Backlight Unit Frame Width Reduction via Extraction and Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid crystal display devices face challenges in minimizing the frame width and thickness due to the limitations of traditional backlight designs, which hinder the miniaturization of display devices like smartphones and tablets.
Innovation Solution
A novel backlight device design featuring a support frame with a U-shaped resin frame and a metal member, incorporating a reflective sheet, light guide, optical sheets, and a light source unit with LEDs, where the light source unit is positioned close to the incidence surface of the light guide, and the case is omitted to reduce the frame width and thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a traditional backlight design with a case (bezel) is used, then the mechanical strength and structural stability are improved, but the frame width and thickness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the traditional case (bezel) from the backlight device structure. By extracting this component, the frame width and thickness are reduced, enabling narrower frames and thinner display devices while relying on the support frame and adhesive layers to maintain structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The support frame is divided into a U-shaped resin frame body and a separate metal member. This segmentation allows the metal member to be positioned only where structural strength is needed (at the light source unit location), providing mechanical support without increasing overall frame width
2Length of stationary object
If the light source unit is positioned close to the incidence surface of the light guide, then the frame width is narrowed, but the uniformity of light distribution deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A reflective sheet is introduced as an intermediary component between the light source unit and the light guide. This reflective sheet redirects light that would otherwise escape, improving light distribution uniformity while allowing the light source unit to be positioned close to the incidence surface for reduced frame width
Solution Approach 2:
The metal member is strategically positioned only at the light source unit location where additional structural support is needed. This localized reinforcement maintains mechanical strength without increasing overall frame width, while the reflective sheet is positioned specifically to address light distribution issues in the narrowed frame configuration
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design allows for a significantly narrowed frame width and thinner structure, enhancing the display device's compactness while maintaining mechanical strength and improving display quality by reducing light leakage and uneven brightness.
Implementation Method 1
The light source unit includes a wiring board and a plurality of light sources, for example, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted on the wiring board
Implementation Method 2
a reflective layer, a light guide, an optical sheet, a light source unit which irradiates light which enters the light guide. The reflective layer, light guide and optical sheet are stacked one on another
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a backlight device includes a support frame including a first frame body including a pair of first frame members and a second frame member connected to respective ends of the first frame members and a second frame body being separate from the first frame body, which connects other respective ends of the first frame members to each other, a reflective sheet on the support frame, a light guide on the reflective sheet within the support frame, an optical sheet on the light guide, and a light source unit in the support frame. The light source unit includes a wiring board on the second frame body and a light source on the wiring board, opposing an incidence surface of the light guide.