Light Guide Body Segmentation for Uniform Multi-Design Display

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing display devices struggle to effectively display multiple designs using a light guide body, leading to inefficiencies in energy consumption and display unevenness.

Innovation Solution

A display device configuration featuring a light guide body with reflection design portions and connecting portions, where light is divided and guided to multiple reflection surfaces from different angles, allowing for efficient display of multiple designs with reduced energy consumption and improved uniformity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a light guide body is used to display multiple designs, then the display versatility is improved, but the energy consumption increases and display uniformity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay versatilityVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The light guide body is segmented into multiple light guide legs (first, second, third light guide legs) that independently guide light from different light sources (first, second, third guided-light sources) to different regions of the light exit portion. Each light guide leg has its own light entrance surface and guides light through separate paths, allowing multiple designs to be displayed simultaneously with reduced energy consumption per region.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the light exit portion are assigned different reflection design portions (first, second, third reflection design portions) with specific optical properties tailored to their functions. The first reflection design portion reflects light in a first direction, the second reflects light in a second direction, and the third reflects light in a third direction, creating locally optimized display regions with uniform brightness and reduced energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If a light guide body is used to display multiple designs, then the display versatility is improved, but display uniformity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay versatilityVSAvoiddisplay uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The light guide body is divided into multiple independent light guide legs, each responsible for illuminating specific regions. This segmentation allows precise control over light distribution to different areas, ensuring uniform display quality across multiple design regions without compromising versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each region of the light exit portion has dedicated reflection design portions with specific reflective properties optimized for that region. The first reflection design portion, second reflection design portion, and third reflection design portion each create uniform illumination in their respective regions, achieving high display uniformity across multiple designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple light sources are used to illuminate different regions, then the display versatility is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay versatilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple light guide legs and their associated light sources are merged into a single integrated light guide body structure. The first light guide leg, second light guide leg, and third light guide leg are combined with their respective light sources to form one cohesive device, reducing overall complexity while maintaining the ability to display multiple designs simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The light guide body serves multiple functions: it guides light from multiple light sources, creates multiple reflection designs, and displays multiple patterns simultaneously. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate devices for each function, simplifying the overall system while maintaining high display versatility.

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

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 solution enables effective display of multiple designs with reduced energy consumption and minimized display unevenness by guiding light to reflection design portions from various angles, using a simple and compact configuration.

Implementation Method 1

a first reflection design portion which reflects, in a first direction, a portion of the first light guided by the first light guide leg and a second reflection design portion which reflects, in the first direction, another portion of the first light guided by the first light guide leg

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS10564777B2Display device and input device
Publication Date: 2020.02.18 PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYST CO LTD
  • US10564777B2 patent drawing
  • US10564777B2 patent drawing
  • US10564777B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A display device including (i) a light source and (ii) a light guide body which guides light emitted by the light source, and includes: a light guide leg that guides the light entering through a light entrance surface; and a light exit portion connected to the light guide leg and including a reflection design portion which reflects, in a first direction, a portion of the light guided by the light guide leg and another reflection design portion which reflects, in the first direction, another portion of the light. When viewed in the first direction, the reflection design portion is disposed in a first region on a second direction side with respect to a connecting portion of the light exit portion connected to the light guide leg, and the other reflection design portion is disposed in a second region on a third direction side with respect to the connecting portion.