Image display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11430359-B2
Application number	US-202017031703-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2020
Priority date	Jul 30, 2020
Publication date	Aug 30, 2022
Grant date	Aug 30, 2022

Abstract

An image display device a light source, an image display layer and a refractive structure layer. The light source emits a light beam. The image display layer is located over the light source. The image display layer includes plural pattern sections. The refractive structure layer has a reference plane. When the light beam is irradiated on the refractive structure layer and there is a first angle between the light beam and the reference plane, the light beam is guided to a first pattern section, so that a first image is displayed on the image display layer. When the light beam is irradiated on the refractive structure layer and there is a second angle between the light beam and the reference plane, the light beam is guided to a second pattern section, so that a second image is displayed on the image display layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image display device for an electronic device, the image display device comprising:
a light source emitting a light beam;
an image display layer located over the light source, wherein the image display layer comprises plural pattern sections; and
a refractive structure layer arranged between the light source and the image display layer, wherein the light beam is refracted by the refractive structure layer and guided to the image display layer, wherein the refractive structure layer has an optical axis and a reference plane, and the reference plane is perpendicular to the optical axis,
wherein when the image display device is in a first usage state and the light beam is irradiated on the refractive structure layer, there is a first angle between the light beam and the reference plane, and the light beam is guided to a first pattern section of the plural pattern sections, so that a first image is displayed on the image display layer, wherein when the image display device is in a second usage state and the light beam is irradiated on the refractive structure layer, there is a second angle between the light beam and the reference plane, and the light beam is guided to a second pattern section of the plural pattern sections, so that a second image is displayed on the image display layer, wherein the first angle and the second angle are different,
wherein there is a distance X between the light source and the image display layer, and a long side of each pattern section has a length Y, wherein X≥1/3Y.

2. The image display device according to claim 1 , wherein the refractive structure layer comprises plural microlens structures, and the microlens structures have respective curved surfaces that are convex toward the light source, wherein a convex direction of the plural curved surfaces is in parallel with the optical axis and perpendicular to the reference plane.

3. The image display device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises a casing member, and the image display device is disposed within the casing member, wherein the casing member comprises a first casing part and a second casing part, the image display layer is located near the first casing part, the first casing part is made of a translucent material, and the first image or the second image is displayed on the first casing part.

4. The image display device according to claim 1 , wherein when the image display device is in the first usage state, the light source is located at a first position relative to the refractive structure layer, wherein when the image display device is in the second usage state, the light source is located at a second position relative to the refractive structure layer, wherein the first position is different from the second position.

5. The image display device according to claim 4 , wherein the electronic device comprises an input device and a processing control unit, and the processing control unit is electrically connected with the input device and the light source, wherein while the first usage state is switched to the second usage state, the input device generates a first input signal in response to a user's operation, and the processing control unit controls movement of the light source from the first position to the second position according to the first input signal, wherein while the second usage state is switched to the first usage state, the input device generates a second input signal in response to the user's operation, and the processing control unit controls movement of the light source from the second position to the first position according to the second input signal.

6. The image display device according to claim 5 , wherein the input device includes a touch panel or a key switch.

7. The image display device according to claim 1 , wherein the image display layer is made of polyethylene terephthalate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or transparent glass material.

8. The image display device according to claim 1 , wherein the image display layer and the refractive structure layer are integrally formed as a one-piece structure.

9. An image display device for an electronic device, the image display device comprising:
a first light source emitting a first light beam;
a second light source emitting a second light beam;
an image display layer located over the first light source and the second light source, wherein the image display layer comprises plural pattern sections; and
a refractive structure layer arranged between the first light source, the second light source and the image display layer, wherein the first light beam or the second light beam is refracted by the refractive structure layer and guided to the image display layer, wherein the refractive structure layer has an optical axis and a reference plane, and the reference plane is perpendicular to the optical axis,
wherein when the image display device is in a first usage state and the first light beam is irradiated on the refractive structure layer, there is a first angle between the first light beam and the reference plane, and the first light beam is guided to a first pattern section of the plural pattern sections, so that a first image is displayed on the image display layer, wherein when the image display device is in a second usage state and the second light beam is irradiated on the refractive structure layer, there is a second angle between the second light beam and the reference plane and the second light beam is guided to a second pattern section of the plural pattern sections, so that a second image is displayed on the image display layer, wherein the first angle and the second angle are different,
wherein there is a distance X between the light source and the image display layer, and a long side of each pattern section has a length Y, wherein X≥1/3Y.

10. The image display device according to claim 9 , wherein the first light source is located at a first position relative to the refractive structure layer, and the second light source is located at a second position relative to the refractive structure layer, wherein the first position is different from the second position.

11. The image display device according to claim 9 , wherein the electronic device comprises an input device and a processing control unit, and the processing control unit is electrically connected with the input device, the first light source and the second light source, wherein while the first usage state is switched to the second usage state, the input device generates a first input signal in response to a user's operation, and the processing control unit disables the first light source and enables the second light source according to the first input signal, wherein while the second usage state is switched to the first usage state, the input device generates a second input signal in response to the user's operation, and the processing control unit disables the second light source and enables the first light source according to the second input signal.

Assignees

• Primax Electronics Ltd

Inventors

• Yang yu-zeng
• Lin Hui-Ling

Classifications

• G09G2320/068

  for control of viewing angle adjustment · CPC title

• G02B3/0031

  Replication or moulding, e.g. hot embossing, UV-casting, injection moulding · CPC title

• G09G3/02 Primary

  by tracing or scanning a light beam on a screen · CPC title

• G02B26/0875

  by means of one or more refracting elements · CPC title

• G03B21/625

  Lenticular translucent screens · CPC title