Light source device

• US 20030202349A1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Published: 10/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakano, Hideyuki, Kato, Hideaki, Suehiro, Yoshinobu, Takahashi, Yuji, Yamaguchi, Hisao, Yasukawa, Takemasa, Omoya, Hideki
• Granted Patent: US 6,953,265 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/245
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/02 for roads, paths or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/008 for simulation of a starry sky or firmament
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49107 on the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A light source device has a light shielding member having an aperture, a light source arranged on one side of the light shielding member, and a converging member arranged relatively with respect to the light source and the light source to thereby converge light emitted from the light source in the aperture or in a vicinity of the aperture. Another type of light source device has a single light source, and a converging member for converging light from the light source to thereby distribute the light to at least two points. Still another type of light source device has a light source, and a reflecting mirror arranged to enclose a side of a light emission direction of the light source, the reflecting mirror reflecting light emitted from the light source in a direction except the light source so that the light is radiated outside.

Claims

1. A light source device comprising:

a light shielding member having an aperture;

a light source arranged on one side of said light shielding member; and

a converging member arranged relatively with respect to said light shielding member and said light source to thereby converge light emitted from said light source in said aperture or in a vicinity of said aperture.

2. A light source device according to claim 1, wherein said converging member comprises a reflecting member arranged to enclose a side of a light emission direction of said light source, and after the light from said light source is converged by being reflected on said reflecting member, it is radiated from said aperture of said light shielding member.

3. A light source device according to claim 2, wherein substantial whole of the light from said light source is reflected on said reflecting member.

4. A light source device according to claim 2, wherein said reflecting member comprises a part of an ellipsoid of revolution having a focal point on said light source and said aperture.

5. A light source device according to claim 2, wherein said light shielding member has plural apertures, said reflecting member has plural reflecting surfaces each corresponding to the associated aperture, and

after the light from said light source is converged by being reflected on each of said plural reflecting surfaces, it is radiated from said each aperture associated with each reflecting surface.

6. A light source device according to claim 1, wherein said light source is mounted on said light shielding member.

7. A light source device according to claim 2, wherein said light shielding member has a substantially annular-aperture and said reflecting member has a reflecting surface corresponding to said substantially annular aperture, and after the light from said light source is annularly converged by being reflected on said reflecting surface, it is radiated from said substantially annular aperture of said light shielding member.

8. A light source device according to claim 2, wherein said reflecting member has a form that the light from said light source is distributed and converged in at least two areas to thereby converge the light in one annular area,

said aperture of said light shielding member has a shape corresponding to the annular area, and

said reflecting member is formed substantially along a curved surface acquired by revolving an elliptic arc with said light source and one point in the annular area as a focal point on one axis on a plane including one axis on which said light source is arranged.

9. A light source device according to claim 1, wherein said light source comprises a light emitting device, and said converging member comprises a reflecting member arranged to enclose a side of a light emission direction of said light emitting device, and after the light from said light emitting device is converged by being reflected on said reflecting member, it is radiated from said aperture of said light shielding member.

10. A light source device according to claim 9, wherein said aperture of said light shielding member has a smaller area than an area of said reflecting member viewed from a top of the light emission direction of said light emitting device.

11. A light source device according to claim 9, wherein an area of said aperture is substantially equalized to an area in which the light from said light emitting device is converged in said aperture.

12. A light source device according to claim 11, wherein said light emitting device has a light emitting element of which back side is arranged on said light shielding member, and said reflecting member is arranged opposite to a light emission surface of said light emitting element.

13. A light source device according to claim 9, wherein said light emitting device has a light emitting element of which light emission surface is opposed to said light shielding member, and said reflecting member is arranged to surround said light emitting element at a lateral side of the light emission surface of said light emitting element.

14. A light source device according to claim 9, wherein said light emitting device has a light emitting element, and said light source device further comprises an encapsulating member for encapsulating said light emitting element and said reflecting member, said encapsulating member having a flat light emission surface for emitting the light reflected by said reflecting member, said reflecting member being shaped such that the reflected light from the light emitting element is refracted on said flat light emission surface to thereby be converged on one point.

15. A light source device according to claim 9, wherein said light emitting device has a light emitting element, and said reflecting member being substantially shaped in a paraboloid of revolution with said light emitting element as a focal point.

16. A light source device according to claim 9, wherein said light source device has plural light emitting devices, and said light shielding member having plural apertures each corresponding to said light emitting devices, and the light from each light emitting device is respectively radiated outside via the associated aperture.

17. A light source device according to claim 9, wherein said reflecting member has a solid angle-in a range of 1.0 to 2.5 π

(strad) with respect to said light emitting device.

18. A light source device according to claim 9, wherein said reflecting member comprises a part of an ellipsoid of revolution having a focal point on said light emitting device and said aperture.

19. A light source device according to claim 9, wherein said light shielding member has plural apertures, said reflecting member has plural reflecting surfaces each corresponding to the associated aperture, and

after the light from said light emitting device is converged by being reflected on each of said plural reflecting surfaces, it is radiated from said each aperture associated with each reflecting surface.

20. A light source device according to claim 9, wherein said light shielding member has a substantially annular aperture and said reflecting member has a reflecting surface corresponding to said substantially annular aperture, and after the light from said light emitting device is annularly converged by being reflected on said reflecting surface, it is radiated from said substantially annular aperture of said light shielding member.

21. A light source device according to claim 9, wherein said reflecting member has a form that the light from said light emitting device is distributed and converged in at least two areas to thereby converge the light in one annular area,

said aperture of said light shielding member has a shape corresponding to the annular area, and

said reflecting member is formed substantially along a curved surface acquired by revolving an elliptic arc with said light emitting device and one point in the annular area as a focal point on one axis on a plane including one axis on which said light emitting device is arranged.

22. A light source device according to claim 9, wherein said light emitting device has an optical control surface made of light transmissive material to control the light emission direction of said light emitting device.

23. A light source device according to claim 22, wherein said optical control surface has a form for annularly converging the light from said light emitting device.

24. A light source device according to claim 9, further comprising an optical member filled in said aperture of said light shielding member to optically control the light emitted from said light emitting device and reflected on said reflecting member.

25. A light source device according to claim 7, wherein said light emitting device comprises an LED.

26. A light source device according to claim 1, wherein said light source comprises an LED having a light emitting element and an encapsulating member made of light transmissive material for encapsulating said light emitting element and forming a lens surface,

said aperture of said light shielding member having an area smaller than an area of said lens surface viewed from a top of a light emission direction,

said converging member comprising an inner lens arranged between said LED and said light shielding member, and

wherein light emitted from said lens surface of said LED is radiated outside via said aperture after the light is converged by said inner lens.

27. A light source device according to claim 26, wherein the area of said aperture is substantially equalized to an area in said aperture in which the light is converged by said inner lens.

28. A light source device according to claim 1, wherein said light source device has plural of light sources, said light shielding member having plural apertures each corresponding to said light source, which are mounted on a part of said light shielding member other than said plural apertures, and

plural converging members being arranged respectively to correspond to said light source.

29. A light source device comprising:

a single light source; and

a converging member for converging light from said light source to thereby distribute the light to at least two points.

30. A light source device according to claim 29, wherein said converging member comprises a reflecting member arranged on a light emission side of said light source and having plural reflecting surfaces,

each of the plural reflecting surfaces having a concave form to converge the light reflected by each in a light converged area set every reflecting surface in a position of said light source or in a farther position from said reflecting member, and the light reflected on each reflecting surface and converged in the corresponding light converged area diverges after the light passes the light converged area and reflected light from the plural reflecting surfaces forms overlapped light.

31. A light source device according to claim 30, wherein after light passes the light converged area, a light pattern by the overlapped light of reflected light from the plural reflecting surfaces is formed on a predetermined virtual plane.

32. A light source device according to claim 30, wherein a center of said reflecting member is located on a central axis of said light source, the plural reflecting surfaces are arranged so that they enclose the central axis and is provided as a concave surface of the same form partitioned by plural virtual parting lines extended in a radiational direction at an interval of an equal angle from the central axis.

33. A light source device according to claim 32, wherein said reflecting member has six reflecting surfaces, the six reflecting surfaces are arranged so that they enclose the central axis and is provided as a concave surface of the same form partitioned by six virtual parting lines extended in a radiational direction at an interval of an equal angle from the central axis.

34. A light source device according to claim 32, wherein each of plural light converged areas corresponding to the plural reflecting surfaces is set to a small area of an extent that each can be regarded as one focal point, these light converged areas are located at a position apart from said light source by the same distance, are arranged opposite to the respective corresponding reflecting surface in a position apart by equal distance from the central axis and each of the plural reflecting surfaces is provided as a concave surface substantially equivalent to an ellipsoid with said light source as one focal point and having the corresponding light converged area as another focal point.

35. A light source device according to claim 32, wherein further comprising a light shielding member having an aperture that can include the light converged area and arranged in a position in which the light converged area is set.

36. A light source device according to claim 29, wherein said light source comprises a light emitting device.

37. A light source device according to claim 36, wherein said light source has an optical control surface made of light transmissive material to control a light emission direction of said light source.

38. A light source device according to claim 29, wherein said light source has a deflection lens for converging the light in a specific direction.

39. A light source device according to claim 29, further comprising:

a light shielding member having an aperture;

a reflecting member arranged on a light emission side of said light source and having a reflecting surface;

wherein said reflecting surface has a form that the light from said light source is distributed and converged in at least two areas to thereby converge the light in one annular area, and

said aperture of said light shielding member has a shape corresponding to the annular area.

40. A light source device according to claim 39, wherein said light source is arranged on one axis, and said reflecting surface has a rotary form on one axis.

41. A light source device according to claim 39, wherein said reflecting surface has a solid angle in a range of 1.0 to 2.5 π

(strad) with respect to said light source.

42. A light source device according to claim 39, wherein said reflecting surface is formed substantially along a curved surface acquired by revolving an elliptic arc with said light source and one point in the annular area as a focal point on one axis on a plane including one axis on which said light source is arranged.

43. A light source device according to claim 39, wherein further comprising a base arranged substantially in parallel to said light shielding member and apart by a predetermined distance, and said reflecting surface is a concave surface formed on said base.

44. A light source device according to claim 29, wherein said converging member comprises a reflecting mirror, and said light source device further comprising a light shielding member having an aperture via which the light converged by said reflecting mirror passes.

45. A light source device according to claim 44, wherein said light shielding member has plural apertures and said reflecting surface of said reflecting member is aggregate of a part of plural ellipsoids of revolution with said light source and said plural apertures as each focal point.

46. A light source device according to claim 44, wherein said light shielding member has a substantially annular aperture, and a reflecting surface of said reflecting mirror has a form acquired by revolving apart of an ellipse with said light source and said aperture as a focal point on a central axis.

47. A light source device according to claim 44, wherein said light source has an optical control surface made of light transmissive material, said optical control surface having a form for annularly converging light from said light source.

48. A light source device comprising:

a light source; and

a reflecting mirror arranged to enclose a side of a light emission direction of said light source, said reflecting mirror reflecting light emitted from said light source in a direction except said light source so that the light is radiated outside.

49. A light source device according to claim 48, further comprising:

a lead for supplying power to said light source; and

a light transmissive member for encapsulating said lead, a part of said lead and said reflecting mirror, said light transmissive member having a radiation surface being arranged on aback side of said light source to control the light emission direction.

50. A light source device according to claim 49, wherein said radiation surface is formed by a lower mold of an encapsulating mold.

51. A light source device according to claim 49, wherein said radiation surface has a convex form.

52. A light source device according to claim 49, wherein said reflecting mirror is formed by a metallic plate worked in a concave shape or by plating the metallic plate.

53. A light source device according to claim 49, wherein the light is annularly converged by said reflecting mirror and said radiation surface is formed in a shape of a ring having a concave center.

54. A light source device according to claim 48, wherein said light source comprises a light emitting device.

55. A light source device according to claim 54, further comprising:

a lead for supplying power to said light source;

said reflecting mirror having a substantially continuous surface which is smooth except a center for radiating light emitted from said light emitting device outside after the light is reflected in a direction except a circumference of said light emitting device; and

a radiation part arranged on a back side of said light emitting device.

56. A light source device according to claim 54, further comprising a light transmissive member for encapsulating said light emitting device and a part of said lead, filling between said light emitting device and said reflecting mirror to thereby form said radiation part.

57. A light source device according to claim 54, wherein said reflecting mirror converges light from said light emitting device annularly on a plane including said lead.

58. A light source device according to claim 54, wherein said reflecting mirror converges light from said light emitting device at multiple points on a plane including said lead.

59. A light source device according to claim 58, wherein the light from said light emitting device is converged on a line formed by the multiple points.

60. A light source device according to claim 59, wherein the line formed by the multiple points is an annular line.

61. A light source device according to claim 58, further comprising a lead for supplying power to said light emitting device, wherein said reflecting mirror reflects light emitted from said light emitting device in a direction except said lead.

62. A light source device according to claim 54, wherein said reflecting mirror has a diameter of 5 mm or less.

63. A light source device according to claim 54, wherein said light emitting device has a fluorescent material that receives light from said light emitting device and emits fluorescence.

64. A light source device according to claim 54, wherein said reflecting mirror is molded it out of said light transmissive member and applying mirror finish to its surface.

65. A light source device according to claim 54, wherein said reflecting mirror is formed by a metallic plate worked in a concave shape or by plating the metallic plate.

66. A light source device according to claim 54, further comprising a light shielding member having an aperture.