# US 2017/0285256 A1 · Multiple light pipe structure for electronic devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0285256 A1 - Document ID: US20170285256A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/509,326 - Filed: 2015-08-28 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-10 - Assignees: InterDigital CE Patent Holdings, SAS - Applicants: Thomson Licensing - Inventors: Nathan FITZPATRICK - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170285256A1 ## CPC - G02B 6/0001: {specially adapted for lighting devices or systems (lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00)} - G02B 6/0006: {Coupling light into the fibre (in general G02B6/4298)} - G02B 6/0008: {the light being emitted at the end of the fibre} - G02B 6/0096: {the lights guides being of the hollow type} - H05K 5/0217: {Mechanical details of casings (covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03)} - G02B 6/0081: {Mechanical or electrical aspects of the light guide and light source in the lighting device peculiar to the adaptation to planar light guides, e.g. concerning packaging} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract The present principles are an illumination system for the front of an electronic device such as a set top box. The device includes a casing having a front wall; apertures on the front wall; a backlight assembly in back of the front wall within the casing; and a light pipe structure to receive light from backlight assembly. The light pipe structure includes plurality of light pipes in which the light pipes have a lower vertical body portion, an upper horizontal body portion, and a central body portion between the lower vertical body portion and the upper horizontal body portion; and a bracket that connects and supports the light pipes in which the bracket is generally planar. The bracket has broad support regions that connect to a back portion of each of the light pipes and a narrow bridging region between broad support regions in which the support regions are broader than the narrow bridging region in the vertical dimension. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bracket structure interconnecting multiple light pipes, the bracket structure comprising: a bracket that connects and supports the light pipes, the bracket being planar and having broad support regions that connect to a back portion of the light pipes, the bracket including at least one narrow bridging region between the broad support regions, the broad support regions being broader than the at least one narrow bridging region in a vertical dimension; wherein each narrow bridging region has a top surface and a bottom surface, each having an inward facing concave shape. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The light pipe structure of claim 1, wherein the light pipes and the bracket are a unitary structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The light pipe structure of claim 2, wherein the back portion of each of the light pipes is part of the lower vertical body portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The light pipe structure of claim 3, wherein the central body portion is curved or disposed at an angle to cause light vertically directed into the lower vertical body portion to be horizontally directed into the upper horizontal body portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The light pipe structure of claim 4, wherein the light pipes further comprise a bottom surface in the lower vertical body portion for entry of light. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The light pipe structure of claim 5, wherein the light pipes further comprise a front surface in the upper horizontal body portion for light to exit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The light pipe structure of claim 4, wherein the at least one narrow bridging region between lateral positions of the light pipes has a bottom surface that is positioned higher in the vertical dimension than any part of the back portion of each of the light pipes that contact the support regions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The light pipe structure of claim 7, wherein each narrow bridging region has a vertical breadth that narrows from proximal regions adjacent to the broad support regions to a central portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The light pipe structure of claim 8, wherein each narrow bridging region has a top surface and at least the top or the bottom surface has an inward facing concave shape from the proximal regions to the central portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The light pipe structure of claim 8, wherein each narrow bridging region has a top surface and the top and the bottom surfaces have inward facing concave shapes from the proximal regions to the central portion. ### Claim 11 A set top box, comprising: a casing having front wall; apertures in the front wall; a backlight assembly in back of the front wall within the casing; and a light pipe structure to receive light from the backlight assembly, the light pipe structure comprising: a plurality of light pipes, the light pipes having a lower vertical body portion, an upper horizontal body portion, and a central body portion between the lower vertical body portion and the upper horizontal body portion, the light pipes having front surfaces in the upper horizontal body portions, the front surfaces being positioned at or in the apertures; and a bracket that connects and supports the light pipes, the bracket being planar and having broad support regions that connect to a back portion of the light pipes, the bracket including at least one narrow bridging region between broad support regions, the broad support regions being broader than the at least one narrow bridging region in a vertical dimension; wherein each narrow bridging region has a top surface and a bottom surface, each having an inward facing concave shape. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The set top box of claim 11, wherein the light pipes and the bracket are a unitary structure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The set top box of claim 12, wherein the back portion of each of the light pipes is part of the lower vertical body portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The set top box of claim 13, wherein the central body portion is curved or disposed at an angle to cause light vertically directed in the lower vertical body portion to be horizontally directed in the upper horizontal body portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The set top box of claim 14, wherein the set top box comprises a circuit board (5) that supports the backlight assembly, and the light pipes further comprise bottom surfaces in the lower vertical body portions for entry of light from the backlight assembly, the bottom surfaces facing light emitting elements of the backlight assembly. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The set top box of claim 14, wherein the at least one narrow bridging region between lateral positions of the light pipes has a bottom surface that is positioned higher in the vertical dimension than any part of the back portion of each of the light pipes that contact the support regions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The set top box of claim 16, wherein each narrow bridging region has a vertical breadth that narrows from proximal regions adjacent to the broad support regions to a central portion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The set top box of claim 17, wherein each narrow bridging region has a top surface and at least the top or the bottom surface has an inward facing concave shape from the proximal regions to the central portion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The set top box of claim 17, wherein each narrow bridging region has a top surface and the top and the bottom surfaces have inward facing concave shapes from the proximal regions to the central portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The set top box of claim 11, wherein the light pipes and the bracket are together homogeneous.