US6068381A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Back lighting device with central opening frame member and a unitized lamp and rigid radially extended terminals assembly
Assignee: Nu Tech and Engineering Inc
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Filing: 1998-01-29
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Granted: 2000-05-30
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Expires: 2018-01-29
Abstract
Abstract A back lighting device is formed as an assembly of a frame, light waveguide, lamp and terminal assembly and a diffuser sheet. In one embodiment, the lamp and terminal assembly is received in a pocket through a rear opening in the frame and includes terminals having leg portions that are seated on seat portions in the pocket that optimally align a lamp member of the lamp and terminal assembly with an edge of the waveguide to provide optimum light transmission into the waveguide. The diffuser sheet covers the rear of the waveguide and extends across the rear opening of the pocket to limit the escape of light from the pocket and the waveguide to the rear of the back lighting device. The diffuser and frame are preferably molded of a white glass filled material that provides good diffusion of light reflected therefrom and reflects a maximum amount of diffused light back into the waveguide for transmission through a front surface for back lighting of a liquid crystal display or other light receiving member.
Inventors
- 👤 John A. Ayres
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 09:47
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/0001; G02B6/0011; G02B6/0081; G02B6/0086; G02B6/0091; G02B6/0065; G02B6/0033; G02B6/005; G02B6/0051
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
206 words
A back lighting device characterized by: a frame member having front and rear faces and sides with inner edges defining a central opening; a light waveguide mounted in said frame inner edges and closing the central opening, said waveguide including an outer edge portion for receiving light into the waveguide and a front surface through which light is extracted for use in back lighting; a pocket extending longitudinally in one of said sides of the frame member and having an inner opening through one of said inner edges, said side opening receiving said outer edge portion of the waveguide, said pocket also having a rear opening through said rear face of the frame member and longitudinally extending seat portions formed in the frame on opposite ends of the pocket; and a unitized lamp and terminal assembly including a lamp member connected at opposite ends to rigid terminals lying in a radially extending plane of the lamp member, each terminal including a leg portion extending longitudinally from one of said ends, said leg portions engaging said seat portions of the pocket for supporting the lamp member in an optimal front to rear position relative to the waveguide for transmitting light from the lamp member into the waveguide.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
206 words
A back lighting device characterized by: a frame member having front and rear faces and sides with inner edges defining a central opening; a light waveguide mounted in said frame inner edges and closing the central opening, said waveguide including an outer edge portion for receiving light into the waveguide and a front surface through which light is extracted for use in back lighting; a pocket extending longitudinally in one of said sides of the frame member and having an inner opening through one of said inner edges, said side opening receiving said outer edge portion of the waveguide, said pocket also having a rear opening through said rear face of the frame member and longitudinally extending seat portions formed in the frame on opposite ends of the pocket; and a unitized lamp and terminal assembly including a lamp member connected at opposite ends to rigid terminals lying in a radially extending plane of the lamp member, each terminal including a leg portion extending longitudinally from one of said ends, said leg portions engaging said seat portions of the pocket for supporting the lamp member in an optimal front to rear position relative to the waveguide for transmitting light from the lamp member into the waveguide.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
A back lighting device as in claim 1, including a diffuser mounted on the rear side of the frame behind the waveguide, said diffuser including a tab extending across said pocket and closing said rear opening of the pocket opposite said lamp to limit the escape of light through said rear opening and contain the lamp member in the pocket.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
A back lighting device as in claim 2 wherein said terminals each include a connecting portion extending laterally rearward from their respective leg portions and outward from the respective seat portions of the frame and beyond said diffuser for connecting said lamp with an associated electric power source.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A back lighting device as in claim 2 wherein said frame and said diffuser have white surfaces facing the waveguide and the lamp member for reflecting light from the lamp member toward the waveguide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A back lighting device as in claim 4 wherein said frame and said diffuser are formed of white material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A back lighting device as in claim 1 wherein said frame is of white plastics material and is molded about said light waveguide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
178 words
A back lighting device characterized by: a frame member having front and rear faces and sides with inner edges defining a central opening; a light waveguide mounted in said frame inner edges and closing the central opening, said waveguide including an outer edge portion for receiving light into the waveguide and a front surface through which light is extracted for use in back lighting; a unitized lamp and terminal assembly mounted relative to said waveguide adjacent one end, said assembly including a lamp member connected at opposite ends to rigid terminals lying in a radially extending plane of the lamp member, the lamp member positioned optimally for transmitting light from the lamp member into the waveguide; and a diffuser mounted on the rear side of the frame behind the waveguide, said diffuser closing the rear of said central opening and extending behind said lamp member to limit the escape of light from the lamp member and from the waveguide through said rear of the opening and to reflect diffused light through the waveguide for transmission to a viewer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
178 words
A back lighting device characterized by: a frame member having front and rear faces and sides with inner edges defining a central opening; a light waveguide mounted in said frame inner edges and closing the central opening, said waveguide including an outer edge portion for receiving light into the waveguide and a front surface through which light is extracted for use in back lighting; a unitized lamp and terminal assembly mounted relative to said waveguide adjacent one end, said assembly including a lamp member connected at opposite ends to rigid terminals lying in a radially extending plane of the lamp member, the lamp member positioned optimally for transmitting light from the lamp member into the waveguide; and a diffuser mounted on the rear side of the frame behind the waveguide, said diffuser closing the rear of said central opening and extending behind said lamp member to limit the escape of light from the lamp member and from the waveguide through said rear of the opening and to reflect diffused light through the waveguide for transmission to a viewer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A back lighting device as in claim 7 wherein said lamp member is insert molded into said waveguide adjacent said one end.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
A back lighting device as in claim 7 wherein said lamp member is mounted within a pocket in said frame and supporting said lamp member in optimal front to rear position relative to the waveguide for transmitting light from the lamp member into the waveguide, said waveguide also closing a rear opening of said pocket.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A back lighting device as in claim 7 and further including a polarizing film adherent on a rear surface of said waveguide and provided with a light distributing pattern thereon.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A back lighting device as in claim 7 and further including brightness enhancing film spaced from a front surface of the waveguide to improve the delivery of light from the waveguide to a viewer.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
152 words
A method of making a back lighting device, said method characterized by the steps of forming an assembly including a frame member having front and rear faces and defining a central opening and a light waveguide mounted in the frame central opening; forming a pocket in a side of said frame, said pocket having a rear opening through said rear face of said frame; forming a lamp and terminal assembly including a lamp member connected at opposite ends to rigid terminals including connecting portions extending radially from said ends; mounting said lamp and terminal assembly adjacent one end of said waveguide and in an optimal front to rear position relative to said waveguide for transmitting light from the lamp member into the waveguide; and providing light loss limiting means for limiting light loss through said rear opening of the pocket and for limiting light loss from a rear side of said waveguide.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
152 words
A method of making a back lighting device, said method characterized by the steps of forming an assembly including a frame member having front and rear faces and defining a central opening and a light waveguide mounted in the frame central opening; forming a pocket in a side of said frame, said pocket having a rear opening through said rear face of said frame; forming a lamp and terminal assembly including a lamp member connected at opposite ends to rigid terminals including connecting portions extending radially from said ends; mounting said lamp and terminal assembly adjacent one end of said waveguide and in an optimal front to rear position relative to said waveguide for transmitting light from the lamp member into the waveguide; and providing light loss limiting means for limiting light loss through said rear opening of the pocket and for limiting light loss from a rear side of said waveguide.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as in claim 12 wherein said step of forming an assembly includes first forming said waveguide and then molding said frame around the waveguide.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
109 words
A method as in claim 12 and further including: forming a pocket in the frame having an inner opening receiving an outer edge portion of the waveguide and a rear opening for receiving said lamp and terminal assembly into the pocket, the pocket including longitudinally extending seat portions formed on opposite ends of the pocket; forming said lamp and terminal assembly with said rigid terminals including leg portions extending longitudinally from said ends; and inserting said lamp and terminal assembly into said pocket through said rear opening with said leg portions seated upon said seat portions to align said lamp member with an outer edge portion of the waveguide.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method as in claim 14 wherein said step of providing light loss limiting means includes installing a diffuser on the frame behind said waveguide to close a rear face of the device, said diffuser having a tab extending across said rear opening to limit light loss therethrough.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as in claim 15 wherein said tab extending across said rear opening also retains said lamp and terminal assembly in said pocket.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as in claim 12 and further including the step of: insert molding said lamp and terminal assembly into said waveguide adjacent said one end thereof prior to said step of forming an assembly of said frame and said waveguide.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as in claim 17 wherein said step of forming an assembly includes first forming said waveguide and then molding said frame around the waveguide.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-05-30 | 2003-11-29 | 2004-05-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-05-30 | 2007-11-29 | 2008-05-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-05-30 | 2011-11-29 | 2012-05-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |