Patent Publication Number: US-2011058124-A1

Title: Composite optical device and monitor

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to composite optical device, particularly to a composite optical device receiving the light energy from its corner and to a monitor with composite optical device. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     LCD monitor only can work if the backlight module is provided. In the market, the monitor equipped with edge-type backlight module has recently come into vogue just because its weightlessness and thin character. For this reason, the edge-type backlight has attracted more and more interest and research. US patent US20070247871A1, for example, had disclosed an edge-type backlight module taking advantage of multiple LEDs disposing at lateral of light guide plate to generate light energy for a LCD monitor. 
     However, common used LEDs of prior art in the edge-type backlight module may cause so-called “Dark Band Phenomenon.” Please refer to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 1  is a diagram of “Dark Band Phenomenon” occurred in edge-type backlight module which adopts LEDs. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the “Dark Band Phenomenon” is what bright and dark alternate with between two LEDs; it may decrease the uniformity of luminance in edge-type backlight module and degrade the display efficiency of LCD monitor. 
     Thus, how to diminish the “Dark Band Phenomenon” and improve the display efficiency of the LCD monitor are critical issues remained to be resolved in the industry. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary object of the invention is to diminish the “Dark Band Phenomenon” and improve the display efficiency of the LCD monitor. 
     To achieve the foregoing and other objects, a composite optical device is provided. The composite optical device comprises pluralities of optical elements, pluralities of lighting devices, an emitting surface and a reflecting surface. Each optical element includes a corresponding pair of surfaces, a corresponding pair of first laterals, a corresponding pair of second laterals, a corresponding third lateral and fourth lateral. Wherein at least one surface is connected to said first lateral, said second lateral, said third lateral and said fourth lateral. The side length of said third lateral is less than side length of said first lateral and said second lateral; the side length of said fourth lateral is less than side length of said first lateral and said second lateral. At least one third lateral and one fourth lateral has a space. Said third lateral is adjacent to the fourth lateral of another optical element. Each lighting device is disposed in said space. The emitting surface is one of corresponding pair of surfaces; the reflecting surface is another of corresponding pair of surfaces. Whereby at least one of said third lateral and said fourth lateral receive the light energy of said lighting device and then said optical element delivers the light beam to said first lateral, said second lateral, said third lateral and said fourth lateral by means of the reflection of said reflecting surface. The light beam is output through said emitting surface. 
     In the aforementioned composite optical device, wherein said reflecting surface or at least one lateral includes pluralities of microstructures, and said microstructures are convex or concave. 
     In the aforementioned composite optical device, wherein the pluralities of optical elements are arranged in order with the number of m in a first direction and with the number of n in a second direction; said first direction and said second direction are orthogonal to each other thereof; m:n is equal to 16:9 or 16:10. 
     In the aforementioned composite optical device, wherein said third lateral is connected to one of said corresponding pair of surfaces so as to form a first angle. 
     In the aforementioned composite optical device, wherein said fourth lateral is connected to one of said corresponding pair of surfaces so as to form a second angle. 
     In the aforementioned composite optical device, wherein material of said optical element is polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE) or mixture of at least two aforementioned materials. 
     To achieve the foregoing and other objects, another composite optical device is provided. The composite optical device comprises pluralities of optical elements, pluralities of lighting devices, an emitting surface and a reflecting surface. Each optical element includes a corresponding pair of surfaces, a corresponding pair of first laterals, a corresponding pair of second laterals, a corresponding third lateral and fourth lateral, a corresponding fifth lateral and sixth lateral. Wherein at least one surface is connected to said first lateral, said second lateral, said third lateral, said fourth lateral, said fifth lateral and said sixth lateral. The side length of said third lateral is less than side length of said first lateral and said second lateral; the side length of said fourth lateral is less than side length of said first lateral and said second lateral; the side length of said fifth lateral is less than side length of said first lateral and said second lateral; the side length of said sixth lateral is less than side length of said first lateral and said second lateral. At least one third lateral and one fourth lateral have a space. Said third lateral is adjacent to the fourth lateral of another optical element. At least one fifth lateral and one sixth lateral have a space. Said fifth lateral is adjacent to the sixth lateral of another optical element. Each lighting device is disposed in said space. The emitting surface is one of corresponding pair of surfaces; the reflecting surface is another of corresponding pair of surfaces. Whereby at least one of said third lateral, said fourth lateral, said fifth lateral and said sixth lateral receive the light energy of said lighting device and then said optical element delivers the light beam to said first lateral, said second lateral, said third lateral, said fourth lateral, said fifth lateral and said sixth lateral by means of the reflection of said reflecting surface. The light beam is output through said emitting surface. 
     In the aforementioned composite optical device, wherein said third lateral is connected to one of said corresponding pair of surfaces so as to form a first angle. 
     In the aforementioned composite optical device, wherein said fourth lateral is connected to one of said corresponding pair of surfaces so as to form a second angle. 
     In the aforementioned composite optical device, wherein said fifth lateral is connected to one of said corresponding pair of surfaces so as to form a third angle. 
     In the aforementioned composite optical device, wherein said sixth lateral is connected to one of said corresponding pair of surfaces so as to form a fourth angle. 
     To achieve the foregoing and other objects, a monitor with composite optical device is provided. The monitor comprises pluralities of optical elements, pluralities of lighting devices, an emitting surface, a reflecting surface, at least one optical diffusive layer and a LCD panel. Each optical element includes a corresponding pair of surfaces, a corresponding pair of first laterals, a corresponding pair of second laterals, a corresponding third lateral and fourth lateral. Wherein at least one surface is connected to said first lateral, said second lateral, said third lateral and said fourth lateral. The side length of said third lateral is less than side length of said first lateral and said second lateral; the side length of said fourth lateral is less than side length of said first lateral and said second lateral. At least one third lateral and one fourth lateral have a space. Said third lateral is adjacent to the fourth lateral of another optical element. Each lighting device is disposed in said space. An emitting surface is one of corresponding pair of surfaces; a reflecting surface is another of corresponding pair of surfaces. Whereby at least one of said third lateral and said fourth lateral receive the light energy of said lighting device and then said optical element delivers the light beam to said first lateral, said second lateral, said third lateral and said fourth lateral by means of the reflection of said reflecting surface. The light beam is output through said emitting surface. At least one optical diffusive layer is disposed outside said emitting surface; said optical diffusive layer receives the light energy emitted from said emitting surface so as to form a specific optical path. A LCD panel is disposed next to said optical diffusive layer; said LCD panel receives the optical path so as to present a predesigned image. 
     The composite optical device or monitor of present invention can diminish the “Dark Band Phenomenon,” and then improve the display efficiency of the LCD monitor. Therefore, it may have tremendous potential sells and market. 
     The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of “Dark Band Phenomenon” occurred in edge-type backlight module which adopts LEDs; 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of optical element in the composite optical device of first embodiment; 
         FIG. 2B  is a top view of the composite optical device of first embodiment; 
         FIG. 2C  is a perspective view of optical element in the composite optical device of second embodiment; 
         FIG. 2D  is a perspective view of optical element in the composite optical device of third embodiment; 
         FIG. 2E  is a perspective view of optical element in the composite optical device of fourth embodiment; 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of optical element in the composite optical device of fifth embodiment; 
         FIG. 3B  is a top view of the composite optical device of fifth embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of optical element in the composite optical device of sixth embodiment; 
         FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of optical element in the composite optical device of seventh embodiment; 
         FIG. 5B  is a top view of the composite optical device of seventh embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of optical element in the composite optical device of eighth embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of monitor with composite optical device; 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram of presenting benefit for adopting the composite optical device of first embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2A ,  FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of optical element in the composite optical device of first embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 2A , the optical element  11  includes a corresponding emitting surface  11 A and reflecting surface  11 B, a corresponding pair of first lateral  111 , a corresponding pair of second lateral  112 , a corresponding third lateral  113  and fourth lateral  114 . Wherein, the emitting surface  11 A and the reflecting surface  11 B are both connected to the first lateral  111 , the second lateral  112 , the third lateral  113  and the fourth lateral  114 . In addition, the side length of the third lateral  113  is less than side length of the first lateral  111  and the second lateral  112 ; the side length of the fourth lateral  114  is less than side length of the first lateral  111  and the second lateral  112 . The third lateral  113  is connected to the reflecting surface  11 B so as to form a first angle θ  1 ; the fourth lateral  114  is connected to the reflecting surface  11 B so as to form a second angle θ  2 . Besides, the material of the optical element  11  can be polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE) or mixture of at least two aforementioned materials. 
     In order to diminish “Dark Band Phenomenon,” the aforementioned optical element may be composed. Please refer to  FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B  simultaneously;  FIG. 2B  is a top view of the composite optical device of first embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 2B , a composite optical device  1  includes pluralities of optical elements  11 . The third lateral  113  in each optical element  11  has a space  117  nearby, and the fourth lateral  114  in each optical element  11  has another space  117  nearby. The third lateral  113  is adjacent to the fourth lateral  114  of another optical element  11 . A lighting device  12  is disposed in each space  117  to irradiate the light beam passing through the third lateral  113  and then enter the optical element  11 . The light beam is reflected inside the optical element  11  by the reflecting surface  11 B and then delivered to the first lateral  111 , the second lateral  112  and the fourth lateral  114 . Finally, the light beam is output through the emitting surface  11 A. In addition, the lighting devices  12  are sheltered by the emitting surfaces  11 A of the optical elements  11  in order to urge the light beam to enter interior of the optical element  11  and then output through the emitting surface  11 A. Moreover, the third lateral  113  may be a polished surface to reduce the loss of light energy when the light beam enters the optical element  11 . In this embodiment, the lighting device  12  is a LED. In the composite optical device  1 , the optical elements  11  are arranged in order with the number of m in a first direction and with the number of n in a second direction. Wherein, the first direction and the second direction are orthogonal to each other. In the embodiment of  FIG. 2B , the first direction is horizontal; the second direction is vertical; m=4 and n=3. Furthermore, those skilled in the art may install the composite optical element  11  with m:n equal to 16:9 or 16:10. After simulation of optical efficiency, the first angle θ  1  or the second angle θ  2  of the optical element  11  may be ranged from 90˜180 degree, 162.5˜178.5 degree the best, to reduce the loss of light energy as far as possible when the light beam passes through the third lateral  113 . 
     To exemplify the improved result of the composite optical device  1  in present invention, the experiment was raised by optical simulation. Please refer to  FIG. 8 ,  FIG. 8  is a diagram of presenting benefit for adopting the composite optical device of first embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the “Dark Band Phenomenon” is no more, instead, the light spread with uniform. Thus, the composite optical device  1  may have excellent promotion to diminish the “Dark Band Phenomenon.” 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2C ,  FIG. 2C  is a perspective view of optical element in the composite optical device of second embodiment. In this embodiment, the optical element  21  includes two first laterals  211 , two second laterals  212 , a third lateral  213 , a fourth lateral  214 , a emitting surface  21 A and a reflecting surface  21 B. Wherein, the optical element  21  in  FIG. 2C  is similar to the optical element  11  in  FIG. 2A . As shown in  FIG. 2C , the third lateral  213  includes pluralities of microstructures  2131 , and the microstructures  2131  are serrate. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2D ,  FIG. 2D  is a perspective view of optical element in the composite optical device of third embodiment. In this embodiment, the optical element  31  includes two first laterals  311 , two second laterals  312 , a third lateral  313 , a fourth lateral  314 , a emitting surface  31 A and a reflecting surface  31 B. Wherein, the optical element  31  in  FIG. 2D  is similar to the optical element  11  in  FIG. 2A . As shown in  FIG. 2D , the third lateral  313  includes pluralities of microstructures  3131 , and the microstructures  3131  are convex. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2E ,  FIG. 2E  is a perspective view of optical element in the composite optical device of fourth embodiment. In this embodiment, the optical element  41  includes two first laterals  411 , two second laterals  412 , a third lateral  413 , a fourth lateral  414 , a emitting surface  41 A and a reflecting surface  41 B. Wherein, the optical element  41  in  FIG. 2E  is similar to the optical element  11  in  FIG. 2A . As shown in  FIG. 2E , the third lateral  413  includes pluralities of microstructures  4131 , and the microstructures  4131  are concave. 
     Besides, the microstructure may be disposed on the first, second, fourth lateral or the reflecting surface so as to uniformly reflect the light beam to the emitting surface. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 3A ,  FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of optical element in the composite optical device of fifth embodiment. The optical element  51  includes a corresponding emitting surface  51 A and reflecting surface  51 B, a corresponding pair of first lateral  511 , a corresponding pair of second lateral  512 , a corresponding third lateral  513  and fourth lateral  514 , a corresponding fifth lateral  515  and sixth lateral  516 . In this embodiment, the third laterals  513 , fourth laterals  514 , fifth laterals  515  and sixth laterals  516  are triangle-shaped. The reflecting surface  51 B is connected to the first lateral  511 , second lateral  512 , third laterals  513 , fourth laterals  514 , fifth laterals  515  and sixth laterals  516 . Besides, the side length of the third lateral  513 , fourth lateral  514 , fifth lateral  515  and sixth lateral  516  are less than side length of the first lateral  511  or side length of the second lateral  512 . The third lateral  513  is connected to the reflecting surface  51 B so as to form a first angle ψ  1 ; the fourth lateral  514  is connected to the reflecting surface  51 B so as to form a second angle (not shown); the fifth lateral  515  is connected to the reflecting surface  51 B so as to form a third angle ψ  3 ; the sixth lateral  516  is connected to the reflecting surface  51 B so as to form a fourth angle ψ  4 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B ,  FIG. 3B  is a top view of the composite optical device of fifth embodiment. In  FIG. 3B , a composite optical device  5  includes pluralities of optical elements  51  as shown in  FIG. 3A . The third lateral  513 , fourth lateral  514 , fifth lateral  515  and sixth lateral  516 , respectively, in each optical element  51  has a space  517  disposed nearby. The third lateral  513  is adjacent to the fourth lateral  514  of another optical element  51 ; the fifth lateral  515  is adjacent to the sixth lateral  516  of another optical element  51 . A lighting device  52  is disposed in each space  517  to irradiate the light beam passing through the third lateral  513 , fourth lateral  514 , fifth lateral  515  or the sixth lateral  516  and then enter the optical element  51 . The light beam is reflected inside the optical element  51  by the reflecting surface  51 B and then delivered to the other laterals. Besides, the lighting devices  52  are sheltered by the emitting surfaces  51 A of the optical elements  51  in order to urge the light beam to enter interior of the optical element  51  and then output through the emitting surface  51 A. The composite optical device  5  is arranged into matrix with four optical elements  51  horizontally and three optical elements  51  vertically. Moreover, after optical simulation, the first angle ψ 1 , second angle (not shown), third angle ψ 3  and fourth angle ψ 4  may be ranged 90˜180 degree, 162.5˜178.5 degree the best, to reduce the loss of light energy as far as possible when the light beam passes through the third lateral  513 , fourth lateral  514 , fifth lateral  515  or the sixth lateral  516 . 
     In addition, the third, fourth, fifth or sixth lateral may redesigned with other shape instead of that with triangle-shaped in  FIG. 3A . Please refer to  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 4  is a perspective view of optical element in the composite optical device of sixth embodiment;  FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of optical element in the composite optical device of seventh embodiment;  FIG. 6  is a perspective view of optical element in the composite optical device of eighth embodiment. In  FIG. 4 , the third lateral  613 , fourth lateral  614 , fifth lateral  615  and sixth lateral  616  of the optical element  61  are quadrilateral-shaped. In  FIG. 5A , the third lateral  713 , fourth lateral  714 , fifth lateral  715  and sixth lateral  716  of the optical element  71  are curved surface. In  FIG. 6 , the third lateral  813 , fourth lateral  814 , fifth lateral  815  and sixth lateral  816  of the optical element  81  are cylindrical. Moreover, please refer to  FIG. 5B ,  FIG. 5B  is a top view of the composite optical device of seventh embodiment. In  FIG. 5B , the composite optical device  7  is composed of pluralities of optical elements  71  as shown in  FIG. 5A . In the composite optical device  7 , the third lateral  713 , fourth lateral  714 , fifth lateral  715  and sixth lateral  716  in each optical element  71  have a space  717  nearby, respectively. The third lateral  713  is adjacent to the fourth lateral  714  of another optical element  71 ; the fifth lateral  715  is adjacent to the sixth lateral  716  of another optical element  71 . A lighting device  72  is disposed in each space  717  to irradiate the light beam passing through the third lateral  713 , fourth lateral  714 , fifth lateral  715  or sixth lateral  716  and then enter the optical element  71 . 
     Thus, the composite optical device of present invention which adopts the optical elements may diminish the “Dark Band Phenomenon” occurred in edge-type backlight module which contains LEDs. In this reason, the uniformity of luminance shall be improved and then the display efficiency of monitor will be definitely better. 
     In order to prove the validation of the optical element or the composite optical device, the monitor which adopts aforementioned optical element or composite optical device is introduced. Please refer to  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 7  is a perspective view of monitor with composite optical device. In  FIG. 7 , a monitor  9  includes a backboard  91 , a composite optical device  7 , an optical diffusive layer  92  and a LCD panel  93 . Wherein, the composite optical device  7  is exactly the same with the one in  FIG. 5B . The backboard  91  is disposed underneath the composite optical device  7  in order to reflect light beam leaked from the composite optical device  7 . The optical diffusive layer  92  is disposed at upside of the composite optical device  7  in order to receive the light energy emitted from the composite optical device  7 , and so as to form a specific optical path. The LCD panel  93  is disposed at upside of the optical diffusive layer  92 . After the light beam goes from the optical diffusive layer  92  to the LCD panel  93 , a predesigned image may be presented. 
     While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, and that this invention is not be limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various other modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled in the art.