Linear luminous body and linear luminous structure

• US 7,021,809 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2003
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Takano, Shinji, Iwasa, Tadanobu
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ton, Anabel
• Application Number:
  US10/629,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20040085762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 362/555, 362/31, 362/26, 362/560, 362/600, 362/609, 362/612, 362/556, 362/582
• US Class Current: 362/555
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2011/1872 illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2011/1882 with traction cable inside post or rail
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2011/1897 mainly of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/00 Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups F21S4/00 - F21S10/00 or F21S19/00, e.g. of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/005 of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/26 of rope form, e.g. LED lighting ropes, or of tubular form
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/005 for several lighting devices in an end-to-end arrangement, i.e. light tracks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/008 Suspending from a cable or suspension line
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 2200/15 the light being emitted along at least a portion of the outer surface of the guide
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 2200/30 of light guides doped with fluorescent agents
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/00 Illuminated signs; Luminous advertising G09F9/00, G09F11/00 take precedence; control of displays in general using static means to present variable information G09G
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/02 Signs, boards, or panels, illuminated by artificial light sources positioned in front of the insignia

Abstract

The invention is directed to a linear luminous body comprising: a light source; a light source accommodating portion in which the light source is accommodated; and a light guide held by the light source accommodating portion so as to extend from the light source accommodating portion; wherein a light emitted from the light source is introduced into said light guide through an end surface of said light guide.

Claims

1. A linear luminous body comprising:

a light source;

a light source accommodating portion in which the light source is accommodated;

a light guide held by the light source accommodating portion so as to extend from the light source accommodating portion;

a linear core made of a member selected from the group consisting of a metal, an alloy and a synthetic fiber; and

a light-reflective layer on a side circumferential surface of said linear core,

wherein a light emitted from the light source is introduced into said light guide through an end surface of said light guide, and

wherein said side circumferential surface of said linear core is covered with the light guide.

2. The linear luminous body according to claim 1, wherein said light source comprises a light emitting diode.

3. The linear luminous body according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of light sources are provided at ends of said light guide, respectively, so that light emitted by the plurality of light sources is introduced into said light guide through respective end surfaces of said light guide.

4. The linear luminous body according to claim 1, wherein said linear core comprises a multi-core structure.

7. The linear luminous body according to claim 1, wherein said light-reflective layer comprises white paint.

8. The linear luminous body according to claim 1, wherein said light-reflective layer comprises a metal thin film.

9. The body of claim 1, wherein said metal comprises at least one of iron, copper, silver, stainless steel, and brass.

10. The body of claim 1, wherein said synthetic fiber comprises at least one of nylon, vinylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, aromatic polyamide fiber, aramid fiber, and carbon fiber.

11. The body of claim 1, wherein said linear core comprises a rope structure.

5. A linear luminous body comprising:

a light source;

a light source accommodating portion in which the light source is accommodated;

a light guide held by the light source accommodating portion so as to extend from the light source accommodating portion; and

a linear core made of a member selected from the group consisting of a metal, an alloy, and a synthetic fiber, so that a side circumferential surface of said linear core is covered with the light guide,

wherein a light emitted from the light source is introduced into said light guide through an end surface of said light guide, and

wherein said light source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes which are disposed so that a distance between each light emitting diode and a center axis of said linear core is substantially equalized while a distance between two adjacent light emitting diodes is substantially equalized with respect to said plurality of light emitting diodes.

6. A linear luminous body comprising:

a light source;

a light source accommodating portion in which the light source is accommodated;

a light guide held by the light source accommodating portion so as to extend from the light source accommodating portion; and

a linear core made of a member selected from the group consisting of a metal, an alloy, and a synthetic fiber, so that a side circumferential surface of said linear core is covered with the light guide,

wherein a light emitted from the light source is introduced into said light guide through an end surface of said light guide,

wherein said linear core comprises a multi-core structure, and

wherein said linear core is disposed so as to form a center axis of said linear luminous body.