Light Guide Plate Recesses Prevent Light Leakage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wedge-shaped light guide plates in LCD backlight assemblies suffer from light leakage and hot spots, leading to reduced light efficiency and display quality due to the inclined surface design, which causes light to exit prematurely before reaching the emitting region.

Innovation Solution

A light guide plate design featuring a main body portion and inclined light guide portions with recesses, where the recesses are shaped to maintain a light guiding angle below the critical angle, preventing light leakage and enhancing light efficiency, and optionally including a horizontal connecting portion for improved manufacturing efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If a wedge-shaped light guide plate is used to reduce thickness, then the light guide plate becomes thinner and slimmer, but light leaks out from the inclined surface and hot spots occur, reducing light efficiency and display quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethickness of light guide plateVSAvoidlight efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating recesses at specific locations on the inclined surface where light leakage and hot spots occur. These recesses modify the local optical properties without changing the overall wedge shape, allowing light to be redirected properly while maintaining the thin profile. The recesses are strategically positioned to address local problems rather than redesigning the entire structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a new dimension by adding recesses that create micro-cavities on the inclined surface. This dimensional modification allows light that would normally leak out to be redirected through multiple reflections within the recess structures, effectively adding an optical path dimension that prevents premature light exit while maintaining the thin overall thickness.

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

2Length of moving object

If a wedge-shaped light guide plate is used to reduce thickness, then the light guide plate becomes thinner and slimmer, but hot spots occur, reducing display quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethickness of light guide plateVSAvoiddisplay quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The recesses are strategically positioned at locations where hot spots occur due to light concentration. By modifying the local geometry at these specific points, the patent redistributes light evenly across the emitting surface, eliminating hot spots and improving overall display quality without compromising the thin design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Loss of energy

If recesses are added to the inclined light guide portions, then light efficiency increases and hot spots are reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight efficiencyVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The inclined surface is segmented into multiple regions by creating discrete recesses at specific locations rather than modifying the entire surface. This segmentation approach allows light control at problem areas while leaving other regions simple, balancing improved light efficiency with manageable structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies specific geometric parameters (depth, width, and position of recesses) to optimize light control. By carefully controlling these parameters, the design achieves high light efficiency while keeping the recess structures simple enough for practical manufacturing, thus managing device complexity.

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

The design increases light efficiency and reduces hot spots, resulting in enhanced luminance and display quality by optimizing the light guiding angle and preventing premature light exit through the inclined surface, while also improving manufacturing quality.

Implementation Method 1

the light generated by the light source enters the light guide plate from the light incident surface, and then travels within the plate as long as the condition for total internal reflection exists

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTotal internal reflection: Total Internal Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS8827530B2Light guide plate and backlight assembly having the same
Publication Date: 2014.09.09 AU OPTRONICS CORP
  • US8827530B2 patent drawing
  • US8827530B2 patent drawing
  • US8827530B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A light guide plate includes a main body portion and inclined light guide portions having at least one recess. The main body portion has a first light incident surface, a bottom surface that is adjacent to the first light incident surface, and a light emitting surface that is opposite to the bottom surface. The inclined light guide portions disposed on the main body portion have a second light incident surface and at least one inclined surface. The second light incident surface is connected to the first light incident surface of the main body portion. The inclined surface is connected to the light emitting surface of the main body portion. At least one recess is formed between the inclined light guide portions. In addition, a wedge-shaped body can further be formed between the main body portion and the inclined light guide portions.