See-through display device and manufacturing method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11953680-B2
Application number	US-202017311477-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2020
Priority date	Feb 24, 2020
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a see-through display device, including: a collimated light source assembly, configured to form collimated light and control a light emitting direction; a first light extraction layer, configured to extract, in a collimated manner, the light ray transmitted inside the light guide plate through a light extraction outlet; an extinction layer and a second light extraction layer, wherein the extinction layer includes a light guide region and a light absorption region which are arranged alternately, and the second light extraction layer includes multiple light extraction inlets; a reflecting layer, arranged on a side, close to the light guide plate, of the second light extraction layer and configured to reflect the collimated light extracted from the light extraction outlet to the light guide plate; and a liquid crystal dimming layer. This disclosure further relates to a manufacturing method of the see-through display device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A see-through display device, comprising a light guide plate and an array substrate which are oppositely arranged, and a liquid crystal dimming layer arranged between the light guide plate and the array substrate, wherein the see-through display device further comprises:
a collimated light source assembly, arranged on a light incident surface of the light guide plate, and configured to form collimated light and control a light emitting direction such that a light ray incident into the light guide plate is transmitted in a total reflection manner;
a first light extraction layer, arranged on a first surface, adjacent to the light incident surface, of the light guide plate, wherein the first light extraction layer is provided with a plurality of light extraction outlets, and is configured to extract, in a collimated manner, the light ray transmitted inside the light guide plate through the light extraction outlets;
an extinction layer and a second light extraction layer, wherein the extinction layer and the second light extraction layer are sequentially superposed on one surface, facing the first surface of the light guide plate, of the array substrate along a direction towards the light guide plate, the extinction layer comprises a light guide region and a light absorption region which are arranged alternately, the second light extraction layer comprises a plurality of light extraction inlets, and an orthographic projection of the light extraction inlets onto the extinction layer is within the light guide region such that a light ray entering from the light extraction inlets is incident to the light guide region and transmitted to the light absorption region in a total reflection manner within the light guide region; and
a reflecting layer, arranged on a side, close to the light guide plate, of the second light extraction layer, comprising a plurality of reflecting portions each located between two adjacent light extraction inlets of the plurality of light extraction inlets, and configured to reflect collimated light extracted from the light extraction outlets to the light guide plate to exit from a second surface of the light guide plate, wherein the second surface is arranged opposite to the first surface;
wherein the liquid crystal dimming layer comprises a first electrode and a second electrode which are oppositely arranged, and a liquid crystal layer arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode,
in a first state, a voltage is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode, and the light ray exiting from the light extraction outlets is deflected by the liquid crystal layer and incident to the reflecting layer; and in a second state, no voltage is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode, and the light ray exiting from the light extraction outlets passes through the liquid crystal layer and then enters the extinction layer from the light extraction inlets.

2. The see-through display device according to claim 1 , wherein a reflecting surface, facing the light guide plate, of each of the reflecting portions is an inclined surface, and the inclined surface forms an acute angle with the first surface of the light guide plate.

3. The see-through display device according to claim 2 , wherein each of the reflecting portions comprises:
a wedge-shaped connecting piece formed by photoresist, wherein the wedge-shaped connecting piece comprises a first connecting surface connected to the second light extraction layer and a second connecting surface adjacent to the first connecting surface, and the second connecting surface is the inclined surface forming the acute angle with the first surface of the light guide plate; and
a metal reflecting piece arranged on the second connecting surface, wherein a surface, away from the second connecting surface, of the metal reflecting piece is parallel to the second connecting surface.

4. The see-through display device according to claim 1 , wherein a surface, facing the array substrate, of the first light extraction layer is coated with a scattering particle layer.

5. The see-through display device according to claim 4 , wherein the scattering particle layer comprises a plurality of scattering particle portions each located between two adjacent light extraction outlets of the light extraction outlets, the plurality of the scattering particle portions correspond to the plurality of the reflecting portions in a one-to-one manner, and each of the scattering particle portions is located in a transmission path of a light ray reflected by the corresponding reflecting portion.

6. The see-through display device according to claim 1 , wherein a refractive index of the second light extraction layer is less than a refractive index of the light guide region of the extinction layer.

7. The see-through display device according to claim 1 , wherein the light guide region of the extinction layer is made of a material with a same refractive index as a refractive index of the light guide plate.

8. The see-through display device according to claim 1 , wherein a refractive index of the first light extraction layer is less than a refractive index of the light guide plate.

9. The see-through display device according to claim 1 , wherein the collimated light source assembly comprises a collimating lampshade and a light source located in the collimating lampshade, the collimating lampshade comprises a light emitting surface connected to and parallel to the light incident surface of the light guide plate and a curved reflecting surface arranged opposite to the light emitting surface, and the light source is located at a focal point of the curved reflecting surface.

10. A manufacturing method of the see-through display device according to claim 1 , comprising forming a reflecting layer, wherein the forming the reflecting layer specifically comprises:
performing multiple exposures to form a stepped surface and then performing a development process by using a mask, to form a plurality of wedge-shaped connecting pieces; and
depositing a metal layer on a second connecting surface of each of the wedge-shaped connecting pieces through a magnetron sputtering process, to form a metal reflecting piece.

Assignees

• Boe Technology Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Dong Liwen
• Zhang Feng
• Liu Wenqu
• Lv Zhijun
• Cui Zhao
• Meng Detian
• Wang Libo
• Song Xiaoxin

Classifications

• G02B27/0101 Primary

  characterised by optical features (G02B27/0172 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0118

  comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility · CPC title

• G02F1/133615 Primary

  Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side · CPC title

• G02F1/1333

  Constructional arrangements; {Manufacturing methods}(G02F1/135, G02F1/136 take precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/005

  provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed on the light output side of the light guide · CPC title