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Display device with molded light guideDisplay device with molded light guide description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060239001, Display device with molded light guide. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application claims the benefit of priority as available under 35 U.S.C. 119 (e)(1) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/406,434 titled "Display Device" filed on Aug. 28, 2002 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/608,667 titled "Display Device" filed on Jun. 27, 2003 (the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference). FIELD [0002] The present invention relates to a display device. The present invention relates more particularly to a molded light guide for use in display devices with printed circuit boards and light sources. BACKGROUND [0003] The use of optoelectronic devices with light guides for dispersing or focusing the light from bulbs or other light emitting devices is generally known. Such guides may be provided on printed circuit boards having groupings or arrays of LEDs or other light emitting devices for providing displays such a sign or message board assembly. However, the known light guides are often susceptible to problems associated with the physical attachment of the light guide to the printed circuit board. For example, the electrical interconnections between the light source and the circuit board are typically delicate and may be easily damaged through the handling and installation of the light guide onto the circuit board. Also, gaps are often present between the light guide and the circuit board, resulting in leakage of the emitted light along the sides of the circuit board. Also, the application of a molded light guide to a printed circuit board has typically resulted in warping or physical distortion of the assembly. Further, providing an array of LEDs on a printed circuit board and attaching a light guide for use in displays often results in individual LEDs within the array having various degrees of uniformity in color and brightness, thus leading to display images having less uniformity in the optical performance of the device than desired. [0004] Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a display device having one or more of the following features alone or in combination with one or more of the other features: a light guide that is molded to a printed circuit board for developing a desired light emission profile, a light guide that is adhered directly to a printed circuit board to minimize light leakage and avoid the use of external attachment devices such as adhesive tape, a light guide that does not require a degassing operation, a light guide that does not result in warping or physical distortion of the assembly, a light guide that provides protection for electrical interconnections and components to create a more robust assembly, a light guide that upon assembly can be separated into individual pixels for matching and grading uniformity and performance of the individual pixels for assembly into a display unit, or a light guide that may be used as an optical coupling device. SUMMARY [0005] One aspect of the present invention relates to a display device and includes a base with at least one light device, a conductive layer provided on the base and electrically coupled to the light device, and a light guide formed on the base and the conductive layer, and having at least one aperture surrounding the light device. [0006] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a display device having a base with at least one light source, and a layer of material disposed on the base and having at least one aperture defining a profile with the light source for directing light from the light source outwardly from the base. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0007] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a display device according to a preferred embodiment. [0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a display device according to a preferred embodiment. [0009] FIG. 3A is a top view of a display device according to a preferred embodiment. [0010] FIG. 3B is a cross section view of the display device along line 3B-3B of FIG. 3A, according to a preferred embodiment. [0011] FIG. 4 is a top view of a display device separated into pixels according to a preferred embodiment. [0012] FIG. 5A is an exploded perspective view of a pixel of the display device of FIG. 4 according to a preferred embodiment. [0013] FIG. 5B is a perspective view of a pixel of the display device of FIG. 4 according to a preferred embodiment. [0014] FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view of an individual pixel of the display device along line 5C-5C of FIG. 5B according to a preferred embodiment. [0015] FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of an application of the display device according to a preferred embodiment. [0016] In the various drawings, like reference numerals are used to indicate like components. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0017] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a display device 10 is shown. Display device 10 may be used to transmit light images or information to human observers, such as for use with display assemblies such as signs, message boards, information displays, etc. for providing lighting, alphanumeric messaging, imaging or signaling (e.g. device-to-eye applications). Display device 10 may also be used as an interface to transmit/receive light images or information to non-human observers, such as for use with optical couplers and equipment interfaces (e.g. device-to-device, fiber-to-fiber, fiber-to-device, or device-to-fiber applications). The display device is adapted for use as an assembly that includes an array of pixels (as shown schematically in FIG. 2), and for use as an individual pixel (as shown schematically in FIGS. 5A-5C) or an assembly of individual pixels. [0018] Display device 10 includes a base member (shown schematically as a substrate material 20), a conductive material provided thereon forming a circuit pattern, light devices 22 such as a light receiving device or a light transmission source (such as a visible light source, shown schematically as LEDs in FIGS. 5A-5C, an infrared light source, etc.) and a guide member (shown as light guide 30) having an inward surface 32 adapted to overlay and be molded onto substrate 20, and including apertures 40 adapted to guide the light emitted from the light source 22 (or received from other sources when used as an optical coupler). A contrast coating 14 is provided on an outward surface 34 of molded light guide 30 to provide a contrasting background to the light source 22. A coating layer 16 (e.g. a seal, sealant, lens, or an optical coating layer having characteristics that are transparent, semi-transparent, colored, etc.) may be provided on the outward surface 34 of molded light guide 30 and contrasting coating 14 to provide a desired optical imaging when viewing display assembly 10. In other embodiments, a potting material (e.g. epoxy, etc.) may be used to fill the volume within the apertures and a coating layer may either be included or omitted. The potting material may be an optical diffusant or a colored material to provide the desired "output" or "input." Continue reading about Display device with molded light guide... Full patent description for Display device with molded light guide Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Display device with molded light guide patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. 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