LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE

• US 20110044070A1
• Filed: 08/11/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Koji
• Application Number:
  US12/854,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20110044070A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/553
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/61 using light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2101/00 Point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/20 of different form
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/30 Semiconductor lasers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0087 for illuminating phosphorescent or fluorescent materials, e.g. using optical arrangements specifically adapted for guiding or shaping laser beams illuminating these materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02212 Can-type, e.g. TO-CAN housings with emission along or parallel to symmetry axis
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0225 Out-coupling of light
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02251 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02255 using beam deflecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4012 Beam combining, e.g. by the use of fibres, gratings, polarisers, prisms

Abstract

A light source device includes a first semiconductor laser element that oscillates a first laser beam having a visible-region wavelength, a second semiconductor laser element that oscillates a second laser beam having a visible-region wavelength, and a light-scattering body that is irradiated with first laser beam and second laser beam to scatter first laser beam and second laser beam without changing the wavelengths. Because the wavelengths are not converted, first laser beam and second laser beam oscillated from first semiconductor laser element and second semiconductor laser element are emitted without generating energy losses of first laser beam and second laser beam.

Claims

1. A light source device comprising:

at least two semiconductor laser elements that oscillate laser beams having visible-region wavelengths; and

a light-scattering body that is irradiated with said laser beams to scatter said applied laser beams without changing the wavelengths,

wherein said laser beams oscillated from at least said two semiconductor laser elements have different colors.

2. The light source device according to claim 1, wherein said light-scattering body is directly irradiated with said laser beams oscillated from at least said two semiconductor laser elements.

3. The light source device according to claim 1, further comprising a package,

wherein at least said two semiconductor laser elements are mounted in said package, and

said light-scattering body is configured to be integral with said package.

4. The light source device according to claim 3, wherein said package includes a window portion,

a translucent member having translucency is attached to said window portion, and

said light-scattering body is disposed so as to come into close contact with said translucent member.

5. The light source device according to claim 1, wherein said laser beams oscillated from at least said two semiconductor laser elements are converted into parallel rays, and

said light-scattering body is irradiated with said parallel rays that are independent of each other.

6. The light source device according to claim 1, further comprising a combining member that combines said laser beams oscillated from at least said two semiconductor laser elements,

wherein said light-scattering body is irradiated with said laser beams with being mutually combined by said combining member.

7. The light source device according to claim 1, further comprising a light guiding unit that guides said laser beams oscillated from at least said two semiconductor laser elements to said light-scattering body and irradiates said light-scattering body with said guided laser beam.

8. The light source device according to claim 7, wherein said light guiding unit is an optical fiber.

9. The light source device according to claim 7, wherein an outer shape of said light guiding unit is formed into a substantially truncated pyramid,

said light guiding unit is a light guide member that includes a light incident surface and a light outgoing surface whose area is smaller than that of said light incident surface,

said light guide member is made of a material that is transparent with respect to visible light,

at least said two semiconductor laser elements are disposed on a side of said light incident surface, and

said light-scattering body is disposed on a side of said light outgoing surface.

10. The light source device according to claim 9, wherein at least said two semiconductor laser elements are disposed such that said laser beams oscillated from at least said two semiconductor laser elements are guided from the side of said light incident surface toward the side of said light outgoing surface while total internal reflection is repeated in said light guide member.

11. The light source device according to claim 9, wherein at least said two semiconductor laser elements are disposed such that optical axes of said laser beams oscillated from at least said two semiconductor laser elements are oriented toward said light-scattering body.

12. The light source device according to claim 9, wherein said light-scattering body is configured to be integral with said light guide member.

13. The light source device according to claim 1, wherein said light-scattering body includes a base material made of a transparent resin or glass material and transparent light-scattering particles that are dispersed in said base material, said transparent light-scattering particles having a refractive index different from that of said base material.

14. The light source device according to claim 1, wherein said laser beams that are scattered by said light-scattering body without changing the wavelengths are mixed to form white light.

15. The light source device according to claim 14, wherein at least said two semiconductor laser elements are at least three semiconductor laser elements in order to form said white light, and

at least said three semiconductor laser elements include:

said semiconductor laser element that oscillates said laser beam of blue;

said semiconductor laser element that oscillates said laser beam of red; and

said semiconductor laser element that oscillates said laser beam of green.

16. The light source device according to claim 14, wherein, in order to form said white light, at least said two semiconductor laser elements include:

said semiconductor laser element that oscillates said laser beam of yellow; and

said semiconductor laser element that oscillates said laser beam of blue.

17. The light source device according to claim 14, wherein, in order to form said white light, at least said two semiconductor laser elements include:

said semiconductor laser element that oscillates said laser beam of red; and

said semiconductor laser element that oscillates said laser beam of blue-green.

18. The light source device according to claim 1, further comprising a substantially-concave-shaped reflecting mirror that has a focal point,

wherein said light-scattering body is disposed at a position of said focal point.

19. The light source device according to claim 18, wherein said reflecting mirror includes an opening, and

said light-scattering body is irradiated with said laser beams oscillated from at least said two semiconductor laser elements through said opening.

20. A light source device comprising:

a light guide member whose outer shape is formed into a substantially truncated pyramid, said light guide member including a light incident surface and a light outgoing surface whose area is smaller than that of said light incident surface, said light guide member being made of a material that is transparent with respect to a laser beam; and

a semiconductor laser element that oscillates said laser beam, said laser beam being disposed such that said laser beam is oriented from a side of said light incident surface toward an inside of said light guide member,

wherein said laser beam oscillated from said semiconductor laser element is collected on a side of said light outgoing surface.

21. The light source device according to claim 20, wherein said semiconductor laser element is disposed such that said laser beam oscillated from said semiconductor laser element is guided from the side of said light incident surface toward the side of said light outgoing surface while total internal reflection is repeated in said light guide member.

22. The light source device according to claim 20, wherein said semiconductor laser element is disposed such that an optical axis of said laser beam oscillated from said semiconductor laser element is oriented toward said light outgoing surface.