JP2005214790A - Light irradiation module - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the number of parts and man-hours for assembly while equalizing the display density of the display part. <P>SOLUTION: The light irradiation module 12 for introducing the irradiation light from the light source 13 toward the rear face of the display part 11 composed of opening part 15 oppositely facing to the rear face of the display part 11; the curved frontal side faces 20, 20 extending from the left and right side edges of the opening 15 toward the left and right rear sides; and the curved rear side face 21 facing to the opening of the opening part 15 and its center part is protruding toward opening part 15. The curved rear side surface 21 is provided with the curvature for reflecting the incident light of the light source 13 via the curved frontal side faces 20, 20 to the direction perpendicular to the opening face of the opening part 15. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an illumination module for guiding irradiation light from a light source on the back surface of a display unit for displaying vehicle information and the like.

  In today's vehicles, as shown in FIG. 3, an information display device 1 including a display unit for displaying information such as an odo trip, an automatic indicator, and time is provided in a meter 2 of a driver's seat.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the information display device 1 is installed on the front surface of the illumination module 3 for guiding the irradiation light of the light source and guided by the illumination module 3. A transmissive liquid crystal display unit (display unit) 4 for receiving information on the back side and displaying information is provided. The illumination module 3 includes a diffusion plate 5 that diffuses light, a light source 6 provided behind the diffusion plate 5, a substrate 7 on which the light source 6 is mounted, and a reflection that reflects light from the light source 6 to the diffusion plate 5. And a frame 8.

The diffusing plate 5 is attached to the reflecting frame 8, and the reflecting frame 8 further relates the difference in distance for the light irradiated from the light source 6 to reach the diffusing plate 5, regardless of the arrival point on the diffusing plate 5. In order to make it as small as possible, it is fixed to the substrate 7 so that the angle α formed between the diffusion plate 5 and the substrate 7 becomes an acute angle. Thus, by fixing the diffusion plate 5 to the substrate 7 on which the light source 6 is mounted via the reflection frame 8, the difference in brightness at each point of the diffusion plate 5 is reduced, and the display density of the liquid crystal display unit 4 Can be made uniform (reduction in luminance unevenness on the display surface).
JP-A-5-142533 (FIG. 2)

  However, the illumination module 3 configured as described above has a problem in that the number of components and the number of assembly steps are increased because it is necessary to install the diffusion plate 5 and the like.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an illumination module capable of reducing the number of parts and the number of assembling steps while achieving uniform display density of a display unit. .

  In order to solve the above-described problem, an illumination module according to the present invention is an illumination module for guiding irradiation light of a light source to the back surface of a display unit, the opening unit facing the back surface of the display unit, and the opening unit A pair of curved front side surfaces that are curved toward the left and right rear sides from the left and right side end portions, and a curved rear side surface that faces the opening of the opening portion and a central portion protrudes toward the opening side. Further, the present invention is characterized in that it has a curved shape that reflects the irradiation light of the light source incident through the reflective surface of the curved front side surface in a direction orthogonal to the opening surface of the opening. Note that the direction perpendicular to the opening surface here does not necessarily mean that it is strictly 90 degrees with respect to the opening surface, but the direction of the light source incident through the reflecting surface on the front surface of the curve is not necessarily meant. If the irradiation light is reflected on the side surface after the curve and reflected substantially in the front direction of the opening located in front of the side surface after the curve, it corresponds to the direction perpendicular to the opening surface.

  By using the illumination module according to the present invention, it is not necessary to use a component such as a diffusion plate as in the conventional illumination module, so that it is possible to reduce the number of components and the assembly load. In addition, since the light emitted from the light source is emitted to the display unit without uneven brightness, information display on the display unit can be displayed without unevenness.

Hereinafter, an information display device including an illumination module according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a developed perspective view showing the information display device 10. The information display device 10 includes a liquid crystal display unit 11 and illumination. A module 12 and two LEDs (light sources) 13 and 13 are provided.

  The liquid crystal display unit 11 is a transmissive display device that clearly displays information displayed on the display surface 14 by transmitting light emitted from the back surface. The liquid crystal display unit 11 receives the light emitted from the LED 13 guided from the illumination module 12. Use as backlight.

  The illumination module 12 has a substantially hollow box shape, and includes an opening 15 in which the liquid crystal display unit 11 is installed at the front center. As shown in FIG. 2, the hollow portion of the illumination module 12 has a pair of pre-curvature curves that gently curve while maintaining a predetermined curvature R from the bottom surface 16 and the ceiling surface 17 and from both side edges of the opening 15 toward the left and right rear. The side surfaces 20 and 20 are configured by a curved rear side surface 21 formed at a position on the back side of the illumination module 12 where the opening 15 is desired.

  Each surface of the pre-curved side surfaces 20 and 20 and the post-curved side surface 21 is subjected to a reflective surface treatment.

  The LEDs 13 are disposed and installed on the left and right side rear surfaces of the illumination module 12 and at positions facing the front side surface of the curve.

  The curved front side surface 20 is formed by a curved surface that reflects the light from the LED 13 so as to be horizontal light with respect to the opening surface of the opening 15. In this embodiment, the curved front side surface 20 is configured with a curvature of curvature R26.8. ing. Of the irradiation light emitted from the LED 13, light other than the irradiation light (arrow C) that directly reaches the opening 15 is converted into horizontal light by the reflection surface of the curved front side surface 20 and reflected toward the center of the hollow portion. .

  The curved side surface 21 protrudes toward the opening 15 at the center, and the side surface portion connected from the vertex 25 to the end edge 21a, 21a curves in a concave shape from the vertex 25 toward the edge 21a, and the inclination angle thereof is It consists of a curved surface that gradually changes gradually. The inclination angle of the curved surface in the vicinity of the vertex 25 is 45 degrees as shown in FIG.

  When the horizontal light reflected by the pre-curved side surface 20 is incident on the post-curved side surface 21, the post-curved side surface 21 passes the incident irradiation light through the opening 15 positioned in front of the post-curved side surface 21. Reflect. For example, as indicated by an arrow D in FIG. 2, when the irradiation light of the LED 13 reflected by the front side surface 20 enters the vicinity of the top portion 25 of the rear side surface 21, Since the inclination angle of the curved surface is 45 degrees, the irradiation light is reflected from the opening 15 in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the opening 15. Further, when the irradiation light of the LED 13 reflected by the pre-curved side surface 20 enters a portion other than the apex vicinity 25 of the curved side surface 21, the reflected light is reflected so as to pass through the opening 15. The irradiation light of the LED 13 reflected on the side surface 20 is reflected almost perpendicularly to the opening surface.

  By illuminating the liquid crystal display unit 11 from the back side using the illumination module 12 as described above, among the irradiation light irradiated from the LED 13, the distance from the opening 15 side edge portion to the LED 13 in the opening 15. The light irradiated directly from the LED 13 reaches the opening 15 in a short portion, and the light irradiated from the LED 13 passes through the front curved side surface 20 in the central portion of the opening 15 and the distance from the LED 13 is long. Since the light is reflected in the direction substantially perpendicular to the opening surface and reaches the opening 15, the light emitted from the LED 13 is irradiated onto the liquid crystal display unit 11 without uneven brightness, and the information display on the liquid crystal display unit 11 can be displayed without unevenness. It becomes.

  In addition, by using the illumination module 12 according to the present invention, it is not necessary to use components such as the diffusion plate 5 unlike the conventional illumination module 12, so that it is possible to reduce the number of components and the assembly load. Become.

  As mentioned above, although the illumination module which concerns on this invention was demonstrated using drawing, the illumination module which concerns on this invention is not limited to said thing. For example, a light source other than an LED may be used as the light source. In addition, the curved shape of the side surface after the curve may be any shape as long as the irradiation light reflected by the side surface before the curve is reflected through the opening in the opening front direction (direction orthogonal to the opening surface). Well, the curved surface state is determined according to the curved surface shape of the front side surface.

It is the perspective view which showed the information display apparatus provided with the illumination module which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which looked at the BB cross section shown in FIG. 1 from the arrow direction. It is the front view which showed the meter for vehicles provided with the information display apparatus. It is the perspective view which showed the conventional information display apparatus. It is sectional drawing which looked at the AA cross section shown in FIG. 4 from the arrow direction.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 10 Information display apparatus 3, 12 Illumination module 4, 11 Liquid crystal display part 5 Diffusion plate 6 Light source 7 Substrate 8 Reflection frame 13 LED (light source)
15 Opening (opening)
20 Side before curve 21 Side after curve 25 Top

Claims (2)

An illumination module for guiding the light emitted from the light source to the back of the display unit,
An opening facing the back surface of the display unit;
A pair of curved front side surfaces that curve from the left and right end portions of the opening toward the left and right rear sides;
A curved rear side facing the opening of the opening and a central portion protruding toward the opening;
The illumination module characterized in that the curved rear side surface has a curved shape that reflects the irradiation light of the light source incident through the reflection surface of the curved front side surface in a direction orthogonal to the opening surface of the opening. .   2. The illumination module according to claim 1, wherein the curved front side surface is configured by a curved surface that reflects irradiation light of the light source in a direction horizontal to the opening surface.

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