Method of manufacturing a light guide plate and display apparatus including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10175416-B2
Application number	US-201514788339-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2015
Priority date	Sep 12, 2014
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

A display apparatus includes a display panel, a light source, a light guide plate, and a receiving part. The display panel is configured to receive light to display an image. The light source is configured to emit the light. The light guide plate is configured to receive and guide the light to the display panel. The receiving part is configured to hold the light source and the light guide plate. The light guide plate includes a first light guide part and a second light guide part. The first light guide part includes a first material. The second light guide part includes a second material different from the first material. The second light guide part has a tapered shape and is coupled to the first light guide part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display apparatus comprising:
a display panel configured to receive light to display an image; a light source configured to emit the light;
a light guide plate configured to receive and guide the light to the display panel; and
a receiving part configured to hold the light source and the light guide plate, wherein the light guide plate comprises:
a first light guide part comprising a first material; and
a second light guide part comprising a second material different from the first material, wherein the second light guide part has a tapered shape having an inclined surface and is coupled to the first light guide part, wherein the second light guide part is disposed above the first light guide part and facing the light source,
wherein the first light guide part is separated from the light source by the second light guide part, and
wherein a refractive index of the second material is greater than a refractive index of the first material so that the likelihood that light is incident to the inclined surface of the second light guide part is reduced, thus, light leakage to the outside of the light guide plate through the inclined surface is reduced.

2. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the receiving part comprises: a bottom portion on which the light guide plate is placed; and
a sidewall extending from the bottom portion.

3. The display apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the receiving part further comprises a cover portion extending from the sidewall substantially parallel to the bottom portion so as to cover the light source.

4. The display apparatus of claim 3 , wherein a hardness of the second material is greater than a hardness of the first material.

5. The display apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first material comprises a polyamide-based resin, and the second material comprises a polymethyl methacrylate-based resin or a methyl methacrylate-styrene-based resin.

6. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first light guide part has a plate shape and further comprises:
a first side surface;
a second side surface facing the first side surface; and
an upper surface connecting the first side surface and the second side surface, and a thickness of the second light guide part decreases to form the tapered shape as a distance of the second light guide part from the second side surface decreases.

7. The display apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the second light guide part is coupled to the first side surface, wherein the light is incident to an incident surface of the light guide plate, and wherein the incident surface of the light guide plate corresponds to a surface of the second light guide part.

8. The display apparatus of claim 7 , wherein a thickness of the second light guide part corresponding to the incident surface of the light guide plate is greater than a thickness of the first light guide part.

9. A method of manufacturing a light guide plate, comprising:
forming a first light guide part; and
forming a second light guide part having a tapered shape to the first light guide part;
wherein the first light guide part and the second light guide part are formed by separate processes the first light guide part comprises a first material, and the second light guide part comprises a second material different from the first material; the first light guide part has a plate shape and further comprises: a first side surface and a second side surface facing the first side surface, and an upper surface connecting the first side surface and the second side surface, wherein a thickness of the second light guide part decreases to form the tapered shape as a distance of the second light guide part from the second side surface decreases; wherein the second light guide part is disposed above the first light guide part and facing a light source near one of the first and second side surfaces; and wherein, a refractive index of the second material is greater than a refractive index of the first material, so that the likelihood that light is incident to an inclined surface of the second light guide part is reduced, thus, light leakage to the outside of the light guide plate through the inclined surface is reduced.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second light guide part is coupled to the upper surface.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second light guide part is formed using an imprinting process.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second light guide part is formed using an inkjet process.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second light guide part is formed using a gravure printing process.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein forming the second light guide part comprises:
placing a mold on a surface of the first light guide part, wherein the mold comprises an inlet gate and a frame;
injecting a resin through the inlet gate so as to fill the resin in the frame; curing the resin; and
separating the frame from the first light guide part.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second light guide part is coupled to the first side surface.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Rae-Young
• Shin Taek-Sun
• Oh Sunhee

Classifications

• G02B6/0065 Primary

  Manufacturing aspects; Material aspects · CPC title

• G02B6/0018

  Redirecting means on the surface of the light guide · CPC title

• G02B6/0028

  Light guide, e.g. taper · CPC title