Surface light emitting device

• US 20050138852A1
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Box
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Box
• Inventors: Yamauchi, Toshio
• Application Number:
  US10/510,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20050138852A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 40/582
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/04 the fastening being onto or by the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0016 on lighting devices that also provide for direct lighting, e.g. by means of independent light sources, by splitting of the light beam, by switching between both lighting modes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/10 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/16 square or rectangular, e.g. for light panels
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133603 with LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/14 Arrangements of reflectors therein

Abstract

A reflector 3 having a bottom section 4 and a slope section 13 surrounding the periphery of the bottom section 4 is provided, and an LED 5 is mounted on the center of the bottom section 4. A holder section 9 of a light control means 7 is detachably mounted to cover a lens 6 of the LED 5, while a circular plate section 18 of the light control means 7 is provided with a main reflecting section 11 and a reflecting transmission section 12. The main reflecting section 11 is designed to reduce the transmission amount from the LED 5, thereby causing most of the light to reflect on the reflector 3 side. On the other hand, the reflecting transmission section 12 permits a larger amount of transmission than in the main reflecting section 11. In this manner, it is possible to realize substantially uniform brightness in the entire upper section of the reflector 3 by the light transmitted through the main reflecting section 11 and the reflecting transmission section 12 and the light diffusely reflected from the reflector 3.

Claims

1. A surface emission device of a subjacent type having a semitransparent diffusion panel disposed in front of a source of light to cause the diffusion panel to emit light from its surface caused by the light from the source of light comprising:

an LED used as the source of light;

a reflector for reflecting the light of the LED; and

a light control means disposed between the LED and the diffusion panel;

wherein the light control means comprises a main reflecting section, for reflecting and transmitting the light of the LED, provided at a position corresponding to the central section of the LED, thereby making the amount of light reflected larger than the amount of light transmitted, and a reflecting transmission section provided around the main reflecting section to make the amount of light transmission larger than in the reflecting main section.

2. The surface emission device according to claim 1, wherein the LED is a lens type, and the light control means is provided with a holder section for covering the outer surface of the lens of the LED and is detachably mounted relative to the LED by the holder section.

3. The surface emission device according to claim 1, wherein the light control means is integrally formed with the LED.

4. The surface emission device according to claim 1, wherein the reflector is provided with a slope section, and the main reflecting section and the reflecting transmission section of the light control means are situated lower than the uppermost section of the slope section.

5. The surface emission (light emitting) device according to claim 4, wherein the light control means is a plate-shaped member which is supported on the slope section of the reflector.

6. The surface emission device according to claim 1, wherein a structure of the reflector consisting of a bottom section on which the LED is mounted and a slope section surrounding the periphery of the bottom section forms one unit of a circular or substantially regular polygonal shape as seen from the direction of an optical axis of the LED, wherein the reflector is constructed using one or more units each provided with the LED and the light control means.