Display panel assembly and display apparatus having the same
View Patent ↗A display panel assembly capable of improving image display quality and a display apparatus having the display panel, wherein the display panel assembly includes a display panel and a transflective member. The display panel includes two substrates and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the two substrates. The transflective member is disposed under the display panel to transmit a backlight toward a front of the display panel and to reflect a front light having passed through the display panel back toward the front of the display panel. Therefore, the front light is partially reflected by the transflective member to increase a luminance of the display apparatus, thereby improving the image display quality.
1. A display panel assembly comprising:
a display panel including two substrates and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the two substrates; and
a transflective member arranged under the display panel to transmit a backlight toward the display panel and to reflect a front light having passed through a front of the display panel back toward the display panel,
wherein the transflective member comprises:
a base sheet arranged under the display panel. the base sheet having a first refractive index; and
a total reflective material in grooves formed in the base sheet, the total reflective material having a second refractive index larger than the first refractive index, so that the front light is totally reflected from the total reflective material.
2. The display panel assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a reflective material interposed between the total reflective material and the base sheet to increase a reflectivity of the total reflective material.
3. The display panel assembly of claim 2 , wherein the total reflective material comprises a metal.
4. The display panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the grooves has a substantially triangular cross-section.
5. The display panel assembly of claim 4 , wherein the triangle is a substantially equilateral triangle, and a lower side of the equilateral triangle is substantially parallel with the display panel.
6. The display panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the grooves has a substantially polygonal pyramid shape, and a lower surface of the polygonal pyramid is substantially parallel with the display panel.
7. The display panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the grooves has a substantially conical shape, and a lower surface of the cone is substantially parallel with the display panel.
8. The display panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the base sheet comprises polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).
9. The display panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein a refractive index of the total reflective material is larger than a refractive index of the base sheet.
10. The display panel assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first polarizer arranged under the display panel to polarize the light in a first direction; and
a second polarizer arranged on the display panel to polarize the light in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
11. The display panel assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first phase difference film arranged under the display panel, the first phase film extending in a first longitudinal direction to change a phase of the light; and
a second phase difference film on the display panel, the second phase difference film extending in a second longitudinal direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first longitudinal direction to change a phase of the light.
12. The display panel assembly of claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second phase difference films changes a phase of the light by about λ/4.
13. The display panel assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a light refracting sheet for increasing a luminance of the light exiting the display panel when viewed on axis.
14. The display panel assembly of claim 13 , wherein the light refracting sheet comprises a plurality of prisms for refracting the light exiting the light refracting sheet.
15. The display panel assembly of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of prisms have a substantially sawtooth shape.
16. The display panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the two substrates of the display panel comprise:
a first substrate including a reflective portion for reflecting a portion of the front light and a transmitting window for transmitting a portion of the backlight; and
a second substrate corresponding to the first substrate wherein the liquid crystal layer is interposed between the first and second substrates.
17. The display panel assembly of claim 16 , wherein a first portion of the liquid crystal layer corresponding to the reflective portion has a first thickness, and a second portion of the liquid crystal layer corresponding to the transmitting window has a second thickness different than the first thickness.
18. The display panel assembly of claim 17 , wherein the second thickness is twice the first thickness.
19. A display apparatus comprising:
a backlight assembly generating a backlight; and
a display panel assembly including:
a display panel displaying an image using a front light and the backlight; and
a transflective member transmitting the backlight toward a front of the display panel and reflecting the front light having passed through the display panel back toward the front of the display panels,
wherein the transflective member comprises:
a base sheet arranged under the display panel, the base sheet having a first refractive index; and
a total reflective material in grooves formed in the base sheet, the total reflective material having a second refractive index larger than the first refractive index, so that the front light is totally reflected from the total reflective material.
20. The display panel assembly of claim 19 , wherein the backlight assembly comprises a light-emitting diode generating a point light.