Illumination device and display device using it

• US 6,742,907 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Funamoto, Tatsuaki, Kubota, Kanemitsu, Yokoyama, Osamu, Miyashita, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOUTSIKARIS, LEONIDAS
• Application Number:
  US10/431,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20030206408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 362/26, 362/31, 362/561, 349/63, 349/201, 349/65
• US Class Current: 362/625
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0018 Redirecting means on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• 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 6/0043 provided on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0061 to provide homogeneous light output intensity
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0073 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0081 Mechanical or electrical aspects of the light guide and light source in the lighting device peculiar to the adaptation to planar light guides, e.g. concerning packaging
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0091 of the light source relative to the light guide G02B6/0021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133616 Front illuminating devices

Abstract

An illumination device is provided of the type arranged at the front which is of low power consumption and of high recognisability both when the illumination is turned on and when illumination is turned off. An illumination device arranged at the front face of an illuminated object has a light-guide plate forming a transparent flat plate shape and formed with point-form optical extraction structures on its surface or in a position facing this surface, and a light source arranged opposite and end face of this light-guide plate. The light source is for example a point light source. The optical extraction structures are for example pillar-shaped projections and these are arranged two-dimensionally. The function is provided that, when this illumination device is arranged at the front of the illuminated body, rays are projected on to the illuminated body and rays reflected by the illuminated body are transmitted with scarcely any dispersion. There is also provided a function of transmitting external light with scarcely any dispersion of rays reflected by the illuminated body when the illumination is not turned on. A point light source such as a light emitting diode (LED) or electric light bulb can be employed and low power consumption can easily be achieved.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a liquid crystal display including a reflector; and

an illumination device arranged at the front side of the liquid crystal display,

the illumination device comprising;

a light-guide plate with transparency having a first face on which a optical extraction structure is formed and a second face being opposite to the first face; and

a light source facing the second face of the light guide plate so as to introduce light in the light-guide,

wherein the second face is adapted to face the liquid crystal display, wherein the optical extraction structure include a plurality of convex elements.

2. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the elements are distributed relatively sparsely in the vicinity of the light source and progressively more densely going away from the light source.

3. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein a light illuminated from the light source is output through the second face, is reflected by the reflector, passes through the light-guide plate, and is output from the first face.

4. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the optical extraction structure includes an inclined face of less than 30°

.

5. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the light source is selected from a group consisting of an LED, a light bulb and a fluorescent light.

6. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of a bottom face of the optical extraction structure is more than 5 μ

m and less than 300μ

in size.

7. The illumination device according to claim 1, further comprising a reflector provided on at least one end of the light-guide plate other than the end where the light source faces.

8. The illumination device according to claim 1, further comprising a transparent plate provided at the first face, wherein a gap is formed between the first face and the transparent plate.

9. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the light source faces an end face of the light-guide plate.