IP Library Granted Patent US 10,379,398
Granted Patent B2
US 10,379,398 · App. 16/120,678 · Granted Aug 13, 2019

Backlight unit and head-up display device

Inventor: Noriaki Narushima (Shizuoka, JP)
Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
G02F1/1336G02B27/0101G02B2027/0118G02F2201/34
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,379,398
App. No.
16/120,678
Granted
Aug 13, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A backlight unit includes a light source, a light collecting member that collects light emitted from the light source, and a concave reflecting surface, and includes a micromirror array that reflects the light incident from the light collecting member toward a liquid crystal panel by the reflecting surface and a diffusion plate that is arranged on an optical path between the micromirror array and the liquid crystal panel. In the micromirror array, the reflecting surface includes the plurality of micromirrors. One or more groups of the plurality of micromirrors are arranged in the reflecting surface in an X direction and a Y direction. Each micromirror includes a convex or concave curved surface.

Claims (34)

1. A backlight unit, comprising:

at least one light source;

a light collecting member that collects light emitted from the light source;

an optical member that includes a concave reflecting surface and reflects light incident from the light collecting member toward a light transmissive liquid crystal display element by the reflecting surface; and

a diffusion plate that is arranged on an optical path between the optical member and the liquid crystal display element, wherein

the reflecting surface of the optical member includes a plurality of micromirrors,

one or more groups of the plurality of micromirrors are arranged in the reflecting surface in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and

each of the micromirrors includes a convex or concave curved surface.

2. The backlight unit according to claim 1 , wherein

the respective micromirrors are formed such that the curved surfaces have the same curvatures in at least one of the first direction and the second direction, and differ in a length in a direction in which the curved surfaces have the same curvature.

3. The backlight unit according to claim 2 , wherein

the respective micromirrors are formed such that a length in the direction in which the curved surfaces have the same curvature differs for each of areas obtained by dividing the reflecting surface in the direction in which the curved surfaces have the same curvature.

4. The backlight unit according to claim 2 , wherein

the respective micromirrors are formed such that lengths in the direction in which the curved surfaces have the same curvature are consecutively different.

5. The backlight unit according to claim 1 , wherein

the respective micromirrors are formed such that lengths in at least one of the first direction and the second direction are equal, and

curvatures of the curved surfaces are different in a direction in which the micromirrors have the same length.

6. The backlight unit according to claim 5 , wherein

the respective micromirrors are formed such that the curvature of the curved surface in the direction in which the micromirrors have the same length differs for each of areas obtained by dividing the reflecting surface in the direction in which the micromirrors have the same length.

7. The backlight unit according to claim 1 , wherein

the respective micromirrors are formed such that lengths in at least one of the first direction and the second direction are equal,

the curved surface is a free curved surface including a plurality of curvatures, and

the plurality of curvatures are set to be different in accordance with an angle of deviation amount of reflected light to the liquid crystal display element with respect to incident light from the light collecting member in a direction in which the micromirrors have the same length.

8. A head-up display device, comprising:

a light transmissive liquid crystal display element; and

a backlight unit, wherein

the backlight unit includes:

at least one light source;

a light collecting member that collects light emitted from the light source;

an optical member that includes a concave reflecting surface and reflects light incident from the light collecting member toward the liquid crystal display element by the reflecting surface; and

a diffusion plate that is arranged on an optical path between the optical member and the liquid crystal display element,

the reflecting surface of the optical member includes a plurality of micromirrors,

one or more groups of the plurality of micromirrors are arranged in the reflecting surface in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and

each of the micromirrors includes a convex or concave curved surface.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jun 5, 2023
From: YAZAKI CORPORATION
To: YAZAKI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063845/0802 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 4, 2018
From: NARUSHIMA, NORIAKI
To: YAZAKI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 046779/0800 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2017-170942 · Sep 6, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190072791A1 · Mar 7, 2019