JP4811414B2 - Surface emitting device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a surface light emitting device that includes a light source and a light guide plate and emits light on a surface.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a surface light emitting device that emits light on the surface of a panel installed on a ceiling, a wall, or the like, or a shelf plate or back plate of a storage shelf / counter (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  The surface light emitting device includes a light guide plate 1 and a light source 2 (see FIG. 2), and each side end of the light guide plate 1 and the light source 2 are held by a holding portion 3 as shown in FIG. One side end face of the light guide plate 1 made of a light transmissive member is used as an incident surface 11 on which light is incident, and the front surface of the light guide plate 1 is used as a light emitting surface 12 on which the incident light is emitted. The light method is well known. This is because a light source 2 such as an LED or a cold cathode tube is arranged along the incident surface 11, and light emitted from the light source 2 enters the light guide plate 1 from the incident surface 11. A part is emitted from the light emitting surface 12 while proceeding to the opposite side, and light is emitted from the entire light emitting surface 12.

The surface light emitting device is provided with a surface decorative portion 5 having a pattern or a colored filter on the surface of the light emitting surface 12 according to the application.
JP 2007-188695 A

  In the surface light emitting device, the holding unit 3 connects the front piece 31 that presses the light emitting surface 12 of the light guide plate 1, the rear piece 32 that presses the back surface 13 of the light guide plate 1, and the front piece 31 and the rear piece 32. The light guide plate 1 is formed in a substantially U-shaped cross section including a middle piece 33 along the side end surface of the light guide plate 1.

  Since the holding part 3 needs rigidity and strength in order to hold the light guide plate 1, conventionally, the holding part 3 is made of a member such as metal and has no light transmittance.

  For this reason, the light guide plate 1 held by the holding unit 3 emits light from the light emitting surface 12 on the front surface, but the portion where the holding unit 3 on the outer periphery of the light emitting part is located does not emit light, and is viewed from the front. There was a problem that the entire inner surface surrounded by the portion 3 did not emit light and the appearance was impaired.

  The present invention has been invented in view of the above-described conventional problems, and the object of the present invention is to hold the side end portion of the light guide plate with the holding portion, and the inside surrounded by the holding portion when viewed from the front. It is an object of the present invention to provide a surface light emitting device that prevents the entire surface from emitting light and the appearance from being damaged.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, in the invention according to claim 1, it is made of a light-transmitting plate-like material, and its one side end surface is an incident surface 11 on which light is incident, and the incident light is on the front surface. A light guide plate 1 that is a light emitting surface 12 to be emitted, a light source 2 that is disposed on an incident surface 11 of the light guide plate 1 and irradiates light to the light guide plate 1, and a holding unit 3 that holds each side end of the light guide plate 1. The holding part 3 includes a front piece 31 for pressing the light emitting surface 12 of the light guide plate 1, a rear piece 32 for pressing the back surface 13 of the light guide plate 1, a front piece 31 and a rear piece. It is formed in a substantially U-shaped cross section consisting of a middle piece 33 connected to the piece 32 and extending along the side end face of the light guide plate 1, and at least the side end of the holding frame 3 opposite to the incident face 11 of the light guide plate 1. The holding portion 3 provided on the front piece 31 has a light transmitting property, and the middle piece 33 follows the middle piece 33. It is characterized in that it has a reflecting portion 4 for reflecting the light emitted from the side face of the optical plate 1 forward or obliquely forward.

  By setting it as such a structure, it can be light-emitted also from the part which is pressing the side edge part of the light emission surface 12 of the light-guide plate 1, and an appearance improves.

  In the invention according to claim 2, in the invention according to claim 1, in all the holding portions 3, the front piece 31 has light transmittance and the middle piece 33 is guided along the middle piece 33. It has the reflection part 4 which reflects the light radiate | emitted from the side end surface of the optical plate 1 toward the front or diagonally forward.

  By adopting such a configuration, light can be emitted from the portion pressing the side end portion of the light emitting surface 12 of the light guide plate 1, and when viewed from the front, the entire light guide plate 1 and the holding portion 3 shine. It looks and improves the appearance.

  In the present invention, when viewed from the front, the entire light emitting surface and the holding portion of the light guide plate appear to shine, and the portion where the outer peripheral holding portion of the light emitting portion is located does not emit light as in the conventional case. It is possible to prevent the appearance from being lost due to the occurrence of a portion and a portion that does not emit light, and improve the appearance.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The surface light emitting device includes a light guide plate 1, a light source 2, and a holding unit 3 (holding frame).

  The light guide plate 1 is a flat plate having a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front as shown in FIG. 2, and is mainly formed of a light-transmitting member such as synthetic resin such as acrylic, and one surface emits light. In addition to the light emitting surface 12, at least one side end surface serves as an incident surface 11 on which light is incident. A light reflecting portion 4 (not shown) is provided on the back surface 13 of the light guide plate 1 opposite to the light emitting surface 12. The light reflecting section 4 is provided with a reflecting member such as a mirror made of a member different from the light guide plate 1 on the back surface 13 of the light guide plate 1, a reflective sheet is attached to the back surface 13 of the light guide plate 1, or a reflective substance. Is not limited, and may be formed by printing or vapor deposition. Light incident from the light source 2 disposed along the incident surface 11 is incident from the incident surface 11 of the light guide plate 1, and the incident light travels in the light guide plate 1 and is incident on the rear surface 13 of the light guide plate 1. Of the light that has changed its traveling direction upon hitting the formed light reflecting portion 4, the light incident on the light emitting surface 12 without exceeding the total reflection angle is transmitted and emitted, and the other light is totally reflected by the light emitting surface 12. The above-mentioned action in which the light further hits the light reflecting portion 4 and is reflected on the light-emitting surface 12 in the same manner is repeated on the light-emitting surface 12, thereby spreading the light throughout the light guide plate 1. Light is emitted uniformly from almost the entire light emitting surface 12 of the light guide plate 1 to emit light.

  In addition, the light emitting surface 12 may be provided with a surface decorative portion 5 having light permeability, usually displaying a display for a guide light or various indicator lights. The surface decorative portion 5 prints a display made of patterns such as letters, wood grain, and stones on the light emitting surface 12, attaches a light transmissive sheet having the display, or separates from the light guide plate 1. A light-transmitting decorative plate having the above-described display is disposed and provided so as to have light-transmitting properties (including semi-transmitting properties and light-diffusing properties). As a result, the light emitted from the light emitting surface 12 of the light guide plate 1 is transmitted through the surface decorative portion 5 and the display characters, patterns, etc. appear to shine. The surface decorative part 5 may be formed only with a colored filter instead of the above-mentioned display, or may be used only as illumination, and the application is not particularly limited.

  In the light source 2, a linear light source 2 such as a cold cathode tube is disposed on the incident surface 11 which is one side end surface of the light guide plate 1, or a substantially point light source 2 such as an LED. Are arranged along the incident surface 11 at intervals on a straight line, and are not particularly limited, as long as they are arranged continuously or intermittently over the entire length of the incident surface 11 in the longitudinal direction. Good.

  The light guide plate 1 and the light source 2 described above are held by the holding unit 3. The holding | maintenance part 3 is arrange | positioned so that the side edge part of the light-guide plate 1 may be hold | maintained, respectively. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the holding unit 3 includes a front piece 31 that is disposed so as to press the light emitting surface 12 that is the front surface of the light guide plate 1, and a back surface opposite to the light emitting surface 12 of the light guide plate 1. 13 is formed in a substantially U-shaped cross section including a rear piece 32 arranged so as to hold 13 and a middle piece 33 arranged so as to connect the front piece 31 and the rear piece 32 along the side end surface of the light guide plate 1. The light guide plate 1 and the light source 2 are configured to have rigidity and strength so that the light guide plate 1 and the light source 2 can be held. In the present embodiment, for example, a synthetic resin such as acrylic, polycarbonate, or transparent ABS is formed by extrusion molding, but is not particularly limited. The holding unit 3 holds the surface (that is, the light emitting surface 12) and the back surface 13 of the side edge of the light guide plate 1 by fitting the side end portion of the light guide plate 1 in an opening having an approximately U-shaped cross section. To do. The width of the front piece 31 is made shorter than the width of the rear piece 32 to prevent the front piece 31 from appearing thick when viewed from the front and degrading the design.

  Further, in the holding unit 3 that holds the incident surface 11 of the light guide plate 1, the inner side of the holding unit 3 having a substantially U-shaped cross section with the light source 2 positioned on the incident surface 11 of the light guide plate 1. The light source 2 and the side end of the light guide plate 1 are fitted into the opening, the light emitting surface 12 of the light guide plate 1 is pressed by the front piece 31, and the back surface 13 of the light guide plate 1 is pressed by the rear piece 32 to hold the light guide plate 1. The light source 2 is held by the holding unit 3 and the incident surface 11 of the light guide plate 1.

  The holding portions 3 are arranged on the entire periphery of the side edge of the light guide plate 1. In this embodiment, the holding portions 3 are arranged on the four sides of the light guide plate 1 having a substantially rectangular shape in front view, respectively. A holding frame having a letter shape is formed.

  In the present invention, the holding portion 3 provided at least on the side end opposite to the incident surface 11 of the light guide plate 1 has the front piece 31 having light transmittance, and the middle piece 33 is guided along the middle piece 33. A reflection unit 4 is provided that reflects light emitted from the side end face of the optical plate 1 toward the front or obliquely forward. In the present embodiment, the holding portion 3 includes the front piece 31 and the middle piece 33 that are light-transmitting, and the outer surface of the middle piece 33 is inclined so as to be located outward as it goes forward. The outer surface is a reflective surface. The inclination angle optimizes the reflection angle, and is formed such that the width L of the thinnest wall portion at the boundary between the middle piece 33 and the rear piece 32 is equal to or larger than the minimum thickness at which the holding portion 3 can be molded with synthetic resin. ing. The reflecting surface is formed by sticking a mirror sheet, applying a reflective substance, or forming a mirror finish, and improves the reflectance on the outer surface of the middle piece 33.

  The light incident on the holding unit 3 will be described. Light emitted from the side end surface of the light guide plate 1 is incident on the middle piece 33 from the inner surface of the middle piece 33 (the surface facing the side end surface of the light guide plate 1). It reaches the outer surface of the middle piece 33 through the middle piece 33 having Since the outer surface of the middle piece 33 is inclined as described above, the light hitting the outer surface of the middle piece 33 is reflected forward or obliquely forward. The reflected light travels forward or obliquely forward, passes through the light-transmitting front piece 31 and is emitted from the light emitting surface 12 of the light guide plate 1 to the front side.

  In addition, the front piece 31 may have light diffusibility. In this case, the surface of the front piece 31 may be textured. Thereby, it is possible to emit light effectively from the front piece 31 (that is, substantially uniformly from the entire front piece 31).

  For an example in which the surface decorative portion 5 that is separate from the light guide plate 1 is provided on the front side of the light guide plate 1, the surface decorative portion 5 is superimposed on the light emitting surface 12 side of the light guide plate 1, as shown in FIG. In the state, the side end portions of the light guide plate 1 and the surface decorative portion 5 are fitted in the inner opening having a substantially U-shaped cross section of the holding portion 3, and the light emitting surface 12 of the light guide plate 1 is pressed by the front piece 31. The rear piece 32 is held by pressing the back surface 13 of the light guide plate 1. Further, in this example, the reflecting portion 4 formed on the middle piece 33 is inclined so as to be positioned outward as it goes forward in the rear part 4a, and inward as it goes forward in the front part 4b. It is configured in two stages so as to be positioned. Thereby, the light incident from the inner surface of the middle piece 33 in the rear portion 4a is reflected forward or obliquely forward, and the light incident from the inner surface of the middle piece 33 in the front portion 4b or the rear portion. The light reflected by 4a can be reflected toward the central portion of the light guide plate 1 to provide directivity.

  Further, the reflecting portion 4 may be formed in a plurality of stages of three or more stages having different inclination angles, and the directivity of light can be adjusted with higher accuracy. Note that, when the reflecting portion 4 is configured in a plurality of stages having different inclination angles, the holding portion 3 does not need to hold both the light guide plate 1 and the surface decorative portion 5 as shown in FIG. As shown, it may be applied to the holding unit 3 that holds only the light guide plate 1.

  As described above, the front piece 31 has light transmission and the middle piece 33 includes the reflecting portion 4, so that the side end portion around the light emitting surface 12 of the light guide plate 1 of the holding portion 3 can be pressed. The light emitting surface 12 of the light guide plate 1 and the entire holding unit 3 appear to shine when viewed from the front, and the holding unit 3 does not emit light and the light emitting surface 12 inside the holding unit 3 can be emitted. It is possible to prevent the appearance from being lost due to the generation of the light emitting portion and the non-light emitting portion as in the conventional example in which only the light is emitted.

  The holding unit 3 including the reflecting unit 4 may be provided at a side end portion other than the incident surface 11 of the light guide plate 1 or may be provided at all side end portions of the light guide plate 1. For example, by providing at all side end portions of the light guide plate 1, the entire light guide plate 1 and the holding portion 3 appear to shine when viewed from the front, and the appearance is improved. In the following, the light source 2 is provided with the pair of opposing side end surfaces of the light guide plate 1 having a substantially rectangular shape as the incident surface 11, and the holding unit 3 including the reflection unit 4 is provided only on the remaining pair of side end portions. The fixing of the holding unit 3 in this case will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The light source 2 is stored in a light source storage unit 20 that is a casing along the incident surface 11 of the light guide plate 1, and the light source storage unit 20 is disposed on both incident surfaces 11 on the opposite side of the light guide plate 1. And the holding | maintenance part 3 provided with the reflection part 4 in the side end surface which is not the entrance plane 11 is arrange | positioned. Fixing tool insertion holes 21 are formed at both ends of the light source storage section 20, and fixing holes 34 (tapping holes) are screwed at both ends of the holding section 3 so as to communicate with the fixing tool insertion holes 21. The fixing tool 6 made of a screw is inserted into the fixing tool insertion hole 21 of the light source storage section 20 and screwed into the fixing hole 34 of the holding section 3. Thereby, both the holding parts 3 are connected by the light source storage part 20, and the holding part 3 and the light source storage part 20 form a holding frame body having a substantially rectangular shape in front view as shown in FIG. The light plate 1, the holding unit 3, and the light source storage unit 20 are held together, so that a unit of the surface light emitting device is configured. In addition, in adopting this fixing method, it is not necessary to form the reflecting portion 4 in a plurality of stages, and it is not necessary to hold both the light guide plate 1 and the surface decorative portion 5 by the holding portion 3. The present invention may be applied to the holding unit 3 shown in FIG.

It is sectional drawing of the principal part (light guide plate and holding | maintenance part) of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of the light-guide plate and light source which comprise the surface emitting device same as the above, and a surface decoration part. It is sectional drawing of the other example of the holding structure of a holding part. It is a principal part exploded perspective view explaining an example of fixation of a holding part. It is a whole perspective view same as the above. It is sectional drawing of the holding | maintenance part of the conventional surface emitting device.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Light guide plate 11 Incident surface 12 Light-emitting surface 2 Light source 3 Holding part 31 Front piece 32 Rear piece 33 Medium piece 4 Reflecting part

Claims (2)

  A light guide plate made of a light-transmitting plate-like material and having one side end face as an incident surface on which light is incident and a front surface as a light emitting surface from which the incident light is emitted, and disposed on the incident surface of the light guide plate A light source that irradiates light to the light guide plate, and a holding frame that includes a holding portion that holds each side end of the light guide plate, and the holding portion presses the light emitting surface of the light guide plate; The rear piece for pressing the back surface of the light guide plate, and the front piece and the rear piece are connected to each other and formed into a substantially U-shaped cross section including a middle piece along the side end face of the light guide plate. The holding portion provided at the side end opposite to the incident surface has a light transmitting property at the front piece, and the middle piece directs light emitted from the side end surface of the light guide plate along which the middle piece is directed forward or obliquely forward. A surface light-emitting device having a reflecting portion that reflects light.   In all the holding parts, the front piece has a light transmitting property, and the middle piece has a reflection part that reflects light emitted from the side end surface of the light guide plate along which the middle piece is directed forward or obliquely forward. The surface emitting device according to claim 1.

Images