Light emitting device, illumination device, and photo sensor

• US 8,502,695 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Fukuyama Laser Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kishimoto, Katsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US12/881,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20110063115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 340/458, 340/468, 340/600, 340/815.4, 340/815.55, 340/815.56, 340/815.57, 340/815.65, 340/815.73, 340/815.75, 340/469, 353/85, 353/94, 353/98, 359/28, 359/326, 359/328, 362/84, 362/85, 362/257, 372/21, 372/22, 372/30, 372/29.011, 372/29.014, 250/206, 250/239
• US Class Current: 340/815.57
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/16 Laser light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/176 Light sources where the light is generated by photoluminescent material spaced from a primary light generating element
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/10 Protection of lighting devices cooling of lighting devices F21S45/40; waterproofing of lighting devices F21S45/50
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/70 Prevention of harmful light leakage
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/30 Semiconductor lasers

Abstract

Provided is a light emitting device improved in safety to an eye. The light emitting device includes: a semiconductor laser element for emitting laser light; an optical conversion member for converting coherent laser light which is emitted from the semiconductor laser element into incoherent light, and for emitting the incoherent light; and a safety device for preventing the coherent laser light from exiting to an outside.

Claims

1. A light emitting device, comprising:

a semiconductor laser element for emitting laser light, which is coherent laser light;

an optical conversion member for converting the coherent laser light which is emitted from the semiconductor laser element into incoherent light, and for emitting the incoherent light; and

a safety device for preventing the coherent laser light from exiting to an outside of the light emitting device,

wherein the safety device includes a photo sensor for detecting intensity of at least one of the incoherent light and the coherent laser light exiting to the outside,

the photo sensor includes,

a first optical filter for blocking one of light that has substantially the same wavelength as a wavelength of the laser light and the incoherent light and for transmitting at least a portion of other of the light that has substantially the same wavelength as the wavelength of the laser light and the incoherent light, and

a light receiving element for detecting intensity of light transmitted through the first optical filter, and

the laser light to be converted by the optical conversion member is a single-wavelength laser light.

2. A light emitting device according to claim 1, further comprising a determining part for comparing a detection output of the photo sensor against a reference value to determine whether or not the coherent laser light has exited to the outside.

3. A light emitting device according to claim 2,

wherein, when the photo sensor detects the intensity of the incoherent light, the determining part determines whether or not the intensity of the incoherent light detected by the photo sensor is equal to or less than a given value, and

wherein, when the photo sensor detects the intensity of the laser light, the determining part determines whether or not the intensity of the laser light detected by the photo sensor is equal to or more than a given value.

4. A light emitting device according to claim 2, further comprising a control signal generating part for stopping laser light emission of the semiconductor laser element based on a determination output from the determining part indicating that the coherent laser light has exited to the outside.

5. A light emitting device according to claim 2, further comprising an alarm part which is driven based on a determination output from the determining part indicating that the coherent laser light has exited to the outside.

6. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first optical filter is attached to the light receiving element.

7. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first optical filter comprises one of thallium bromide iodide and thallium bromide chloride.

8. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the photo sensor is placed in a light path of the incoherent light to detect the intensity of the incoherent light.

9. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the photo sensor is placed in an extension line extending on the optical conversion member side from a line that connects the semiconductor laser element and the optical conversion member, to detect the intensity of the coherent laser light exiting to the outside.

10. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the photo sensor comprises a photodiode.

11. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the safety device comprises a second optical filter, which is placed on a light exit side of the light emitting device to block the laser light.

12. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the optical conversion member converts at least a portion of the laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser element into incoherent light having a wavelength longer than a wavelength of the laser light.

13. A light emitting device according to claim 12, wherein the semiconductor laser element emits laser light that has a wavelength equal to or less than 500 nm.

14. A light emitting device according to claim 13, wherein the optical conversion member converts at least a portion of the laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser element into incoherent light having a wavelength longer than 500 nm.

15. A light emitting device according to claim 14, wherein the semiconductor laser element emits one of blue laser light, blue-violet laser light, and ultraviolet laser light.

16. An illumination device, comprising

the light emitting device according to claim 1, and

a reflecting mirror for projecting the incoherent light.

17. A photo sensor for use in a safety device of a light emitting device, comprising:

an optical conversion member for converting a coherent, single-wavelength laser light emitted from a semiconductor laser element into incoherent light and for emitting the incoherent light,

wherein the photo sensor detects intensity of at least one of the incoherent light and the coherent laser light exiting to an outside of the light emitting device, and

the photo sensor further comprises,

a first optical filter for blocking one of light that has substantially the same wavelength as a wavelength of the laser light and the incoherent light subjected to wavelength conversion by the optical conversion member and for transmitting at least a portion of other of the light that has substantially the same wavelength as the wavelength of the laser light and the incoherent light subjected to the wavelength conversion by the optical conversion member, and

a light receiving element for detecting intensity of light transmitted through the first optical filter.

18. A photo sensor according to claim 17, further comprising a determining part for comparing a detection output of the photo sensor against a reference value to determine whether or not the coherent laser light has exited to the outside.

19. A photo sensor according to claim 18,

wherein, when the photo sensor detects the intensity of the incoherent light, the determining part determines whether or not the intensity of the incoherent light detected by the photo sensor is equal to or less than a given value, and

wherein, when the photo sensor detects the intensity of the laser light, the determining part determines whether or not the intensity of the laser light detected by the photo sensor is equal to or more than a given value.