Light guide plate and surface light source using the light guide plate

• US 5,999,685 A
• Filed: 09/02/1997
• Issued: 12/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hibino, Katsutoshi, Higuchi, Masahiro, Goto, Youichiro, Teragaki, Yasuko, Torazawa, Kenji, Kusafuka, Takanari, Sato, Michiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stahl, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US08/921,606
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 385/146, 385/901, 385/36, 385/37, 359/575, 362/31, 349/64, 349/65
• US Class Current: 385/146
• 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: Y10S 385/901 Illuminating or display apparatus

Abstract

A light guide plate is provided including a first lens portion comprising a plurality of recessed or projected lenticular unit lenses formed of the same resin as that of the light guide plate on a light emission surface. The plurality of lenticular unit lenses in the first lens portion are triangular prism portions whose respective vertexes have an angle of 125° to 165° and are so arranged that their respective ridge lines are nearly parallel to each other. Such construction makes it possible to set the number of lenticular lens sheets used to one or to further eliminate the necessity of the lenticular lens sheets, so that the cost of parts and the fabrication cost of the light guide plate can be reduced. A second lens portion may be provided on a light reflective surface opposite to the light emission surface on which the first lens portion is disposed, the second lens portion including a plurality of recessed or projected lenticular unit lenses formed of the same resin as that of the light guide plate. Alternatively, a light guide plate is provided having a plurality of grooves with approximately equal groove widths formed on a surface opposite to a light emission surface, the grooves being arranged substantially parallel to each other and the spacing between the grooves narrowing as the distance from the light incident surface increases, with the spacing from the far end of one of the plurality of grooves proximate to the light incident surface to the near end of a groove adjacent thereto farther away from the light incident surface being 5 to 15 times the groove width.

Claims

1. A light guide plate, formed from a resin for emitting light, from a light source provided adjacent to at least one of its side end surfaces, from a light emission surface, comprising:

a first lens portion comprising a plurality of recessed or projected lenticular unit lenses formed from the same resin as that of the light guide plate on said light emission surface,

the plurality of lenticular unit lenses in said first lens portion being triangular prism portions whose respective vertexes have an angle of 125°

to 165° and

being so arranged that their respective ridge lines are nearly parallel to each other.

2. The light guide plate according to claim 1, wherein

the respective vertexes of the plurality of lenticular unit lenses in said first lens portion have an angle of 135°

to 165°

.

3. The light guide plate according to claim 2, wherein

the respective vertexes of the plurality of lenticular unit lenses in said first lens portion have an angle of approximately 150°

.

4. The light guide plate according to claim 1, wherein the triangular prism portions are isosceles triangular prism portions.

5. The light guide plate according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the light guide plate is about 1 to 10 mm.

6. A surface light source comprising:

a light guide plate formed from a resin comprising a first lens portion comprising a plurality of recessed or projected lenticular unit lenses formed of the same resin as that of the light guide plate on a light emission surface, the plurality of lenticular unit lenses in said first lens portion being triangular prism portions whose respective vertexes have an angle of 125°

to 165° and

being so arranged that their respective ridge lines are nearly parallel to each other; and

a light source provided adjacent to at least one of side end surfaces of said light guide plate,

said surface light source emitting light from the light emission surface.

7. The surface light source according to claim 6, wherein the triangular prism portions are isosceles triangular prism portions.

8. A light guide plate, formed from a resin for emitting light, from a light source provided adjacent to at least one of its side end surfaces, from a light emission surface, comprising:

a first lens portion comprising a plurality of recessed or projected lenticular unit lenses formed of the same resin as that of said light guide plate on said light emission surface,

the plurality of lenticular unit lenses in said first lens portion being triangular prism portions whose respective vertexes have an angle of 125°

to 165° and

being so arranged that their respective ridge lines are nearly parallel to each other; and

a second lens portion comprising a plurality of recessed or projected lenticular unit lenses formed of the same resin as that of said light guide plate on a light reflective surface opposite to said light emission surface,

the plurality of lenticular unit lenses in said second lens portion being triangular prism portions whose respective vertexes have an angle of 125°

to 165° and

being so arranged that their respective ridge lines are nearly parallel to each other.

9. The light guide plate according to claim 8, wherein

the respective vertexes of the plurality of lenticular unit lenses in said first lens portion have an angle of 135°

to 165°

.

10. The light guide plate according to claim 8, wherein

the direction of the ridge lines of the plurality of lenticular unit lenses in said first lens portion and the direction of the ridge lines of the plurality of lenticular unit lenses in said second lens portion are nearly perpendicular to each other.

11. The light guide plate according to claim 8, wherein

the respective vertexes of the plurality of lenticular unit lenses in said second lens portion have an angle of 135°

to 165°

.

12. The light guide plate according to claim 8, wherein

the respective vertexes of the plurality of lenticular unit lenses in said first lens portion have an angle of approximately 150°

.

13. The light guide plate according to claim 8, wherein

the respective vertexes of the plurality of lenticular unit lenses in said second lens portion have an angle of approximately 150°

.

14. The light guide plate according to claim 8, wherein the triangular prism portions are isosceles triangular prism portions.

15. A surface light source comprising:

a light guide plate formed from a resin comprising a first lens portion comprising a plurality of recessed or projected lenticular unit lenses formed of the same resin as that of said light guide plate on a light emission surface, the plurality of lenticular unit lenses in said first lens portion being triangular prism portions whose respective vertexes have an angle of 125°

to 165° and

being so arranged that their respective ridge lines are nearly parallel to each other, and a second lens portion comprising a plurality of recessed or projected lenticular unit lenses formed of the same resin as that of said light guide plate on a light reflective surface opposite to said light emission surface, the plurality of lenticular unit lenses in said second lens portion being triangular prism portions whose respective vertexes have an angle of 125°

to 165° and

being so arranged that their respective ridge lines are nearly parallel to each other; and

a light source provided adjacent to at least one of side end surfaces of said light guide plate,

said surface light source emitting light from the light emission surface.

16. A light guide plate, wherein

one of its side end surfaces is a light incidence surface, and its one surface crossing said light incidence surface is a light emission surface, and

a plurality of grooves having approximately equal groove widths are so formed on a surface opposite to said light emission surface that they are nearly parallel to each other, and spacing between the grooves is narrowed as the distance from the light incidence surface increases, the spacing from a far end of one of the plurality of grooves which is proximate to said light incidence surface to a near end of a groove adjacent thereto farther away from said light incidence surface is 5 to 15 times said groove width.

17. The light guide plate according to claim 16, wherein

the cross-sectional shape of said plurality of grooves is a shape described in any one of the following items (a), (b) and (c):

a) an N-sided polygon, where N is a natural number of not less than three,

b) an isosceles triangle, and

c) a part of an ellipse, where the ellipse includes a circle.

18. The light guide plate according to claim 16, wherein the light guide plate has a wedge shape.

19. A surface light source comprising:

a light guide plate formed from a resin, one of its side end surfaces being a light incidence surface, and its one surface crossing said light incidence surface being a light emission surface, and a plurality of grooves having approximately equal groove widths being so formed on a surface opposite to said light emission surface that they are nearly parallel to each other and spacing between the grooves is narrowed as the distance from said light incidence surface increases, the spacing from a far end of one of the plurality of grooves which is proximate to said light incidence surface to a near end of a groove adjacent thereto farther away from said light incidence surface is 5 to 15 times said groove width; and

a light source provided adjacent to at least one of the side end surfaces of said light guide plate,

said surface light source emitting light from the light emission surface.

20. The surface light source according to claim 19, wherein the light guide plate has a wedge shape.