Light Guide Plate Curved Microstructures Total Reflection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) face issues with total reflection phenomena on their light guide plates, leading to non-uniform light emission and luminous flickering, which affect display quality and performance due to the large incidence angles of light on the emitting surface.

Innovation Solution

The light guide plate incorporates mesh points with microstructures arranged on a curved surface, specifically a spherical surface, to reduce incidence angles and enhance light emission, with microstructures distributed according to specific geometric formulas to optimize light propagation and uniformity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If light guide plate uses conventional flat surface design, then manufacturing is simple, but total reflection phenomena occur causing non-uniform light emission

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidlight emission uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies curvature by designing mesh points with spherical or curved surface microstructures on the light guide plate. These curved surfaces refract light at different angles, converting direct light into diffuse light and eliminating total reflection phenomena, thereby achieving uniform light emission across the display panel.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local quality by creating mesh points with varying microstructure densities and curvatures at different locations on the light guide plate. The microstructures are strategically distributed to optimize light diffusion in specific areas, ensuring uniform luminance while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If light guide plate uses mesh points with microstructures to improve light uniformity, then luminous uniformity improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveluminous uniformityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the light guide plate surface into multiple mesh points, each containing microstructures. This segmentation allows independent optimization of light diffusion at each mesh point while maintaining overall uniformity, balancing performance improvement with manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

By using spherical or curved microstructures with standardized geometries, the patent achieves complex light diffusion functions through relatively simple geometric forms that can be manufactured using conventional molding techniques, thus limiting the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Loss of energy

If light guide plate uses curved surface microstructures, then total reflection is reduced and luminous efficiency improves, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveluminous efficiencyVSAvoidmicrostructure precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs spherical or curved surface microstructures that can be efficiently manufactured using injection molding or embossing techniques. These standardized curved geometries achieve effective light diffusion with moderate manufacturing precision, avoiding the need for extremely complex or high-precision fabrication processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes parameters such as microstructure size, curvature radius, and spacing to achieve effective light diffusion within manufacturable precision ranges. By carefully selecting these parameters, the design achieves high luminous efficiency while remaining compatible with conventional manufacturing capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 reduces total reflection, improves luminous efficiency, and achieves better luminous uniformity, enhancing the display effect by ensuring consistent light emission across the LCD panel.

Implementation Method 1

the LGP is configured to guide the transmission direction of light beams emitted from the light source

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Implementation Method 2

all the microstructures on each mesh point are arranged on the same curved surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS9977172B2Light guide plate and display device
Publication Date: 2018.05.22 BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO LTD
  • US9977172B2 patent drawing
  • US9977172B2 patent drawing
  • US9977172B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A light guide plate (LGP) and a display device are disclosed. The LGP comprises at least one mesh point; each mesh point is provided with a plurality of microstructures; and all the microstructures on each mesh point are arranged on the same curved surface. The LGP can solve the problem that incident light is subjected to total reflection in the LGP so that the luminous uniformity of the LGP can be improved.