Surface light-emitting device having light-guide panel wherein light radiated from exit surface is maximized proximate to normal direction of exit surface

• US 6,806,922 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2002
• Issued: 10/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ishitaka, Yoshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, TARIFUR RASHID
• Application Number:
  US10/200,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20030025852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 349/62, 349/65, 349/63, 349/113, 362/31
• US Class Current: 349/62
• 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

Abstract

A liquid crystal display device includes a surface light-emitting device. The surface light-emitting device includes a light source and a light guide panel having a light incident surface provided on an end surface thereof for introducing light from the light source and an exit surface from which the light is radiated. The light guide panel includes a reflecting surface which faces the exit surface and which is provided with a plurality of grooves formed sequentially in a stripe pattern, each of the grooves having a gentle slope and a steep slope whose slope angle is steeper than that of the gentle slope. The direction in which the amount of light radiated from the exit surface of the light guide panel is maximized defines an angle of 1° to 10° with respect to the normal line of the exit surface.

Claims

1. A surface light-emitting device comprising:

a light source; and

a light guide panel having a light incident surface provided on an end surface thereof to introduce light from the light source and an exit surface from which the light is radiated,

wherein the light guide panel comprises a reflecting surface which faces the exit surface and which is provided with a plurality of grooves formed sequentially in a stripe pattern, each of the grooves having a gentle slope and a steep slope whose slope angle is steeper than that of the gentle slope, and

the slope angle of the gentle slope is about 1.8°

to 2.5°

, a pitch of the grooves is about 140 μ

m to 240 μ

m, and the slope angle of the steep slope is about 43°

to 47°

.

2. A liquid crystal display device comprising the surface light-emitting device according to claim 1.

3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a liquid crystal display unit including a pair of substrates sandwiching a liquid crystal layer,

wherein the surface light-emitting device is provided on a front surface of the liquid crystal display unit,

the liquid crystal display unit includes a reflector to reflect light from an outer side of one of the substrates, and

a direction in which an amount of reflection light reflected by the reflector is maximized is about 1°

to 10°

with respect to the normal line of the liquid crystal display unit when the surface light-emitting device is in an on state.

4. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 3, wherein the direction in which the amount of reflection light reflected by the reflector is maximized is about 3°

to 8°

with respect to the normal line of the liquid crystal display unit when the surface light-emitting device is in the on state.

5. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 3, wherein the reflector has a surface provided with a plurality of reflective concavities formed irregularly and sequentially.

6. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 3, wherein the reflector is provided on a back side of the liquid crystal display unit.

7. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 3, wherein the reflector is incorporated into the liquid crystal display unit.

8. A surface light-emitting device comprising:

a light source; and

a light guide panel having a light incident surface provided on an end surface thereof to introduce light from the light source and an exit surface from which the light is radiated,

wherein an integrated intensity of luminescence emitted from the surface light-emitting device in a specific angular range of about 1°

to 10°

with respect to a normal line of the surface light-emitting device is larger than that over any other angular range having the same angular width as the specific angular range.

9. The surface light-emitting device according to claim 8, wherein a direction in which an amount of light radiated from the exit surface of the light guide panel is maximized is about 1°

to 10°

with respect to a normal line of the exit surface.

10. The surface light-emitting device according to claim 9, wherein the direction in which the amount of reflection light reflected by the reflector is maximized is about 3°

to 8°

with respect to the normal line of the liquid crystal display unit when the surface light-emitting device is in the on state.

11. The surface light-emitting liquid device according to claim 8, wherein the light guide panel further comprises a reflecting surface which faces the exit surface and which is provided with a plurality of grooves formed sequentially in a stripe pattern with a pitch of about 140 μ

m to 240 μ

m, each of the grooves having a gentle slope of about 1.8°

to 2.5° and

a steep slope of about 43°

to 47°

.

12. The surface light-emitting device according to claim 8, further comprising a liquid crystal display unit including a pair of substrates sandwiching a liquid crystal layer and a reflector to reflect light from an outer side of one of the substrates, the surface light-emitting device provided on a front surface of the liquid crystal display unit,

wherein the reflector concentrates impinging light by reflecting the impinging light at angles substantially between a specular reflection angle and the normal line of the exit surface.

13. The surface light-emitting device according to claim 12, the reflector comprising a surface provided with a plurality of reflective concavities formed irregularly and sequentially.

14. The surface light-emitting device according to claim 8, further comprising a liquid crystal display unit including a pair of substrates sandwiching a liquid crystal layer and a reflector to reflect light from an outer side of one of the substrates, the surface light-emitting device provided on a front surface of the liquid crystal display unit, wherein a direction in which an amount of reflection light reflected by the reflector is maximized is about 1°

to 10°

with respect to a normal line of the liquid crystal display unit when the surface light-emitting device is in an on state.

15. The surface light-emitting device according to claim 14, the reflector comprising a surface provided with a plurality of reflective concavities formed irregularly and sequentially.

16. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a liquid crystal display unit including a pair of substrates sandwiching a liquid crystal layer therebetween and a reflector to reflect light from an outer side of one of the substrates; and

a surface light-emitting device disposed on a front surface of the liquid crystal display unit, the surface light-emitting device including a light source and a light guide panel having a light incident surface provided on an end surface thereof to introduce light from the light source and an exit surface from which the light is radiated,

wherein a direction in which an amount of light radiated from the exit surface of the light guide panel is maximized is about 1°

to 10°

with respect to a normal line of the exit surface and a direction in which an amount of reflection light reflected by the reflector is maximized is about 1°

to 10°

with respect to the normal line of the liquid crystal display unit when the surface light-emitting device is in an on state.