Light emission element array and manufacturing method thereof

• US 4,901,207 A
• Filed: 06/09/1988
• Issued: 02/13/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Naoki, Katoh, Masaaki, Tsutsumi, Teruo
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/204,502
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 362/32, 362/800, 362/242, 362/243, 362/244, 362/246, 362/227, 362/235, 362/236, 362/311, 362/326, 362/332, 250/271, 350/432, 350/433, 350/321, 350/320, 350/451, 350/442, 313/500, 313/501, 313/116
• US Class Current: 362/555
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/45 using light-emitting diode [LED] or laser arrays
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 2200/20 of light guides of a generally planar shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/043 the lens having cylindrical faces, e.g. rod lenses, toric lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for signalling, marking or indicating, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0001 specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 Optical field-shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/02815 Means for illuminating the original, not specific to a particular type of pick-up head
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/02865 using an array of light sources or a combination of such arrays, e.g. an LED bar
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0289 Light diffusing elements, e.g. plates or filters optical diffusing elements per se G02B5/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/02487 Manufacturing details H04N2201/02406, H04N2201/02452 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/90 Methods
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A light emission element array comprises a substrate, a plurality of light emission elements such as light emitting diodes aranged linearly in a row on the substrate and a rod like, i.e., columnar, light converging lens unit arranged above the light emission element row in parallel thereto and adapted to diffuse and simultaneously converge the transmitted light. The light emitting surface of the light converging lens unit is made rough by a chemical treatment, blast treatment or other means.

Claims

1. A light emission element array comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of light emission elements arranged linearly in a row on said substrate; and

rod like light converging lens means arranged above said light emission element row in parallel thereto and adapted to diffuse and simultaneously converge the transmitted light.

2. The light emission element array according to claim 1, wherein said light converging lens means is provided with a roughened surface.

3. The light emission element array according to claim 2, wherein said roughened surface is formed on an entire outer peripheral surface of said light converging lens means.

4. The light emission element array according to claim 2, wherein said roughened surface is formed on an outer surface of said light converging lens means only on a light emitting side thereof.

5. The light emission element array according to claim 2, wherein said roughened surface is a surface formed by a chemical treatment.

6. The light emission element array according to claim 2, wherein said roughened surface is a surface formed by a blast treatment.

7. The light emission element array according to claim 2, wherein said roughened surface has fine particles being adhered thereto.

8. The light emission element array according to claim 1, wherein said light converging lens means is constructed by a lens material containing light scattering particles therein.

9. The light emission element array according to claim 8, wherein said lens material is an optical plastic material and said light scattering particles are glass particles.

10. The light emission element array according to claim 9, wherein said glass particles are contained in the optical plastic material by approx. 5 volumetric %.

11. The light emission element array according to claim 1, wherein said light emission elements are light emitting diodes.

12. A method of manufacturing a light emission element array comprising the steps of:

arranging linearly a plurality of light emission elements on a substrate to form a light emission element row;

preparing rod like lens means;

roughening a surface of the rod like lens means; and

arranging said rod like lens means with the surface roughened above the light emission element row so that a central axis of the rod like lens means is in parallel to a central line of the light emission element row.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the surface of the rod like lens means is roughened by a chemical treatment.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the surface of the rod like lens means is roughened by a blast treatment.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein a light emitting surface of the rod like lens means is partially roughened by effecting a masking process to other portions thereof.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the rod like lens means is made of glass and the chemical treatment is effected by using a mixture liquid containing hydrofluoric acid and sulfuric acid.

17. A method of manufacturing a light emission element array comprising the steps of:

arranging linearly a plurality of light emission elements on a substrate to form a light emission element row;

preparing rod like lens means by molding a mixture of a lens material and light scattering particles contained therein; and

arranging the thus prepared rod like lens means above the light emission element row so that a central axis of the rod like lens means is in parallel to a central line of the light emission element row.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said rod like lens is prepared by mixing glass beads in the lens material and by performing injection molding of the mixture.