Light source unit

• US 20090262517A1
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tasumi, Koji, Suehiro, Yoshinobu, Tagata, Kazue
• Granted Patent: US 8,172,443 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/84
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0021 for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0023 provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed between the light guide and the light source, or around the light source
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/003 Lens or lenticular sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0046 Tapered light guide, e.g. wedge-shaped light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4204 the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms encapsulated active devices H01S5/02208, H01L33/52
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05573 Single external layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/06102 the bonding areas being at different heights
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/1703 Bump connectors having different sizes, e.g. different diameters, heights or widths
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15311 being a ball array, e.g. BGA
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/507 the elements being in intimate contact with parts other than the semiconductor body or integrated with parts other than the semiconductor body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/54 having a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/56 Materials, e.g. epoxy or silicone resin

Abstract

A light source unit includes a light source portion including a mounting board, a light emitting element mounted on the mounting board, a rectangular solid sealing material for sealing the light emitting element, the sealing material including a first distance between the light emitting element and a top face thereof and a second distance between the light emitting element and a side face thereof, the first distance being greater than the second distance and a phosphor dispersed in the sealing material for radiating a wavelength conversion light by being excited by light emitted from the light emitting element, wherein a first light emitted through the top face of the sealing material is different in emission color from a second light emitted through the side face of the sealing material. The light source unit further includes an optical connection member including a reflection surface for reflecting light emitted from the side face of the sealing material, and a light guiding member including an end face through which light emitted through the top face of the sealing material and light reflected by the reflection surface of the optical connection member are inputted into the light guiding member.

Claims

1. A light source unit, comprising:

a light source portion comprising;

a mounting board;

a light emitting element mounted on the mounting board;

a rectangular solid sealing material for sealing the light emitting element, the sealing material comprising a first distance between the light emitting element and a top face thereof and a second distance between the light emitting element and a side face thereof, the first distance being greater than the second distance; and

a phosphor dispersed in the sealing material for radiating a wavelength conversion light by being excited by light emitted from the light emitting element,

wherein a first light emitted through the top face of the sealing material is different in emission color from a second light emitted through the side face of the sealing material;

an optical connection member comprising a reflection surface for reflecting light emitted from the side face of the sealing material; and

a light guiding member comprising an end face through which light emitted through the top face of the sealing material and light reflected by the reflection surface of the optical connection member are inputted into the light guiding member.

2. The light source unit according to claim 1, wherein the light guiding member further comprises a light scattering portion for scattering light inputted through the end face.

3. The light source unit according to claim 1, wherein the light guiding member is constructed such that light inputted through the end face is multiply reflected inside the light guiding member.

4. The light source unit according to claim 1, wherein the optical connection member further comprises a light scattering portion for scattering light inputted through the optical connection member into the light guiding member.

5. The light source unit according to claim 1, wherein a relationship:

√

{square root over (2)}≦

a/b is satisfied, where the first distance is a and the second distance is b.

6. The light source unit according to claim 5, wherein the sealing material comprises glass.