Electronic device display structures with controlled chassis reflections

• US 8,390,759 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2012
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Doyle, David A., Wurzel, Joshua G., Gettemy, Shawn R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Healy, Brian
• Application Number:
  US13/442,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20120195066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 349/56, 349/57, 349/58, 349/61, 349/64, 349/67, 349/104, 349/110, 349/112, 349/113, 349/122, 349/137, 362/97.1, 362/97.2, 362/97.3, 362/97.4
• US Class Current: 349/58
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0055 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0088 of the light guide or other optical sheets in the package
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133317 Intermediate frames, e.g. between backlight housing and front frame
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133615 Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/38 Anti-reflection arrangements

Abstract

A display may be based on a display unit that is mounted within a chassis. The display unit may be a liquid crystal display unit. A backlight may be used to illuminate the display unit. The backlight may include a light guide plate. Light from a light source may be launched into an edge of the light guide plate. Scattered light from the light guide plate may travel vertically along a vertical axis that is perpendicular to the plane that contains the light guide plate. The scattered light may pass through the display unit and may serve as backlight for the display. The light guide plate may be mounted within a rectangular opening in the chassis. The edges of the rectangular opening and the edges of the light guide plate may be configured to reduce excessive reflections. These edges may have reflection-reducing coatings, non-planar surfaces, and other reflection-reducing configurations.

Claims

1. A display, comprising:

a display unit;

a light guide plate having at least one edge;

a light source that launches light into the at least one edge of the light guide plate, wherein scattered light from the light guide plate passes through the display unit and serves as backlight for the display;

a chassis having a rectangular opening in which the light guide plate is mounted; and

a coating on the chassis, wherein the coating is selected from the group consisting of;

a light-absorbing coating and a light-reflective coating, and wherein the coating is located along the inner periphery of the chassis.

2. The display defined in claim 1 wherein the chassis has at least one edge and wherein the coating is formed on the at least one edge.

3. The display defined in claim 2 wherein the coating is a light-absorbing coating and wherein the light-absorbing coating is an opaque ink layer.

4. The display defined in claim 3 wherein the edge forms an inner surface for the chassis and wherein the coating is formed on the inner surface.

5. The display defined in claim 2 wherein the coating is a light-reflecting coating, wherein the edge forms an inner surface for the chassis, and wherein the coating is formed on the inner surface.

7. The display defined in claim 1 wherein the light source comprises light-emitting diodes, wherein the light guide plate comprises a transparent polymer, and wherein the chassis comprises plastic.

8. The display defined in claim 1 wherein the display unit comprises a liquid crystal display unit.

6. A display, comprising:

a display unit;

a light guide plate having at least one edge;

a light source that launches light into the at least one edge of the light guide plate, wherein scattered light from the light guide plate passes through the display unit and serves as backlight for the display;

a chassis having a rectangular opening in which the light guide plate is mounted; and

a coating on the chassis, wherein the chassis has at least one beveled edge and wherein the coating is formed on the at least one beveled edge.

9. A display, comprising:

a display unit;

a light guide plate having edges;

a coating on at least one of the edges;

a light source that launches light into an edge surface of the light guide plate, wherein scattered light from the light guide plate passes through the display unit and serves as backlight for the display; and

a chassis having a rectangular opening in which the light guide plate is mounted, wherein the chassis comprises at least one beveled edge.

10. The display defined in claim 9 wherein the coating comprises a light-absorbing coating.

11. A display, comprising:

a display unit;

a light guide plate having edges;

a coating on at least one of the edges of the light guide plate;

a light source that launches light into an edge surface of the light guide plate, wherein scattered light from the light guide plate passes through the display unit and serves as backlight for the display;

a chassis having a rectangular opening in which the light guide plate is mounted; and

a light-absorbing coating on the chassis.

12. A display, comprising:

a display unit;

a light guide plate having edges;

a coating on at least one of the edges of the light guide plate;

a light source that launches light into an edge surface of the light guide plate, wherein scattered light from the light guide plate passes through the display unit and serves as backlight for the display;

a chassis having a rectangular opening in which the light guide plate is mounted; and

a reflective coating on the chassis.

13. A display, comprising:

a display unit;

a light guide plate having at least one beveled edge;

a light source that launches light into an edge surface of the light guide plate, wherein scattered light from the light guide plate passes through the display unit and serves as backlight for the display;

a chassis having a rectangular opening in which the light guide plate is mounted; and

a coating on the chassis, wherein the coating is selected from the group consisting of;

a light-absorbing coating and a light-reflecting coating.

14. The display defined in claim 13 wherein the coating is a light reflecting coating, wherein the chassis has at least one edge, and wherein the light-reflecting coating is formed on the at least one edge.

15. The display defined in claim 13 wherein the coating is a light absorbing coating, wherein the chassis has at least one edge, and wherein the light-absorbing coating is formed on the at least one edge.