Light Guide Module Uniform Brightness via Edge Shielding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Display apparatuses with light guide modules suffer from uneven brightness due to the directionality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), leading to reduced image quality.
Innovation Solution
A light guide module comprising a light guide plate with an optical structure on one surface and a light-shielding part covering the edge area, which helps to distribute light uniformly by reducing total internal reflection and minimizing the coverage of the optical structure by the light-shielding part, thereby ensuring even brightness across the display area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If LEDs are used as light sources in display apparatuses, then the display apparatus can show bright images, but the directionality characteristic of LEDs causes uneven brightness distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide plate is divided into different functional regions: a display area and an edge area. The optical structure is selectively distributed only in the display area, while the edge area is covered by a light-shielding part. This segmentation allows different regions to serve different purposes, resolving the brightness uniformity issue by preventing edge effects from contaminating the display area.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical structure (microlens array) is locally applied only in the display area of the light guide plate, while the edge area is deliberately left without optical structures and covered by a light-shielding part. This local quality approach ensures that light is uniformly distributed only where needed (display area), while edge effects are eliminated, thereby achieving uniform brightness without compromising overall illumination intensity.
2Manufacturing precision
If a light guide module is added to guide light from LEDs, then light distribution can be improved, but the complexity of the display apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide plate and light-shielding part are merged into a single integrated light guide module that is disposed directly on the reflective display panel. This merging reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall structure while maintaining the uniform light distribution function. The module combines light guiding, uniformity correction, and edge light blocking functions in one integrated unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide module acts as an intermediary component between the LED light sources and the reflective display panel. It mediates the light distribution by guiding light from LEDs, uniformizing the brightness through the optical structure, and blocking edge light through the light-shielding part, thereby simplifying the interface between light sources and display panel while achieving uniform illumination.
3Productivity
If the optical structure is distributed across the entire light guide plate including edge area, then light guidance is maximized, but edge light causes uneven brightness in the display area
Solution Approach 1:
The light-shielding part is introduced to extract or remove the harmful edge light from the system. By placing the light-shielding part on the edge area, it selectively blocks light that would otherwise spread into the display area and cause uneven brightness. This extraction of harmful light elements preserves the beneficial light guidance function while eliminating the uniformity problem.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of trying to prevent edge light generation at the source, the invention inverts the approach by allowing edge light to be generated but then blocking it at the edge area using the light-shielding part. This inverted strategy of 'allow and block' rather than 'prevent' simplifies the optical structure design while achieving the same uniformity goal.
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 effectively reduces or avoids images with uneven brightness, enhancing the image quality of reflective display apparatuses by ensuring uniform light emission and consistent luminance across the display area.
Implementation Method 1
By the above optical structure, the light guide module can help the light of the light emitting components exits from the light guide plate uniformly, so as to reduce or avoid the images with uneven brightness.
Data Source
AI summary
A light guide module suitable for being disposed on a reflective display panel includes a light guide plate and a light-shielding part. The light guide plate has a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and an optical structure formed in the first surface. The first surface has a display area and an edge area surrounding the display area, and the optical structure is distributed in the display area. The light-shielding part is disposed on the first surface and covers the edge area, in which the light-shielding part has an opening exposing the display area.