Light emitting apparatus and display

• US 20030123262A1
• Filed: 12/04/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Suehiro, Yoshinobu, Takahashi, Toshinori, Misawa, Akihiro, Ota, Hisatoshi, Yamanaka, Osamu
• Granted Patent: US 7,029,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/555
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/14 lighting through the surface to be illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/64 for a single lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/237 rod-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/245 emitting light from one or more of its major surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/247 with a single light source being coupled into the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0048 with stepwise taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0055 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements

Abstract

An opposed reflecting mirror is provided so as to face a light source. The opposed reflecting mirror is configured to reflect light rays, emitted from the light source, so as to allow the reflected light rays to advance in a predetermined direction. A light guide body having a plurality of reflecting surfaces is provided to permit the incidence of light rays supplied from the opposed reflecting mirror and to reflect the incident light rays. The plurality of reflecting surfaces are located at different positions in a sliding split manner along the direction of light rays supplied from the opposed reflecting mirror. By virtue of this construction, a light emitting apparatus can be provided in which, while making the best use of a feature of LED, i.e., a small thickness, impressive illumination of an elongated shape by one light emitting device and high external emission efficiency can be realized. The arrangement of a plurality of light emitting apparatuses of the above type at predetermined intervals can provide on-vehicle or other displays of a novel and unconventional design.

Claims

1. A light emitting apparatus comprising:

a light source;

an opposed reflecting mirror for reflecting light rays, emitted from the light source, so as to allow reflected light rays to advance in a predetermined direction; and

a light guide body having a plurality of reflecting surfaces for reflecting incident light rays supplied from the opposed reflecting mirror,

the plurality of reflecting surfaces being located at different positions in a sliding split manner along the direction of light rays supplied from the opposed reflecting mirror.

3. The light emitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light source is a light emitting device or an LED lamp comprising a light emitting device sealed with a light transparent material.

4. The light emitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in the light guide body, the plurality of reflecting surfaces have been split also in a direction perpendicular to a direction of incidence of light rays supplied from the opposed reflecting mirror, and the split reflecting surfaces are different from each other or one another in distance from the opposed reflecting mirror.

5. The light emitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light source is mounted on a wide substrate and the opposed reflecting mirror comprises a first reflecting surface and a second reflecting surface, a part of the wide substrate is attached to a body constituting the opposed reflecting mirror, the light source faces the first reflecting surface, the first reflecting surface is configured to reflect light rays emitted from the light source so as to allow the reflected light rays to advance in a predetermined direction, and the second reflecting surface is extended to the attached substrate and is configured to reflect light rays emitted from the light source so as to allow the reflected light rays to advance toward the first reflecting surface.

6. The light emitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opposed reflecting mirror is a part of a paraboloid of revolution of which the focal point is the light emitting surface of the light source.

7. A display comprising a plurality of light emitting apparatuses of the type according to claim 1, said plurality of light emitting apparatuses being arrayed at predetermined intervals.

2. A light emitting apparatus comprising:

a light source;

an opposed reflecting mirror for reflecting light rays, emitted from the light source, so as to allow reflected light rays to advance in a predetermined direction; and

a split reflector having a plurality of reflecting surfaces for reflecting, from the surfaces, incident light rays supplied from the opposed reflecting mirror,

the plurality of reflecting surfaces being located at different positions in a sliding split manner along the direction of light rays supplied from the opposed reflecting mirror.