luminance and color can be increased and, at the same time, the overall performance of the system can be improved.

Claims

1. A Light Emitting Diode (LED) lens for a backlight, comprising:

a LED light source;

a lens body configured such that the LED light source is accommodated in a lower portion thereof, and light emitted from the LED light source is radiated in vertical and lateral directions of the lens body; and

a beam shaping element fastened to a top of the lens body and configured to adjust radiation angles of light beams radiated through an upper surface of the lens body;

wherein, the lens body emits a major portion of the LED light in lateral direction and a minor portion of the LED light in vertical direction, and the lens body has a dome-shaped surface thereon to collimate the minor portion of the LED light toward the beam shaping element.

2. The LED lens as set forth in claim 1, wherein the beam shaping element is directly fastened on the lens body.

3. The LED lens as set forth in claim 1, wherein an amount of light radiated in the vertical direction of the lens body is more than 10% of an amount of light emitted from the LED light source.

4. The LED lens as set forth in claim 1, wherein the lens body comprises:

a lower body configured to accommodate the LED light source in a lower portion thereof and to have a lower refracting surface formed to be symmetrical with respect to a central axis oriented in the vertical direction; and

an upper body formed on the lower body, and configured to be provided with an upper refracting surface linearly connected to a front end of the lower refracting surface, and an upper reflecting surface disposed to be symmetrical from a front end of the upper refracting surface toward the central axis and form a predetermined angle.

5. The LED lens as set forth in claim 4, wherein the upper body has a dome-shaped upper transmitting surface formed in a central portion of the upper reflecting surface, and configured to directly radiate a potion of light emitted from the LED light source in the vertical direction.

6. The LED lens as set forth in claim 1, wherein the lens body further comprises:

a lower body configured to accommodate the LED light source in a lower portion thereof and to have a lower refracting surface formed to be symmetrical to a central axis oriented in the vertical direction; and

an upper body formed on the lower body, and configured to have an upper refracting surface linearly connected to a front end of the lower refracting surface, and an upper transmitting surface formed to laterally extend from the front end of the upper refracting surface toward the central axis.

7. The LED lens as set forth in claim 4, wherein a plurality of protrusions are formed at predetermined locations on the upper reflecting surface, and a plurality of depressions corresponding to the plurality of protrusions are formed in the lower portion of the beam shaping element to fasten the beam shaping element to the lens body.

8. The LED lens as set forth in claim 4 or 6, wherein the beam shaping element forms a light region in which the light is laterally extended with respected to the central axis of the lens body.

9. The LED lens as set forth in claim 4 or 6, wherein the beam shaping element is fastened along the front end of the upper refracting surface.

10. The LED lens as set forth in claim 6, wherein the upper body has a dome-shaped central refracting surface formed in a central portion of the upper transmitting surface.