Electronic Device with Illuminated Logo Structures

• US 20130222736A1
• Filed: 02/28/2012
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Qi, Jun, Yin, Victor H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,201,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/65
• 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;

a display in the housing;

a display backlight reflector that reflects backlight through the display; and

a light source; and

a light guide structure that conveys light from the light source to the transparent housing structure, wherein the display backlight reflector is interposed between the transparent housing structure and the display backlight reflector and wherein the light conveyed by the light guide structure passes through the transparent housing structure.

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 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 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 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 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.

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; 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.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 12 further comprising:

a liquid crystal display module; and

a light guide plate.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 13 wherein the light guide plate is interposed between the reflector and the liquid crystal display module and provides backlight to the display module.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the reflector comprises a metal coating on the first surface of the light guide structure.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 15 wherein the light guide plate receives the backlight from the light source and wherein the light guide structure comprises a clear plastic sheet.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the housing structure comprises a logo structure and wherein the light guide structure comprises a localized light leakage promotion structure that overlaps the logo structure and causes light received from the light source to pass through the housing structure.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 17 wherein the logo structure comprises translucent plastic and wherein the housing structure comprise metal.

19. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a display mounted in the housing;

a reflector;

a light guide plate interposed between the reflector and the display;

a light guide structure interposed between the housing and the reflector; and

an opening in the housing through which light from the light guide structure passes.

20. The electronic device defined in claim 19 wherein the light guide structure comprises a sheet of transparent material, wherein the reflector comprises a reflective coating on the light guide structure, and wherein the reflector is interposed between the sheet of transparent material and the light guide plate.