Optical Member Surface Structure for Uniform LCD Backlighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical designs for vehicle lamps and liquid crystal display devices suffer from brightness unevenness due to refractive and scattering issues with light distribution, leading to non-uniform illumination.
Innovation Solution
An optical member with light control units featuring convex and concave surfaces is introduced, where adjacent convex surfaces are directly connected, reducing total reflection and scattering, and improving light uniformity by controlling light paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional optical designs with concentric spherical lens cut portions are used, then light can be emitted from LED chips, but brightness unevenness occurs due to refractive and scattering issues
Solution Approach 1:
The optical member is divided into multiple light control units, each corresponding to individual LED chips or groups of chips. Each unit independently controls light from its associated LED(s), allowing precise management of light distribution and reducing brightness unevenness through localized optical control.
Solution Approach 2:
The light control units feature curved convex outer surfaces that function as optical lenses. This curvature is specifically designed to refract and direct light rays from the LED chips in controlled patterns, improving light uniformity while eliminating the need for separate lens components.
Solution Approach 3:
Different regions of the optical member have different surface characteristics - the outer surfaces are curved convex surfaces optimized for light extraction and direction, while inner surfaces may have different properties for light management. This local differentiation allows optimized performance for specific functional requirements.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If light control units with separated surfaces are used, then light can be controlled, but total reflection and scattering increase at interface boundaries
Solution Approach 1:
Adjacent light control units are designed with directly connected convex surfaces, eliminating gaps and interface boundaries between units. This merging of surfaces reduces total internal reflection and scattering that would occur at discrete interfaces, improving overall light transmission efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The directly connected convex surfaces create a continuous optical path for light propagation. This continuity ensures that light rays can pass through multiple light control units without encountering disruptive interfaces, maintaining consistent light control and reducing energy loss throughout the optical member.
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 significantly enhances light uniformity and reduces brightness unevenness, achieving a uniformity of 73.5% compared to previous designs, with improved light condensing properties and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
each of the light control units has an outer surface that is a curved convex surface
Implementation Method 2
the convex surfaces of the light control units adjacent to each other are directly connected to each other
Data Source
AI summary
An optical member includes: a plurality of light control units, each including: an upper surface that is a curved convex surface, and a lower surface on a side opposite the upper surface, the lower surface including: a first surface that is flat, and a concave surface positioned outward of the first surface and extending downward from an outer periphery of the first surface, the concave surface being recessed outward from a virtual line connecting an outer end of the first surface and a lower end of the concave surface to each other. The curved convex surfaces of adjacent ones of the light control units are directly connected to each other.