Seamless Emission Tile Quilt Using Opaque Region Gaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing large format display systems face challenges in creating seamless and uniform images when tiling multiple screens due to visible seams caused by adhesives and imperfections, especially when light passes through, leading to discoloration and brightness changes.
Innovation Solution
A multi-layer screen system with strategically positioned opaque regions and gaps between layers, allowing light to propagate while minimizing the visibility of seams by controlling edge positions and using thin plastic layers and staggering techniques to reduce discontinuities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If adhesives or epoxies are used to hold abutted seams together, then the seams can be joined, but visible discontinuities and imperfections appear when light shines through
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the adhesive layer entirely from the seam structure. Instead of using adhesives to join tiles, the invention uses mechanical interlocking through protrusions and recesses that physically connect the tiles without requiring visible adhesive materials that would create discontinuities when light passes through.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mechanical intermediary structure (protrusions and recesses) that mediates the connection between tiles. This mechanical intermediary replaces the chemical intermediary (adhesive) and achieves joining without the visual defects caused by adhesive imperfections and non-uniformity.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple smaller display devices are tiled together to create large format displays, then the display size increases, but visible seams appear at the abutting edges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric design where the protrusions and recesses are positioned offset from the geometric center of the tile edges. This asymmetric placement, combined with the specific geometric shapes of the interlocking features, creates a seamless appearance by ensuring that the connection points do not align with the center of the tile surfaces where light would most directly reveal discontinuities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves the seam-hiding strategy from the 2D surface plane to the 3D spatial dimension by creating protrusions that extend outward and recesses that extend inward. This three-dimensional interlocking structure allows the seams to be hidden in the depth dimension while maintaining a flush, seamless appearance in the 2D display plane.
3Ease of manufacture
If adhesives are applied to large surfaces for lamination, then multiple films can be joined, but accurate and uniform placement becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the large display surface into multiple smaller tile units, each with its own protrusion-recessus connection mechanism. This segmentation allows for precise, localized alignment and connection at each tile interface, making it easier to achieve uniform placement accuracy across the entire large surface compared to attempting to bond the entire large surface at once with adhesive.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-layer display screen capable of being tiled without a visible gap between tiled screens and methods of using said device are described herein. In one embodiment, a system includes a light generator configured to produce light and a multi-layer screen with a plurality of layers. The multi-layer screen can be configured to permit the light from the light generator to propagate therethrough. The plurality of layers can include an opaque region layer having a plurality of opaque regions and a first layer comprising one or more abutted layers disposed within a common plane, the abutted layers spaced apart by a gap, wherein the gap is coincident with the opaque region.