Integrated Backlight Collimator Reducing Thickness and Weight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing backlight units for liquid crystal display devices suffer from reduced light efficiency, increased thickness, and weight due to the use of multiple optical sheets, which also increase production costs and process time.
Innovation Solution
A backlight unit incorporating a diffusor, a reflective plate, and a collimator with a base layer, collimating lenses, and a reflective pattern on the rear surface of the base layer, which diffuses, reflects, and collimates light to minimize light loss and improve brightness and viewing angle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If multiple optical sheets are used to improve light efficiency and viewing angle, then light efficiency and viewing angle are improved, but device thickness and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple optical sheets (diffusing sheet, first prism sheet, second prism sheet) into a single integrated optical sheet structure. This merged structure performs the same light diffusing and collimating functions as separate sheets while reducing the total number of components, thereby decreasing weight and thickness without compromising light efficiency or viewing angle performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated optical sheet is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: diffusing light from the light guide, collimating light in multiple directions, and controlling viewing angles. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate specialized sheets for each function, reducing overall device weight while maintaining or improving optical performance.
2Illumination intensity
If multiple optical sheets are used to improve light efficiency and viewing angle, then light efficiency and viewing angle are improved, but device thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple optical sheets into a single integrated structure that performs diffusing and collimating functions. This consolidation reduces the cumulative thickness that would result from stacking multiple separate sheets while maintaining the optical performance benefits of having dedicated diffusing and collimating layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated optical sheet incorporates nested functional layers within a single component structure. The diffusing and collimating functions are nested within the same sheet material and structure, allowing multiple optical functions to be achieved without the additive thickness of separate discrete sheets.
3Illumination intensity
If multiple optical sheets are used to improve light efficiency and viewing angle, then light efficiency and viewing angle are improved, but production cost and process time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple optical sheets into a single integrated component that can be manufactured as one piece or pre-assembled unit. This merging reduces the number of separate manufacturing steps, assembly operations, and quality control checks required, thereby improving production efficiency and reducing process time while maintaining the optical performance of multiple specialized sheets.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-functional integrated optical sheet replaces multiple specialized sheets, reducing the complexity of the manufacturing process. Fewer components mean fewer assembly steps and reduced production time, while the single component maintains all necessary optical functions including light diffusing, collimating, and viewing angle control.
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
The solution enhances light efficiency, reduces the thickness of the backlight unit, and decreases production costs by minimizing light loss through side lobes, thereby improving the brightness and viewing angle of the liquid crystal display device.
Implementation Method 1
a diffusor that diffuses light emitted from a front surface thereof
Implementation Method 2
a reflective plate that reflects light toward a rear surface of the diffusor
Implementation Method 3
a collimator that collimates the light emitted from the front surface of the diffusor toward the liquid crystal display panel
Implementation Method 4
a base layer that refracts the diffused light from the diffusor toward the liquid crystal panel
Data Source
AI summary
A backlight unit for a liquid crystal display panel includes a diffusor that diffuses light emitted from a front surface thereof, a reflective plate that reflects light toward a rear surface of the diffusor; and a collimator that collimates the light emitted from the front surface of the diffusor toward the liquid crystal display panel. The collimator includes a base layer that refracts the diffused light from the diffusor toward the liquid crystal panel, a collimating layer of lenses disposed along two perpendicular directions on a front surface of the base layer, and a reflective pattern on a rear surface of the base layer along a boundary of each of the lenses, the reflective pattern exposing an aperture portion of the base layer facing each of the lenses.