IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,845,524
Granted Patent B2
US 10,845,524 · App. 16/339,729 · Granted Nov 24, 2020

Light guide plate, planar light source apparatus, display apparatus, and electronic device

Inventors: Shotaro Watanabe (Tsurugashima, JP); Kazuhide Hirota (Tsurugashima, JP); Naoki Ishimi (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
G02B6/0016G02B6/0028G02F1/0107G02F1/133603
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,845,524
App. No.
16/339,729
Granted
Nov 24, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

An object is to promote a reduction in thickness of a light guide plate and suppress brightness non-uniformity of the light guide plate. A light guide plate, including: a light exit surface from which light is emitted; an opposite surface on an opposite side of the light exit surface; a depressed portion provided on the opposite surface; and a plurality of scattering portions which are provided on the light exit surface, the opposite surface, and a bottom surface of the depressed portion and which refract and scatter light, wherein the depressed portion has a tapered surface which spreads from the bottom surface of the depressed portion toward an opening of the depressed portion.

Claims (38)

1. A planar light source apparatus, comprising:

a light guide plate, the light guide plate comprising

a light exit surface from which light is emitted,

an opposite surface on an opposite side of the light exit surface,

a depressed portion provided on the opposite surface, and

a plurality of scattering portions provided on the light exit surface, the opposite surface, and a bottom surface of the depressed portion and which refract and scatter light;

a light source arranged on a side of the opposite surface of the light guide plate; and

a transparent resin layer arranged between the light guide plate and the light source, wherein

the depressed portion comprises a tapered surface which spreads from the bottom surface of the depressed portion toward an opening of the depressed portion,

the light source is embedded in the transparent resin layer, and housed outside of the depressed portion, such that the light source and the depressed portion overlap with one another when viewed from a normal direction of the light exit surface.

2. The planar light source apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of scattering portions provided on the light exit surface, the opposite surface, and the bottom surface of the depressed portion are respectively densely arranged.

3. The planar light source apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the depressed portion has a truncated cone shape.

4. The planar light source apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an angle of the tapered surface is set in accordance with an angle of a major axis of the light source.

5. The planar light source apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transparent resin layer is positioned outside the depressed portion.

6. The planar light source apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a part of the transparent resin layer is positioned

inside the depressed portion.

7. A display apparatus, comprising:

the planar light source apparatus according to claim 1 ; and

a display panel which receives light emitted from the planar light source apparatus.

8. An electronic device, comprising the display apparatus according to claim 7 .

9. A planar light source apparatus, comprising:

a light guide plate, the light guide plate comprising;

a light exit surface from which light is emitted,

an opposite surface on an opposite side of the light exit surface,

a plurality of depressed portions provided on the opposite surface, and

a plurality of scattering portions which are provided on the light exit surface, the opposite surface, and a bottom surface of each of the plurality of the depressed portions and which refract and scatter light;

a plurality of light sources arranged on a side of the opposite surface of the light guide plate; and

at least one transparent resin layer arranged between the light guide plate and the plurality of light sources, wherein

the each of plurality of depressed portions comprises a tapered surface which spreads from the bottom surface toward an opening of the each of the plurality of the depressed portions,

the plurality of light sources are embedded in the at least one transparent resin layer, and housed outside of the plurality of depressed portions, such that each of the plurality of the light sources and the each of the plurality of the depressed portions overlap with one another when viewed from a normal direction of the light exit surface.

10. The planar light source apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein an angle of the tapered surface is set in accordance with an angle of a major axis of the each of the plurality of the light sources.

11. The planar light source apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of scattering portions provided on the light exit surface, the opposite surface and the bottom surface are respectively densely arranged.

12. The planar light source apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of the depressed portions have a truncated cone shape.

13. The planar light source apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein a part of the at least transparent resin layer is positioned inside the plurality of the depressed portions.

14. A display apparatus, comprising:

the planar light source apparatus according to claim 9 ; and

a display panel which receives light emitted from the planar light source apparatus.

15. An electronic device, comprising the display apparatus according to claim 14 .

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 15, 2020
From: OMRON CORPORATION
To: NICHIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054068/0240 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 5, 2019
From: WATANABE, SHOTARO; HIROTA, KAZUHIDE; ISHIMI, NAOKI
To: OMRON CORPORATION; NICHIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048799/0957 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2016-239560 · Dec 9, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200049876A1 · Feb 13, 2020