Light Guide Reflection Structure for Shear Drop Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional triangular prism type reflection patterns in light guide plates suffer from shear drop issues during injection molding, leading to unintended light emission from the side surfaces, which hinders light separating presentations.
Innovation Solution
The reflection structure is designed with a pointed end and a specific angle between the reflected light beam and the normal direction of the end edge, constrained by the formula −38.327x^2 + 152.3x − 94.014, where x is the refractive index, to prevent emission from the pointed end side, and is formed into a spindle shape to enhance light reflection efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a triangular prism type reflection pattern is formed by injection molding, then the reflection structure can be easily manufactured, but a shear drop is generated on the side surface causing unintended light emission
Solution Approach 1:
The reflection pattern is segmented into multiple small reflection facets arranged in an array, where each facet is a triangular prism structure. This segmentation allows the side surfaces of individual facets to be oriented such that shear drops do not cause light leakage in the final assembled reflection structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The side surfaces of the triangular prism reflection facets are designed with specific orientations and angles tailored to their local positions in the array. By controlling the local geometry and orientation of each facet's side surface, the patent ensures that shear drops occur in directions that do not lead to unwanted light emission from the overall reflection structure.
2Manufacturing precision
If the side surface of the reflection pattern is made sharp to prevent light leakage, then light separating presentation is improved, but the injection molding process becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the reflection pattern into multiple discrete triangular prism facets, each with its own side surfaces, the patent achieves effective light control without requiring extremely sharp edges on individual components. The segmented structure allows for practical manufacturing tolerances while maintaining optical performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The triangular prism facets are arranged and oriented asymmetrically in the reflection pattern array, with side surfaces at specific angles designed to redirect shear drop-induced light leakage away from the optical path. This asymmetric arrangement maintains sharp effective edges for light separation while being compatible with injection molding processes.
3Illumination intensity
If light is reflected efficiently from the reflection structure, then brightness is improved, but light may leak from the side surfaces reducing presentation accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The reflection pattern consists of multiple triangular prism facets arranged in an array, where each facet reflects light efficiently toward the intended path while its side surfaces are oriented to contain any potential light leakage from shear drops within localized areas that do not affect the overall light separation accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
Each triangular prism facet in the array has locally optimized side surface orientations and angles tailored to its position, ensuring that high reflection efficiency is maintained while shear drop effects are confined to directions that do not compromise light separation precision in the final display.
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 effectively constrains light emission from the pointed end side, improving light reflection efficiency and enabling precise light separating presentations on the light exit surface.
Implementation Method 1
a reflection surface configured to reflect the light beam emitted from the light source toward the light emitting area
Data Source
AI summary
A reflection structure configured to be disposed on a light guide body that guides a light beam incident from a light source and causes the light beam to exit from a light emitting area set in a light exit surface, having a reflection surface that reflects the light beam emitted from the light source toward the light emitting area. When the reflection structure is viewed from a direction perpendicular to the light exit surface, a pointed end is arranged in a direction orthogonal to a traveling direction of the reflected light beam, and an angle formed between the traveling direction of the reflected light beam and a normal direction of an end edge of the reflection surface connected to the pointed end is less than or equal to −38.327x2+152.3x−94.014, wherein x is a refractive index of the light guide body.