Backlight Unit Connector with Gap-Retaining Member

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing backlight unit structures face issues with maintaining a consistent optical distance between the light source and the light guide plate, leading to potential light leakage due to variations in the flatness of the bottom chassis.

Innovation Solution

A connector with a gap-retaining member is introduced, which is positioned closer to the light incident surface and protrudes from the connector main body to maintain a predetermined optical distance between the light source and the light guide plate, ensuring stable support and preventing light leakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the light guide plate is supported by forming a constant protrusion on the bottom chassis, then the optical distance between the light guide plate and light source is maintained, but light leakage occurs due to variations in the flatness of the bottom chassis

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoptical distance consistencyVSAvoidlight leakage prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A separate support structure is introduced as an intermediary component between the bottom chassis and the light guide plate. This support structure includes multiple support points that independently maintain the optical distance, preventing light leakage caused by chassis flatness variations. The intermediary structure decouples the light guide plate positioning from the chassis flatness, solving the contradiction between maintaining optical distance and preventing light leakage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If the bottom chassis flatness varies, then the optical distance between light source and light guide plate becomes inconsistent, but adding support structures increases device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoptical distance consistencyVSAvoidsupport structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The support structure is segmented into multiple independent support points or elements distributed across the bottom chassis. Each support point independently maintains the optical distance at its location, allowing the system to accommodate chassis flatness variations without requiring a complex monolithic support structure. This segmentation reduces overall device complexity while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support structure provides localized support at specific critical points where optical distance maintenance is most important, rather than requiring uniform support across the entire chassis surface. This local quality approach maintains manufacturing precision at key locations while minimizing the overall complexity of the support system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3677952B1Backlight unit and display device comprising same
Publication Date: 2022.05.11 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3677952B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3677952B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3677952B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is a backlight unit. The disclosed backlight unit comprises: a light guide plate; and a light source module configured to emit light to a light incident surface formed on at least one side of the light guide plate, wherein the light source module comprises: a printed circuit board; and a connector connected to multiple light sources arranged on the printed circuit board and to the printed circuit board, so as to transfer electric power thereto, and the connector may comprise a gap-retaining member arranged between the printed circuit board and the light guide plate, so that the light sources and the light incident surface are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined optical distance.