Display panel illumination device

• US 4,729,185 A
• Filed: 01/28/1986
• Issued: 03/08/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Baba, Masaharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Peshock, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEHNER, CARY ELLEN
• Application Number:
  US06/823,391
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 40/547, 40/546, 362/26, 362/31, 350/96.28
• US Class Current: 40/546
• 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 6/0055 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0073 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/056 Diffuser; Uneven surface

Abstract

A display panel illumination device has a display member for transmitting predetermined information, a light source for illuminating the display member, and a light guiding member for guiding light emitted from the light source to the display member. The light guiding member is made of a flexible transparent or translucent material.

Claims

1. A display apparatus comprising:

a transparent light guide plate made of a flexible and elastic material, said light guide plate having a light emitting surface, a light reflecting inner surface and a light source receiving hole having a predetermined inner diameter;

light source means fixed in said light source receiving hole, said light source means including a socket, and a lamp mounted in said socket which has an outer diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of said hole so that said light source receiving hole expands due to the flexibility of said light guide plate when said lamp is inserted into said hole in order to fixedly receive said lamp in said hole; and

a display panel mounted on said light emitting surface of said light guide plate, said display panel being provided with display information thereo which may be illuminated by light that is emitted from said light source and is reflected from said light reflecting inner surface.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said light guide plate includes a fixing member for mounting said light guide plate to a mounting member.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said fixing member is formed intgrally with said light guiding plate.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said light guide plate is made of a material selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, silicone resin, fluorine-contaied rubber, and fluorine-contained resin.

5. A display apparatus comprising:

a transparent light guide plate made of flexible and elastic material, said light guide plate having a light emitting surface, a light reflecting inner surface and a light source receiving hole haivng a predetermined inner diameter;

light source means fixed in said light source receiving hole, said light source means including a baseless incandescent lamp which has an outer diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of said hole so that when the lamp is pressed into the hole, the hole diameter expands slightly due to the elasticity of the light guide plate and the lamp is elastically fixed in the hole; and

a display panel mounted on said light emitting surface of the light guide plate, said display panel being provided with display information which may be illuminated with light that is emitted from said lamp and is reflected from said light reflecting inner surface.