Surface-shaped light irradiation device

• US 7,083,317 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2003
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Higashiyama, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sawhney, Hargobind S.
• Application Number:
  US10/748,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20040141305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 362/26, 362/27, 362/30, 362/31, 362/320, 362/331, 362559-561, 362608-610, 362/612, 362/621, 362/628, 362/634, 362/800, 362/812, 349 62- 65, 349/70, 385/129, 385/130, 385/901
• US Class Current: 362/612
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0021 for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0055 Reflecting element, sheet or layer

Abstract

An LED is mounted on a flexible wiring board, and this flexible wiring board is adhered by a both-surface adhesive tape to a back of a light guiding plate to which a light reflecting film is adhered by an adhesive layer. The LED is kept at a desired set position by retaining the LED by a retaining section formed integrally with the light guiding plate in a state where a light emitting surface of the LED air tightly contacts a light entrance end surface of the light guiding plate, and by adhering a rear surface of the LED to an inner surface of the retaining section by an adhesive agent.

Claims

1. A surface-shaped light irradiation device comprising:

a dot light source which comprises a flat light emitting surface for emitting a light, and which emits a light substantially radiately; and

a light guiding plate which comprises a light entrance end surface from which a light emitted from said flat light emitting surface of said dot light source enters, a light emitting surface which is one principal surface for guiding the light entering from said light entrance end surface and emits a substantially uniform light therefrom, a back surface which is an other principal surface opposite to said light emitting surface, and a retaining section which retains said dot light source at a predetermined set position, wherein said retaining section includes a wall which surrounds a periphery of said dot light source, said wall being formed by said light entrance end surface positioned at one end of said light guiding plate, and said dot light source is disposed in an area surrounded by said retaining section and said light entrance end surface, and is fixed to said retaining section in a state where said flat light emitting surface abuts on said light entrance end surface of said light guiding plate by an adhesive agent disposed between a surface of the dot light source, other than its flat light emitting surface, and the retaining section.

2. The surface-shaped light irradiation device according to claim 1,

wherein said retaining section is formed integrally with said light guiding plate by being formed extendedly from said light entrance end surface positioned at one end of said light guiding plate.

3. The surface-shaped light irradiation device according to claim 1,

wherein said dot light source is fixed to said wall opposite to said light entrance end surface by an adhesive agent.

4. The surface-shaped light irradiation device according to claim 3,

wherein said retaining section comprises a wall which is formed in such a manner as to protrude from said light entrance end surface positioned at one end of said light guiding plate and to surround said dot light source, and a hole for storing an adhesive agent is formed in said wall.

5. The surface-shaped light irradiation device according to claim 1,

wherein:

said dot light source is mounted on a flexible wiring board on which a circuit for lighting said dot light source is formed; and

a part of said flexible wiring board is adhered to a back of said light guiding plate by an adhesive member.

6. The surface-shaped light irradiation device according to claim 5,

wherein said adhesive member is a both-surface adhesive tape.