Light Guide Plate Prism Lens Patterns Slim Backlight

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional display devices with optical sheets between the light guide plate and the display panel result in increased overall thickness, necessitating a solution to reduce thickness while maintaining image quality.

Innovation Solution

The display device omits separate optical sheets by integrating a prism pattern on the light guide plate's lower surface and a lens pattern on its upper surface, with prisms and lenses designed to collimate and scatter light uniformly, reducing thickness and preventing moiré stains.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If separate optical sheets are disposed between the light guide plate and the display panel, then light diffusion and collimation functions are achieved, but the overall thickness of the display device increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight diffusion and collimationVSAvoidoverall thickness
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple optical sheets (diffusion sheet and collimation sheet) with the light guide plate into a single integrated structure. The light guide plate includes a lower surface with diffusion patterns and an upper surface with collimation patterns, eliminating the need for separate optical sheets while maintaining their light control functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The light guide plate is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it guides light from the edge source, diffuses light through patterns on its lower surface, and collimates light through patterns on its upper surface. This multi-functional design replaces what previously required multiple separate components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Illumination intensity

If multiple optical sheets are used for light control, then light distribution uniformity is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight distribution uniformityVSAvoidnumber of optical components
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the diffusion sheet and collimation sheet into the light guide plate itself. The lower surface of the light guide plate contains diffusion patterns while the upper surface contains collimation patterns, reducing the total number of optical components from three (light guide plate + diffusion sheet + collimation sheet) to one integrated structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The light guide plate is segmented into different functional zones: the lower surface is divided into multiple diffusion patterns (such as prism patterns or dot patterns), and the upper surface is divided into multiple collimation patterns (such as lenticular lenses or microlenses). This segmentation allows each zone to independently control light in specific directions while working together to achieve uniform light distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 configuration achieves a slimmer display device with uniform light distribution to the display panel, preventing degradation in image quality and reducing manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for separate optical sheets.

Implementation Method 1

a lower surface including a prism pattern

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Implementation Method 2

a lower surface including a prism pattern

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 3

an upper surface including a lens pattern

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFocusing: Focusing

Implementation Method 4

prisms and lenses designed to collimate and scatter light uniformly

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCollimation:

Data Source

PatentEP3348900B1Light guide plate of backlight unit and liquid crystal display device including the same
Publication Date: 2022.08.17 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP3348900B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3348900B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3348900B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A display device includes: a display panel; a light source; and a light guide plate receiving light from the light source and providing the light to the display panel. The light guide plate includes an upper surface facing the display panel, a light incident surface facing the light source and a light opposing surface opposing the light incident surface. The upper surface includes a lens pattern and the lower surface incudes a prism pattern, the prism pattern includes a plurality of prisms arranged along a first direction from the light incident surface to the light opposing surface, each of the prisms has a length extending in a second direction along a length of the light incident surface, and among the prisms arranged along the first direction within the prism pattern, the lengths of the prisms increase as a distnace from the light incident surface increases.