Display system

• US 8,748,909 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2006
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Yin, Victor, Zhong, John
• Primary Examiner(s): KUO, WENSING W
• Application Number:
  US11/556,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20080121898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,776 Days
• Field of Search: 257/E33.057, 257/E23.065, 257/E23.177, 362/249.02, 362/249.04, 362/249.08
• US Class Current: 257/88
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0073 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0083 Details of electrical connections of light sources to drivers, circuit boards, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133603 with LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133615 Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side

Abstract

A display system provides a first semiconductor light source that is electrically connected in a first plane. A second semiconductor light source is electrically connected in a second plane separate from the first plane. A third semiconductor light source is electrically connected in the first plane at least a distance away from the first semiconductor light source equal to the width of the second semiconductor light source. The first plane and the second plane are merged into a combined plane by positioning the electrically connected second semiconductor light source between the electrically connected first semiconductor light source and the electrically connected third semiconductor light source.

Claims

1. A display system, comprising:

a first semiconductor light source electrically connected in a first plane;

a second semiconductor light source having the characteristics of having been electrically connected in a second plane separate from the first plane;

a third semiconductor light source electrically connected in the first plane at least a distance away from the first semiconductor light source equal to the width of the second semiconductor light source; and

the second semiconductor light source being positioned between the first semiconductor light source and the third semiconductor light source to merge the first plane and the second plane into a combined plane, wherein the combined plane is configured to be removably inserted into and positioned in an edge portion of a fully assembled housing of a fully assembled display screen, wherein the fully assembled housing includes an aperture for allowing insertion and removal of the combined plane into the edge portion of the fully assembled display screen, without disassembling the display screen and without inserting or removing other components of the display screen,

wherein the aperture is located at a corner portion of the fully assembled display screen and allows for insertion and removal of the combined plane in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the edge portion and a longitudinal axis of the combined plane, wherein the combined plane is fully contained within the edge portion of the fully assembled display housing and does not encroach into any portion behind a display area of the fully assembled display screen, and wherein the display screen comprises circuitry for driving the first, second, and third light sources, and the circuitry for driving is separate from the combined plane.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a flex; and

wherein the first semiconductor light source, the second semiconductor light source, and the third semiconductor light source are mounted on the flex.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising a fold in the flex.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a bottom flex; and

a top flex; and

wherein;

the first semiconductor light source and the third semiconductor light source are mounted on the bottom flex; and

the second semiconductor light source is mounted on the top flex.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising a combined flex formed by merging the top flex and the bottom flex.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising an alignment area, equal to the width of the second semiconductor light source, in the first plane between the first semiconductor light source and the third semiconductor light source.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the second semiconductor light source is positioned in the alignment area.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a power feed contact electrically connected to the first semiconductor light source, the second semiconductor light source, and the third semiconductor light source.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising an assembly housing enclosing the first semiconductor light source, the second semiconductor light source, and the third semiconductor light source, wherein the assembly housing is configured to be inserted into the aperture of the fully assembled housing.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the first, second, and third semiconductor light sources are respective first, second, and third LEDs.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the combined plane is a removable light strip.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising a screen electrically connected to the removable light strip.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

first alignment features formed on the first, second, and third semiconductor light sources;

complementary and matching second alignment features formed in the first plane and the second plane; and

the first alignment features and second alignment features aligning the first plane and the second plane.

14. A display system, comprising:

a first point light source electrically connected in a first plane;

a second point light source having the characteristics of having been electrically connected in a second plane separate from the first plane;

a third point light source electrically connected in the first plane a distance away from the first point light source equal to the width of the second point light source; and

the second point light source being positioned between the first point light source and the third point light source to merge the first plane and the second plane into a combined plane, wherein the combined plane is configured to be removably inserted into and positioned in an edge portion of a fully assembled housing of an assembled display device, wherein the fully assembled housing includes an aperture for allowing insertion and removal of the combined plane into the edge portion of the assembled display screen, without disassembling the display screen and without inserting or removing other components of the display,

wherein the aperture is located at a corner portion of the fully assembled display screen and allows for insertion and removal of the combined plane in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the edge portion and a longitudinal axis of the combined plane, wherein the combined plane is fully contained within the edge portion of the fully assembled display housing and does not encroach into any portion behind a display area of the assembled display device, and wherein the display screen comprises circuitry for driving the first, second, and third light sources, and the circuitry for driving is separate from the combined plane.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the first, second, and third point light sources are respective first, second, and third organic light sources.

16. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

a flex; and

wherein the first point light source, the second point light source, and the third point light source are mounted on the flex.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising a fold in the flex.

18. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

a bottom flex; and

a top flex; and

wherein;

the first point light source and the third point light source are mounted on the bottom flex; and

the second point light source is mounted on the top flex.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising a combined flex formed by merging the top flex and the bottom flex.

20. The system of claim 14 further comprising an alignment area, equal to the width of the second point light source, in the first plane between the first point light source and the third point light source.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the second point light source is positioned in the alignment area.

22. The system of claim 14 further comprising a power feed contact electrically connected to the first point light source, the second point light source, and the third point light source.

23. The system of claim 14 further comprising an assembly housing enclosing the first point light source, the second point light source, and the third point light source, wherein the assembly housing is configured to be inserted into the aperture of the fully assembled housing.

24. The system of claim 14 wherein the first, second, and third point light sources are respective first, second, and third LEDs.

25. The system of claim 14 wherein the combined plane is a removable light strip.

26. The system of claim 25 further comprising a screen electrically connected to the removable light strip.

27. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

first alignment features formed on the first, second, and third point light sources;

complementary and matching second alignment features formed in the first plane and the second plane; and

the first alignment features and second alignment features aligning the first plane and the second plane.

28. A display system, comprising:

a light strip having a plurality of lightsources contained within a light strip housing, wherein the lightstrip is configured to be removably inserted into and positioned in an edge portion of a fully assembled housing of a fully assembled display screen, wherein the fully assembled housing includes an aperture for allowing insertion and removal of the lightstrip into the edge portion of the fully assembled display screen, without disassembling the display screen and without inserting or removing other components of the display screen, wherein the aperture is located at a corner portion of the fully assembled display screen and allows for insertion and removal of the lightstrip in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the edge portion and a longitudinal axis of the lightstrip, and wherein the lightstrip is fully contained within the edge portion of the fully assembled display housing and does not encroach into any portion behind a display area of the fully assembled display screen.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the light strip further comprises:

a first semiconductor light source electrically connected in a first plane;

a second semiconductor light source having the characteristics of having been electrically connected in a second plane separate from the first plane;

a third semiconductor light source electrically connected in the first plane at least a distance away from the first semiconductor light source equal to the width of the second semiconductor light source; and

the second semiconductor light source being positioned between the first semiconductor light source and the third semiconductor light source to merge the first plane and the second plane into a combined plane.