JP2000338330A - Wire-shaped luminous body and its production - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wire-shaped luminous body which makes it possible to obtain emitted light high and uniform in flank luminance as the inexpensive wire-shaped luminous body which emits light having directivity from its lateral circumferential surface with high luminance, maintains an excellent light emission characteristic in spite of the adhesion of dirt, etc., and is excellent in mass productivity. SOLUTION: This wire-shaped luminous body 1 has a tubular clad 3 and a core 2 composed of material having the refractive index higher than the refractive index of the clad material. A belt-like reflection layer 4 is formed between the tubular clad 3 and the core 2 along the longitudinal direction thereof so that the light passing the core 2 is reflected and scattered by the reflection layer 4 and is released from the outer circumferential surface of the tubular clad 3 on the side opposite to the side formed with the reflection layer. In such a case, the content of the reflection and diffusion material in the reflection layer forming material is specified to 10 to 40 wt.%. This process for production consists in using a multicolor extruder, simultaneously introducing the core material, the clad material and the reflection layer forming material into the respective mouthpiece parts of the extruder and respectively simultaneously extruding the core material to a columnar form, the reflection layer forming material to a belt form on the outer peripheral surface of the columnar core material and the clad material to a tubular form covering the core material and the reflection layer forming material, thereby producing the wire-shaped luminous body described above.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a tubular cladding,
In a linear luminous body having a core made of a material having a higher refractive index than the constituent material of the tubular clad, by forming a belt-shaped reflective layer between the tubular clad and the core, the side peripheral surface of the tubular clad is formed. The present invention relates to a linear light-emitting body that emits light having directivity from an (outer surface portion) and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a neon tube or a fluorescent tube has been used as a light emitter capable of emitting light over a length of about several meters. However, neon tubes and fluorescent tubes require high voltage and cannot be used in places subject to water, rain, or snow, for example, because of the danger of electric shock or electric leakage. And cannot be used in places where objects such as people and cars come into contact.

[0003] In order to solve these problems, there have been proposed linear luminous bodies in which a flexible tube is filled with a transparent core liquid or a flexible transparent polymer, or twisted plastic optical fibers. In these, the light coming from the light source is made incident from one end of the tube and emitted from the side of the tube over a length of several tens of meters, so that the light source and the light emitting part can be separated and there is no risk of breakage. It can be used in water, outdoors, in an environment where there is a danger of explosion, and the like. In addition, complicated processing such as glasswork is not required, the production is easy, and the workability is good.

However, a linear luminous body composed of a tubular clad and a transparent core made of a material having a higher refractive index than the constituent material of the tubular clad generally aims to send more light to the tip of the linear luminous body. Therefore, the brightness of the side peripheral surface of the tube is not high.

In order to increase the brightness, it is conceivable to make the inner surface of the tubular cladding uneven, or to disperse particles having light scattering properties in the core. Because light radiates in all directions,
It was not possible to obtain a sufficiently high luminance in the desired direction.

Therefore, a light-scattering rod that emits light in a specific direction by forming a reflective layer by printing a light-reflective paint in a dot or line shape on the side peripheral surface of a transparent rod made of glass or transparent resin is known. Proposed. According to this light scattering rod, the brightness can be increased by the amount of directivity of the emitted light, but if dirt adheres to the outer periphery of the rod, the light transmission of the transparent rod decreases. For this reason, there is a problem that the luminance is reduced or the luminance distribution in the length direction is changed, and it can be used only in an environment where the rod is not soiled. Further, such a light scattering rod is manufactured by a method in which a transparent rod is produced by a method such as extrusion or cast polymerization, and then a light reflective paint is printed on the outer periphery of the transparent rod. The drying step is time-consuming, and at least requires two steps of forming and printing the rod, resulting in poor productivity and high cost. In addition, since printing is performed on a rod-shaped object, the reflection layer can be formed only on one side of the side peripheral surface, and therefore, there is a problem that the radiation direction of light is restricted.

Further, the conventional linear luminous body has a problem that the amount of reflected light is not sufficient and the side luminance is small, or the luminance distribution in the length direction is large and uniform light emission cannot be obtained.

[0008]

As described above, in the related art, a linear luminous body having a higher luminance by emitting light with a specific directivity from a side peripheral surface, and is a luminous body due to dirt or the like. At present, an inexpensive linear luminous body which has no problem of deterioration in characteristics, is excellent in mass productivity, and is inexpensive has not been provided. In addition, the conventional linear luminous body has a problem in side luminance and uniformity of luminescence.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and emits light with high directivity from the side peripheral surface (outer surface portion),
An inexpensive linear luminous body that maintains excellent luminous characteristics even when dirt adheres thereto, and is excellent in mass productivity, has a high side luminance, and can obtain uniform luminescence. It is an object of the present invention to provide a manufacturing method thereof.

[0010]

The linear luminous body of the present invention comprises:
In a linear luminous body including a tubular clad and a core made of a material having a higher refractive index than the constituent material of the tubular clad, the tubular clad and the core are formed by a reflective layer forming material containing a reflection / diffusion material. Forming at least one strip-like reflective layer extending in the longitudinal direction of the tubular clad, and reflecting and scattering the light passing through the core with the reflective layer to form a light-reflecting layer opposite to the reflective layer-forming side. A linear illuminant emitted from the peripheral surface on the side of the tubular cladding, wherein the content of the reflection / diffusion material in the reflection layer forming material is 10 to 40% by weight.

In the linear light-emitting body of the present invention, the reflection layer is formed in a strip shape between the tubular cladding and the core along the longitudinal direction of the tube. The light is reflected by the belt-like reflective layer, and is emitted as strong light with high directivity from the tube-side peripheral surface opposite to the reflective layer. As a result, the brightness becomes extremely high and the brightness becomes very bright.

Here, by setting the ratio of the reflection / diffusion material contained in the material for forming the reflection layer to 10 to 40% by weight, the light reflectance at the reflection layer is increased, and the component of light emitted to the outside is reduced. It becomes remarkably large, becomes very bright, and the luminance distribution in the length direction is suppressed to be small, so that uniform light emission can be obtained.

In the present invention, the tubular cladding is made of a (meth) acrylic polymer, the core is made of polystyrene, polycarbonate, a (meth) acrylic polymer or a styrene- (meth) acrylic copolymer, and the reflecting layer is a reflective / reflective layer. It is preferable to use a diffusion material, preferably a (meth) acrylic polymer containing titanium white (titanium oxide: TiO ₂ ).

Such a linear luminous body of the present invention is obtained by introducing a core material, a clad material, and a material for forming a reflection layer into the multicolor extruder using a multicolor extruder, and forming the core material into a columnar shape. The reflective layer forming material is extruded in a strip shape on the outer peripheral surface of the columnar core material, and the clad material is simultaneously extruded into a tube shape covering the core material and the reflective layer forming material. According to the method for producing a linear luminous body of the present invention in which a belt-like reflective layer is formed along a direction, it can be produced at low cost with high productivity.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a linear illuminator of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 2.

The linear light-emitting body 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 has a band-shaped reflective layer 4 formed along a longitudinal direction of a tube between a core 2 and a tubular clad 3 covering the core. The reflection layer 4 may be formed in a state in which the reflection layer 4 slightly penetrates into the core 3 from the surface of the core 3.

As the material (core material) forming the core 2, a transparent material having a higher refractive index than the material (cladding material) forming the tubular cladding 3 is used. Is appropriately selected and used depending on the purpose.

Specific examples of the core material include polystyrene,
Styrene / methyl methacrylate copolymer, (meth) acrylic resin, polymethylpentene, allyl glycol carbonate resin, spirane resin, amorphous polyolefin, polycarbonate, polyamide, polyarylate, polysulfone, polyallylsulfone, polyethersulfone, polyether Imide, polyimide, diallyl phthalate, fluororesin, polyester carbonate,
Transparent materials such as a norbornene-based resin (ARTON), an alicyclic acrylic resin (Optrez), a silicone resin, an acrylic rubber, and a silicone rubber can be used. .).

On the other hand, the clad material can be selected from transparent materials having a low refractive index, and examples thereof include organic materials such as plastics and elastomers.

Specific examples of the base material of the clad material include polyethylene, polypropylene, polymethyl methacrylate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl Alcohol, polyethylene-polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, fluororesin, silicone resin, natural rubber, polyisoprene rubber, polybutadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene copolymer, butyl rubber, halogenated butyl rubber, chloroprene rubber,
Acrylic rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer (EPDM), acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer, fluorine rubber, silicon rubber and the like can be mentioned.

Among the above core materials and clad material base materials, polystyrene, polycarbonate, (meth) acrylic polymers, styrene and the like are used as core materials in view of optical properties such as transparency and refractive index and coextrudability. -(Meta)
An acrylic copolymer (MS polymer) or the like is preferable, and a (meth) acrylic polymer or the like is preferable as the cladding material.

The clad material contains a UV absorbing or blocking material to provide a linear luminous body having excellent UV resistance and suitable for outdoor use, and a new protective material for UV resistance is provided. It can be provided at a low price without the need. In this case, a core material having inferior ultraviolet resistance can be used, which is advantageous in that the material is not restricted.

In this case, the ultraviolet absorbing or shielding material to be mixed with the cladding material is an organic compound such as salicylic acid, benzophenone, benzotriazole or cyanoacrylate, or titanium oxide (TiO.sub.2).
₂ ), metal oxides such as zinc oxide (ZnO), silicon oxide (SiO ₂ ), and aluminum oxide (Al ₂ O ₃ ), and carbonate compounds such as calcium carbonate (CaCO ₃ ). If the compounding amount of such a UV absorbing or shielding material is too small, sufficient UV resistance cannot be obtained, and if it is too large, moldability and the like may be impaired. It is preferably set to 1% by weight.

The reflecting layer is preferably formed of a (meth) acrylic polymer containing a reflecting / diffusing material.

As the reflection / diffusion material, organic polymer particles such as silicone resin particles and polystyrene resin particles, metal oxide particles such as Al ₂ O ₃ , TiO ₂ (titanium white) and SiO ₂ , and BaSO ₄ etc. Sulfate particles, carbonate particles such as CaCO _{3, and the} like.
More than one species can be used in combination. As a reflective / diffusive material, it has high affinity with resin and high reflectivity.
Preferably, iO ₂ is used.

In consideration of the reflection efficiency, coextrusion workability, and the like, the average particle size of the particles of these reflective / diffusive materials is preferably about 0.1 to 200 μm, particularly preferably about 1 to 50 μm.

In the present invention, the ratio of the reflection / diffusion material in the reflection layer forming material forming the reflection layer is 10 to 40.
% By weight, preferably 10 to 30% by weight. If this ratio is less than 10% by weight, the side luminance is small, and if it exceeds 40% by weight, the luminance distribution in the length direction of the linear illuminant becomes too large to obtain uniform light emission.

Although the thickness of the reflective layer 4 is not particularly limited,
The thickness is preferably 0 to 200 μm, particularly preferably 50 to 100 μm. If the thickness is too small, the reflected light decreases and the luminance decreases.If the thickness is too large, the reflected light increases and the luminance increases. In some places, the brightness may be disadvantageously reduced.

The diameter of the core 2 is not particularly limited, but is usually about 2 to 30 mm, especially about 5 to 15 mm.
The wall thickness of the tubular cladding 3 is usually about 0.05 to 4 mm, especially about 0.2 to 2 mm.

In the present invention, there is no particular limitation on the formation position of the belt-shaped reflection layer, the band width of the reflection layer, and the like, and the light is reflected by the reflection layer and emitted so as to have directivity. Just do it.

With the linear luminous body 1 having the reflection layer 4 formed thereon as shown in FIG. 1, it is possible to obtain directional high-luminance reflected light in the region L shown in FIG.

The band width (length in the circumferential direction) of the reflective layer 4 is, for example, about 3 to 50%, preferably about 5 to 20% of the circumferential length of the core 2, but may be outside this range. .

In the linear luminous body of the present invention, a reflective protective layer 5 may be formed on the outer surface of the tubular clad 3 so as to cover the reflective layer 4 as shown by a broken line in FIG. In the case of a linear luminous body having such a reflective protective layer 5 formed thereon, when the reflective layer 4 has a defect such as a pinhole, light leaking to the back side of the reflective layer 4 through the defective portion or the reflective layer The light leaking from the side of the reflective layer 4 is reflected by the reflective protective layer 5, so that the loss of light can be reduced, and the brightness on the opposite side of the reflective layer 4 can be further increased.

The constituent material of the reflective protective layer 5 is as follows.
Preferably, it does not transmit the light leaked from the reflective layer 4 to the outside and does not absorb the light and efficiently reflects the light. Specifically, a metal foil or metal sheet of silver, aluminum, or the like,
Alternatively, a coating film or the like in which light scattering particles as described above are dispersed can be used. The reflective protective layer 5 may be provided only in a region covering the reflective layer 4, but the outer peripheral surface of the tubular clad 3 other than the reflected light emitting portion (the outer peripheral portion of the tubular clad corresponding to the region L in FIG. 2) is formed. It may be provided so as to cover.

In order to manufacture this linear illuminant, a multicolor extruder, for example, a three-color extruder having three screw portions is used, and a core material, a clad material, and a material for forming a reflection layer containing a reflection / diffusion material are used. The core material is introduced into an extruder, and the core material is simultaneously pressed into a cylindrical shape, the reflective layer forming material is formed into a strip shape on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical core material, and the clad material is simultaneously pressed into a tube shape covering the core material and the reflective layer forming material. You just have to put it out.

According to this method, three types of materials having different refractive indices and physical properties can be simultaneously extruded, and a laminated structure having three types of functions can be formed at a time.
Moreover, since the respective materials are laminated in a softened state, a linear luminous body having excellent adhesion between the respective layers can be efficiently manufactured.

In the present invention, the number of the reflective layers is not limited to one, and a plurality of the reflective layers may be formed. In order to form the plurality of the reflective layers, the reflecting material is divided into a plurality of pieces and extruded. For this purpose, in the extrusion molding method described above, a plurality of bases of the reflecting material may be used, or one base may be provided with a partition wall corresponding to the interval between the reflective layers and extruded.

When a reflective protective layer is formed, a metal foil or a metal sheet may be attached after the extrusion molding, or a coating material in which scattering particles are dispersed may be applied. It is also possible to form a hydrophilic protective layer.

The linear illuminant of the present invention may be manufactured by a method other than the above.

[0041]

The present invention will be described more specifically below with reference to examples and comparative examples.

Examples 1 to 3, Comparative Examples 1 and 2 Using a multicolor extruder having three screw portions and capable of simultaneously extruding a core material, a clad material and a material for forming a reflection layer containing a reflection / diffusion material, polystyrene was used. -A core material made of a polymethyl methacrylate copolymer, a clad material made of a methacrylic polymer, and a reflective layer formed by dispersing TiO ₂ (average particle size: 10 μm) in the same acrylic polymer as the clad material at a ratio shown in Table 1. The material is simultaneously introduced into the base of the extruder, and from this base, a cylindrical rod (core) having a diameter of 6 mm and a band-like white reflection having a width of about 1.5 mm and a thickness of 0.01 to 0.02 mm on the outer peripheral surface thereof. Simultaneously extruding the layers, the tubular cladding over the rods and the reflective layer,
A columnar linear light-emitting body having an outer diameter of 6.5 mm was prepared.

The obtained linear light-emitting body was cut into a length of 22 cm, and an aluminum reflector was attached to one end surface. When light was incident from the other end of the linear light-emitting body, the side luminance on the side opposite to the side on which the reflective layer was formed was measured with a Minolta CS100 colorimeter. The results are shown in Table 1. The light source is a green LED
(Applied current: 20 mA, outgoing light quantity: 1 lumen).

[0044]

[Table 1]

From these results, it is understood that according to the present invention, the side luminance can be remarkably increased and the uniformity of light emission in the length direction can be improved. On the other hand, Ti
In Comparative Example 1 having a low O ₂ content, the side luminance was low. On the contrary, in Comparative Example 2 having a high TiO ₂ content, the luminance distribution was large and uniform light emission could not be obtained.

[0046]

As described in detail above, according to the linear illuminant of the present invention, it is possible to emit directional light from the side surface and effectively increase the luminance. Moreover, in the linear light-emitting body of the present invention, by controlling the content of the reflection / diffusion material, uniform light emission can be obtained with extremely high lateral luminance.

Further, according to the method for producing a linear luminous body of the present invention, such a linear luminous body can be produced easily and efficiently with high productivity.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a linear light-emitting body of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Linear luminous body 2 Core 3 Tubular cladding 4 Reflective layer 5 Reflective protective layer

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A linear luminous body comprising a tubular clad and a core made of a material having a higher refractive index than the constituent material of the tubular clad, wherein the reflecting layer forming material containing a reflecting / diffusing material is used. Forming at least one strip-shaped reflective layer extending in the longitudinal direction of the tubular clad between the tubular clad and the core, and reflecting and scattering light passing through the core with the reflective layer to form the reflective layer A linear luminous body that is emitted from the outer peripheral surface of the tubular cladding opposite to the side, wherein the content of the reflection / diffusion material in the reflection layer forming material is 10 to 10.
A linear luminous body, which is 40% by weight. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tubular clad is made of a (meth) acrylic polymer, and the core is made of polystyrene, polycarbonate, (meth) acrylic polymer or styrene- (meth) acrylic copolymer, A linear luminous body, wherein the reflection layer is made of a (meth) acrylic polymer containing a reflection / diffusion material. 3. The linear illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the reflection / diffusion material is titanium white. 4. The method for producing a linear luminous body according to claim 1, wherein the core material, the clad material, and the reflective layer forming material are formed using a multicolor extruder. Introduced into a multicolor extruder, the core material is cylindrical, the reflective layer forming material is a strip on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical core material, and the cladding material is a tubular shape covering the core material and the reflective layer forming material. A method for producing a linear luminous body, characterized by extruding simultaneously.