Back light assembly for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays

Abstract

The present invention features a system for uniformly distributing luminance and a high degree of collimation from a back light module for flat-panel, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) simultaneously. A constant and uniform luminance output of the back light module in two directions is obtained through appropriate selection of lamps, geometry and optical components. An appropriate balance of lamps, lamp spacing, diffusers and light collimating optics are chosen to produce a high brightness back light module with very high intensity output over two very large surfaces. Variations in intensity over the illuminated area are minimized using light recycling in conjunction with the reflective diffusers and collimating optics. Precision collimators eliminate light beyond a defined angle, as required in tiled or monolithic flat-panel LCDs with predetermined display specifications.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A high-output back light module for use with two back-to-back flat-panel displays, comprising:
 a) a housing having an open front and an open back and defining a lamp cavity, said lamp cavity having substantially solid, optically-reflective side walls;   b) an array of lamps disposed within said lamp cavity; and   c) lamp control means operatively connected to at least one lamp of said array of lamps to provide power thereto and to optimize light output therefrom;   
       wherein said housing, said lamp cavity and said lamp array are disposed intermediate two back-to-back flat-panel displays at a predetermined distance from each of said two back-to-back flat-panel displays. 
     
     
       2. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said lamp cavity is substantially rectangular and oriented such that the longer side of said rectangle is disposed horizontally. 
     
     
       3. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said array of lamps is disposed horizontally within said lamp cavity. 
     
     
       4. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said lamp array comprises fluorescent lamps. 
     
     
       5. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said fluorescent lamps comprise hot cathode fluorescent lamps. 
     
     
       6. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising at least one from group: collimating means, diffuser means and brightness enhancing films (BEFs) disposed intermediate said housing, and at least one of said back-to-back flat-panel displays. 
     
     
       7. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said lamp array is defined by parameters comprising the number of lamps in said lamp array, the type of lamps, the lamp diameter and the inter-lamp spacing, and wherein at least one of said parameters is chosen to optimize light. output from said lamp array disposed in said lamp cavity. 
     
     
       8. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 7 , wherein lamps of said array of lamps are spaced apart from one another at a predetermined, inter-lamp spacing; said array of lamps being disposed a predetermined, optimized distance from each of said back-to-back flat-panel displays, said distance being functionally related to at least one of the parameters: lamp diameter, lamp type, inter-lamp spacing, collimator means, BEFs and diffusers. 
     
     
       9. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said inter-lamp spacing between each lamp of said array of lamps is substantially equal. 
     
     
       10. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said collimating means comprises a collimator having an array of open cells having a regular, repeating cell geometry, said geometry defining a cell width, each of said cells having a thickness defining a cell depth. 
     
     
       11. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said cell width and said cell depth have an aspect ratio therebetween, defining a cut-off angle. 
     
     
       12. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said cell width and said cell depth define cell walls. 
     
     
       13. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said cell walls are coated with a light-absorbing coating. 
     
     
       14. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said light-absorbing coating comprises flat, black paint. 
     
     
       15. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising a high efficiency exit diffuser placed proximate at least one of said open front and open back of said housing. 
     
     
       16. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said high efficiency exit diffuser produces a substantially Lambertian distribution and efficiently reflects light for recirculation. 
     
     
       17. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said high efficiency exit diffuser is disposed at a predetermined distance from said lamps whereby luminance gradients are reduced across said illuminated areas below a predetermined value. 
     
     
       18. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising brightness-enhancing means disposed proximate said high efficiency exit diffuser. 
     
     
       19. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said brightness-enhancing means comprises at least two brightness-enhancing films (BEFs) for collimating light, disposed intermediate said lamps and at least one of said back-to-back displays, said BEFs comprising parallel V-grooves having a predetermined wall angle relative to a first surface thereof, said BEFs being arranged substantially orthogonally to one another. 
     
     
       20. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 19 , wherein said first surfaces of said BEFs face away from said array of lamps, said BEFs interacting with said high efficiency exit diffusers to enhance the forward gain of light collimated by said collimating means. 
     
     
       21. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said lamp control means comprises lamp temperature regulation means adapted to maintain the surface temperature of each of said lamps within a predetermined range of operating temperatures. 
     
     
       22. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 21 , is wherein said lamp temperature regulation means comprises at least one from the group:
 heat sinks, dimming controls and fan speed controls.   
     
     
       23. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 22 , wherein at least one of said dimming controls and fan speed controls comprises a temperature sensor proximate at least one of said array of lamps. 
     
     
       24. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back fiat-panel displays as recited in  claim 23 , wherein said temperature sensor generates a variable output voltage representative of the temperature of said at least one of said array of lamps. 
     
     
       25. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said temperature sensor generates a variable output voltage representative of the temperature of at least one of said lamps, said variable output voltage controlling the speed of a cooling fan. 
     
     
       26. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said temperature sensor generates a variable output voltage representative of the temperature of at least one of said lamps, said variable output voltage controlling the output of a dimming ballast. 
     
     
       27. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel displays as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said temperature sensor comprises a thermistor. 
     
     
       28. The high-output back light module for use with back-to-back flat-panel display as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said flat-panel displays comprises one from the group: monolithic display, monolithic-like display, tiled display. 
     
     
       29. A back light module comprising:
 a first diffuser that has a first side and a second side; and   a first brightness enhancing film that has a third side and a fourth side,   the first diffuser and the first brightness enhancing film being configured such that:
 a first light is transmitted through the first diffuser and enters the first brightness enhancing film from the fourth side; 
 a second light arises by a first entrance of the first light to the first brightness enhancing film; 
 the second light is transmitted inside the first brightness enhancing film; 
 the second light is reflected by at least two locations of the third side; 
 a third light arises by a first reflection of the second light by the at least two locations of the third side; 
 a fourth light that emerges out from the fourth side enters the first diffuser from the first side; 
 a fifth light arises by a second entrance of the fourth light to the first diffuser; 
 a second reflection of the fifth light by the second side results in a sixth light; and 
 the sixth light enters the first brightness enhancing film from the fourth side. 
   
     
     
       30. The back light module according to claim 29, further comprising:
 a second diffuser that has a fifth side and a sixth side,
 a seventh light arises when the sixth light arises, and 
 the seventh light being reflected by the fifth side. 
   
     
     
       31. The back light module according to claim 30, wherein
   the second diffuser produces a substantially Lambertian distribution.     
     
     
       32. The back light module according to claim 29, further comprising:
 a lamp.   
     
     
       33. The back light module according to claim 30, further comprising:
 a lamp that is disposed between the first diffuser and the second diffuser.   
     
     
       34. The back light module according to claim 29, further comprising:
 a lamp that emits an eighth light,   the first diffuser and the lamp being configured such that
 the eighth light enters the first diffuser. 
   
     
     
       35. The back light module according to claim 29, further comprising:
 an array of lamps.   
     
     
       36. The back light module according to claim 35, wherein
 one lamp of the array of lamps emits an eighth light,   the one lamp and the first diffuser being configured such that the eighth light enters the first diffuser.   
     
     
       37. The back light module according to claim 30, wherein
 a reflection of the seventh light by the fifth side results in a ninth light.   
     
     
       38. A flat panel apparatus, comprising:
 a first diffuser that has a first side and a second side; and   a first brightness enhancing film that has a third side and a fourth side,   the first diffuser and the first brightness enhancing film being configured such that:
 a first light is transmitted through the first diffuser and enters the first brightness enhancing film from the fourth side; 
 a second light arises by a first entrance of the first light to the first brightness enhancing film; 
 the second light is transmitted inside the first brightness enhancing film; 
 the second light is reflected by at least two locations of the third side; 
 a third light arises by a first reflection of the second light by the at least two locations of the third side; 
 a fourth light that emerges out from the fourth side enters the first diffuser from the first side; 
 a fifth light arises by a second entrance of the fourth light to the first diffuser; 
 a second reflection of the fifth light by the second side results in a sixth light; and 
 the sixth light enters the first brightness enhancing film from the fourth side. 
   
     
     
       39. A flat panel display comprising:
 a first diffuser that has a first side and a second side; and   a first brightness enhancing film that has a third side and a fourth side,   the first diffuser and the first brightness enhancing film being configured such that:
 a first light is transmitted through the first diffuser and enters the first brightness enhancing film from the fourth side; 
 a second light arises by a first entrance of the first light to the first brightness enhancing film; 
 the second light is transmitted inside the first brightness enhancing film; 
 the second light is reflected by at least two locations of the third side; 
 a third light arises by a first reflection of the second light by the at least two locations of the third side; 
 a fourth light that emerges out from the fourth side enters the first diffuser from the first side; 
 a fifth light arises by a second entrance of the fourth light to the first diffuser; 
 a second reflection of the fifth light by the second side results in a sixth light; and 
 the sixth light enters the first brightness enhancing film from the fourth side. 
   
     
     
       40. The flat panel display according to claim 39, further comprising:
 a liquid crystal layer.   
     
     
       41. A flat panel display comprising:
 a liquid crystal layer; and   the back light module according to claim 29,   the liquid crystal layer being illuminated by a light that emerges out from the back light module.   
     
     
       42. The back light module according to claim 29, wherein the first diffuser and the first brightness enhancing film are further configured such that:
 a tenth light arises by a third entrance of the sixth light to the first brightness enhancing film, and   the tenth light emerging out from the third side toward a direction opposite to the fourth side with respect to the third side.