Indicator and electronic device including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016209569-A1
Application number	US-201615001124-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 19, 2016
Priority date	Jan 19, 2015
Publication date	Jul 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed is an indicator including: light guide members; light emitting elements arranged around the light guide members; and diffusion sheets laminated on one or more surfaces of the light guide members and configured such that light irradiated from the light emitting elements is uniformly spread out to upper and lower surfaces of the light guide members after being guided to the light guide members, and an electronic device including the same. The light diffused by the diffusion sheets is simultaneously emitted on two or more different surfaces outside of an electronic device. Because the electronic device can improve convenience of use of the electronic device by allowing the user to easily recognize information output from the electronic device regardless of the positioning state of the electronic device because the indicator is arranged such that information may be output on at least two surfaces at the same time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An indicator comprising:
one or more light guide members; one or more light emitting elements arranged around the light guide members; and diffusion sheets at least partially laminated on one or more surfaces of the light guide members and configured such that light irradiated from the light emitting elements is uniformly spread out to the light guide members after being guided to the light guide members, wherein the light diffused by the diffusion sheets is simultaneously emitted on two or more different surfaces outside of an electronic device.

2 . The indicator of claim 1 , wherein a pair of light guide members are arranged with an ornamental member interposed between the light guide members.

3 . The indicator of claim 2 , wherein the diffusion sheets are laminated on the outer surfaces of the ornamental member.

4 . The indicator of claim 3 , wherein the light guide members and the diffusion sheets include openings through which the ornamental member is exposed.

5 . The indicator of claim 4 , wherein the ornamental member is formed of a light reflecting material, and the light diffused by the diffusion sheet is reflected by the ornamental member and is irradiated to the outside of the electronic device.

6 . The indicator of claim 5 , wherein the ornamental member is formed of a metal material or a synthetic resin and is plated with a metal material.

7 . The indicator of claim 1 , wherein the indicator is arranged in an openable one of electronic devices comprising a foldable dual display.

8 . The indicator of claim 1 , wherein the indicator is arranged in an electronic component exposed to the outside of the electronic device and the light is emitted through the electronic component.

9 . The indicator of claim 8 , wherein the electronic component is at least one of a speaker unit, a microphone unit, an interface connector, a flash unit, and a sensor module.

10 . The indicator of claim 1 , wherein a pair of light guide members are arranged with a diffusion sheet interposed between the light guide members.

11 . The indicator of claim 10 , wherein light transmitting members are laminated on the outer surfaces of the light guide members.

12 . The indicator of claim 3 , wherein the light transmitting members are formed of an adhered film, or a translucent material formed through deposition.

13 . The indicator of claim 1 , wherein the light emitting element is a light emitting sheet that surface-emits light by a light emitting diode (LED) or through application of electric power.

14 . The indicator of claim 1 , wherein the indicator emits light in a direction perpendicular to two or more surfaces of a first surface of the electronic device, a second surface adjacent to the first surface, and a third surface adjacent to the second surface.

15 . The indicator of claim 14 , wherein an electronic component exposed to the outside of the electronic device is provided on at least one of the surfaces, and light is emitted through the electronic component.

16 . The indicator of claim 15 , wherein the electronic component is at least one of a speaker unit, a microphone unit, an interface connector, a flash unit, and a sensor module.

17 . The indicator of claim 14 , wherein the surfaces comprises a front surface of the electronic device, a side surface adjacent to the front surface, and a rear surface adjacent to the side surface.

18 . An electronic device comprising:
a housing; and an indicator formed in the housing, the indicator comprising:
one or more light guide members;
one or more light emitting elements arranged around the light guide members; and
diffusion sheets at least partially laminated on one or more surfaces of the light guide members and configured such that light irradiated from the light emitting elements is uniformly spread out to the light guide members after being guided to the light guide members,
wherein the light diffused by the diffusion sheets is simultaneously emitted on two or more different surfaces outside of an electronic device.

19 . An indicator comprising:
an ornamental member formed of a light reflecting material; one or more light guide members arranged in one or more areas of upper and lower surfaces of the ornamental member configured to overlap each other; one or more light emitting elements arranged around the light guide members; and diffusion sheets at least partially laminated on one or more surfaces of the light guide members and configured such that light irradiated from the light emitting elements is uniformly spread out to the light guide members after being guided to the light guide members, wherein the light diffused by the diffusion sheets is simultaneously emitted to the outside on two or more different surfaces of an electronic device after being reflected by the ornamental member.

20 . An indicator comprising:
a pair of light guide members; one or more light emitting elements arranged around the light guide members; diffusion sheets laminated on the pair of light guide members and configured such that light irradiated from the light emitting elements is uniformly spread out to surfaces of the light guide members after being guided to the light guide members; and light transmitting members laminated on outer surfaces of the pair of light guide members, wherein the light uniformly spread by the diffusion sheets transmits the light transmitting members, and is emitted to the outside on two or more different surfaces of an electronic device.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cho Sunkeun
• Lee Jaewoo
• Kwon Hyoksoo

Classifications

• G02B6/0073

  Light emitting diode [LED] · CPC title

• G02B6/0051

  Diffusing sheet or layer · CPC title

• G02B6/0063

  for extracting light out both the major surfaces of the light guide · CPC title

• G02B6/0055

  Reflecting element, sheet or layer · CPC title

• G02B6/006 Primary

  to produce indicia, symbols, texts or the like · CPC title