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US 6,379,016 B1Granted
Light guide with extraction structures
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsGary T. Boyd, Richard Miller, Leland R. Whitney, Kenneth A. Epstein
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A light distribution device having a light-redirecting surface with a plurality of light extraction structures having a riser segment, plateau segment, and facet segment, with adjacent light extraction structures being separated by lands. The light extraction structures improve extraction efficiency, thereby facilitating use of available light from a light source.
Claims36
A light distribution device having:
- a) a light input end;
- b) a light output surface that can deliver light to a display;
- and
- c) a structured light-redirecting surface located generally opposite the light output surface;
- wherein the light-redirecting surface reflects light towards the light output surface and thence to the display and the light-redirecting surface comprises a plurality of light extraction structures comprising a riser segment, plateau segment, and facet segment and adjacent light extraction structures are separated by lands, the total area of said plateaus exceeding the total area of said lands, and the lands being at an angle γ of about 0 to about 5 degrees to a reference plane formed by or closely approximating the light output surface.
2 more elements
A light distribution device having:
- a) a light input end;
- b) a light output surface that can deliver light to a display;
- and
- c) a structured light-redirecting surface located generally opposite the light output surface;
- wherein the light-redirecting surface reflects light towards the light output surface and thence to the display and the light-redirecting surface comprises a plurality of light extraction structures comprising a riser segment, plateau segment, and facet segment and adjacent light extraction structures are separated by lands, wherein the total area of said plateaus is at least eight times the total area of said lands.
2 more elements
A light distribution device having:
- a) a light input end;
- b) a light output surface that can deliver light to a display;
- and
- c) a structured light-redirecting surface located generally opposite the light output surface;
- wherein the light-redirecting surface reflects light towards the light output surface and thence to the display and the light-redirecting surface comprises a plurality of light extraction structures comprising a riser segment, plateau segment, and facet segment and adjacent light extraction structures are separated by lands, the total area of said plateaus exceeding the total area of said lands, wherein at least some of said light extraction structures further include a protrusion having a riser segment and a facet segment.
2 more elements
A light distribution device having:
- a) a light input end;
- b) a light output surface that can deliver light to a display;
- and
- c) a structured light-redirecting surface located generally opposite the light output surface;
- wherein the light-redirecting surface reflects light towards the light output surface and thence to the display and the light-redirecting surface comprises a plurality of light extraction structures comprising a riser segment, plateau segment, and facet segment and adjacent light extraction structures are separated by lands, the total area of said plateaus exceeding the total area of said lands, wherein at least some of said light extraction structures further include a protrusion having a riser segment and a facet segment;
- said riser segment of said protrusion has a height of at least ten percent of the height of said riser segment of said light extraction structure;
- and the total area of said plateaus is at least eight times the total area of said lands.
4 more elements
A light distribution device having:
- a) a light input end;
- b) a light output surface that can deliver light to a display;
- and
- c) a structured light-redirecting surface located generally opposite the light output surface;
- wherein the light-redirecting surface reflects light towards the light output surface and thence to the display and the light-redirecting surface comprises a plurality of light extraction structures comprising a riser segment, plateau segment, and facet segment and adjacent light extraction structures are separated by lands and at least some of said light extraction structures further include a protrusion having a riser segment and a facet segment.
2 more elements
A display device comprising a display and a light distribution device adjacent said display said light distribution device having:
- a) a light input end;
- b) a light output surface that can deliver light to a display;
- and
- c) a structured light-redirecting surface located generally opposite the light output surface;
- wherein the light-redirecting surface reflects light towards the light output surface and thence to the display and the light-redirecting surface comprises a plurality of light extraction structures comprising a riser segment, plateau segment, and facet segment and adjacent light extraction structures are separated by lands, the total area of said plateaus exceeding the total area of said lands, and the lands being at an angle γ of about 0 to about 5 degrees to a reference plane formed by or closely approximating the light output surface.
2 more elements
A display device comprising a transmissive display and a light distribution device adjacent said display said light distribution device having:
- a) a light input end;
- b) a light output surface that can deliver light to a display;
- and
- c) a structured light-redirecting surface located generally opposite the light output surface;
- wherein the light-redirecting surface reflects light towards the light output surface and thence to the display and the light-redirecting surface comprises a plurality of light extraction structures comprising a riser segment, plateau segment, and facet segment and adjacent light extraction structures are separated by lands, the total area of said plateaus exceeding the total area of said lands.
2 more elements
A display device comprising a display and a light distribution device adjacent said display said light distribution device having:
- a) a light input end;
- b) a light output surface that can deliver light to a display;
- and
- c) a structured light-redirecting surface located generally opposite the light output surface;
- wherein the light-redirecting surface reflects light towards the light output surface and thence to the display and the light-redirecting surface comprises a plurality of light extraction structures comprising a riser segment, plateau segment, and facet segment and adjacent light extraction structures are separated by lands, wherein the total area of said plateaus is at least eight times the total area of said lands.
2 more elements
A display device comprising a display and a light distribution device adjacent said display said light distribution device having:
- a) a light input end;
- b) a light output surface that can deliver light to a display;
- and
- c) a structured light-redirecting surface located generally opposite the light output surface;
- wherein the light-redirecting surface reflects light towards the light output surface and thence to the display and the light-redirecting surface comprises a plurality of light extraction structures comprising a riser segment, plateau segment, and facet segment and adjacent light extraction structures are separated by lands, the total area of said plateaus exceeding the total area of said lands, wherein at least some of said light extraction structures further include a protrusion having a riser segment and a facet segment.
2 more elements
A display device comprising a display and a light distribution device adjacent said display said light distribution device having:
- a) a light input end;
- b) a light output surface that can deliver light to a display;
- and
- c) a structured light-redirecting surface located generally opposite the light output surface;
- wherein the light-redirecting surface reflects light towards the light output surface and thence to the display and the light-redirecting surface comprises a plurality of light extraction structures comprising a riser segment, plateau segment, and facet segment and adjacent light extraction structures are separated by lands and at least some of said light extraction structures further include a protrusion having a riser segment and a facet segment.
2 more elements
A light distribution device having:
- a) a light input end;
- b) a light output surface that can deliver light to a display;
- and
- c) a structured light-redirecting surface located generally opposite the light output surface;
- wherein the light-redirecting surface reflects light towards the light output surface and thence to the display and the light-redirecting surface comprises a plurality of light extraction structures comprising a riser segment, plateau segment, and facet segment and adjacent light extraction structures are separated by lands, a majority of said extraction structures having plateaus that are larger than the adjacent lands, and the lands being at an angle γ of about 0 to about 5 degrees to a reference plane formed by or closely approximating the light output surface.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.