Lighting apparatus with a light guiding body having projections in the shape of a trapezoid

• US 6,011,602 A
• Filed: 07/03/1997
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Osamu, Miyashita, Satoru, Funamoto, Tatsuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eisenhut, Heidi L.
• Application Number:
  US08/860,631
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 349/61, 349/62, 349/64, 349/112, 349/65, 362/26, 362/31
• US Class Current: 349/65
• 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 6/0053 Prismatic sheet or layer; Brightness enhancement element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0055 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0056 for producing polarisation effects, e.g. by a surface with polarizing properties or by an additional polarizing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0061 to provide homogeneous light output intensity

Abstract

A reflection layer is provided on a surface of a light guiding body on which projections are formed with intervals, except the side surfaces of the projections. A light emitting element is provided close to one end surface of a light guiding element. Most of the light from the light emitting element is input to the light guiding body through the light input surface. The light travels through the light guiding body to be output from the side surfaces of the projections. After passing through a directional change element, the light is input to the light receiving element in a direction substantially perpendicular to a light receiving element. Outside light passes through the light receiving element and is then input to a lighting apparatus. In the lighting apparatus, the outside light passes through the directional change element to be reflected by a reflection layer on the light-output-side surface of the light guiding body and then again passes perpendicularly through the directional change element toward the light receiving element. When the light passes through the light receiving element, a displayed image can be viewed. The reflection layer can reflect the light with a small loss. In addition, if the outside light is input at an angle of other than 90° to the light receiving element at first, the light can be reflected by the reflection layer with a small loss.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus comprising:

light guiding means provided at the back of a light receiving element; and

at least one light emitting means provided at the side of said light guiding means;

wherein said light guiding means comprises;

wherein the light from said light emitting means is transmitted to the back surface of said light receiving element for lighting said light receiving element;

a light guiding body having at least one light input surface facing said light emitting means, a light-output-side surface facing said light receiving element, and a flat surface which is opposite to said light-output-side surface; and

a plurality of projections extending from said light-output-side surface of said light guiding body, each of said projections having a top surface which is substantially parallel to said light-output-side surface, a vertical section of each of said projections being substantially a trapezoid, and side surfaces of said projections being inclined at an angle of 10 degrees or less from a plane which is perpendicular to said light-output-side surface.

2. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said projections have a different refractive index from said light guiding body.

3. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the ratio of width of said top surface to height of each of said projections is substantially 1:

1.

4. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said top surface of each of said projections has a width ranging from 10 μ

m to 50 μ

m.

5. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein a reflection layer is provided on said light-output-side surface of said light guiding body for reflecting the light from outside and the light transmitted through said light guiding body.

6. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said reflection layer is further provided on said top surface of each of said projections.

7. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said reflection layer is further provided on one of said side surfaces of each of said projections when said one of said side surfaces looks toward said light emitting means.

8. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said light guiding body is provided with said reflection layer on all side surfaces except said light input surface.

9. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said reflection layer is made of a thin metal film.

10. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said reflection layer provided on said light guiding body is made of a mirror sheet, a reflecting surface of said mirror sheet facing said light guiding body.

11. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said projections are in the form of a grating on said light-output-side surface.

12. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the number of said projections per unit area is smaller nearer to said light emitting means than the number of said projections farther from said light emitting means.

13. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein a vertical-sectional area of each of said projections is larger farther from said light emitting means than a vertical-sectional area nearer to said light emitting means.

14. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising directional change means for changing the direction of the light which is output from said light guiding means to a direction substantially perpendicular to said light receiving element.

15. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 14,

wherein said light emitting means is in the form of a cylinder extending along said light input surface of said light guiding body;

and

wherein said directional change means includes a prism array which comprises a plurality of prisms arranged in parallel to each other and to said light emitting means, each of said prisms having an apex pointing to said light-output-side surface.

16. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein a vertical section of each of said prisms is substantially a triangular, an angle of said apex ranging from 50 degrees to 70 degrees.

17. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 15,

wherein each of said prisms has a first surface for receiving the light and a second surface, said apex being formed by said first and second surfaces;

and

wherein said first surface comprises a plurality of planes, the normals to said planes being different from each other.

18. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 17,

wherein said first surface comprises a plane tilted at an angle of about 20 degrees from the plane which is perpendicular to said light-output-side surface;

and

wherein said second surface is tilted at an angle of about 30 degrees from the plane which is perpendicular to said light-output-side surface.

19. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said directional change means has a structure of diffraction grating which is provided parallel to said light-output-side surface.

20. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 19,

wherein said directional change means includes a hologram element which has a photosensitive layer made of a photosensitive material, said structure of diffraction grating being recorded on said photosensitive layer.

21. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said structure of diffraction grating of said directional change means is a blazed grating which has a sawtooth vertical section.

22. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising polarizing means which is provided between said light receiving element and said directional change means to convert the light which is output from said directional change means into linearly-polarized light.

23. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising polarizing means which is provided between said light receiving element and said directional change means to convert the light which is output from said directional change means into linearly-polarized light;

wherein said polarizing means comprises;

a cholesteric liquid crystal layer provided to face said prism array; and

a quarter wave film which generates retardation by a quarter wavelength and is provided on said cholesteric liquid crystal layer.

24. A lighting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said light guiding means guides the light from said light emitting means through said light-output-side surface toward a light receiving element with an improved directivity;

said lighting apparatus further comprises directional change means for changing the direction of the light which is output from said light guiding means to a direction substantially perpendicular to said light receiving element;

said directional change means includes a prism array which comprises a plurality of prisms, each of said prisms having an apex pointing to said light-output-side surface;

each of said prisms has a first surface for receiving the light and a second surface, said apex being formed by said first and second surfaces; and

said first surface comprises a plurality of planes, the normals to said planes being different from each other.

25. A liquid crystal display system comprising a lighting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said light receiving element is a liquid crystal display panel.

26. The liquid crystal display system as defined in claim 25, wherein a mirror sheet which reflects the light input to said light guiding means is provided at the opposite side to said light-output-side surface of said light guiding means.

27. A liquid crystal display system comprising:

a lighting apparatus as defined in claim 1;

a liquid crystal display panel which receives the light from said lighting apparatus; and

light diffusing means provided at the front of said liquid crystal display panel to diffuse the light from said liquid crystal display panel.

28. Electronic equipment comprising a liquid crystal display system as defined in claim 1.

29. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said projections has side surfaces which are substantially perpendicular to said light-output-side surface.

30. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein light diffusing means for diffusing the light from said light guiding means is provided between said light receiving element and said light guiding means.

31. The liquid crystal display system as defined in claim 26, wherein light diffusing means for diffusing the light is provided at the front of said liquid crystal display panel.

32. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 29, wherein said projections have a different refractive index from said light guiding body.

33. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 29, wherein the ratio of width of said top surface to height of each of said projections is substantially 1:

1.

34. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 29, wherein a vertical section of each of said projections is substantially a trapezoid;

and

wherein said side surfaces of said projections are inclined at an angle of 10 degrees or less from a plane which is perpendicular to said light-output-side surface.

35. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 29, wherein said top surface of each of said projections has a width ranging from 10 μ

m to 50 μ

m.

36. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 29, wherein a reflection layer is provided on said light-output-side surface of said light guiding body for reflecting the light from outside and the light transmitted through said light guiding body.

37. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 36, wherein said reflection layer is further provided on said top surface of each of said projections.

38. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 36, wherein said reflection layer is further provided on one of said side surfaces of each of said projections when said one of said side surfaces looks toward said light emitting means.

39. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 36, wherein said light guiding body is provided with said reflection layer on all side surfaces except said light input surface.

40. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 36, wherein said reflection layer is made of a thin metal film.

41. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 39, wherein said reflection layer provided on said light guiding body is made of a mirror sheet, a reflecting surface of said mirror sheet facing said light guiding body.

42. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 29, wherein said projections are in the form of a grating on said light-output-side surface.

43. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 29, wherein the number of said projections per unit area is smaller nearer to said light emitting means than the number of said projections farther from said light emitting means.

44. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 29, wherein a vertical-sectional area of each of said projections is larger farther from said light emitting means than a vertical-sectional area nearer to said light emitting means.

45. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 29, further comprising directional change means for changing the direction of the light which is output from said light guiding means to a direction substantially perpendicular to said light receiving element.

46. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 45, wherein said light emitting means is in the form of a cylinder extending along said light input surface of said light guiding body;

and

wherein said directional change means includes a prism array which comprises a plurality of prisms arranged in parallel to each other and to said light emitting means, each of said prisms having an apex pointing said light-output-side surface.

47. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 46, wherein a vertical section of each of said prisms is substantially triangular, an angle of said apex ranging from 50 degrees to 70 degrees.

48. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 46, wherein each of said prisms has a first surface for receiving the light and a second surface, said apex being formed by said first and second surfaces;

and

wherein said first surface comprises a plurality of planes, the normals to said planes being different from each other.

49. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 48, wherein said first surface comprises a plane tilted at an angle of about 20 degrees from the plane which is perpendicular to said light-output-side surface;

and

wherein said second surface is tilted at an angle of about 30 degrees from the plane which is perpendicular to said light-output-side surface.

50. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 45, wherein said directional change means has a structure of diffraction grating which is provided parallel to said light-output-side surface.

51. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 50, wherein said directional change means includes a hologram element which has a photosensitive layer made of a photosensitive material, said structure of diffraction grating being recorded on said photosensitive layer.

52. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 50, wherein said structure of diffraction grating of said directional change means is a blazed grating which has a sawtooth vertical section.

53. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 45, further comprising polarizing means which is provided between said light receiving element and said directional change means to convert the light which is output from said directional change means into linearly-polarized light.

54. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 45, further comprising polarizing means which is provided between said light receiving element and said directional change means to convert the light which is output from said directional change means into linearly-polarized light;

wherein said polarizing means comprises;

a cholesteric liquid crystal layer provided to face said prism array; and

a quarter wave film which generates retardation by a quarter wavelength and is provided on said cholesteric liquid crystal layer.

55. A liquid crystal display system comprising a lighting apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein said light receiving element is a liquid crystal display panel.

56. The liquid crystal display system as defined in claim 55, wherein a mirror sheet which reflects the light input to said light guiding means is provided at the opposite side to said light-output-side surface of said light guiding means.

57. A liquid crystal display system comprising:

a lighting apparatus as defined in claim 24,

a liquid crystal display panel which receives the light from said lighting apparatus; and

light diffusing means provided at the front of said liquid crystal display panel to diffuse the light from said liquid crystal display panel.

58. Electronic equipment comprising a liquid crystal display system as defined in claim 55.

59. The liquid crystal display system as defined in claim 56, wherein light diffusing means for diffusing the light is provided at the front of said liquid crystal display panel.

60. A liquid crystal display system comprising a lighting apparatus as defined in claim 29, wherein said light receiving element is a liquid crystal display panel.

61. The liquid crystal display system as defined in claim 60, wherein a mirror sheet which reflects the light input to said light guiding means is provided at the opposite side to said light-output-side surface of said light guiding means.

62. A liquid crystal display system comprising:

a lighting apparatus as defined in claim 29,

a liquid crystal display panel which receives the light from said lighting apparatus; and

light diffusing means provided at the front of said liquid crystal display panel to diffuse the light from said liquid crystal display panel.

63. Electronic equipment comprising a liquid crystal display system as defined in claim 60.

64. The lighting apparatus as defined in claim 29, wherein light diffusing means for diffusing the light from said light guiding means is provided between said light receiving element and said light guiding means.

65. The liquid crystal display system as defined in claim 61, wherein light diffusing means for diffusing the light is provided at the front of said liquid crystal display panel.