JP2010055846A - Light-emitting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a light-emitting device having good light carrying efficiency in the longitudinal direction while achieving linear light emission, achieving reduction in the loss of a light quantity, and being very useful for design involving increase in length. <P>SOLUTION: A rod light carrying guide part 2 and a rod light-emitting guide part 1 are arranged side by side in approximate parallel to adjoin each other along the longitudinal direction. A portion of the light carrying guide part 2 and a portion of the light-emitting guide part 1 are connected to each other along the longitudinal direction without producing an interface therebetween, so that carried light inside the light carrying guide part 2 leaks via the connection portion 7 to the light-emitting guide part 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a light emitting device that emits light by converting point light from a light source into linear light.

  2. Description of the Related Art In light emitting devices used for display, production, and lighting purposes indoors, outdoors, etc., a light guide technique using a light emitting region as a line is generally known (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  As an example, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, a line light emission method (edge light method) composed of a light guide 20, a light scattering unit 21, and a light source 22 is known. There is a problem that it is difficult to obtain light. F is the visual direction.

As another conventional example, in addition to the light guide action by the conventional line light emission method (edge light method), as shown in FIG. 4, the cross section of the light guide 20 is made into a lens shape like an ellipse. What is called a so-called lens light guide part to which is given is known. However, in the case of this lens light guide unit, in order to obtain the same intended light distribution, it has to have a specific shape (similar shape) like the light guide 20 'on the right side of FIG. For this reason, when the space is kept in a certain space, it may be necessary to reduce the lens thickness a and the lens width b. In this case, the lens cross-sectional area is reduced, and as a result, the light incident area of the light source 22 is reduced. In addition, the number of reflections during the light guiding process increases, resulting in a large loss.
JP 2002-133842 A JP 2000-21221 A

  The present invention has been invented in view of the above-described conventional problems, and the problem is that the linear light emission is realized, the light transport efficiency in the longitudinal direction is good, and the light quantity is lost. Therefore, the light-emitting device that is very useful for designing a longer length is provided, and light is incident on the light-emitting light-guiding unit from a position close to the emission surface away from the light-scattering unit. Another object of the present invention is to provide a light emitting device that improves the total reflection efficiency by the curved reflecting surface.

  In order to solve the above problems, the light emitting device of the present invention is a rod-shaped light transporting light guide that internally transports light from a light source incident from one end in the longitudinal direction toward the other end by total surface reflection of the side surface. And a curved reflection surface that has a substantially flat emission surface on one surface of the side surface and is curved so that the other surface faces the emission surface, and light is emitted at a position facing the emission surface on the curved reflection surface. The light-emitting light-guiding unit in which the scattering part is formed along the longitudinal direction is arranged in parallel so as to be adjacent to each other along the longitudinal direction, and a part of the light-carrying light-guiding unit and the light-emitting light-guiding unit A part of the light is connected along the longitudinal direction without causing an interface, and the light transported inside the light transporting light guide through the connection is leaked to the light emitting light guide. It is characterized by.

  According to such a configuration, while the light incident from the light source is transported in the longitudinal direction by the light transporting light guide, the transported light is gradually leaked to the light emitting light guide. The light that has entered the light-emitting light-guiding unit is reflected by the curved reflecting surface, and part of the light strikes the light-scattering unit to become scattered light, and is emitted as linear light from the exit surface. Therefore, the light-emitting device according to the present invention achieves linear light emission, has a good light transport efficiency in the longitudinal direction, has little loss of light quantity, and is very useful for designing a longer length. .

  Further, it is preferable that the connection portion is connected to the light transporting light guide portion at a part of the curved reflection surface adjacent to the emission surface of the light emitting light guide portion, In this case, since the connection portion is provided at a part of the curved reflection surface close to the emission surface, light enters the light guide for light emission from a position close to the emission surface away from the light scattering portion, and the curved reflection surface. This improves the total reflection efficiency.

  The present invention realizes linear light emission, has good light transport efficiency in the longitudinal direction, has little loss of light quantity, and is very useful for designing a longer length.

  Further, according to the present invention, light is incident on the light-emitting light-guiding unit from a position close to the exit surface away from the light scattering unit, and the total reflection efficiency by the curved reflecting surface is improved.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows an example in which the light-emitting device 9 of the present embodiment is used as a wall washer that emits light in a direction along the wall surface 10 or a foot lamp that illuminates the foot.

  A long container-like outer shell body 11 fixed to the wall surface 10 has an upper opening, and a housing portion 12 for housing the light guide unit 4 is provided inside the outer shell body 11. A light source 3 is arranged at one end in the direction A. For example, an LED light emitter is used as the light source 3.

  In the light guide unit 4 of the present embodiment, two light guide portions 1 for emission and light guide portions 2 for light conveyance having the same length are arranged in parallel, and both the light guide portions 1 and 2 face each other. The side surfaces 1b and 2b are configured to be optically connected via a long connection portion 7 extending long over the entire length. As the light guide material constituting the light guide unit 4, a material having high transparency and refractive index such as glass and resin (acrylic, polycarbonate, etc.) is used.

  The emission light guide unit 1 is a curved reflection surface that is curved from the side surface 1b facing the emission surface 6 to the rear surface 1c, with the emission surface 6 that emits linear light being a flat surface. The curved reflecting surface of this example is formed in a semi-elliptical shape. Further, on the center side of the rear surface 1c, a light scattering portion 8 is provided over the entire length in the longitudinal direction A of the curved reflecting surface so as to define the light irradiation direction so that the light is condensed in the direction of the emission surface. The light reflected by the scattering portion 8 is totally reflected in the direction of the exit surface 6 and is configured to be substantially perpendicular to the exit surface 6. Note that the cross-sectional shape in the direction B orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the emission light guide 1 is not limited to the semi-elliptical shape shown in FIG. 1, and may be, for example, a semi-polygonal shape or a semicircular shape. In addition, as a method for forming the light scattering portion 8, molding, laser, printing, or the like can be used as appropriate.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2 (c), the light-carrying light-guiding unit 2 arranged in parallel with the light-guiding light-guiding unit 1 has one end 2 c in the longitudinal direction A as the incident surface 5, and light from the light source 3. Is scattered in the incident direction for a long time. The cross-sectional shape of the light transporting light guide section 2 can be arbitrarily changed. In this example, the cross section is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, the thickness is substantially equal to the lens thickness a of the outgoing light guide 1, and the width is set wider than the lens width b of the outgoing light guide 1.

  The long connecting portion 7 for connecting the light guide portions 1 and 2 to each other is for introducing the transport light formed by the light transport light guide portion 2 from the side surface 1b of the output light guide portion 1. Here, it is assumed that the thickness is smaller than the lens thickness a of the outgoing light guide unit 1 and is provided at a position and width where the lens performance of the outgoing light guide unit 1 is less affected. 1 is in a range where the lens effect from the light scattering portion 8 cannot be maintained, and the lens shape is determined so that the radiation angle θ is small. That is, as the angle with respect to the emission surface 6 is larger (closer to the vertical), the probability that the light totally reflected from the light scattering portion 8 is emitted from the emission surface 6 of the emission light guide portion 1 increases, and the extraction efficiency is improved. be able to.

  Further, in this example, in order to suppress deterioration of the lens performance of the outgoing light guide unit 1, the connecting part 7 is disposed closer to the front surface 1 a serving as the outgoing surface 6. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the emission surface 6 of the emission light guide 1 is inclined in the direction along the wall surface 10, and the front surface 2 a side of the light carrying light guide 2 is protruded from the outer shell 11. It is covered with a cover part 11a.

  Thus, according to the above configuration, while the light incident from the light source is transported in the longitudinal direction by the light transporting light guide 2, the transported light is gradually leaked to the light emitting light guide 1. . The light that has entered the light-emitting light-guiding unit 1 is reflected by the curved reflecting surface, and part of the light strikes the light-scattering unit 8 to become scattered light, and is emitted from the exit surface 6 as linear light. Become. Therefore, the light-emitting device according to the present invention achieves linear light emission, has good light transport efficiency in the longitudinal direction A, has little light loss, and is very useful for designing a longer length. is there.

  Further, in the case of line light effect lighting, it is possible to produce an effect by indirect light by illuminating the wall surface 10 linearly, and by condensing light toward the wall surface by the lens light guide method, Brightness can be improved.

  By the way, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), only the light guide for emission 1 has insufficient cross-sectional area necessary for light incident on the light source 3 when installed in a predetermined space in the outer shell 10, and therefore, in the light guide process. The number of reflections increases, the loss of light quantity increases, and the structure for fixing is difficult to affect without affecting the lens performance. In this embodiment, the light guide unit for emission 1 and Separately, the light transporting light guide unit 2 is arranged in parallel, and the output light guide unit 1 and the light transporting light guide unit 2 are optically connected via the connection unit 7, so that a certain space is provided. In this case, the entire lens width can be increased without increasing the lens thickness a. Therefore, a sufficient light incident area of the light source 3 can be secured, and the light transporting light guide unit 2 can guide the light transporting light guide. The light reflection interval (distance between total reflections) in the light guiding process leading to the portion 1 increases. As a result, it is possible to improve the degree of freedom of the shape while maintaining the lens performance of the light guide unit 1 for emission, and as a result, it is possible to realize a line light emission method (edge light method) that can be installed in an arbitrary space by downsizing. .

  In addition, since the connecting portion 7 is connected to the light transporting light guide portion 1 at a part of the curved reflection surface adjacent to the light emitting surface 6 in the light emitting light guide portion 1, the light emitting surface 6. Since the connection portion 7 is provided at a part of the curved reflection surface close to the light-emitting portion, light enters the light-emitting light-guiding unit 1 from a position close to the emission surface 6 away from the light scattering portion 8. Reflection efficiency is improved. In other words, since the connection portion 7 is provided at a position and width considering the influence on the lens performance, the loss of light amount is reduced, and the light guide distance is increased, so that uniform light emission in a linear shape is possible. There is an advantage that the light guide unit 4 can be lengthened, and the design can be improved and the cost can be reduced. Further, in this example, the light scattering portion 8 provided on the rear surface 1c side of the light guide for emission 1 can totally reflect light in the direction of the light emission surface, so that the visibility from the front can be further improved. There is also.

  The light emitting device 9 of the present invention can be used in a wide range of applications such as advertising lamps, indicator lamps, etc., in addition to a wall washer that emits light to the wall surface 10, a foot lamp that illuminates the foot, and an interior decoration lamp.

It is sectional drawing of the light-emitting device of one Embodiment of this invention. (A) is explanatory drawing of the light guide unit integrated by the light guide part for an output same as the above, the light guide part for light conveyance, and a connection part, (b) does not have the light guide part for light conveyance, and a connection part. It is explanatory drawing of the lens thickness and lens width in the case. (A) is a perspective view of the conventional light-emitting device, (b) is a side view. It is sectional drawing which shows the light guide unit of another prior art example, and follows the DD line | wire of FIG.3 (b).

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Output light guide part 2 Light conveyance light guide part 2c One end 3 Light source 4 Light guide unit 5 Incident surface 6 Output surface 7 Connection part 8 Light scattering part 9 Light-emitting device A Longitudinal direction

Claims (2)

A rod-shaped light-carrying light-guiding unit that internally conveys light from a light source incident from one end in the longitudinal direction toward the other end by total surface reflection of the side surface;
A light reflecting portion having a substantially flat exit surface on one surface of the side surface and a curved reflecting surface curved so that the other surface faces the exit surface and facing the exit surface on the curved reflecting surface Are arranged in parallel so as to be adjacent to each other along the longitudinal direction.
A part of the light guide for light transport and a part of the light guide for light emission are connected along the longitudinal direction without causing an interface, and transport inside the light guide for light transport via this connection part. A light-emitting device characterized in that light leaks to the light-emitting light-guiding unit. 2. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the connection portion is connected to the light transporting light guide portion at a part of a curved reflection surface adjacent to the emission surface of the light emitting light guide portion. apparatus.

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