Illumination – Illuminated scale or dial – Edge illuminated modifier or light rod/pipe
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-08
2001-10-30
Sember, Thomas M. (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Illuminated scale or dial
Edge illuminated modifier or light rod/pipe
C362S035000, C362S559000, C362S560000, C362S561000, C362S297000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06309079
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a display, and more particularly to a display system having a non-luminescent display device such as a liquid crystal display and a light source, and a method of illumination to a display area of the non-luminescent display device.
Non-luminescent display devices such as liquid crystal displays have been used as thin display devices, wherein the display forms images which are displayed with illuminations. The following methods for illuminations have been available.
The first illumination method is as illustrated in
FIG. 1
which is a fragmentary cross sectional elevation view illustrative of a reflection of a natural light by a reflecting plate on a bottom of a display device A display device
101
has a display surface and a back surface facing to a reflecting plate
103
. A natural light
111
is incident from the display surface into the display device
101
at an oblique angle to the display surface The incident light
111
reaches a surface of the reflecting plate
103
and is then reflected thereby. The reflected light is transmitted through the display device
101
.
The above first illumination method has the following problems. This method utilizes only the natural light, for which reason this first conventional method is inapplicable to a dark place or a weak natural light place The natural light is attenuated upon transmission thereof through the non-luminescent display device. As described above, the natural light is incident into the non-luminescent display device and then reflected by the reflecting plate before the reflected light is further transmitted through the non-luminescent display device, for which reason the natural light is attenuated two times, whereby it is difficult to obtain a sufficient intensity of the display light.
The second illumination method is as illustrated in
FIG. 2
which is a fragmentary cross sectional elevation view illustrative of a transmission of an illumination light from an opposite surface to a display surface of a display device. A light source
102
is positioned to face an opposite surface to a display surface of a display device so that an illumination light
112
as emitted from the light source
102
is transmitted from the opposite surface to the display surface of the display device
101
.
The above second illumination method has the following problems, This method requires the light source to always remain ON for obtaining a sufficient intensity of the display light, for which reason it is difficult to respond to the requirement for a possible reduction in a power consumption of the display.
The third illumination method is as illustrated in
FIG. 3
which is a fragmentary cross sectional elevation view illustrative of a combination of the above first and second methods, wherein a reflecting plate
103
is provided on an opposite surface to a display surface of a display device
101
and a light surface
102
is positioned in a back side of the reflecting plate
103
, so that a natural light
111
is incident from the display surface into the display device
101
at an oblique angle to the display surface. The incident light
111
reaches a surface of the reflecting plate
103
and is then reflected thereby. The reflected light
111
is transmitted through the display device
101
. Further, an illumination light
112
as emitted from the light source
102
is transmitted from the opposite surface to the display surface of the display device
101
. The reflecting plate
103
is semi-transparent to the light so that the reflecting plate
103
is capable of reflecting the natural light
111
and also allowing the illumination light
112
to be transmitted through the reflecting plate
103
.
The above third illumination method has the following problems. The light reflecting plate is semi-transparent for responding to the conflict requirements for transmission of the illumination light through the light reflecting plate and reflection of the natural light by the light reflecting plate. This means it difficult to obtain high reflectivity and transparency. The efficiency in use of the illumination and the natural light is low The display can not exhibit such the required high display performance.
The fourth illumination method is as illustrated in
FIG. 4
which is a fragmentary cross sectional elevation view illustrative of another combination of the above first and second methods, wherein combined two multiple window plates
603
are provided on an opposite surface to a display surface of a display device
101
and a light surface
102
is positioned in a back side of the combined two multiple window plates
603
. Each of the combined two multiple window plates
603
has windows. The two multiple window plates
603
are allowed to be displaced from each other or relatively move to each other so that the individual multiple windows of the two multiple window plates
603
are alternately positioned, whereby no overlap is formed between the individual multiple windows of the two multiple window plates
603
, and also so that the individual multiple windows of the two multiple window plates
603
are aligned, whereby overlaps are formed between the individual multiple windows of the two multiple window plates
603
, thereby forming windows penetrating the two multiple window plates
603
. A natural light
111
is incident from the display surface into the display device
101
at an oblique angle to the display surface. The incident light
111
reaches a surface of the combined two multiple window plates
603
and is then reflected thereby, wherein the combined two multiple window plates
603
are displaced from each other so that the individual multiple windows of the two multiple window plates
603
are alternately positioned, whereby no overlap is formed between the individual multiple windows of the two multiple window plates
603
, thereby forming no window penetrating the two multiple window plates
603
. The reflected light
111
is then transmitted through the display device
101
. Further, an illumination light
112
as emitted from the light source
102
is transmitted through the two multiple window plates
603
and then through the display device
101
, wherein the combined two multiple window plates
603
are displaced from each other so that the individual multiple windows of the two multiple window plates
603
are aligned, whereby overlaps are formed between the individual multiple windows of the two multiple window plates
603
, thereby forming windows penetrating the two multiple window plates
603
in order to allow the illumination light
112
to be transmitted through the overlapped windows of the two multiple window plates
603
. This conventional method is disclosed in Japanese laid-open utility model publication No 59-194781.
The above fourth illumination method has the following problems. The multiple windows of the two multiple window plates
603
are defined by grids. Namely, the body of each of the two multiple window plates
603
comprises grids which define the windows Even if the two multiple window plates
603
are displaced so that the individual windows of the two multiple window plates
603
are just overlapped, then the illumination light is partially shielded by this grid portion. This means it difficult to improve the efficiency in use of the illumination light. Further, a driver and a controller are required to relatively move the two multiple window plates
603
under precise controls in position Actually, a system having the driver and the controller is required to be provided, whereby another problem with increase in the cost is also raised.
The fifth illumination method is as illustrated in
FIG. 5
which is a fragmentary cross sectional elevation view illustrative of still another combination of the above first and second methods, wherein a reflecting flexible thin film
103
is provided on an opposite surface to a display surface of a display device
101
and a light surface
102
is positioned in a back side of the refle
Alavi Ali
NEC Infrontia Corporation
Sember Thomas M.
Young & Thompson
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