Spread illuminating apparatus having light controlling means

• US 7,066,634 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2004
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minebea Company Limited (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minebea Company Limited (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Inventors: Kitamura, Atsushi, Egawa, Motoji
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ton, Anabel
• Application Number:
  US10/788,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20040190307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 362/600, 362/610, 362/608, 362/616, 362/622, 362/621, 385/901, 385/131
• US Class Current: 362/616
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper

Abstract

A spread illuminating apparatus comprises a plurality of LED'"'"'s as light sources, a light conductive plate, and a light controlling means disposed between the LED'"'"'s and the light conductive plate. The light controlling means includes a plurality of transparent resin films which have respective different refractive indexes, which are laminated over one another in a direction parallel to a major surface as a light exit surface of the light conductive plate thereby forming a refractive index profile in the direction parallel to the light exit surface of the light conductive plate, and two adjacent ones of which are put together by adhesive that can transmit light emitted from the LED.

Claims

1. A spread illuminating apparatus comprising:

at least one light source;

a light conductive plate that permits introduction of light emitted from the light source thereinto, and which allows the light introduced thereinto to exit out from a light exit surface thereof toward an object to be illuminated; and

a light controlling means disposed between the at least one light source and the light conductive plate, the light controlling means having a refractive index profile formed in a direction parallel to the light exit surface of the light conductive plate.

2. A spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light controlling means is structured such that a refractive index variation appears repeatedly in the direction parallel to the light exit surface of the light conductive plate.

5. A spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light controlling means comprises a plurality of transparent films laminated over one another, and two adjacent ones thereof are put together by adhesive which can transmit light emitted from the light source.

6. A spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the transparent films are formed of glass.

7. A spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the transparent films are formed of resin.

8. A spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the refractive index profile is formed symmetric about a plane corresponding to a center of the light source.

9. A spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the refractive index profile is formed asymmetric about a plane corresponding to a center of the light source.

10. A spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the light source is located to a portion of the light controlling means having a highest refractive index.

11. A spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the light source is located to a portion of the light controlling means having a lowest refractive index.

3. A spread illuminating apparatus comprising:

at least one light source;

a light conductive plate that permits introduction of light emitted from the light source thereinto, and which allows the light introduced thereinto to exit out from a light exit surface thereof toward an object to be illuminated; and

a light controlling means disposed between the at least one light source and the light conductive plate, the light controlling means having a refractive index profile formed in a direction parallel to the light exit surface of the light conductive plate, wherein a light entrance surface and a light exit surface of the light controlling means are planar.

4. A spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the light entrance surface and the light exit surface of the light controlling means are connected respectively to a light emitting surface of the light source and one end surface of the light conductive plate by means of adhesive which can transmit light emitted from the light source.