Light Guide Assembly Halo Elimination Structure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Reflective display devices, such as electronic paper displays, suffer from display quality issues due to the formation of halos adjacent to through holes in light guide plates, caused by reflected and scattered light at the light guide plate/air interface, which affect visibility in dark environments.

Innovation Solution

A light guide assembly with a through hole featuring an inner sidewall having a halo elimination structure, such as a light absorption layer or microstructure, that faces the through hole, preventing halos by absorbing or scattering reflected light, thereby improving display quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If a through hole is provided in the light guide plate to allow light source irradiation, then the display can be illuminated in dark environments, but reflected and scattered light forms halos adjacent to the through hole, degrading display quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay illuminationVSAvoidhalo formation

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A light absorption layer is introduced as an intermediary substance between the through hole and the display medium. This layer absorbs the reflected and scattered light that would otherwise form halos, while allowing the light source to still illuminate the display through the through hole. The light absorption layer acts as a mediator that eliminates the harmful halo effect without blocking the useful illumination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention converts the harmful reflected and scattered light that causes halos into a beneficial effect by using the light absorption layer to absorb this stray light. The previously harmful reflected light is now utilized to illuminate the light absorption layer, which then prevents halo formation by absorbing the light that would create the halo effect, thus transforming the harmful factor into a solution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Productivity

If the light guide plate has a light guide plate/air interface, then light can be guided and distributed, but reflected and scattered light is generated at the interface, affecting display quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight guidance efficiencyVSAvoidreflected and scattered light

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The light absorption layer serves as an intermediary between the light guide plate and the surrounding environment. It absorbs the reflected and scattered light generated at the light guide plate/air interface, preventing this harmful light from reaching the display medium and forming halos, while allowing the light guide plate to continue functioning efficiently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a light absorption layer is added to eliminate halos, then display quality is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehalo eliminationVSAvoidlight guide assembly structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The light absorption layer is integrated with the light guide plate structure, merging the halo elimination function with the existing light guide assembly. This integration approach adds the necessary light absorption capability while minimizing structural complexity by combining multiple functions into a unified assembly rather than adding separate independent components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 halo elimination structure effectively absorbs or scatters reflected and scattered light, preventing halo formation near the through hole and enhancing display quality in reflective display devices, especially in dark environments.

Implementation Method 1

the inner sidewall has a halo elimination structure that faces the through hole... the halo elimination structure is a light absorption layer... reflected and scattered light may be formed in the light guide plate due to a light guide plate/air interface... reflected and scattered light formed by a light guide plate/air interface can be absorbed by the halo elimination structure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 2

the halo elimination structure is a microstructure... reflected and scattered light formed by a light guide plate/air interface can be uniformed by the halo elimination structure through scattering

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight scattering: Scattering

Data Source

PatentUS11619776B2Light guide assembly and reflective display device

Publication Date: 2023.04.04 E INK HLDG INC

AI summary

A light guide assembly includes a light guide plate and a light source. The light guide plate has a through hole, an inner sidewall that surrounds the through hole, and an outer sidewall that surrounds the inner sidewall. The inner sidewall has a halo elimination structure that faces the through hole. The outer sidewall has a light incident surface. The light source faces the light incident surface of the outer sidewall of the light guide plate.