Illumination structure, electronic device using the same structure, and illumination lens mounted thereon

• US 20060077384A1
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Umeda, Kouji, Yokota, Shinji
• Application Number:
  US11/235,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077384A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/326
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0001 specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/048 Arrangements providing optical indication of the incoming call, e.g. flasher circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera

Abstract

Provided is an illumination structure which includes a light source and an illumination lens. The light source emits light in at least one wavelength band. The illumination lens includes a light receiving portion and a light outgoing portion. The light receiving portion divides the light from the light source in a plurality of different directions and the light outgoing portion emits the divided light.

Claims

1. An illumination structure comprising:

a light source that emits light in at least one wavelength band; and

an illumination lens having a light receiving portion and a light outgoing portion wherein an incident light from the light source is divided in a plurality of different directions by the light receiving portion and the divided lights are emitted from the light outgoing portion.

2. The illumination structure according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the light outgoing portion is subjected to a decoration treatment to reduce transparency of the illumination lens.

3. The illumination structure according to claim 2,

wherein the decoration treatment is performed by printing, transparent coating, dichroic mirror evaporation or half-mirror evaporation;

and

wherein at least some light being incident upon the surface of the light outgoing portion from an exterior is reflected by the surface of the light outgoing portion.

4. The illumination structure according to claim 1, wherein the illumination lens is formed in such a manner that the surface of the light outgoing portion is nonplanar-shaped.

5. The illumination structure according to claim 4, wherein the surface of the light outgoing portion is subjected to a decoration treatment to reduce transparency of the illumination lens.

6. The illumination structure according to claim 5,

wherein the decoration treatment is performed by transparent coating, dichroic mirror evaporation or half-mirror evaporation;

and

wherein at least some of light being incident upon the surface of the light outgoing portion from an exterior is reflected by a portion subjected to the decoration treatment.

7. The illumination structure according to claim 1, wherein the illumination lens is formed in such a manner that the surface of the light receiving portion is nonplanar-shaped.

8. The illumination structure according to claim 7, wherein a surface of the light receiving portion is subjected to a decoration treatment to reduce transparency of the illumination lens.

9. The illumination structure according to claim 8, wherein the decoration treatment is performed by transparent coating, dichroic mirror evaporation or half-mirror evaporation;

and

wherein at least some of light being incident from the surface of the light outgoing portion is reflected by a portion subjected to the decoration treatment.

10. The illumination structure according to claim 7, wherein the light receiving portion of the illumination lens is formed to take a shape cut to a polyhedron.

11. The illumination structure according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of dome-like projections are formed on the surface of the light receiving portion.

12. The illumination structure according to claim 7, wherein the illumination lens is formed in such a manner that the surface of the-light outgoing portion is nonplanar-shaped.

13. The illumination structure according to claim 1, wherein the light source includes a plurality of light-emitting devices, each of which emits light of a different color.

14. The illumination structure according to claim 1, further comprising a light-emitting device moving controller that moves light-emitting devices included in the light source.

15. The illumination structure according to claim 1, further comprising a lens moving controller that moves the illumination lens.

16. The illumination structure according to claim 15, further comprising a light-emitting device moving controller that moves light-emitting devices included in the light source.

17. An electronic device having an illumination structure equipped therein, said illumination structure comprising:

a light source that emits light in at least one wavelength band; and

an illumination lens having a light receiving portion and a light outgoing portion wherein an incident light from the light source is divided in a plurality of different directions by the light receiving portion and the divided lights are emitted from the light outgoing portion.

18. The electronic device according to claim 17, wherein a surface of the light outgoing portion is subjected to a decoration treatment to reduce transparency of the illumination lens.

19. The electronic device according to claim 18,

wherein the decoration treatment is performed by printing, transparent coating, dichroic mirror evaporation or half-mirror evaporation;

and

wherein at least some of light being incident upon the surface of the light outgoing portion from an exterior is reflected by the surface of the light outgoing portion.

20. The electronic device according to claim 17, wherein the illumination lens is formed in such a manner that the surface of the light outgoing portion is nonplanar-shaped.

21. The electronic device according to claim 20, wherein the surface of the light outgoing portion is subjected to a decoration treatment to reduce transparency of the illumination lens.

22. The electronic device according to claim 21,

wherein the decoration treatment is performed by transparent coating, dichroic mirror evaporation or half-mirror evaporation;

and

wherein at least some of light being incident upon the surface of the light outgoing portion from an exterior is reflected by a portion subjected to the decoration treatment.

23. The electronic device according to claim 17, wherein the illumination lens is formed in such a manner that the surface of a light receiving portion is nonplanar-shaped.

24. The electronic device according to claim 23, wherein the surface of the light receiving portion is subjected to a decoration treatment to reduce transparency of the illumination lens.

25. The electronic device according to claim 24, wherein the decoration treatment is performed by transparent coating, dichroic mirror evaporation or half-mirror evaporation;

and

wherein at least some of light being incident from the surface of the light outgoing portion is reflected by a portion subjected to the decoration treatment.

26. The electronic device according to claim 23, wherein the light receiving portion of the illumination lens is formed to take a shape cut to a polyhedron.

27. The electronic device according to claim 23, wherein a plurality of dome-like projections are formed on the surface of the light receiving portion.

28. The electronic device according to claim 23, wherein the illumination lens is formed in such a manner that the surface of the light outgoing portion is nonplanar-shaped.

29. The electronic device according to claim 17, wherein the light source includes a plurality of light-emitting devices, each of which emits light of a different color.

30. The electronic device according to claim 17, further comprising a light-emitting device moving controller that moves light-emitting devices included in the light source.

31. The electronic device according to claim 17, further comprising a lens moving controller that moves the illumination lens.

32. The electronic device according to claim 31, further comprising a light-emitting device moving controller that moves light-emitting devices included in the light source.

33. An illumination lens comprising:

a light receiving portion that receives an incident light in at least one wavelength band and divides the incident light in a plurality of different directions to cause the divided light to be incident upon an interior; and

a light outgoing portion that emits a plurality of the divided light.

34. The illumination lens according to claim 33, wherein a surface of the light outgoing portion is subjected to a decoration treatment to reduce transparency of the illumination lens.

35. The illumination lens according to claim 34,

wherein the decoration treatment is performed by printing, transparent coating, dichroic mirror evaporation or half-mirror evaporation;

and

wherein at least some of light being incident upon the surface of the light outgoing portion from an exterior is reflected by the surface of the light outgoing portion.

36. The illumination lens according to claim 33, wherein the illumination lens is formed in such a manner that the surface of the light outgoing portion is nonplanar-shaped.

37. The illumination lens according to claim 36., wherein the surface of the light outgoing portion is subjected to a decoration treatment to reduce transparency of the illumination lens.

38. The illumination lens according to claim 37,

wherein the decoration treatment is performed by transparent coating, dichroic mirror evaporation or half-mirror evaporation;

and

wherein at least some of light being incident upon the surface of the light outgoing portion from an exterior is reflected by a portion subjected to the decoration treatment.

39. The illumination lens according to claim 33, wherein the illumination lens is formed in such a manner that a surface of the light receiving portion is nonplanar-shaped.

40. The illumination lens according to claim 39, wherein the surface of the light receiving portion is subjected to a decoration treatment to reduce transparency of the illumination lens.

41. The illumination lens according to claim 40, wherein the decoration treatment is performed by transparent coating, dichroic mirror evaporation or half-mirror evaporation;

and

wherein at least some of light being incident from a surface of the light outgoing portion is reflected by a portion subjected to the decoration treatment.

42. The illumination lens according to claim 39, wherein the light receiving portion of the illumination lens is formed to take a shape cut to a polyhedron.

43. The illumination lens according to claim 39, wherein a plurality of dome-like projections are formed on the surface of the light receiving portion.

44. The illumination lens according to claim 39, wherein the illumination lens is formed in such a manner that a surface of the light outgoing portion is nonplanar-shaped.