Illumination device and liquid crystal display device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An illumination device comprising:
- a light guide plate;
an intermediate light guide disposed along one side face of the light guide plate; and
a light emitting element disposed at an end face in a lengthwise direction of the intermediate light guide,wherein the side face of the light guide plate serves as a light incident face from which light is introduced, light emitted from the light emitting element is introduced into the light guide plate through the intermediate light guide and the light incident face, and the light propagating inside the light guide plate is emitted from one surface of the light guide plate,wherein the intermediate light guide protrudes from the light guide plate in a direction along the light incident face of the light guide plate toward the light emitting element, a side face of the intermediate light guide opposing the side face of the light guide plate serves as an emergent face from which the light from the light emitting element emerges toward the light guide plate, and an outer side face of the intermediate light guide remote from the emergent face serves as a reflecting face for reflecting the light propagating inside the intermediate light guide,wherein the outer side face of the intermediate light guide is provided with at least one of a plurality of grooves of wedge-shaped cross section or a plurality of minute irregularities provided distant from the end face of the intermediate light guide, and a reflective film formed on the at least one of grooves or irregularities, andwherein the at least one of grooves or irregularities on the outer side face of the intermediate light guide extend from a position at a distance within the range of −
1 mm to +0.5 mm from an extension line of an end face of the light guide plate close to the light emitting element, the extension line reaching the outer side face of the intermediate light guide, when the symbol “
−
”
indicates a side offset from the extension line toward the light emitting element, and the symbol “
+”
indicates a side offset from the extension line away from the light emitting element.
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Abstract
In a front light, an intermediate light guide protrudes from a light guide plate toward a light emitting element in the direction along a light incident face of the light guide plate. A side face of the intermediate light guide opposing the light incident face serves as an emergent face from which light from the light emitting element is emitted to the light guide plate, and an outer side face remote from the emergent face serves as a reflecting face for reflecting light propagating inside the intermediate light guide. The outer side face of the intermediate light guide is provided with a prism face having a plurality of grooves of wedge-shaped cross section, and a reflective film formed thereon. The prism face is provided distant from an end face of the intermediate light guide close to the light emitting element.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An illumination device comprising:
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a light guide plate; an intermediate light guide disposed along one side face of the light guide plate; and a light emitting element disposed at an end face in a lengthwise direction of the intermediate light guide, wherein the side face of the light guide plate serves as a light incident face from which light is introduced, light emitted from the light emitting element is introduced into the light guide plate through the intermediate light guide and the light incident face, and the light propagating inside the light guide plate is emitted from one surface of the light guide plate, wherein the intermediate light guide protrudes from the light guide plate in a direction along the light incident face of the light guide plate toward the light emitting element, a side face of the intermediate light guide opposing the side face of the light guide plate serves as an emergent face from which the light from the light emitting element emerges toward the light guide plate, and an outer side face of the intermediate light guide remote from the emergent face serves as a reflecting face for reflecting the light propagating inside the intermediate light guide, wherein the outer side face of the intermediate light guide is provided with at least one of a plurality of grooves of wedge-shaped cross section or a plurality of minute irregularities provided distant from the end face of the intermediate light guide, and a reflective film formed on the at least one of grooves or irregularities, and wherein the at least one of grooves or irregularities on the outer side face of the intermediate light guide extend from a position at a distance within the range of −
1 mm to +0.5 mm from an extension line of an end face of the light guide plate close to the light emitting element, the extension line reaching the outer side face of the intermediate light guide, when the symbol “
−
”
indicates a side offset from the extension line toward the light emitting element, and the symbol “
+”
indicates a side offset from the extension line away from the light emitting element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A liquid crystal display device comprising:
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an illumination device; and a liquid crystal display unit to be illuminated by the illumination device, wherein the illumination device comprises; a light guide plate; an intermediate light guide disposed along one side face of the light guide plate; and a light emitting element disposed at an end face in a lengthwise direction of the intermediate light guide, wherein the side face of the light guide plate serves as a light incident face from which light is introduced, light emitted from the light emitting element is introduced into the light guide plate through the intermediate light guide and the light incident face, and the light propagating inside the light guide plate is emitted from one surface of the light guide plate, wherein the intermediate light guide protrudes from the light guide plate in a direction along the light incident face of the light guide plate toward the light emitting element, a side face of the intermediate light guide opposing the side face of the light guide plate serves as an emergent face from which the light from the light emitting element emerges toward the light guide plate, and an outer side face of the intermediate light guide remote from the emergent face serves as a reflecting face for reflecting the light propagating inside the intermediate light guide, wherein the outer side face of the intermediate light guide is provided with at least one of a plurality of grooves of wedge-shaped cross section or a plurality of minute irregularities provided distant from the end face of the intermediate light guide, and a reflective film formed on the at least one of grooves or irregularities, and wherein the at least one of grooves or irregularities on the outer side face of the intermediate light guide extend from a position at a distance within the range of −
1 mm to +0.5 mm from an extension line of an end face of the light guide plate close to the light emitting element, the extension line reaching the outer side face of the intermediate light guide, when the symbol “
−
”
indicates a side offset from the extension line toward the light emitting element, and the symbol “
+”
indicates a side offset from the extension line away from the light emitting element.
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Specification
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Current AssigneeALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
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Original AssigneeALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
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InventorsSugiura, Takuro, Yamashita, Tatsumaro
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Primary Examiner(s)Ward, John Anthony
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Assistant Examiner(s)Choi, Jacob Y.
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Application NumberUS10/619,958Publication NumberTime in Patent Office1,030 DaysField of Search362/26, 362/561, 362/621, 362/622, 362/612, 362/626, 362/624, 362/628, 362/608, 349/65, 385/146US Class Current362/608CPC Class CodesG02B 6/0038 Linear indentations or groo...G02F 1/133616 Front illuminating devices
