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US 8,427,602 B2Granted
Backlight unit providing polarized light and display apparatus employing the same
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsYong-kweun Mun, Hong-seok Lee, Yoon-sun Choi, Hoon Song
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Example embodiments relate to a backlight unit and a display apparatus employing the same. The backlight unit may include a light source; a polarization conversion unit configured to convert polarization of light incident from the light source; and a light guide plate configured to emit light incident through the polarization conversion unit. The light guide plate may include a plurality of light emitting portions configured to emit light through specular reflection. The light polarized by the polarization conversion unit may maintain its polarization state when it is subsequently emitted from the light guide plate.
Claims24
A backlight unit comprising:
- a light source;
- a polarization conversion unit configured to convert polarization of light incident from the light source;
- and
- a light guide plate having a light guide portion and a plurality of light emitting portions protruding from an upper surface of the light guide portion, the light guide portion configured to reflect light incident through the polarization conversion unit within the light guide portion and the light emitting portions configured to emit light through specular reflection,
- wherein a top cross-section of each of the plurality of light emitting portions where the light is emitted is larger than a base cross-section where the light is incident from the light guide portion,
- wherein the polarization conversion unit is disposed between the light source and the light guide plate, light from the light source being incident to the light guide plate via the polarization conversion unit,
- wherein the light guide portion and the light emitting portions are formed as a single body, or formed without optical boundary between the light guide portion and each of the light emitting portions,
- wherein the polarization conversion unit is configured to convert the light incident from the light source into a first polarized light that is linearly polarized in a first direction, the first direction being parallel to the upper surface of the light guide portion and perpendicular to a direction from the light source toward the light guide portion, and
- wherein the light guide plate is configured such that the first polarized light maintains its polarization state and is emitted from the light guide plate while being linearly polarized in the first direction.
6 more elements
A backlight unit comprising:
- a light source;
- a polarization conversion unit configured to convert polarization of light incident from the light source;
- and
- a light guide plate having a light guide portion and a plurality of light emitting portions protruding from an upper surface of the light guide portion, the light guide portion configured to reflect light incident through the polarization conversion unit within the light guide portion and the light emitting portions configured to emit light through specular reflection,
- wherein a top cross-section of each of the plurality of light emitting portions where the light is emitted is larger than a base cross-section where the light is incident from the light guide portion,
- wherein the polarization conversion unit is disposed between the light source and a side surface of the light guide plate, the side surface facing the light source, and
- wherein the polarization conversion unit includes,
- a reflective polarizer configured to transmit a first polarized light from the light source such that the transmitted first polarized light is incident on the light guide portion and to reflect a second polarized light perpendicular to the first polarized light;
- and
- a polyhedral scattering guide member having a first side on which light from the light source is incident, a second side on which the second polarized light reflected by the reflective polarizer is incident, a third side that includes a scattering reflection pattern portion for scattering and reflecting the second polarized light reflected from the second side, and a plurality of reflective sides.
7 more elements
A backlight unit comprising:
- a light source;
- a polarization conversion unit configured to convert polarization of light incident from the light source;
- and
- a light guide plate having a light guide portion and a plurality of light emitting portions protruding from an upper surface of the light guide portion, the light guide portion configured to reflect light incident through the polarization conversion unit within the light guide portion and the light emitting portions configured to emit light through specular reflection,
- wherein a top cross-section of each of the plurality of light emitting portions where the light is emitted is larger than a base cross-section where the light is incident from the light guide portion,
- wherein the polarization conversion unit is disposed between the light source and a side surface of the light guide plate, the side surface facing the light source, and
- wherein the polarization conversion unit includes a polarizing conversion polyhedron having an incident side on which light from the light source is incident, a polarization splitting side at which light incident through the incident side is split into a first polarized light and a second polarized light, and a plurality of reflective sides at which the second polarized light split at the polarization splitting side is reflected a plurality of times so as to be converted into the first polarized light.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.