Illumination device

• US 5,810,463 A
• Filed: 11/28/1995
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Inoue, Osamu, Kawahara, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US08/563,232
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 250/216, 250/227.11, 250/227.2, 250/227.26, 250/227.28, 250/227.31, 250/234, 355/67, 399/4, 399/5, 358/474, 358/475, 358/494, 382/323, 359/599, 385/120, 385/146, 362/31, 362/32, 362/230, 362/231, 362/242-249, 362/234
• US Class Current: 362/601
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/61 using light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0006 Coupling light into the fibre in general G02B6/4298

Abstract

An illumination device for an image input device includes a cylindrical light guiding unit, a board having a plurality of light emitting diode elements, a connection member connecting the light guiding unit with the board and a terminal reflection member formed at one end of the light guiding unit. A surface of the light guiding unit has a scattering reflection member extending linearly along the axial direction of the light guiding unit. A cylindrical reflection member is spaced around the light guiding unit and a linear space is provided in the reflection member along the axial direction of the guiding unit.

Claims

1. A lighting device comprising:

a main light guiding unit formed by a rod-shaped transparent member defining an axial direction;

a sub-light guiding unit connected to an outer perimeter of the main light guiding unit and extending tangentially from the main light guiding unit;

a linear-shaped light scattering unit provided along the axial direction of main light guiding unit; and

a light source linearly parallel to the axial direction of the main light guiding unit and facing the sub-light guiding unit.

2. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the sub-light guiding unit is placed with such an angle that the light rays are guided from the light source through the sub-light guiding unit to an inner surface of the main light guiding unit.

3. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the light source includes a plurality of light emitting elements.

4. The lighting device of claim 1, further comprising a mirror device provided along the axial direction of the main light guiding unit and having an axial slit allowing light to pass out of the main light guiding unit.

5. The lighting device of claim 1, further comprising another light source facing one axial end of the main light guiding unit.

6. The lighting device of claim 5, wherein the another light source includes a plurality of light emitting elements.

7. The light device of claim 5, wherein the light source and the another light source include red, green and blue light emitting elements.

8. The light device of claim 1, further comprising a lens array and a linear sensor to read an original image.

9. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the sub-light guiding unit is substantially flat.

10. An illumination device comprising:

a cylindrical light guiding unit;

a light source having a plurality of light emitting devices;

a connecting device provided between the light guiding unit and the light source for guiding light to the light guiding unit;

a light scattering reflection member extending linearly along an axial direction of the cylindrical light guiding unit; and

a space extending linearly along the axial direction of the light guiding unit to allow light to pass, wherein the connecting device comprises a guiding unit connected to an outer perimeter of the cylindrical light guiding unit and extending from the cylindrical light guiding unit in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the light guiding unit.