ILLUMINATION DEVICE AND INPUT UNIT WITH ILLUMINATION DEVICE

• US 20090273931A1
• Filed: 07/10/2009
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Okamoto, Jun, Ito, Naoki
• Application Number:
  US12/501,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20090273931A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/267
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0018 Redirecting means on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/002 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide, e.g. with collimating, focussing or diverging surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• 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 2924/00014 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 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 Optical field-shaping elements

Abstract

A recess portion is formed in a substrate to accommodate a light emitting element so as to be sealed with a sealant. A light guide layer formed of a thin transparent resin film is fixed onto the substrate via an adhesive layer to realize an illuminating device with a thin structure. The light emitted from the light emitting element is irradiated into the light guide layer via the sealant and the adhesive layer. The light fully reflecting on the boundary surfaces between the light guide layer and the adhesive layer, and between the light guide layer and the air layer passes inside the light guide layer. Then the light which has not fully reflected leaks outside from the surface of the transparent resin film which forms the light guide layer. This makes it possible to illuminate the surface of the illumination device 1A entirely with brightness.

Claims

1. An illumination device comprising:

a substrate with a recess portion formed in a surface;

a light emitting element installed in the recess portion; and

a light guide layer laminated on a surface of the substrate, wherein the light guide layer is formed of a thin resin film, and the resin film and the surface of the substrate are fixed via an adhesive layer therebetween.

2. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein an absolute refractive index of the adhesive layer is smaller than an absolute refractive index of the resin film.

3. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein a sealant is filled in the recess portion to seal the light emitting element.

4. The illumination device according to claim 3, wherein a surface of the sealant is raised to have a convex shape, and a surface of the sealant and the light guide layer are bonded with the adhesive layer therebetween.

5. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein a reflection recess portion is formed in the surface of the light guide layer opposite the light emitting element, and the reflection recess portion is tapered from the surface to the inside of the light guide layer.

6. The illumination device according to claim 5, wherein the reflection recess portion is in the form of an inclined surface which forms a V-like cross section, or a meniscus portion.

7. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein a mirror member or a light absorbing member is disposed on the surface of the light guide layer at the position opposite at least the light emitting element.

8. The illumination device according to claim 7, wherein the mirror member includes a tapered reflection surface.

9. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the resin film is transparent or semi-transparent.

10. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the light guide layer is formed by laminating a transparent resin film and a semi-transparent resin film.

11. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the recess portion of the substrate is formed of a stepped portion having an opening area gradually increased from a deepest portion toward a surface of the recess portion.

12. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer is not formed in a section opposite the light emitting element, and an air layer is formed in a section adjacent to the light guide layer and the light emitting element.

13. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein:

an opening is formed in a surface of the substrate on which the light guide layer is laminated at the position opposite the recess portion by partially removing the light guide layer;

a light guide member is formed inside the opening, having opposite upper and lower surfaces and a side surface interposed therebetween to form an outer circumferential portion; and

the lower surface is disposed opposite the light emitting element, and the inner surface of the opening is disposed opposite the side surface of the light guide member.

14. The illumination device according to claim 13, wherein:

the light guide member is formed by laminating a lower clad layer, a core layer and an upper clad layer from the bottom; and

an absolute refractive index of the core layer is higher than each absolute refractive index of the lower and the upper clad layers.

15. An input device using the illumination device according to claim 1, wherein:

the substrate includes a switch mechanism provided with a reversibly mounted metal reversing member and a counter electrode disposed opposite the reversing member; and

a surface of the reversing member is covered with the light guide layer.

16. The input device according to claim 15, wherein an optical element for scattering light or yielding a fluorescence is disposed at least a portion of the light guide layer.

17. The input device according to claim 16, wherein the optical element is any one of a scattering substance, a fluorescent substance and a prism.

18. The input device according to claim 15, wherein the optical element is disposed around the switch mechanism.