Light diffusing device

• US 4,141,058 A
• Filed: 05/17/1977
• Issued: 02/20/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Copal Company Limited (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Copal Company Limited (Nidec Corporation)
• Inventors: Tachihara, Noribumi, Mizohata, Yukio
• Primary Examiner(s): Engle, Samuel W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald P.
• Application Number:
  US05/797,731
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 362/32, 362/26, 362/255, 362/347, 362/328, 362/329, 362/812
• US Class Current: 362/558
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/005 using light guides light guides specially adapted for lighting devices G02B6/0001
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/00 Reflectors for light sources characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/505
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/02 for roads, paths or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0016 Grooves, prisms, gratings, scattering particles or rough surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0018 Redirecting means on the surface of the light guide
• 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 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0036 2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0055 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/1854 Light diffusing layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/812 Signs

Abstract

A light diffusing device for obtaining a surface uniform in the brightness by using a luminous flux narrow in the radiating angle comprising a flat smooth transparent base plate having a favorable transparency and including a luminous flux incident area defined on one side surface, a conical concavity formed on the other side surface opposed to said one side surface, aligned with the luminous flux incident area and having a bottom area at least equal to said area and light diffusing reflecting means provided on all the side surfaces except the above mentioned other side surface. Said luminous flux incident area is used as a connecting part with the end portion of a light guide or a containing section for a light source. The above mentioned other side surface serves as a displaying surface for such display medium as of words or signs or as a luminous surface for introducing lights of a uniform brightness into a plurality of light guides.

Claims

1. A light diffusing device comprising a comparatively thick flat smooth transparent base plate having a favorable transparency, a luminous flux incident area defined on the rear side surface of said transparent base plate, a conical concavity formed on the front side surface opposed to said rear side surface of said transparent base plate and aligned with said luminous flux incident area and having a bottom area at least equal to the area of said luminous flux incident area and having a top portion extending toward the interior of said transparent base plate, and a light diffusing reflecting means provided on substantially all the portion except said luminous flux incident area on said rear side surface, whereby, by diffusing and reflecting a luminous flux incident upon said luminous flux incident area within said transparent base plate through said conical concavity and light diffusing reflecting means, the brightness of all said front side surface is kept uniform.

2. A light diffusing device according to claim 1 wherein said light diffusing reflecting means consists of a rough surface and a reflecting plate fitted to said rough surface and all the side surfaces of said transparent base plate except the portion of said rear side surface on which said light diffusing reflecting means is located, said luminous flux incident area and said front side surface are pasted with a mirror surface reflecting sheet.

3. A light diffusing device according to claim 1 wherein all the side surfaces of said transparent base plate except said luminous flux incident area and said front side surface are painted with a light diffusing white paint.

4. A light diffusing device according to claim 1 wherein all the side surfaces of said transparent base plate except said luminous flux incident area and said front side surface are pasted with a mirror surface reflecting sheet.

5. A light diffusing device according to claim 1 wherein said conical concavity is in the form of a cone having a height substantially equal to the diameter of its bottom surface.

6. A light diffusing device according to claim 1 wherein said conical concavity is in the form of a pyramid having a height substantially equal to the length of the diagonal of its square bottom surface.

7. A light diffusing device according to claim 1 wherein optical fibers are connected to said luminous flux incident area.

8. A light diffusing device according to claim 1 wherein said luminous flux incident area is formed within said transparent base plate and the optical fibers are embedded at the end in said transparent base plate to connect said optical fibers to said luminous flux incident area.

9. A light diffusing device according to claim 1 wherein said luminous flux incident area is formed within said transparent base plate and a light source is inserted into said transparent base plate to introduce a luminous flux into said luminous flux incident area.

10. A light diffusing device according to claim 1 wherein a display medium is arranged adjacently to said front side surface.

11. A light diffusing device according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of optical fiber groups are connected to said front side surface.