Display system with distributed LED backlight

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9316863-B2
Application number	US-201213359308-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2012
Priority date	Sep 28, 2007
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

A display system with a distributed LED backlight includes: providing a plurality of tile LED light sources, each tile LED light source having a tile and a plurality of similar LED light sources on each tile connected for emitting light therefrom; orienting the plurality of tile LED light sources for illuminating a display from the back of the display; and integrating the plurality of tile LED light sources into a thermally and mechanically structurally integrated distributed LED tile matrix backlight light source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display system comprising:
a liquid crystal display subassembly;
a backlight assembly comprising a plurality of tiles, each tile comprising a substrate having an attachment member extending therefrom and a thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer disposed directly below a plurality of LED light sources;
an array tray that supports the plurality of tiles and that has at least one opening, wherein the attachment member of at least one of the plurality of tiles extends into the at least one opening to attach the at least one tile to the array tray; and
a thermal transfer module connected to the backlight assembly and adapted to transfer heat away from the backlight assembly.

2. The display system of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer is thermally coupled to the plurality of tiles and adapted to transfer heat away from each of the plurality of tiles.

3. The display system of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of tiles comprises a plurality of light emitting elements.

4. The display system of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of light emitting elements is formed atop the thermally conducting and electrically insulated layer.

5. The display system of claim 4 , further comprising at least one sheet of light-diffusing material positioned to diffuse light emitted in the direction of the liquid crystal display subassembly.

6. The display system of claim 5 , further comprising at least one thermal coupling between at least two of the plurality of tiles and that is adapted to transfer heat between the at least two of the plurality of tiles.

7. The display system of claim 6 , further comprising a thermally conductive rail coupled to at least two of the plurality of tiles and adapted to transfer heat away from the at least two of the plurality of tiles.

8. The display system of claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of thermally conductive rails coupled to one another and at least two of the plurality of tiles, the at least one thermal coupling between the rails adapted to transfer heat away from and to equalize the temperature between the rails.

9. The display system of claim 8 , wherein the array tray is coupled to the plurality of thermally conductive rails, the module further adapted to transfer heat between the plurality of thermally conductive rails.

10. The display system of claim 9 , wherein the thermal transfer module is thermally coupled to a rear surface of the array tray and adapted to transfer heat away from the array tray.

11. The display system of claim 6 , wherein the thermal transfer module is adapted to equalize temperature across the plurality of tiles.

12. A method of forming a distributed light-emitting diode assembly comprising:
forming a plurality of light-emitting elements directly atop a thermally conductive and electrically insulating substrate;
affixing a plurality of metal tiles behind the thermally conductive and electrically insulating substrate, such that heat generated by the light-emitting elements can be dissipated through the substrate and into the metal tiles;
affixing the plurality of metal tiles and the thermally conductive and electrically insulating substrate to at least one substrate structure, such that heat dissipated by the plurality of metal tiles is transferred between separate tiles of the plurality of metal tiles, wherein the at least one substrate structure comprises a rail that extends at least partially through at least one of the plurality of metal tiles;
affixing the plurality of metal tiles to a thermally conductive support structure, the thermally conductive support structure dissipating heat generated by the distributed light-emitting diode assembly and;
affixing a thermal transfer module to the thermally conductive support structure to dissipate heat from the thermally conductive support structure.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising thermally coupling each of the plurality of metal tiles to at least one other of the plurality of metal tiles.

14. A backlight assembly comprising:
a plurality of tiles, each tile comprising:
a metal substrate comprising a top surface;
a separating layer disposed onto the top surface and formed from a thermally conductive and electrically insulating material;
a plurality of light emitting elements on the separating layer, each light emitting element comprising a bottom surface electrically insulated from but thermally coupled to the metal substrate; and

a thermal transfer module thermally coupled to each metal substrate of each of the plurality of tiles, the thermal transfer module operative to distribute heat away from the backlight assembly, wherein a first portion of a first one of the plurality of tiles is tilted to overlap a second portion of a second one of the plurality of tiles such that respective top faces of the first and second tiles are substantially parallel, wherein the first and second overlapping portions of the first and second tiles are fastened together by a fastening member.

15. The backlight assembly of claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of light emitting elements of each of the plurality of tiles are positioned at the same angle to emit light in the same direction.

16. The backlight assembly of claim 15 , wherein the direction of light emitted from each the plurality of light emitting elements of each of the plurality of tiles is non-perpendicular to the top face of each respective tile in the plurality of tiles.

17. The backlight assembly of claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of light emitting elements of each of the plurality of tiles is fabricated to emit light in a direction that is non-perpendicular to the top face of each respective tile in the plurality of tiles.

18. The backlight assembly of claim 14 , wherein the thermal transfer module is adapted to equalize temperature across the plurality of tiles.

19. The backlight assembly of claim 14 , further comprising at least one sheet of light-diffusing material positioned to diffuse light emitted from the plurality of tiles.

20. The backlight assembly of claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of tiles is electrically coupled to at least another one of the plurality of tiles.

Assignees

• Hillman Michael D
• Tice Gregory L
• Law William Sauway
• Bailey Sean
• Torres Ann
• Alcorta Efrain
• Anderson Perry
• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Hillman Michael D
• Tice Gregory L
• Law William Sauway
• Bailey Sean
• Torres Ann
• Alcorta Efrain
• Anderson Perry

Classifications

• G02F2001/133628

  Physics · mapped topic

• G02F1/133603 Primary

  with LEDs · CPC title

• G02F2001/133612

  Physics · mapped topic

• G02F1/133608

  including particular frames or supporting means · CPC title

• G02F1/133612

  Electrical details · CPC title