Lighting unit

• US 5,375,043 A
• Filed: 07/06/1993
• Issued: 12/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inoue Denki Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Inoue Denki Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Tokunaga, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Cole, Richard R.
• Application Number:
  US08/087,640
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 362/31, 362/32, 362/227, 362/231, 362/235, 362/249, 362/800, 40/448, 40/442, 40/452
• US Class Current: 362/601
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/235 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0407 for flashing
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/00 Planar light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• 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 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0083 Details of electrical connections of light sources to drivers, circuit boards, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/1831 using more than one light source
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0666 for control of colour parameters, e.g. colour temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3413 Details of control of colour illumination sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

Disclosed is a lighting unit of an indirect type, capable of varying the luminance and color of illumination with respect to a target to be lit thereby ensuring an effective display of the target, and further capable of using itself as a display unit. The lighting unit comprises a light guide plate having one side fashioned into an uneven surface or a reflective surface; a plurality of light emitting diodes for supplying a light to the light guide plate, the light derived from the diodes being dispersed through the light guide plate; and a control section which controls actions including blinking of the light emitting diodes. At least a part of the diodes is intended to emit a light different in color from that of the others so that the color or blinking of illumination can be arbitrarily varied through the control by means of the control section.

Claims

1. A lighting unit of an indirect type for substantially uniform illumination, comprising:

a light guide plate comprised of a transparent plate;

a plurality of light emitting diodes each serving as a light source for supplying a light to said light guide plate, said light emitting diodes being arranged to enable selective illumination of different colored light by said lighting unit;

means for substantially uniformly distributing said light in said light guide plate; and

a control section connected to energize said plurality of light emitting diodes;

said control section comprising a liquid crystal display panel operating system adapted to output control signals for a liquid crystal display panel, and means for energizing said light emitting diodes in response to outputs of said liquid crystal display panel operating system, whereby the illumination of said lighting unit varies as a function of said output control signals.

2. The lighting unit of claim 1 wherein said means for substantially uniformly distributing said light comprises a reflective layer covering one surface of said light guide plate.

3. The lighting unit of claim 1 wherein said means for substantially uniformly distributing said light comprises grooves or recesses distributed throughout one surface of said light guide plate.

4. The lighting unit of claim 1 wherein said control section comprises means for energizing said light emitting diodes to provide a blinking illumination from said light guide plate.

5. A lighting unit for illuminating a liquid crystal display device of the type having a liquid crystal display panel and a control circuit connected to control the selective energization of said liquid crystal display panel, the improvement wherein said lighting unit comprises:

a light guide plate comprised of a transparent plate;

a plurality of light emitting diodes each serving as a light source and being arranged to supply light to said light guide plate, said light emitting diodes including light emitting diodes of different colors; and

a control section connected to energize said plurality of light emitting diodes;

said control section comprising means for selectively energizing said liquid crystal display panel and means for selectively energizing said light emitting diodes to control the color of illumination of said lighting unit in dependence upon said selective energization of said liquid crystal display panel.

6. The lighting unit of claim 5 wherein said lighting unit is positioned adjacent a first side of said liquid crystal display panel.

7. The lighting unit of claim 5 wherein said lighting unit is sandwiched between said liquid crystal display panel and said control section.

8. In a display system of the type having a liquid crystal display panel, a control circuit connected to control the selective energization of said liquid crystal display panel, and a lighting unit for supplying light to said liquid crystal display panel, the improvement wherein said lighting unit comprises:

a light guide plate comprised of a transparent plate;

a plurality of light emitting diodes each serving as a light source and being arranged to supply light to said light guide plate, said light emitting diodes including light emitting diodes of different colors; and

a control section connected to energize said plurality of light emitting diodes;

said control section comprising means responsive to said control circuit for illuminating said lighting unit with different colors in response to information displayed on said liquid crystal display panel.

9. The display system of claim 8 wherein said liquid crystal display panel has a viewing surface and a rear surface, and said light guide plate is positioned adjacent said rear surface.

10. The display system of claim 8 wherein said light guide plate is sandwiched between said liquid crystal display panel and said control section.

11. The display system of claim 10 comprising a reflective surface on the side of said light guide plate opposite said liquid crystal display panel for substantially uniformly distributing said light.

12. The display system of claim 10 comprising a recessed or grooved surface on the side of said light guide plate opposite said liquid crystal display panel for substantially uniformly distributing said light.