IP Library Granted Patent US 8,628,205
Granted Patent B2
US 8,628,205 · App. 13/453,164 · Granted Jan 14, 2014

Backlight unit, electro-optical device, and electronic apparatus

Inventor: Daisuke Nakanishi (Matsumoto, JP)
Assignee: Epson Imaging Devices Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,628,205
App. No.
13/453,164
Granted
Jan 14, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A backlight unit includes: an arrangement surface on which a plurality of light sources are arranged, and a plurality of reflection surfaces erected from a plurality of edges of the arrangement surface. The light emitted from the light sources and the light reflected from the reflection surfaces irradiate to an irradiation area surrounded by the reflection surfaces which are each inclined at an inclination angle smaller than 90 degrees with respect to the arrangement surface. At least one reflection surface includes a large inclination area inclined at a large inclination angle and a small inclination area inclined at a small inclination angle. The light source arranged close to the large inclination area is disposed closer to the outside frame of the irradiation area than the other light sources arranged close to the small inclination area in plan view from the irradiation area.

Claims (44)

1. A backlight unit, comprising:

an arrangement surface on which a plurality of light sources is arranged; and

a plurality of inclination walls disposed to surround the arrangement surface to form an irradiation area and inclined toward an outside of the arrangement surface at an angle larger than 90 degrees with respect to the arrangement surface, the inclination walls defining a reflection surface configured to reflect light emitted from the light sources, the inclination walls including a first inclination wall having a first inclination angle and a second inclination wall having a second inclination angle larger than the first inclination angle with respect to the arrangement surface, wherein

the irradiation area is configured to be irradiated with the light emitted from the light sources and light reflected from the reflection surface,

the light sources include a first light source arranged close to the first inclination wall and a second light source arranged close to the second inclination wall, and

a distance between the first inclination wall and the first light source is shorter than a distance between the second inclination wall and the second light source in a plan view of the irradiation area.

2. The backlight unit according to claim 1 , wherein

an inner surface of the first inclination wall forms a first inclination area inclined at the first angle,

an inner surface of the second inclination wall forms a second inclination area inclined at the second angle, and

the reflection surface continuously connects the first inclination area and the second inclination area.

3. A backlight unit, comprising:

an arrangement surface on which a plurality of light sources is arranged; and

a plurality of inclination walls disposed to surround the arrangement surface to form an irradiation area and inclined toward an outside of the arrangement surface at an angle larger than 90 degrees with respect to the arrangement surface, the inclination walls defining a reflection surface configured to reflect light emitted from the light sources, the inclination walls including a first inclination wall having a first inclination angle and a second inclination wall having a second inclination angle larger than the first inclination angle with respect to the arrangement surface, wherein

the irradiation area is configured to be irradiated with the light emitted from the light sources and light reflected from the reflection surface, and

the first inclination wall and the second inclination wall are arranged at a first position and a second position, respectively, where the first position is configured to be irradiated with a larger amount of light emitted from the light sources than the second position.

4. The backlight unit according to claim 3 , wherein

an inner surface of the first inclination wall forms a first inclination area inclined at the first angle,

an inner surface of the second inclination wall forms a second inclination area inclined at the second angle, and

the reflection surface continuously connects the first inclination area and the second inclination area.

5. A backlight unit, comprising:

a plurality of light sources including a plurality of first light sources and a plurality of second light sources;

an arrangement surface on which the light sources are arranged;

a first inclination wall arranged on the arrangement surface, the first inclination wall being inclined toward an outside of the arrangement surface at a first angle larger than 90 degrees with respect to the arrangement surface, the first inclination wall being disposed closer to the first light sources, a surface of the first inclination wall configured to reflect light from the first light sources; and

a second inclination wall arranged on the arrangement surface, the second inclination wall being inclined toward the outside of the arrangement surface at a second angle larger than the first angle with respect to the arrangement surface, the first inclination wall being disposed closer to the second light sources, a surface of the second inclination wall configured to reflect light from the second light sources, wherein

a distance between the first inclination wall and the first light sources is smaller than a distance between the second inclination wall and the second light sources in a plan view of the arrangement surface.

6. The backlight unit according to claim 5 , wherein

the first light sources are arranged along the first inclination wall, and

the second light sources are arranged along the second inclination wall.

7. A backlight unit, comprising:

a plurality of light sources including a plurality of first light sources and a plurality of second light sources;

an arrangement surface on which the light sources are arranged;

a first inclination wall arranged on the arrangement surface, the first inclination wall being inclined toward an outside of the arrangement surface at a first angle larger than 90 degrees with respect to the arrangement surface, the first inclination wall being disposed closer to the first light sources, a surface of the first inclination wall configured to reflect light from the first light sources; and

a second inclination wall arranged on the arrangement surface, the second inclination wall being inclined toward the outside of the arrangement surface at a second angle larger than the first angle with respect to the arrangement surface, the first inclination wall being disposed closer to the second light sources, a surface of the second inclination wall configured to reflect light from the second light sources, wherein

the first inclination wall and the second inclination wall are arranged at a first position and a second position, respectively, where the first position is configured to be irradiated with a larger amount of light emitted from the light sources than the second position.

8. The backlight unit according to claim 7 , wherein

the first light sources are arranged along the first inclination wall, and

the second light sources are arranged along the second inclination wall.

9. An electro-optical device, comprising:

the backlight unit according to claim 1 ; and

a display panel disposed to overlap the irradiation area, wherein

the display panel includes an effective display area for displaying an image, and

an outside frame of the effective display area overlaps the reflection in a plan view of the irradiation area.

10. The electro-optical device according to claim 9 , wherein the effective display area is provided within the irradiation area.

11. An electronic apparatus, comprising the electro-optical device according to claim 9 .

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 1, 2017
From: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 044003/0557 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 043587 FRAME 0023. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Sep 21, 2017
From: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043931/0372 →
MERGER Recorded Sep 11, 2017
From: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043811/0553 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 17, 2017
From: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION; SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043587/0023 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 23, 2012
From: NAKANISHI, DAISUKE
To: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 028088/0578 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2008-199330 · Aug 1, 2008 · national
Continuity (2)
Division 12473761 · May 28, 2009
Related Publication 20120206904A1 · Aug 16, 2012