Electronic device with illuminated logo structures

• US 9,201,452 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2012
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Qi, Jun, Yin, Victor H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arendt, Paisley L
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVISON, ANGELA K
• Application Number:
  US13/407,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20130222736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 349/56, 349/58, 349/61, 349/62, 349/65, 349/113, 361/600, 361/679.01, 361/679.02, 361/679.21, 361/679.26, 361/728, 362/154, 362/253, 362/362, 362/600, 362/602, 362/604, 362/605, 362/609, 362/610, 362/615, 362/616, 362/617, 362/618, 362/623, 362/624, 362/627, 362/632, 362/633, 362/620
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0016 Grooves, prisms, gratings, scattering particles or rough surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/002 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide, e.g. with collimating, focussing or diverging surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0045 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/006 to produce indicia, symbols, texts or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133342 for double-sided displays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing

Abstract

An electronic device may have a liquid crystal display with backlight structures. The backlight structures may produce backlight that passes through the liquid crystal display. A reflector may be used to enhance backlight efficiency. The electronic device may have a housing in which the display is mounted. The housing may be formed from an opaque material such as metal. An opening may be formed in the housing. Transparent housing structures such as a transparent logo structure may be mounted in the opening of the housing. During operation, a light source may produce light that passes through the transparent logo structure. A light guide structure may be used to guide light from the light source to the transparent logo structure. The reflector may be formed from a coating of metal on the light guide structure. Light from the light source may be used to form the backlight for the backlight structures.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

a transparent housing structure mounted in an opening in the housing, wherein the transparent housing structure has a first width;

a display in the housing that has a second width;

a display backlight reflector that reflects backlight through the display;

a light source;

a first light guide structure through which light is conveyed from the light source to the display; and

a second light guide structure that conveys light from the light source to the transparent housing structure, wherein the display backlight reflector is interposed between the first light guide structure and the second light guide structure, wherein the light conveyed by the second light guide structure passes through the transparent housing structure, wherein the second light guide structure has a first portion that is adjacent to the light source and has a third width, wherein the second light guide structure has a second portion that is adjacent to the transparent housing structure and has a fourth width, wherein the first width is substantially equivalent to the fourth width, wherein the second width is substantially equivalent to the third width, and wherein the fourth width is smaller than the third width.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the display backlight reflector comprises a layer of metal that transmits less than 1% of the backlight.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 2 further comprising a light guide plate that receives the backlight from the light source.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 3 wherein the light guide plate comprises a planar sheet of clear plastic having an edge that receives light from the light source.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the second light guide structure comprises a planar sheet of clear plastic.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 5 wherein the transparent housing structure comprises a logo structure.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 6 wherein the second light guide structure comprises light-leakage promotion structures that overlap the logo structure and that locally cause the light from the light source to exit the second light guide structure and pass through the logo structures.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the light-leakage promotion structures comprise protrusions on a surface of the second light guide structure.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the housing comprises an opaque material.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the housing comprises a portable computer upper housing.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the housing comprises a housing selected from the group consisting of:

a portable computer housing, a housing for a computer monitor with an integrated computer, a computer monitor housing, a cellular telephone housing, and a tablet computer housing.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the second light guide structure continuously narrows from the third width to the fourth width to guide light from the light source to the transparent housing structure.

12. An electronic device, comprising:

an opaque housing having an opening;

a housing structure in the opening;

a light source;

a light guide structure having first and second opposing surfaces;

a liquid crystal display module;

a light guide plate; and

a reflector that covers the first surface, wherein the light guide structure conveys light from the light source through the housing structure in the opening, wherein the light guide structure comprises light-leakage promotion structures within a region at the second surface of the light guide structure that is defined by the opening in the housing structure, wherein the second surface of the light guide structure has a planar portion, wherein the second surface of the light guide structure has a plurality of protrusions that extend towards the housing structure, wherein the plurality of protrusions extend past the planar portion of the second surface of the light guide structure, wherein the plurality of protrusions form the light-leakage promotion structures, wherein the light guide plate is interposed between the reflector and the liquid crystal display module and provides backlight to the display module, wherein the reflector comprises a metal coating on the first surface of the light guide structure, wherein the light guide plate receives the backlight from the light source, wherein the light guide structure comprises a clear plastic sheet, wherein the housing structure comprises a logo structure, wherein the light-leakage promotion structures overlap the logo structure and cause light received from the light source to pass through the housing structure, wherein the logo structure comprises translucent plastic, wherein the housing structure comprise metal, wherein the light guide structure has a width and a length, wherein the width is at least five times smaller than the length, and wherein the light guide structure routes light from a single light-emitting diode to the opening.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 12, wherein the opening is positioned in a center of the display, wherein the display has a first surface area, wherein the opening has a second surface area, and wherein the second surface area is less than twenty percent of the first surface area.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 12, wherein the liquid crystal display module has a first surface area, wherein the region of the light guide structure has a second surface area, and wherein the second surface area is less than twenty percent of the first surface area.