IP Library Granted Patent US 12687412
Granted Patent B2
US 12687412 · App. 18/711,956 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Rotating display apparatus

Inventor: Soobeom Lee (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
G01D5/3473
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12687412
App. No.
18/711,956
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention is applicable to the display apparatus-related technical field, and relates to, for example, a rotating display apparatus using a light-emitting diode (LED) which is a semiconductor light-emitting device. The present invention provides the rotating display apparatus comprising: a fixing portion including a motor; a rotating portion located on the fixing portion and rotated by the motor; a light source module including a light-emitting element array coupled to the rotating portion and displaying an image by using an afterimage caused by the rotation of the rotating portion; and an encoder positioned between the fixing portion and the rotating portion to synchronize an image displayed by the light-emitting element array at a predetermined position when the rotating portion rotates, wherein the encoder comprises: a light-emitting portion continuously emitting light; a light-receiving portion receiving light emitted from the light-emitting portion through at least two paths; and a disk-shaped scaler disposed between the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion and having a plurality of slits formed along the circumferential direction.

Claims (40)

1 . A rotatable display apparatus, comprising:

a fixed portion including a motor;

a rotary portion located on the fixed portion and configured to rotate by the motor;

a light source module coupled to the rotary portion and including a light-emitting device array configured to display an image using an afterimage caused by rotation of the rotary portion; and

an encoder located between the fixed portion and the rotary portion and configured to synchronize the image displayed by the light-emitting device array at a constant position based on rotation of the rotary portion,

wherein the encoder includes:

a light emitter configured to continuously emit light;

a light receiver configured to receive the light emitted from the light emitter through at least two paths;

a disc-shaped scaler located between the light emitter and the light receiver and having a plurality of slits formed in a circumferential direction; and

a first switcher located between any two of the plurality of slits to switch the light emitted from the light emitter to a predetermined path of the at least two paths.

2 . The rotatable display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light receiver includes:

a first light receiver configured to receive the light emitted from the light emitter through a first path; and

a second light receiver configured to receive the light emitted from the light emitter through a second path.

3 . The rotatable display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first switcher includes a reflector.

4 . The rotatable display apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the reflector is formed in the first switcher and is located on an inclined surface configured to switch a first path to the predetermined path.

5 . The rotatable display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first switcher is located on a same circumferential line as the plurality of slits.

6 . The rotatable display apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second switcher located between any two of the plurality of slits to switch the light emitted from the light emitter to another one of the at least two paths.

7 . The rotatable display apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the another one of the at least two paths is in an opposite direction to the predetermined path.

8 . The rotatable display apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a third light receiver configured to receive the light emitted from the light emitter through the another one of the at least two paths.

9 . The rotatable display apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the second switcher includes an inclined surface configured to switch a first path to the another one of the at least two paths.

10 . The rotatable display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light source module is coupled to the rotary portion and includes the light-emitting device array arranged in a longitudinal direction on at least one panel arranged radially or at least one panel arranged along a cylindrical surface.

11 . A rotatable display apparatus, comprising:

a fixed portion including a motor;

a rotary portion located on the fixed portion and configured to rotate by the motor;

a light source module coupled to the rotary portion and including a light-emitting device array configured to display an image using an afterimage caused by rotation of the rotary portion; and

an encoder located between the fixed portion and the rotary portion and configured to synchronize the image displayed by the light-emitting device array at a constant position based on rotation of the rotary portion,

wherein the encoder includes:

a light emitter configured to continuously emit light;

a light receiver configured to receive the light emitted from the light emitter in at least two different periods;

a disc-shaped scaler located between the light emitter and the light receiver and having a plurality of slits formed in a circumferential direction; and

a first switcher located between any two of the plurality of slits to switch a direction of the light emitted from the light emitter toward the light receiver.

12 . The rotatable display apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the light receiver includes:

a first light receiver configured to receive the light emitted from the light emitter in a first period; and

a second light receiver configured to receive the light emitted from the light emitter in a second period.

13 . The rotatable display apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first switcher is located on a same circumferential line as the plurality of slits.

14 . The rotatable display apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first switcher includes a reflector.

15 . The rotatable display apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the reflector is formed in the first switcher and is located on an inclined surface configured to switch a first path to a second path.

16 . The rotatable display apparatus of claim 12 , wherein a signal received by the second light receiver is a signal indicating a reference position of the light source module.

17 . The rotatable display apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a second switcher located between any two of the plurality of slits to switch the light emitted from the light emitter to a third path.

18 . The rotatable display apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising a third light receiver configured to receive the light emitted from the light emitter through the third path.