The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 13, 1998
Filed:
Feb. 08, 1996
Robert P Helstern, Costa Mesa, CA (US);
Eaton Corporation, Celveland, OH (US);
Abstract
An improved display system includes a plurality of light sources which are electroluminescent devices, such as light emitting diodes. The light emitting diodes have an intensity of 0.5 with a light dispersion angle of 24.degree. or less. An optical device creates a plurality of dispersion patterns from the light emitted by each of the light emitting diodes. The dispersion patterns have a viewing angle of 50.degree. or more. The optical device includes a plurality of linear grooves having side surfaces which cooperate to create a plurality of separate dispersion patterns from the light emitted by each light emitting diode. The dispersion patterns from the light emitted by one light emitting diode are disposed along a line which extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the grooves. The longitudinal axes of the grooves may extend transverse to sides of a rectangular array of light emitting diodes to minimize overlapping of the dispersion patterns and maximize the uniformity with which light is transmitted from the optical device to an outer side of a display panel.