Spacers for maintaining display apparatus alignment

• US 7,852,546 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2007
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pixtronix, Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shufelt, Mark J., Gandhi, Jignesh, Fijol, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lester; Evelyn A.
• Application Number:
  US11/975,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20090103164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 359/223, 359/224, 359290-292, 359/295, 359/298, 359/318, 345/85, 345/108, 348/770, 348/771
• US Class Current: 359/291
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/02 for controlling the intensity of light G02B26/004 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to methods and apparatus for forming a display apparatus. According to one aspect of the invention, the display apparatus includes a first substrate having an aperture layer formed thereon, a light guide for guiding light towards the aperture layer, a plurality of MEMS light modulators for modulating light passing through the aperture layer from the light guide, and a spacer substantially surrounding the light guide for keeping the light guide and the first substrate a predetermined distance apart from one another, thereby forming a gap between the first substrate and the light guide. Alternatively or in addition, the first substrate may have a control matrix formed thereon.

Claims

1. A display apparatus, comprising:

a first substrate having an aperture layer formed thereon,

a light guide for guiding light towards the aperture layer,

a plurality of MEMS light modulators for modulating light passing through the aperture layer from the light guide, and

a spacer substantially surrounding a periphery of the light guide for keeping the light guide and the first substrate a predetermined distance apart from one another, thereby forming a gap between the first substrate and the light guide, wherein the spacer comprises a shelf on which one of the light guide and the first substrate rests.

2. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises a reflective surface for reflecting light into the light guide.

3. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises a structural feature having a geometrical shape selected to maintain alignment between the light guide and a lamp for providing light to the light guide.

4. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises a structural feature having a geometrical shape selected to maintain alignment between the light guide and an electrical connection for controlling a MEMS light modulator of the plurality of MEMS light modulators.

5. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises a structural feature having a geometrical shape selected to maintain alignment between the light guide and the first substrate.

6. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises a structural feature having a geometrical shape selected to restrict translational motion of at least one of the light guide and the first substrate.

7. The display apparatus of claim 1, comprising an adhesive disposed on the spacer for adhering to at least one of the light guide and the first substrate.

8. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spacer is disposed between the light guide and the first substrate.

9. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises a rigid material.

10. The display apparatus of claim 9, wherein the spacer comprises at least one of polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyacrylate.

11. The display apparatus of claim 9, wherein the spacer comprises a metal.

12. The display apparatus of claim 9, wherein the spacer comprises a metal and plastic composite.

13. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the MEMS light modulators comprise shutter-based light modulators.

14. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the MEMS light modulators comprise electrowetting light modulators.

15. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises a structural feature having a geometrical shape selected to maintain alignment between the light guide and a reflective layer for reflecting light towards the light guide.

16. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the aperture layer comprises a reflective aperture layer.

17. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of MEMS light modulators are disposed on the first substrate.

18. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of MEMS light modulators are disposed on a second substrate.

19. A display apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of MEMS light modulators;

a first substrate having a control matrix formed thereon for controlling the plurality of MEMS light modulators,

a light guide for guiding light towards the first substrate, and

a spacer substantially surrounding a periphery of the light guide for keeping the light guide and the first substrate a predetermined distance apart from one another, thereby forming a gap between the first substrate and the light guide, wherein the spacer comprises a structural feature having a geometrical shape selected to maintain alignment between the light guide and the first substrate.

20. The display apparatus of claim 19, wherein the spacer comprises a structural feature having a geometrical shape selected to maintain alignment between the light guide and a lamp for providing light to the light guide.

21. The display apparatus of claim 19, wherein the spacer comprises a reflective surface for reflecting light into the light guide.

22. The display apparatus of claim 19, wherein the spacer comprises a structural feature having a geometrical shape selected to restrict translational motion of at least one of the light guide and the first substrate.

23. The display apparatus of claim 19, wherein the spacer comprises a shelf on which one of the light guide and the first substrate rests.