Device for backlighting a liquid-crystal display facility for a display and/or control unit, in particular in a household appliance

• US 7,959,340 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2007
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerã¤Te GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerã¤Te GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Kofidis, Georgios, Siegmar, Bernhard, Mager, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton; Anabel M
• Application Number:
  US12/279,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20090059566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• Field of Search: 362600-633, 362/97.1, 362/97.2, 349 56- 71
• US Class Current: 362/603
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/006 to produce indicia, symbols, texts or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0076 Stacked arrangements of multiple light guides of the same or different cross-sectional area

Abstract

The aim is to provide backlighting in a liquid-crystal display unit for a display and/or operator control unit, in particular on a domestic appliance. To achieve this, a backlighting layer, to which at least one backlighting source can be coupled, is located beneath an LCD layer and at least one supplementary backlighting layer is located beneath the backlighting layer. The supplementary layer can be coupled to at least one additional backlighting source assigned to the layers and permits the respective supplementary backlighting layer to emit light from the additional backlighting source(s) in respective defined masked zones through the backlighting layer and through the LCD layer.

Claims

1. A device for backlighting an LCD unit for at least one of a display and a control unit, the device comprising:

a backlighting layer disposed below an LCD layer of the LCD unit;

at least one backlight source coupled to said backlighting layer;

at least one supplementary backlighting layer disposed below said backlighting layer;

at least one further backlight source coupled to said supplementary backlighting layer, said supplementary backlighting layer allowing light from said at least one further backlight source to be emitted through said backlighting layer and through the LCD layer; and

a cover mask having light-permeable zones and disposed between said backlighting layer and said supplementary backlighting layer, said cover mask defining masked zones and is at least one of formed and printed such that light from said further backlight source can only be emitted according to said light-permeable zones of said cover mask to the LCD layer;

said light-permeable zones of said cover mask defining geometrically separate zones to be lit on the LCD unit by the further backlight source.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said cover mask is formed so that said supplementary backlighting layer is covered on a side facing said backlighting layer in zones for not allowing additional backlighting.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said light-permeable zones include at least one geographic form selected from the group consisting of a line element, a graphic sign and a legend.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said backlighting layer is configured as one of a combined light reflector and light diffuser and a semi-permeable diffuser film.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein said backlighting layer has a lower face coated completely with a color.

6. The device according to claim 4, further comprising a diffuser film disposed between said backlighting layer and the LCD layer.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said backlighting layer and said supplementary backlighting layer are formed respectively from a light-conducting plastic film.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein said light-conducting plastic film is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of polymethyl methacrylate and polycarbonate.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein in a region of said light-permeable zones said supplementary backlighting layer is formed as an optical configuration and parallel light beams can be emitted through said light-permeable zones from said further backlight source.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is used in a household appliance.

11. The device according to claim 2, wherein said cover mask is a dark color layer disposed on said side of said supplementary backlighting layer facing said backlighting layer.

12. The device according to claim 4, wherein said backlighting layer has a lower face coated completely with a white color.

13. The device according to claim 1, further comprising an optical configuration, and in a region of said light-permeable zones said supplementary backlighting layer is combined in a beam path to the LCD layer with said optical configuration such that parallel light beams can be emitted through said light-permeable zones from said further backlight source.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein said light-permeable zones of said cover mask form the light from said at least one further backlight source into at least one geographic form selected from the group consisting of a line element, a graphic sign and a legend.