Display including a guide element and film lightguide bent around the guide and behind the display

A display comprising:

• a light source;
• a reflective spatial light modulator with a first outer surface and an active area;
• a film including a body having an inner surface and an opposing outer surface in a thickness direction of the film, the body of the film comprising a light emitting region defined by a plurality of light extracting features, the light emitting region is positioned above the active area of the reflective spatial light modulator in the thickness direction;
• a light input region of the film configured to receive light emitted from the light source;
• a light mixing region of the film positioned along the film between the light input region and the light emitting region such that the light emitted from the light source propagates by total internal reflection from the light input region, through the light mixing region, and into the light emitting region, wherein the light extracting features redirect a portion of the light out of the film in the light emitting region toward the reflective spatial light modulator;
• and
• a guide element positioned along a first edge of the reflective spatial light modulator, the guide element having a surface curved in a first plane comprising the thickness direction of the film, wherein
• the film is folded along the surface of the guide element at a first fold in the first plane such that the first fold positions a portion of the light mixing region below the active area of the spatial light modulator in the thickness direction;
• the light mixing region comprises the first fold;
• and
• the inner surface of the film in the light mixing region is curved along the curved surface of the guide element at the first fold.

A method of making a display comprising:

• a) forming a film including a body having an inner surface and an opposing outer surface in a thickness direction of the film, the body of the film comprising a light emitting region defined by a plurality of light extracting features and a light emitting region adjacent the light emitting region along the film;
• b) positioning the light emitting region of the film adjacent an active area of the spatial light modulator in the thickness direction and substantially parallel to the first outer surface of the spatial light modulator;
• c) positioning a light source to emit light into a light input region of the film such that the light emitted from the light source passes through a light mixing region of the film and into the light emitting region in a total internal reflection condition, wherein the light extracting features redirect a portion of the light out of the film in the light emitting region toward the spatial light modulator;
• d) positioning a guide element along a first edge of the spatial light modulator, the guide element having a surface curved in a first plane comprising the thickness direction of the film;
• and
• e) folding the light mixing region of the film along the curved surface of the guide element at a first fold in the first plane such that the folding positions a portion of the light mixing region above or below the active area of the spatial light modulator in the thickness direction.