Bezel-concealing display covers and display devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9588264-B2
Application number	US-201213647818-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2012
Priority date	Oct 12, 2011
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

Bezel-concealing display covers and display devices are disclosed. In one example, a bezel-concealing display cover includes a bezel and a display panel includes a perimeter portion having a first surface and a second surface such that the perimeter portion is configured to be offset from the bezel of the display device by a gap G A . The bezel-concealing display cover further includes a first array of prisms on at least one of the first surface or the second surface of the perimeter portion that extend from an edge of the perimeter portion to a distance L. Each prism of the first array of prisms has a prism angle θ, and the first array of prisms is configured to shift a portion of an image proximate the bezel produced by the display panel such that the shifted portion of the image appears over the bezel to an observer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bezel-concealing display cover for coupling to a display device comprising a bezel and a display panel, the bezel-concealing display cover comprising:
a perimeter portion comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein the perimeter portion is configured to be offset from the bezel of the display device by a gap G A ;
a first array of prisms on at least one of the first surface or the second surface of the perimeter portion, the first array of prisms extending from an edge of the perimeter portion to a distance L, wherein:
each prism of the first array of prisms comprises a first light transiting facet, a second light transiting facet, and a prism angle θ between the first light transiting facet and the second light transiting facet, wherein the prism angle θ of the individual prisms of the first array of prisms non-linearly decreases in a direction from the edge of the perimeter portion toward a center of the bezel-concealing display cover at the distance L such that a rate of prism angle decrease at a midpoint between the edge of the perimeter portion and the distance L from the edge of the perimeter portion is greater than a rate of prism angle decrease proximate the edge of the perimeter portion and a rate of prism angle proximate the distance L from the edge of the perimeter portion;
the first array of prisms is configured to shift a portion of an image proximate the bezel produced by the display panel such that the shifted portion of the image appears over the bezel to an observer; and
a central region bounded by the perimeter portion, wherein the first array of prisms is not present at the central region.

2. The bezel-concealing display cover according to claim 1 , wherein the central region is substantially transparent.

3. The bezel-concealing display cover according to claim 1 , wherein the perimeter portion comprises glass, and the first array of prisms is integrated into the glass.

4. The bezel-concealing display cover according to claim 1 , wherein the perimeter portion comprises glass, and the first array of prisms is provided by an angular filter positioned on the first surface or the second surface of the perimeter portion.

5. The bezel-concealing display cover according to claim 1 , wherein:
each individual prism of the first array of prisms comprises a transiting facet and a non-transiting facet;
the transiting facet is transmissive to light produced by the display device; and
the non-transiting facet is opaque.

6. The bezel-concealing display cover according to claim 1 , wherein the first array of prisms are positioned on the first surface of the perimeter portion, and the first surface of the perimeter portion faces the observer.

7. The bezel-concealing display cover according to claim 1 , wherein the first array of prisms are positioned on the second surface of the perimeter portion, and the second surface of the perimeter portion is configured to face the display device.

8. The bezel-concealing display cover according to claim 1 , wherein the first array of prisms form a Fresnel lens.

9. The bezel-concealing display cover according to claim 8 , wherein the Fresnel lens is aspheric.

10. The bezel-concealing display cover according to claim 1 , wherein at least one facet of each prism of the first array of prisms comprises a curve.

Assignees

• Etienne Michael
• Gollier Jacques
• Nolan Daniel Aloysius
• Weeks Wendell Porter
• Corning Inc

Inventors

• Etienne Michael
• Gollier Jacques
• Nolan Daniel Aloysius
• Weeks Wendell Porter

Classifications

• G09F13/04

  Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia · CPC title

• G02F2001/133388

  Physics · mapped topic

• G02F1/13336

  Combining plural substrates to produce large-area displays, e.g. tiled displays · CPC title

• G02B27/126

  The splitting element being a prism or prismatic array, including systems based on total internal reflection · CPC title

• G02F2001/133562

  Physics · mapped topic