Integrated Light-Guide Apparatus with Micro-Structures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional backlight assemblies for display devices face issues such as light loss, increased manufacturing costs, line defects, and difficulties in producing uniform brightness due to air spacing between light-guide and reflection plates, which affect light utilization efficiency and luminance.
Innovation Solution
A light-guide apparatus with a micro-structure is developed using a co-extrusion process to integrate an upper light-distributing layer, a middle light-guiding layer, and a lower reflective layer as a unique piece, eliminating air spacing and incorporating three-dimensional micro-structures on the reflective surface to enhance light reflection and distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a separate reflection plate is added to increase light reflection efficiency, then light reflection performance is improved, but air spacing causes light loss up to 8% and increases manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the light-guiding plate and reflection plate into a single integrated component. The light-guiding plate incorporates a reflection layer at its bottom surface, eliminating the need for a separate reflection plate. This integration removes the air spacing between plates, reducing light loss from 8% to less than 4% while maintaining high light reflection efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The light-guiding plate is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: light guiding, light reflection, and light distribution. By integrating the reflection layer into the light-guiding plate structure, the component serves both as a light guide and a reflector, reducing the total number of components and eliminating air gaps that cause light loss.
2Stability of the object's composition
If additional reflection plate and diffusing film are used to improve light uniformity, then light uniformity is improved, but manufacturing cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into the light-guiding plate by integrating a reflection layer and light-distributing structures directly into it. This eliminates the need for separate reflection plates and diffusing films, reducing device complexity while maintaining light uniformity through the built-in light-distributing patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The light-guiding plate incorporates local light-distributing structures such as prisms or diffusing patterns at specific locations to achieve uniform light distribution. These localized features provide the necessary light uniformity without requiring additional global components like separate diffusing films.
3Illumination intensity
If conventional multi-layer assembly is used, then light reflection and guiding functions are achieved, but air spacing increases manufacturing cost and reduces productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple layers (light-guiding layer, reflection layer, and light-distributing structures) into a single monolithic component manufactured through co-extrusion. This eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly steps for multiple layers, significantly improving productivity and reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining high luminance output.
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 solution significantly reduces light loss to less than 4%, improves light uniformity, and decreases production costs by eliminating the need for additional reflective plates and diffusing films, while maintaining high luminance and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The light-guide plate can be used as an edge-type module that guides lights emitted by an edge light source to leave vertically from a front surface of the display device
Implementation Method 2
the bottom surface of the light-guide plate is usually formed as a reflection surface to send back lights into the plate
Implementation Method 3
manufactured by a co-extrusion process
Data Source
AI summary
A light-guide apparatus for accompanying an edge light source to form a backlight module for an LCD display includes an upper light-distributing layer, a middle light-guiding layer and a lower reflective layer. The light-guiding layer further defines a light-introducing surface for allowing lights emitted from the edge light source to enter the light-guiding layer. The reflective layer reflects the lights back to the light-guiding layer. A light-exiting surface for allowing at least a portion of the lights to leave the light-guiding layer is defined on the top surface of the light-distributing layer and is perpendicular to the light-introducing surface. The light-distributing layer, the light-guiding layer and the reflective layer are manufactured integrally into a unique piece by a co-extrusion process so as to avoid possible existence of air spacing in between. Three-dimensional micro-structures are constructed on a reflective surface interfacing the reflective layer and the light-guiding layer.