Tapered light guide plate for surface light source device and method of making by injection molding via supplementary cavity

• US 5,967,637 A
• Filed: 08/29/1995
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1994
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Enplas Corporation
• Original Assignee: Enplas Corporation
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Hiroshi, Ishikawa, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): DELGIZZI, RONALD ERNEST
• Application Number:
  US08/520,648
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 362/31, 362/26, 385/146, 385/901, 264/1.1, 264/1.24, 264/5
• US Class Current: 362/621
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/0027 Gate or gate mark locations
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/2695 injecting articles with varying wall thickness, e.g. for making a tear line
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/0025 Preventing defects on the moulded article, e.g. weld lines, shrinkage marks preventing defects on the preformed parts or layers B29C45/14836
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00663 Production of light guides
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0026 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2011/0075 Light guides, optical cables
• 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: G02B 6/0046 Tapered light guide, e.g. wedge-shaped light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0065 Manufacturing aspects; Material aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 385/901 Illuminating or display apparatus

Abstract

There is provided a very thin light guide plate for a surface light source device and a method of manufacturing it without the use of high-precision molding machine. A surface light source device using this light guide plate generates outgoing light having high uniformity. According to the manufacturing method, a light guide plate free from a weld line or warp can be manufactured with good transferring characteristics. The light guide plate is thick on an incident surface 1 side and thin on a lower surface 4 side. At the central portion of an incident surface 1 in a longitudinal direction, a projecting portion obtained by cutting an overhang portion 7 at a position a distance D apart from the incident surface 1 is formed. The cut surface of the projecting portion is not made specular and is kept rough. In molding of the light guide plate, a molten material is supplied from the position of a gate mark 9. After molding, the overhang portion 7 is cut off by an ordinary cutter, thereby obtaining a light guide plate.

Claims

1. A light guide plate for a surface light source device, manufactured by injection molding, comprising:

an incident surface in a longitudinal direction of a slender light source; and

an emission surface for emitting incident light received at said incident surface, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of said incident surface,

said light guide plate being large in thickness at a position near said incident surface and decreasing in thickness with increasing distance from the incident surface,

wherein said incident surface is partially or entirely formed as a cut surface which remains after cutting a protruding portion from the light guide plate, the protruding portion having a supplemental cavity around an injection molding gate.

2. A plate according to claim 1, wherein said cut surface is symmetrically formed with respect to an nearly central portion of said incident surface in the longitudinal direction.

3. A plate according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said cut surface is formed at a portion of said incident surface in a latitudinal direction.

4. A plate according to claim 1, wherein said cut surface projects from another plane of said incident surface.

5. A light guide plate according to claim 2, wherein said cut surface projects from another plane corresponding to the other portion of said incident surface.

6. A light guide plate according to claim 3, wherein said cut surface projects from another plane corresponding to the other portion of said incident surface.

7. A light guide plate according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said cut surface projects so that said cut surface is parallel to another plane corresponding to the other portion of said incident surface,

the projecting distance of said projection being not greater than about 1 mm, and said cut surface having a surface roughness of not greater than about 50 μ

m in terms of 10-point average roughness (Rz).

8. A light guide plate according to claim 6, wherein said cut surface projects so that said cut surface is parallel to another plane corresponding to the other portion of said incident surface,

the projecting distance of said projection being not greater than about 1 mm, and said cut surface having a surface roughness of not greater than about 50 μ

m in terms of 10-point average roughness (Rz).

9. A light guide plate according to claims 1, 2, 4 or 5, wherein said light guide is provided with a protruding portion which has a location distant from said incident surface and functions for positioning said light guide plate when being assembled.

10. A light guide plate according to claim 3, wherein said light guide is provided with a protruding portion which has a location distant from said incident surface and functions for positioning said light guide plate when being assembled.

11. A light guide plate according to claim 6, wherein said light guide is provided with a protruding portion which has a location distant from said incident surface and functions for positioning said light guide plate when being assembled.

12. A method of manufacturing a light guide plate for a surface light source device which comprises an incident surface in a longitudinal direction of a slender light source and an emission surface for emitting incident light received at said incident surface in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of said incidence surface,

said light guide plate being large in thickness at a position near said incident surface and decreasing in thickness with increasing distance from the incident surface, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a mold with a gate arranged at a position separated from a desired position of the incident surface, the gate being separated along a plane of the emission surface, the mold being further provided with an additional cavity to guide molten material from said gate to the desired position of the incident surface;

(b) injecting molten material into the mold through the gate to form a guide plate portion and a protruding portion, the guide plate portion connecting to the protruding portion in a vicinity of the desired position of the incident surface; and

(c) cutting the guide plate portion from the protruding portion in the vicinity of the desired position of the incident surface, the cutting operation providing a cut surface on the guide plate portion, the cut surface serving as at least a portion of the light incident surface.

13. A method of manufacturing a light guide plate according to claim 12, wherein said gate faces an extension plane of the emission surface or a plane parallel with the emission surface.

14. A light guide preform comprising:

a guide plate portion and a protruding portion, the guide plate portion connecting to the protruding portion in a vicinity of a desired position of a light incident surface, the guide plate portion having a thickness direction and a light emission surface, the light emission surface being arranged perpendicular to the thickness direction, the guide plate portion having a thickness which decreases with increasing distance from the desired position of the incident surface, and

the protruding portion being separated from the desired position of the incident surface, in a direction extending away from the guide plate portion along a plane encompassing the light emission surface, the protruding portion have a thickness sufficient to allow uniform flow of a molten injection molding material therethrough.