Opto-Electronic Module Air Escape Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of a touch panel and a backlight module in low-profile electronic devices often results in air bubbles being trapped, leading to poor reliability due to internal air expansion, as the light blocking structure prevents light leakage but also restricts air communication with external ambient air.
Innovation Solution
An opto-electronic module with an air escape structure, featuring a circuit board with a groove connecting internally and externally, a light-emitting assembly, a contact sheet with a semi-transparent film, and an outer block with a channel, allowing air pressure balance and preventing damage from air expansion, while maintaining light shielding and accurate touch sensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a light blocking structure is used to prevent light leakage, then light shielding performance is improved, but air communication between internal and external environments is restricted, causing internal air pressure imbalance and reliability degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The light blocking structure is segmented by introducing air escape holes that divide it into regions with light-blocking functionality and air-escape functionality. This allows the structure to simultaneously prevent light leakage while enabling air communication between the internal cavity and external environment, resolving the contradiction between light shielding and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the light blocking structure are assigned different properties: certain areas maintain light-blocking characteristics while specific localized regions (air escape holes) provide air permeability. This local differentiation allows the structure to fulfill both light shielding and pressure balancing functions without compromising overall reliability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the opto-electronic module is designed with a hermetic structure to prevent light leakage, then light shielding is improved, but internal air bubbles cannot escape, causing expansion and damage to internal components
Solution Approach 1:
Air escape holes serve as intermediary channels that connect the internal cavity to the external environment. These holes act as mediators that allow air pressure equalization without compromising the light-blocking integrity of the main structure, thus preventing internal air expansion damage while maintaining light shielding effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful effect of trapped air is eliminated by extracting air escape pathways from the hermetic structure. The air escape holes remove the constraint of complete sealing, allowing internal air to communicate with external ambient air and preventing pressure buildup that would otherwise damage internal components.
3Reliability
If air escape holes are introduced in the light blocking structure, then air pressure balance is improved, but light may leak through the holes
Solution Approach 1:
The air escape holes are designed with specific dimensional characteristics (small size, specific positioning) that allow air passage while maintaining light-blocking performance. The local geometry of the holes is optimized to permit air molecules to pass while preventing light transmission, thus simultaneously achieving pressure balance and light shielding.
Solution Approach 2:
The dimensions and positioning parameters of the air escape holes are carefully controlled to create a size regime where air can escape but light cannot pass through. By adjusting the hole size, shape, and location parameters, the structure achieves both air permeability and optical blocking 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 air escape structure balances internal and external air pressures, enhancing the reliability and accuracy of touch sensing by preventing hermetic conditions and ensuring the opto-electronic module operates under balanced atmospheric pressure.
Implementation Method 1
The light-emitting element set is configured to emit a ray of light toward the light guide plate when being driven
Implementation Method 2
an adhesive layer is on at least one of the light-emitting top surface and the light guide bottom surface of the light guide plate
Data Source
AI summary
An opto-electronic module includes a circuit board, a light-emitting assembly, a contact sheet, a light shielding structure, and an outer block. The circuit board has a surface and a groove on the surface. The light-emitting assembly includes a light guide plate and a light-emitting element set. The contact sheet is above the light guide plate. The light shielding structure is above the light guide plate or below the contact sheet. The light shielding structure has an opening. The opening corresponds to a microstructure. The outer block is at an outer periphery of the light guide plate, there is a gap between the outer block and the light guide plate, and the outer block is between the contact sheet and the circuit board. One end of the groove is in communication with the gap, and the other end of the groove is in communication with the environment outside the opto-electronic module.