Light-Emitting Device With Shifted Microlenses for Optical Efficiency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing light emitting devices, particularly those using organic EL elements, suffer from insufficient light utilization efficiency when combined with optical systems, leading to increased power consumption.

Innovation Solution

The configuration of the light emitting device involves disposing microlenses shifted from the light-emission regions to improve light intensity in specific directions, utilizing a microlens shift amount to enhance light utilization efficiency in both front and oblique directions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If microlenses are disposed on organic EL elements to increase emission intensity in the front direction, then emission intensity is improved, but light utilization efficiency when combined with optical systems is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemission intensityVSAvoidlight utilization efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the microlens arrangement across different regions of the light emitting device. Specifically, microlenses are disposed with different shift amounts from the light-emitting regions depending on the viewing direction: larger shift amounts for front-viewing microlenses and smaller shift amounts for oblique-viewing microlenses. This regional differentiation optimizes light extraction efficiency for each specific viewing angle, thereby improving overall light utilization efficiency when combined with optical systems while maintaining high emission intensity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Illumination intensity

If microlenses are arranged to concentrate light, then emission intensity in specific directions is increased, but power consumption increases due to insufficient light utilization efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemission intensity in specific directionsVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by systematically varying the shift amount parameter of microlenses from light-emitting regions based on viewing direction. Front-viewing microlenses have larger shift amounts while oblique-viewing microlenses have smaller shift amounts. This parameter optimization ensures that light is concentrated in the desired directions with minimal loss, thereby improving power consumption efficiency while maintaining high emission intensity in specific directions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

This configuration increases emission intensity in desired directions, thereby improving light utilization efficiency in optical systems, reducing power consumption.

Implementation Method 1

a microlens that light from a light-emission region of the light emitting element enters

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Data Source

PatentEP3996144B1Light emitting device, exposure system, imaging display device, imaging device, electronic device, lighting device, and moving object
Publication Date: 2025.09.10 CANON KK
  • EP3996144B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3996144B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3996144B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A light emitting device is provided that includes a first light emitting element, a second light emitting element, and a third light emitting element; a first lens that overlaps a center of a first light-emission region of the first light emitting element; a second lens that overlaps a center of a second light-emission region of the second light emitting element; and a third lens that overlaps a center of a third light-emission region of the third light emitting element. A first pixel including the first light emitting element, a second pixel including the second light emitting element, and a third pixel including the third light emitting element each emit light of a first color. In the pixels that each emit the light of the first color, the second light emitting element is disposed between the first light emitting element and the third light emitting element and is adjacent to the first light emitting element and adjacent to the third light emitting element. A distance between a center of the second light-emission region and a vertex of the second lens is larger than a difference between a distance between a vertex of the first lens and the vertex of the second lens and a distance between the vertex of the second lens and a vertex of the third lens.