Surface light source device

• US 5,718,497 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 02/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Enplas Corporation
• Original Assignee: Enplas Corporation
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Tsuyoshi, Yokoyama, Kazuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US08/487,674
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 362/26, 362/27, 362/31, 362/327, 362/330, 362/331, 362/333, 362/339, 359/48, 359/49, 359/50, 385/129, 385/130, 385/131, 385/901
• US Class Current: 362/625
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0036 2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
• 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 6/005 provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed on the light output side of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0055 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0061 to provide homogeneous light output intensity
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0071 with elongated shape, e.g. tube
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 385/901 Illuminating or display apparatus

Abstract

A surface light source device which comprises a light-conducting member consisting of a sheet of transparent material, a linear light source disposed adjacent to an edge surface of the light-conducting member, a diffusion plate disposed on a front surface of the light-conducting member and a reflective plate disposed on a rear side of the light-conducting member. The rear surface of the light-conducting member has depressions or projections. These depressions or projections have rough surfaces. By selecting the shape of the depressions or projections, and controlling the roughness of the rough surfaces, an enhanced uniform brightness distribution is provided.

Claims

1. A surface light source device comprising:

a light conducting member having i) a light emitting surface on one side thereof, ii) a surface opposite said light emitting surface on a side opposite said one side, thereof, and iii) an edge surface;

a reflective surface adjacent said opposite surface; and

a linear light source disposed adjacent to said edge surface of said light conducting member,

said opposite surface of said light conducting member including smooth surface portions and a plurality of projections projecting outwardly from said smooth surface portions, said projections providing rough surface portions which are rough in comparison to said smooth surface portions.

2. The surface light source device of claim 1 wherein said projections have a hemispherical shape.

3. The surface light source device of claim 1 wherein said projections have a cylindrical shape.

4. The surface light source device of claim 1 wherein said projections have a curved shape.

5. The surface light source device of any of claims 2, 3 and 4 wherein said projections have an increased size as said projects lie farther from said edge surface with the smallest projections lying adjacent to said edge surface.

6. The surface light source device of claim 1 wherein said projections are identically shaped and sized and equally spaced with respect to one another, and wherein said said rough surface portions of said projections become rougher as they lie farther from said edge surface.

7. The surface light source device of claim 1 wherein said projections have an identical diameter, and wherein said projections are distributed in such a manner that the density thereof becomes greater as said projections lie farther from said edge surface.

8. The surface light source device of claim 1 wherein said projections have an increased diameter along a length of said light conducting member, and wherein the projections of the smallest diameter lie adjacent to said edge surface of incidence.

9. A surface light source device comprising:

a linear light source;

a light-conducting member having i) a light emitting surface disposed on one side thereof, ii) a surface opposite said light emitting surface on a side opposite said one side, thereof, and iii) an edge surface disposed adjacent to said light source; and

a reflective surface disposed adjacent to said opposite surface

said device comprising corrugations formed on said opposite surface of said light-conducting member, said corrugations being defined by alternating crests and bases on said opposite surface of said light-conducting member, wherein surface portions intermediate said crests and said bases generally extend from said bases toward said crests at an angle of less than 45°

with respect to the horizontal at areas adjacent said edge surface, and wherein said angle increases to within 45°

-60°

at areas disposed further away from said edge surface than said areas adjacent said edge surface.

10. A surface light source device comprising:

a linear light source;

a light-conducting member having one edge disposed adjacent to said light source and an opposite edge, a light emitting surface disposed on one side of the light conducting member, and an opposite surface disposed on a side of said light-conducting member opposite said one side; and

a reflective surface adjacent said opposite surface of said light-conducting member;

said device comprising corrugations formed on said opposite surface of said light-conducting member, said corrugations being defined by a waveform of alternating crests and bases on said opposite surface of said light-conducting member, wherein an angle of inclination between any particular base and crest of said waveform relative to the horizontal increase as said waveform approaches said opposite edge, and is between 45°

to 60°

at said opposite edge.

11. A surface light source device comprising:

a light conducting member having a light-emitting surface disposed on one side thereof, an opposite surface disposed on a side opposite said one side, thereof, and an edge surface; and

a linear light source disposed adjacent to said edge surface of said light conducting member,

wherein said opposite surface of the light conducting member includes smooth surface portions and a plurality of depressed regions depressed inwardly relative to said smooth surface portions, said depressed regions providing rough surface portions which are rough in comparison with said smooth surface portions.

12. The surface light source device of claim 11 wherein said depressed regions are identically shaped and sized and equally spaced with respect to one another, and wherein said rough surface portions of said depressed regions become rougher as said rough surface portions lie farther from said edge surface.

13. The surface light source device of claim 11 wherein said depressed regions are identically shaped, and wherein said depressed regions become larger as said depressed regions lie farther from said edge surface, with the largest depressed regions lying adjacent to said edge surface.

14. The surface light source device of claim 11 wherein said depressed regions have an identical depth, and wherein said depressed regions have an increased diameter as said depressed regions lie farther from said edge surface.

15. The surface light source device of claim 11 wherein said depressed regions have an identical diameter, and wherein said depressed regions have an increased depth as said depressed regions lie farther from said edge surface.

16. A surface light source device comprising:

a light conducting member having a light-emitting surface disposed on one side thereof, an opposite surface disposed on a side opposite said one side, thereof, and an edge surface; and

a linear light source disposed adjacent to said edge surface of said light conducting member;

wherein said opposite surface of the light conducting member comprises a plurality of discreet rough surface regions separated by smooth surface regions which are smoother in comparison with said rough surface regions.