US 9,316,779 B1Granted

Shaping reflective material for controlling lighting uniformity

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsWeihsin Hou, Jukka Backman

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

In some examples, a lighting apparatus includes a light guiding component having a reflective material disposed on at least one surface. The reflective material may be shaped to have desired light reflecting and/or diffusing properties to provide a more uniform light distribution, such as for lighting an electronic display or other surface. In some cases, the reflective material may be a white tape having a reflective light-diffusing surface. The light reflecting material may be cut or otherwise shaped to provide the desired light reflecting and/or diffusing properties. As one example, the amount of the reflective material located over a central axis of light emitted by a light source may be greater than the amount reflective material located between light sources. This disclosure also describes techniques for assembling electronic devices in a component stack to provide enhanced display lighting uniformity.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An electronic device comprising:

an electronic display configurable to present an image;
and
a lighting apparatus to provide light to the electronic display, the lighting apparatus comprising:
a light guiding component, the light guiding component including an edge for receiving light, and at least one light directing area that is located on a top of the light guiding component, the at least one light directing area configured to direct the light upward toward the display;
a plurality of light sources positioned to emit light toward the edge of the light guiding component, wherein the light sources are spaced apart from each other;
and
a piece of white tape coupled to a surface of the light guiding component, positioned above both the light guiding component and the light sources, wherein:
the piece of white tape includes at least one of a specular reflective surface or a diffusive reflective surface facing the surface of the light guiding component;
individual ones of the light sources include a respective central axis of light travel that is generally normal to a surface of the light source;
and
more of the white tape overlies the respective central axes of light travel than an area between the respective central axes.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/042,232Filed 30 Sep 2013
Granted: 19 Apr 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G02B 6/0031
Provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed between the light guide and the light source, or around the light source: reflecting…
G02B 6/0026
Provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed between the light guide and the light source, or around the light source: wavelength…
G02B 6/0068
Characterised by the light source being coupled to the light guide: arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
G02B
Optical elements, systems or apparatus