Light guide plate and backlight module using the same

• US 7,581,850 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2006
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Liao, Ming-Yi
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea; Sandra L
• Assistant Examiner(s): APENTENG, JESSICA MCMILLAN
• Application Number:
  US11/453,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20070035948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 362/245, 362/241, 362/330, 362/328, 362/29, 362/30, 362/223, 362/242, 362/243, 362/244, 362/339, 362/600, 362/609, 362/611, 362/612, 362/613, 362/615
• US Class Current: 362/245
• 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 6/0055 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133604 with lamps
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133605 including specially adapted reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133607 the light controlling member including light directing or refracting elements, e.g. prisms or lenses

Abstract

A backlight module (20) includes a light guide plate (23), a reflecting member (21) and a plurality of light source (22). The light guide plate has a light incidence surface (231) and a light-emitting surface (232) opposite to the light incidence surface. The reflecting member faces the light incidence surface of the light guide plate. The light sources are arranged between the reflecting member and the light guide plate. The light guide plate defines a plurality of hollow structures (25) therein corresponding to the light sources and has a plurality of microstructure units (27) defined on the light incidence surface corresponding to the light sources.

Claims

1. A backlight module comprising:

a light guide plate having a light incidence surface and a light-emitting surface opposite to the light incidence surface;

a reflecting member spaced apart from the light guide plate and facing the light incidence surface; and

a plurality of light sources arranged between the reflecting member and the light guide plate;

wherein the light guide plate defines a plurality of hollow structures therein, each of the hollow structures corresponds to one of the light sources, a plurality of microstructure units are defined on the light incidence surface, and each of the microstructure units is over the corresponding light source.

2. The backlight module according to claim 1, wherein each reflecting member includes a plurality of reflecting units and each reflecting unit includes a first arc surface, a second arc surface, and a peak portion for connecting the first arc surface and the second arc surface.

3. The backlight module according to claim 2, wherein curvature ratios of the first arc surface and the second arc surface are a series of values changed in succession.

4. The backlight module according to claim 2, wherein the first arc surface and the second arc surface is symmetrical relative to a line perpendicular to the light emitting surface and passing through the peak portion, each reflecting unit is connected to its adjacent reflecting unit by a connecting portion, and the peak portion is closer to the light incidence surface of the guide plate than the connecting portion.

5. The backlight module according to claim 4, wherein each microstructure unit has a plurality of microstructures defined in the light incidence surface and at least one of the microstructures facing one of the light sources.

6. The backlight module according to claim 5, wherein the microstructures have plurality of valleys and each cross-section of the valley has a vertex angle configured to be in a range of about 60 degrees to 150 degrees.

7. The backlight module according to claim 6, wherein the vertex angles of the microstructures progressively increase along directions from a microstructure above the light source toward two ends of each microstructure unit.

8. The backlight module according to claim 5, wherein each of the microstructure units is connected to its adjacent microstructure unit by a long prism shaped structure, and the long prism shaped structure faces the peak portion of the reflecting member.

9. The backlight module according to claim 8, wherein each cross-section of the long prism shaped structure has a protruding peak having a vertex angle α

configured to be in a range from about 80 degrees to about 175 degrees.

10. The backlight module according to claim 1, wherein each of the hollow structures comprises at least one polygonal hollow structure.

11. The backlight module according to claim 10, wherein each of the polygonal hollow structures has a quadrangle cross-section or a triangular cross-section.

12. The backlight module according to claim 1, wherein each light source is selected from a group consisting of a cold cathode fluorescent lamp and an external electrode fluorescent lamp.

13. The backlight module according to claim 1, wherein a material of the light guide plate is selected from a group consisting of polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and polyurethane (PU).

14. A light guide plate comprising:

a light incidence surface;

a light-emitting surface opposite to the light incidence surface;

a plurality of hollow structures defined in the light guide plate; and

a plurality of microstructure units defined adjacent to the light incidence surface;

wherein each of the hollow structure corresponds to each of the microstructure units.

15. The light guide plate according to claim 14, wherein each of the microstructure units is connected to its adjacent microstructure unit by a long prism shaped structure.

16. The light guide plate according to claim 15, wherein each cross-section of the long prism shaped structure has a vertex angle configured to be in a range from about 80 degrees to about 175 degrees.

17. The light guide plate according to claim 14, wherein each microstructure unit has plurality of valleys, and a cross-section of each valley has a vertex angle configured to be in a range of about 60 degrees to 150 degrees.

18. The light guide plate according to claim 14, wherein each of the hollow structures comprises at least one polygonal hollow structure, and each of the at least one polygonal hollow structure has a quadrangle cross-section or a triangular cross-section.

19. A display device comprising:

a light source installable beside a display side of said display device to provide light to said display side for display; and

a light guide member of said display device extending along said display side of said display device and located between said display side and said light source to accept said light from said light source and further transmit said light toward said display side, said light guide member comprising a hollow structure formed inside said light guide member and around a projective area of said light source upon said light guide member to create void inside said light guide member for enhancing uniformity of said transmitted light in said light guide member, said hollow structure arranged discontinuously inside said light guide member and distributed symmetrically to said projective area.

20. The display device according to claim 19, further comprising a reflecting member placed beside said light source opposite to said light guide member, said reflecting member comprising at least two of reflecting units arranged symmetrically to another projective area of said light source upon said reflecting member, and each of said at least two of reflecting units shaped to reflect said light from said light source along a direction without passing through said light source.