Liquid crystal panel module with polarization transformation for increased brightness

A liquid crystal panel module comprising:

• a backlight unit including
• a light guide plate having a first index of refraction, a front surface, a back surface including a plurality of grooves and located opposite the front surface, and a side surface transverse to the front and back surfaces,
• a reflecting sheet on the back surface of said light guide plate,
• a lamp for illuminating the side surface of said light guide plate,
• a polarizing separating film disposed on the side surface of said light guide plate, between said lamp and said light guide plate, and
• a reflector condensing light radiated from said lamp onto the side surface of said light guide plate through said polarizing separating film;
• a liquid crystal panel unit arranged opposite the front surface of said light guide plate of said backlight unit and including a polarizing plate having a polarization axis and located on a rear surface of said liquid crystal panel unit opposite the front surface of said light guide plate wherein said polarizing separating film has a polarization direction aligned with the polarization axis of said polarizing plate;
• and
• a plurality of reflecting members arranged within and filling the grooves in said light guide plate and exposed at the back surface of said light guide plate, reflecting light guided into said light guide plate directly into said liquid crystal panel unit, wherein said plurality of reflecting members have a second index of refraction larger than that of the first index of refraction of said light guide plate.

A liquid crystal panel module comprising:

• a backlight unit including
• a hollow light guide having a front wall and a side wall transverse to the front wall, together partially defining a hollow volume,
• a reflecting sheet at a back wall of said hollow light guide,
• a lamp for illuminating said hollow light guide at an open side of said hollow light guide, opposite the side wall,
• a polarization rotating plate on said reflecting sheet facing said front wall, forming the back wall and partially defining the hollow volume, for rotating polarization direction of light incident at an angle on said polarization rotating plate, and
• a reflector condensing light radiated from said lamp into said hollow light guide;
• a liquid crystal panel unit arranged opposite the front wall of said hollow light guide of said backlight unit and including a polarizing plate having a polarization axis located on a rear surface of said liquid crystal panel unit opposite the front wall of said hollow light guide;
• and
• a plurality of equilateral prisms arranged within said hollow light guide at said polarization rotating plate, in a direction parallel to the polarization axis of said polarizing plate, each of said plurality of equilateral prisms having a prism angle so that light guided into said hollow light guide impinges on a surface of an equilateral prism at the Brewster angle of said equilateral prism wherein said equilateral prisms have an index of refraction larger than in the hollow volume of said hollow light guide.