Movable Backlight Unit for Dual-Side Display Switching

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are limited to displaying images on one side only, making them inflexible for applications requiring dual-sided display, and existing rotatable designs are complex and costly.

Innovation Solution

A display module with a movable backlight unit that can switch between facing the front and rear display surfaces, allowing images to be displayed on either side, featuring a screen frame with a liquid crystal unit and a removable backlight unit that can be positioned to emit light towards either surface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a rotatable display design with a screen rotation mechanism is used to allow the display surface to face an opposite side, then the display can switch between front and rear sides, but the mechanism has a complex structure and large size, leading to inconvenience in manufacturing and increased overall size and material cost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay switching capabilityVSAvoidrotation mechanism structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The backlight unit is divided into a movable portion and a fixed portion, allowing only the backlight unit to be relocated rather than rotating the entire display assembly. This segmentation enables dual-sided display functionality while avoiding the complex rotation mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The backlight unit is extracted as a separate movable component from the fixed display structure. By relocating only the backlight unit between front and rear positions, the patent achieves display switching without requiring rotation of the entire screen assembly, thereby simplifying the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a rotatable display design with a screen rotation mechanism is used to allow the display surface to face an opposite side, then the display can switch between front and rear sides, but the mechanism has a complex structure, leading to increased manufacturing cost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay switching capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The backlight unit is divided into a movable portion and a fixed portion, allowing only the backlight unit to be relocated rather than rotating the entire display assembly. This segmentation enables dual-sided display functionality while avoiding the complex rotation mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The backlight unit is extracted as a separate movable component from the fixed display structure. By relocating only the backlight unit between front and rear positions, the patent achieves display switching without requiring rotation of the entire screen assembly, thereby simplifying the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a rotatable display design with a screen rotation mechanism is used to allow the display surface to face an opposite side, then the display can switch between front and rear sides, but the mechanism has a large size, leading to increased overall size of electronic devices

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay switching capabilityVSAvoidoverall device size

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The backlight unit is divided into a movable portion and a fixed portion, allowing only the backlight unit to be relocated rather than rotating the entire display assembly. This segmentation enables dual-sided display functionality while avoiding the complex rotation mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The backlight unit is extracted as a separate movable component from the fixed display structure. By relocating only the backlight unit between front and rear positions, the patent achieves display switching without requiring rotation of the entire screen assembly, thereby simplifying the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS9910462B2Display module and electronic device including the same

Publication Date: 2018.03.06 WISTRON CORP

AI summary

A display module includes a liquid crystal unit and a backlight unit. The backlight unit has a light exit surface, and a movable portion that is movable between a location at which the light exit surface faces toward a front display surface of the liquid crystal unit, and another location at which the light exit surface faces toward a rear display surface of the liquid crystal unit, such that the display module is able to display images on the rear display surface or the front display surface.