Compact lighting system and display device

• US 7,572,045 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2003
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Harbers, Gerard, Hoelen, Christoph Gerard August, Pfeffer, Nicola Bettina
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Y My Quach
• Application Number:
  US10/509,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20050180167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,335 Days
• Field of Search: 362/27, 362/601, 362/606, 362/607, 362/612, 362/613, 362/615, 362/623, 362/624, 362/625, 362/626, 362/628, 349/62, 349/65
• US Class Current: 362/628
• 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 6/0046 Tapered light guide, e.g. wedge-shaped light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/18 Edge-illuminated signs

Abstract

A compact backlight system has a light-emitting panel (1) with a front wall (2), a rear wall (3) situated opposite thereto, a first edge surface (4) and, opposite thereto, a second edge surface (5) . A first light source (6) is associated with the first edge surface (4) which is light-transmitting. The light-emitting panel (1) widens over a widening section (100) from the first edge surface (4) in a direction towards the second edge surface (5), and the rear wall (3) is provided over the widening section (100) with a multiplicity of steps (13, 13′, . . . ) each having a surface (17) facing the front wall (2) which is substantially parallel to the front wall (2).

Claims

1. A lighting system comprising:

a light-emitting panel comprising a front wall, a rear wall situated opposite thereto, and, between the front and the rear wall, a first edge surface and, opposite thereto, a second edge surface, the first edge surface being light-transmitting, and

a first light source associated with the first edge surface, such that, in operation, light originating from the first light source is incident on the first edge surface and distributes itself in the panel,

wherein the light-emitting panel widens over

i. a first widening section from the first edge surface in a direction towards the second edge surface and

ii. a second widening section from the second edge surface in a direction towards the first edge surface,

wherein the surface of the second edge surface is specularly or diffusely reflects, and

wherein the light-emitting panel comprises, between the first widening section and the second edge surface, a light guide part including a structure configured for providing light extraction.

2. A lighting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a ratio of the surface area S₁ of the first edge surface and the largest cross section S_lcs, in the light-emitting panel substantially parallel to the first edge surface satisfies the relation:

3. A lighting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear wall is provided over at least the first widening section with the structure that includes a multiplicity of steps having surfaces that face the front wall and are substantially parallel to the front wall, and wherein a further surface of the steps makes an angle β

with respect to a normal on the front wall, wherein

−

48≦

β

≦

48°

.

4. A lighting system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the angle β

is in the range

0≦

β

≦

48°

.

5. A lighting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front wall is comprises a translucent diffuser.

6. A lighting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear wall of the light-emitting panel is provided with the structure to extract the light by disrupting total internal reflection locally.

7. A lighting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source comprises one white LED or at least two light-emitting diodes with different light emission wavelengths.

8. A lighting system as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of the light-emitting diodes has a luminous flux of at least 5 lm.

9. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein a ratio of the surface area S₁ of the first edge surface and the largest cross section S_lcs in the light-emitting panel substantially parallel to the first edge surface satisfies the relation: