Display switching device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11947133-B2
Application number	US-202217674888-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2022
Priority date	Mar 15, 2021
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

A lens array included in a display switching device according to one or more embodiments may include a portion having a greater average of curvature radii of microlenses at a greater distance from a predetermined lens reference position on a surface of the lens array including the microlenses.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A display switching device for switching display images by switching light illumination from a plurality of light sources, the device comprising:
a lens array comprising a plurality of lenses; and
a display unit comprising a plurality of pixel regions, the plurality of pixel regions being configured to allow passage of light emitted from the plurality of light sources and focused by the plurality of lenses comprised in the lens array, wherein
each of the plurality of pixel regions has a transmittance corresponding to a predetermined static pattern,
the plurality of lenses comprise a spherical lens, and
the lens array comprises a portion having a greater average of curvature radii of lenses of the plurality of lenses at a greater distance from a predetermined lens reference position on a surface of the lens array comprising the plurality of lenses.

2. The display switching device according to claim 1 , wherein
a light source reference position is at a predetermined position on a light source placement surface receiving the plurality of light sources, and
each of the curvature radii is a value greater than or equal to R satisfying a formula of cos θ/L+n cos θ/(T−R(1−cos θ))=(n−1)/R,
where θ is an angle between a straight line connecting the light source reference position and a center of a sphere defined by a spherical surface of a corresponding lens of the plurality of lenses and a direction perpendicular to the light source placement surface,
L is a distance from the light source reference position to the lens array,
n is a refractive index of a material comprised in the lens array, and
T is a thickness of the lens array.

3. The display switching device according to claim 2 , wherein
the light source reference position is at a center of gravity of the plurality of light sources.

4. The display switching device according to claim 2 , wherein
the light source reference position for each of the plurality of lenses is at a light source of the plurality of light sources farthest from the lens.

5. The display switching device according to claim 1 , wherein
the lens reference position is at a center of gravity of the lens array.

6. The display switching device according to claim 1 , wherein
the lens reference position comprises an intersection between the surface of the lens array and a perpendicular line from a center of gravity of the plurality of light sources to the surface of the lens array.

7. The display switching device according to claim 1 , wherein
the lens array has a constant thickness.

8. A display switching system, comprising:
a plurality of the display switching devices according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of display switching devices comprise the display units adjacent to each other.

9. A switch, comprising:
the display switching device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the switch detects a user operation on the display switching device.

10. An electrical apparatus, comprising:
the switch according to claim 9 ,
wherein the electrical apparatus is operable with the switch.

11. A display switching device for switching display images by switching light illumination from a plurality of light sources, the device comprising:
a lens array comprising a plurality of lenses; and
a display unit comprising a plurality of pixel regions, the plurality of pixel regions being configured to allow passage of light emitted from the plurality of light sources and focused by the plurality of lenses comprised in the lens array, wherein
each of the plurality of pixel regions has a transmittance corresponding to a predetermined static pattern, and
the plurality of lenses comprise at least one aspheric lens.

12. The display switching device according to claim 11 , wherein
the lens array comprises a portion having a greater average of focal lengths of the at least one aspheric lens at a greater distance from a predetermined lens reference position on a surface of the lens array comprising the plurality of lenses.

13. The display switching device according to claim 12 , wherein
the lens array comprises a portion having a greater average of shifts of the at least one aspheric lens from a spherical shape at a greater distance from a predetermined lens reference position on a surface of the lens array comprising the plurality of lenses.

14. The display switching device according to claim 12 , wherein
a light source reference position is at a predetermined position on a light source placement surface receiving the plurality of light sources, and
the at least one aspheric lens has a curved surface being line-symmetric about a central axis being a straight line connecting the light source reference position and a predetermined position on the at least one aspheric lens.

15. The display switching device according to claim 11 , wherein
the lens array comprises a portion having a greater average of shifts of the at least one aspheric lens from a spherical shape at a greater distance from a predetermined lens reference position on a surface of the lens array comprising the plurality of lenses.

16. The display switching device according to claim 11 , wherein
a light source reference position is at a predetermined position on a light source placement surface receiving the plurality of light sources, and
the at least one aspheric lens has a curved surface being line-symmetric about a central axis being a straight line connecting the light source reference position and a predetermined position on the at least one aspheric lens.

17. The display switching device according to claim 16 , wherein
the curved surface being line-symmetric comprises a surface of a spheroid.

18. A display switching device for switching display images by switching light illumination from a plurality of light sources, the device comprising:
a lens array comprising a plurality of lenses; and
a display unit comprising a plurality of pixel regions, the plurality of pixel regions being configured to allow passage of light emitted from the plurality of light sources and focused by the plurality of lenses comprised in the lens array, wherein
each of the plurality of pixel regions has a transmittance corresponding to a predetermined static pattern, and
the lens array comprises a portion having a less lens thickness at a greater distance from a predetermined lens reference position on a surface of the lens array comprising the plurality of lenses.

19. The display switching device according to claim 18 , wherein
a surface of the lens array farther from the plurality of light sources is flat.

20. The display switching device according to claim 18 , wherein
the plurality of lenses have vertices on a same plane.

Assignees

• Omron Tateisi Electronics Co

Inventors

• Shinohara Masayuki
• Mori Yuto
• Kurata Gouo
• Arai Tsuyoshi
• Yoshida Hayato

Classifications

• G02B3/0043 Primary

  Inhomogeneous or irregular arrays, e.g. varying shape, size, height · CPC title

• G02B3/0056

  arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses (G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085) · CPC title

• G02B3/04

  with continuous faces that are rotationally symmetrical but deviate from a true sphere {, e.g. so called "aspheric" lenses} · CPC title

• G09G3/342

  using several illumination sources separately controlled corresponding to different display panel areas, e.g. along one dimension such as lines · CPC title

• G02B2003/0093

  characterised by the shape · CPC title