LED Substrate Connecting Pin for Display Luminance Uniformity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image display apparatuses experience uneven luminance due to the bulging connectors on LED substrates, which obstruct light and cause luminance inconsistencies on the display panel.

Innovation Solution

The use of flexible LED and relay substrates with first and second metal members that fit together to form a connecting pin, allowing for a low-profile connection that minimizes light obstruction and ensures electrical insulation, while also simplifying wire layout and facilitating easy connection verification through index holes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If connectors with metal terminals and resin housings are mounted on LED substrates to establish electrical connections, then electrical connectivity between substrates is achieved, but the connectors create bulges that obstruct light and cause luminance unevenness on the display panel

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical connectivityVSAvoidluminance uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the harmful resin housing from the connector structure, retaining only the essential metal terminal for electrical connection. This eliminates the light-obstructing bulge while preserving the electrical connectivity function, directly resolving the contradiction between reliable electrical connection and luminance uniformity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from a planar connector layout to a three-dimensional stacked arrangement where metal terminals on adjacent substrates connect vertically through lead wires. This dimensional change allows electrical connection without requiring large lateral connectors that create luminance unevenness on the display surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If multiple connectors and lead wires are used to electrically connect substrates, then electrical pathways are established, but the wire layout becomes complex and difficult to manage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical connectionVSAvoidwire layout complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple electrical connection functions into a unified connector structure where metal terminals and lead wires are integrated. This consolidation simplifies the overall wire layout by reducing the number of separate connection elements and their associated routing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If connectors with housing are used to protect metal terminals, then electrical connection is established, but the housing creates large bulges in the reflective sheet that block light

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical connection protectionVSAvoidconnector volume
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the resin housing component entirely from the connector structure, extracting only the essential metal terminal element. This elimination of the housing volume prevents the formation of light-blocking bulges in the reflective sheet while maintaining the protected electrical connection function through the metal terminal itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 configuration reduces the generation of unevenness in luminance by minimizing the size of the bulge in the reflective sheet, ensuring electrical insulation, and simplifying the electrical connection between substrates, thereby enhancing the display's uniformity and reliability.

Implementation Method 1

a reflective sheet that is electrically insulative and disposed between the display panel and both the LED substrate and the relay substrate so as to cover at least the first metal member and the second metal member, the reflective sheet reflecting light from the LED toward a back surface of the display panel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight reflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP3581996B1Image display device
Publication Date: 2021.04.14 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
  • EP3581996B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3581996B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3581996B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An image display apparatus (2) includes: a display panel (26) that displays an image on a front surface; an LED substrate (36) which is disposed on a back surface side of the display panel (26) and on which an LED (38) is mounted; a relay substrate (40) which is disposed on the back surface side of the display panel (26) and on which a circuit unit (42) is mounted; a first metal member (48) disposed on the LED substrate (36) and electrically connected with the LED (38); a second metal member (50) disposed on the relay substrate (40), electrically connected with the circuit unit (42), and fitted with the first metal member (48); and a reflective sheet (14) that is electrically insulative and disposed between the display panel (26) and both of the LED substrate (36) and the relay substrate (40) so as to cover at least the first metal member (48) and the second metal member (50), the reflective sheet (14) reflecting light from the LED (38) toward a back surface of the display panel (26). One of the first metal member (48) and the second metal member (50) includes an index hole (58). When the first metal member (48) and the second metal member (50) are fitted with each other, the index hole (58) is covered by the other of the first metal member (48) and the second metal member (50).