Display module and light guide device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9341883-B2
Application number	US-201414327223-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2014
Priority date	Feb 7, 2014
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

A display module is provided. A light source is configured to provide an illumination beam. A light guide plate has a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and an incident surface connecting the first surface and the second surface. The illumination beam enters the light guide plate through the incident surface. A reflective element is connected to the light guide plate and has a plurality of first reflective surfaces inclined with respect to the second surface. A reflective display unit is capable of modulating a polarization state of the illumination beam to form a modulated beam. The second surface is disposed between the reflective display unit and the first surface. The first surface is disposed between the second surface and a reflective polarizer, and the reflective polarizer filters the modulated beam into an image beam.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display module comprising:
at least one light source configured to provide at least one illumination beam;
a light guide plate having a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and at least one incident surface connecting the first surface and the second surface, the illumination beam entering the light guide plate through the incident surface;
a reflective element connected to the light guide plate and configured to change a propagation direction of at least one part of the illumination beam, the reflective element having a plurality of first reflective surfaces inclined with respect to the second surface, wherein the reflective element is a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) film and comprises a plurality of first inclined portions configured to respectively form the first reflective surfaces, and the first inclined portions reflect at least one part of the illumination beam having a first polarization direction from the incident surface;
a reflective display unit capable of modulating a polarization state of the illumination beam to form a modulated beam, the second surface being disposed between the reflective display unit and the first surface; and
a reflective polarizer, the first surface being disposed between the second surface and the reflective polarizer, the reflective polarizer filtering the modulated beam into an image beam.

2. The display module according to claim 1 , wherein the reflective element further comprises a plurality of connecting portions, the first inclined portions and the connecting portions are connected alternately, the PBS film allows light having the first polarization direction and about perpendicularly incident thereon to pass through and allows light having a second polarization direction and about perpendicularly incident thereon to pass through, the first polarization direction is substantially parallel to the second surface and the first reflective surfaces, and the second polarization direction is substantially perpendicular to the first polarization direction.

3. The display module according to claim 1 , wherein the reflective element is a multilayer film.

4. The display module according to claim 3 , wherein a material of the reflective element comprises titanium oxide, tantalum oxide, silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, or a combination thereof.

5. The display module according to claim 3 , wherein the multilayer film has 2-100 layers.

6. The display module according to claim 5 , wherein a thickness of each of the layers ranges from 10 nm to 1 μm.

7. The display module according to claim 1 , wherein the reflective element satisfies 0.5 μm≦W<P≦100 μm, where W is a width of each of the first reflective surfaces, and P is a pitch of each of the first reflective surfaces.

8. The display module according to claim 1 , wherein the reflective element is disposed on the first surface of the light guide plate.

9. The display module according to claim 1 , wherein the light guide plate comprises a first light guide sub-plate having the first surface and a second light guide sub-plate having the second surface, and the reflective element is sandwiched between the first light guide sub-plate and the second light guide sub-plate and is located between the first surface and the second surface.

10. The display module according to claim 1 , wherein the reflective element further comprises:
a plurality of second inclined portions inclined with respect to the second surface, wherein the first inclined portions and the second inclined portions are arranged alternately;
a plurality of top connecting portions, each of the top connecting portions connects a top end of one of the first inclined portions and a top end of one of the second inclined portions which are adjacent to each other; and
a plurality of bottom connecting portions, each of the bottom connecting portions connects a bottom end of one of the first inclined portions and a bottom end of one of the second inclined portions which are adjacent to each other, wherein the top connecting portions and the bottom connecting portions are connected alternately.

11. The display module according to claim 1 , wherein the reflective element further comprises:
a plurality of connecting portions respectively connected to the first inclined portions, wherein each of the connecting portions and the corresponding one of the inclined portions form a V-shape; and
a plurality of top connecting portions, each of the top connecting portions connects a top end of one of the connecting portions and a top end of one of the first inclined portions and is between two adjacent V-shapes.

12. The display module according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one incident surface comprises two opposite incident surfaces, the at least one light source comprises two light sources disposed respectively beside the two opposite incident surfaces, and each of the connecting portions has a second reflective surfaces inclined with respect to the second surface.

13. The display module according to claim 1 , wherein the first reflective surfaces are inclined with respect to the second surface by 25 degrees to 60 degrees.

14. The display module according to claim 1 further comprising an image-forming lens disposed on a path of the image beam from the reflective polarizer to form a real image or a virtual image.

15. The display module according to claim 1 , wherein the reflective display unit is a micro-display.

16. The display module according to claim 1 , wherein the light guide plate further has a third surface opposite to the incident surface, the third surface connects the first surface and the second surface, and the display module further comprises a reflector disposed on the third surface.

17. The display module according to claim 1 further comprising a light coupling optic disposed on the incident surface.

18. The display module according to claim 1 , wherein the light source comprising:
at least one light-emitting device configured to emit an unpolarized beam; and
a polarizer disposed on a path of the unpolarized beam and configured to filter the unpolarized beam into a polarized beam, wherein the illumination beam is the polarized beam.

19. The display module according to claim 1 , wherein the light source is a polarized light source, and the illumination beam is a polarized beam.

20. A light guide device comprising:
a light guide plate having a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and at least one incident surface connecting the first surface and the second surface, at least one light beam entering the light guide plate through the at least one incident surface; and
a reflective element connected to the light guide plate and configured to change a propagation direction of at least one part of the illumination beam, the reflective element having a plurality of first reflective surfaces inclined with respect to the second surface, wherein the reflective element is a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) film and comprises a plurality of first inclined portions configured to respectively form the first reflective surfaces, and the first inclined portions reflect at least one part of the illumination beam having a first polarization direction from the incident surface.

21. The light guide device according to claim 20 further comprising a reflective polarizer disposed on the first surface.

22. The light guide device according to claim 20 , wherein the ref

Assignees

• Himax Display Inc

Inventors

• Li Yuet-Wing
• Chen Kuan-Yu
• Lin Chi-Wen

Classifications

• G02B6/0023

  provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed between the light guide and the light source, or around the light source · CPC title

• G02F1/133536 Primary

  Reflective polarizers (G02F1/13362 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/0038 Primary

  Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide · CPC title

• F21S8/00 Primary

  Lighting devices intended for fixed installation (F21S9/00, F21S10/00 take precedence; using a string or strip of light sources F21S4/00) · CPC title

• F21V13/00

  Producing particular characteristics or distribution of the light emitted by means of a combination of elements specified in two or more of main groups F21V1/00 - F21V11/00 (controlling the distribution of the light emitted by adjustment of elements F21V14/00) · CPC title