LIGHT GUIDE, LIGHT SOURCE UNIT, ILLUMINATING DEVICE, AND DISPLAY DEVICE

• US 20130163283A1
• Filed: 04/07/2011
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2010
• 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: Tanaka, Atsuyuki, Masuda, Takeshi
• Application Number:
  US13/811,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20130163283A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/611
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0018 Redirecting means on the surface of the light guide
• 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 6/0038 Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0046 Tapered light guide, e.g. wedge-shaped light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0078 Side-by-side arrangements, e.g. for large area displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133603 with LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133607 the light controlling member including light directing or refracting elements, e.g. prisms or lenses

Abstract

A light guide (20) has a light receiving portion (21) for receiving light and a wall portion (22) contiguous therewith. The light receiving portion (21) has a light receiving surface on its floor surface (23) side, and includes a reflective surface (21a) in the shape of a curved surface for reflecting light toward the wall portion (22). The wall portion (22) includes a side wall (22S) having a coarse surface (25) for changing the light path of the light inside to one suitable for outward emission.

Claims

1. A light guide for guiding received light inside, comprising:

a light receiving portion for receiving light; and

a wall portion contiguous with the light receiving portion, wherein

the light receiving portion has a light receiving surface at a floor surface side thereof and includes a reflective surface in a shape of a curved surface for reflecting light toward the wall portion, and

the wall portion includes a side wall having a light path changing processed surface for changing a light path of light inside to a light path suitable for outward emission.

2. The light guide according to claim 1, wherein

the light receiving portion has a shape using part of a spheroid.

3. The light guide according to claim 2, wherein

a rotation axis of the spheroid is inclined with respect to a ceiling wall of the wall portion.

4. The light guide according to claim 2, wherein

the light receiving portion has a shape of a plurality of spheroids coupled together, and

one focal point of each of the plurality of spheroids coincides with one focal point of every other of the plurality of spheroids.

5. The light guide according to claim 4, wherein

the light receiving portion has a shape of two spheroids coupled together, and

one focal point of one of the spheroids coincides with one focal point of the other of the spheroids.

6. The light guide according to claim 1, wherein

a deflecting processed surface for deflecting light upward is formed on a floor surface of the wall portion, and

a lens for diffusing the light is formed on a ceiling wall of the wall portion.

7. The light guide according to claim 1, wherein

the wall portion is formed in a shape of a bar, and

the light receiving portion is formed at an end of the wall portion formed in a shape of a bar.

8. The light guide according to claim 7, wherein

the light receiving portion is disposed between two of the wall portion each formed in a shape of a bar, and

the received light is guided in two directions by the reflective surface in the light receiving portion.

9. The light guide according to claim 7, wherein

a retroreflective structure for reflecting incident light in a direction from which the light is incident is formed in a tip-end part of the wall portion.

10. The light guide according to claim 9, wherein

the retroreflective structure includes a projection having a shape of a quadrangular pyramid.

11. The light guide according to claim 7, wherein

the wall portion in a shape of a bar has a shape that tapers off the farther away from the light receiving portion.

12. The light guide according to claim 1, wherein

the light path changing processed surface includes a prismed surface, a crimped surface, or a dot-printed surface.

13. The light guide according to claim 1, wherein

the light receiving portion has a recess caved in from a floor surface thereof, and

the recess is a part of the light receiving portion where the light receiving portion receives light.

14. A light source unit comprising:

the light guide according to claim 1; and

a light source for supplying the light guide with light.

15. The light source unit according to claim 14, wherein

the wall portion of the light guide is formed in a shape of a bar, and

a plurality of the light guide are arrayed with each of them slanted and are put together end-on-end.

16. The light source unit according to claim 14, wherein

the light source is a light emitting device, and

the light receiving portion of the light guide is arranged over the light emitting device.

17. An illuminating device comprising the light source unit according to claim 14.

18. The illuminating device according to claim 17, further comprising a fixing member for fixing the light guide, wherein

the fixing member covers at least part of the light receiving portion, and

the fixing member is formed of a white resin.

20. The illuminating device according to claim 17, further comprising a diffuser plate for diffusing light from the light guide, wherein

the diffuser plate is arranged over the light source and the light guide.

21. A display device comprising:

an illuminating device according to claim 17; and

a display panel receiving light from the illuminating device.

19. (canceled)