JP2013157306A - Surface light-emitting plate unit and surface light-emitting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a surface light-emitting plate unit, for obtaining a surface light-emitting device, of which changing of a size can be economically and yet easily made, and moreover, installation can be easily made.SOLUTION: A surface light-emitting plate unit comprises a light guide plate part 2 and a light source part 3 fixed to one end part of the light guide plate part 2. The light guide plate part 2 includes a light guide plate 21 having a first to fourth end faces, a light-reflecting sheet 22, and a rear plate 23. The rear plate 23 includes on its rear face a hooking metal piece for an outer support fixture, and the light source part 3 includes a plurality of light sources arranged along and in opposition to the first end face of the light guide plate 21, and a housing for supporting the light sources. Light from the light sources is made incident from the first end face of the light guide plate 21 and reflected inside the light guide plate 21, and emitted from a surface and the second to fourth end faces 212, 213, 214 of the light guide plate 21.

Description

  The present invention relates to a surface light emitting plate unit and a surface light emitting device that are mainly used as a signboard or the like.

  As a conventional internally illuminated signboard, a direct type surface light emitting device is generally used, but in recent years, an edge light type surface light emitting device has been widely used. The edge light type surface light emitting device generally includes at least a light source, a light guide plate for surface emitting light incident from the light source, and a housing surrounding and supporting the light source and the light guide plate.

JP 11-219139 A JP 2010-177077 A JP-A-6-186433 JP 2006-185724 A

  By the way, signs of various sizes are required depending on the type of business and application. However, in the conventional signboard, since it is necessary to change the size of the light guide plate in order to change the size, there is a problem that it takes cost and labor, and if the size is increased, installation is difficult. .

  The present invention provides a surface light-emitting device and a surface light-emitting plate unit for obtaining such a surface light-emitting device that can be easily and inexpensively changed in size and can be easily installed. It is an object.

  1st invention of this application consists of a light-guide plate part of a planar view rectangle, and the light source part attached to the one end part of the said light-guide plate part, The said light-guide plate part has a 1st thru | or 4th end surface. A light guide plate; a light reflection sheet provided on a back surface of the light guide plate; and a back plate provided on a back surface of the light reflection sheet. The light source unit includes the first light guide plate. A plurality of light sources disposed along the end surface and facing the first end surface; and a housing that supports the light source, and the light from the light source is transmitted from the first end surface of the light guide plate. A surface light emitting plate unit that is incident, reflected within the light guide plate, and emitted from the surface of the light guide plate and the second to fourth end faces.

The surface light emitting plate unit of the first invention preferably further employs the following configurations (a) to (h).
(A) The back plate has a metal fitting for hooking to an external support on the back surface.
(B) The light guide plate, the light reflecting sheet, and the back plate are integrated by screwing.
(C) A transparent sheet is pasted on the second to fourth end faces of the light guide plate.
(D) A transparent sheet is attached to the second to fourth end faces of the light guide plate together with an end face of the light reflecting sheet, and the transparent sheet is the end face of only the light guide plate and the light reflecting sheet. And the end portions of only the light guide plate and the light reflecting sheet are pasted so as to be gripped from the front and back sides.
(E) The light reflecting sheet is made of (meth) acrylic resin and has a thickness of 300 μm or more.
(F) The first to fourth end surfaces of the light guide plate are mirror surfaces.
(G) The arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) of the first to fourth end faces of the light guide plate is 0.01 to 0.3 μm.
(H) The housing has a form that covers the light source facing the first end surface from the rear, and the light source unit further includes a protective cover that covers the light source facing the first end surface from the front. Have.

  A second invention of the present application is configured by arranging a plurality of the surface light emitting plate units of the first invention having the above configuration (a), and the adjacent surface light emitting plate units are mutually connected to each other. It is installed in a state in which the second to fourth end faces of the optical plate are in contact with each other and slidably slidable laterally to the lateral frame of the external support by the hooking bracket. This is a feature of a surface emitting device.

The surface light emitting plate unit of the second invention preferably further adopts the following configurations (A) to (C).
(A) The external support includes an elastic jig on the other side in the lateral direction, and the elastic jig for urging the installed surface emitting plate unit toward the one side in the lateral direction. The elastic force is set to a magnitude that allows movement of the surface light emitting plate unit due to expansion and can press the surface light emitting plate unit against one side in the lateral direction.
(B) A light diffusing plate is provided on the surface of the light guide plate of all the surface light emitting plate units.
(C) A display sheet is provided on the surface of the light guide plate of all the surface light emitting plate units.

According to the surface light emitting plate unit of the first invention, the following effects can be exhibited.
(1) Since the light from the light source is emitted from the surface of the light guide plate, it can be used alone as a surface light emitting device.
(2) By sticking a display sheet on which characters or patterns are drawn on the surface of the light guide plate, it can be used alone as an internally illuminated signboard.
(3) A large surface light-emitting device can be obtained by using a plurality of surface light-emitting plate units and bringing the second to fourth end surfaces into contact with each other.

  According to the configuration (a), it is possible to combine a plurality of surface light emitting plate units simply by attaching the hook metal fitting to the external support, and thus a large surface light emitting device can be obtained inexpensively and easily. .

  According to the said structure (b), since a screw becomes a starting point of expansion | swelling of a light-guide plate, expansion | swelling of a light-guide plate can be escaped. Therefore, the light guide plate and the back plate can be firmly integrated, and warpage of the light guide plate can be prevented.

  According to the configuration (c), the second to fourth end faces of the light guide plate can be protected from external influences. In addition, since the transparent sheet attached to the second to fourth end faces has a performance capable of transmitting light with almost no loss, light emission from these end faces is not hindered. Therefore, in the large surface light emitting device, the light passes between the contact portions of the end faces, and therefore the boundary between the contact portions becomes inconspicuous. Therefore, according to the large surface emitting device, a large light emitting surface in which a plurality of light emitting surfaces are integrated can be obtained.

  According to the configuration (d), since the transparent sheet is not attached to the back plate, the transparent sheet is broken even if a shift occurs due to a difference in expansion coefficient between the light guide plate and the back plate. There is nothing. Therefore, the function of a transparent sheet can be exhibited stably.

  According to the configuration (e), since the light reflection sheet has high durability, even if a deviation occurs due to a difference in expansion coefficient between the light guide plate and the light reflection sheet, the light reflection sheet I can't do almost anything. Therefore, it is possible to prevent unevenness in light reflection.

  According to the configuration (f), diffusion of light when light enters or exits from the end face can be suppressed.

  According to the configuration (g), diffusion of light when light enters or exits from the end face can be suppressed.

  According to the configuration (h), the light source can be protected from external influences.

According to the surface light emitting device of the second invention, the following effects can be exhibited.
(I) Since it can be obtained simply by combining the same surface light emitting plate unit, it can be obtained inexpensively and easily.
(Ii) At each contact portion of the second to fourth end faces, light passes between each other, and therefore the boundary between the contact portions becomes inconspicuous. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a large light emitting surface in which a plurality of light emitting surfaces are integrated.
(Iii) In order to change the size, it is only necessary to increase or decrease the number of surface emitting plate units to be combined. Therefore, the size change can be performed inexpensively and easily.
(Iv) Since it can be configured simply by attaching the surface light emitting plate unit to the external support using the hook metal fitting, the installation can be performed easily.

  According to the configuration (A), even when the surface emitting plate units arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction expand or contract in the horizontal direction, the contact relationship between the surface emitting plate units adjacent in the horizontal direction is maintained. it can. Therefore, even in an environment where the surface light emitting plate unit expands or contracts, the light emitting function can be stably exhibited.

  According to the said structure (B), the uniformity of the surface emission in a light emission surface can be improved.

  According to the configuration (C), it is possible to obtain an internally illuminated signboard that can exhibit the effects (i) to (iv).

It is a front perspective view of the surface emitting plate unit of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a rear perspective view of the unit of FIG. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 1. It is an expansion perspective view of a hook metal fitting. It is VV sectional drawing of FIG. It is a back perspective fragmentary figure which shows the use condition of a hook metal fitting. It is an expansion front perspective view of a light source part. It is an expansion rear perspective view of the light source part of FIG. It is a front upper perspective view of the housing which supports a light source. FIG. 10 is a view on arrow X in FIG. 9. It is an expansion front upper perspective view which decomposes | disassembles and shows a light source part. It is an expansion front upper perspective view which decomposes | disassembles and shows a light source part. It is an expansion front upper perspective view which decomposes | disassembles and shows a light source part. It is a XIV arrow directional view of FIG. It is an enlarged view of the A section of FIG. It is XVI-XVI sectional drawing of FIG. It is a front perspective view of the surface emitting device of one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 18 is a rear perspective view of the surface light emitting device of FIG. 17. It is a front perspective view of an external support tool. It is a front view of an elastic jig. It is a XXI arrow line view of FIG. It is a front view which shows one operation state of an elastic jig. It is a front view which shows another operation state of an elastic jig.

  FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a surface light emitting plate unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is also a rear perspective view. The surface light emitting plate unit 1 includes a light guide plate portion 2 having a rectangular shape in plan view, and a light source portion 3 attached to one end portion of the light guide plate portion 2.

  3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. The light guide plate unit 2 includes a rectangular light guide plate 21, a light reflection sheet 22 provided on the back surface (reflection surface) 21 </ b> X of the light guide plate 21, a back plate 23 provided on the back surface of the light reflection sheet 22, have. The back plate 23 is made of a light metal such as aluminum. As shown in FIG. 3, these are integrated by screwing from the front surface side of the light guide plate 21 with screws 241, but may be fastened from the back surface side.

  As shown in FIG. 2, hooks 25 for hooking to an external support (not shown) are provided on the back surface of the back plate 23 at two locations, upper and lower. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the hook metal fitting 25. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the hook metal fitting 25 is formed by molding a single plate so that a concave portion 251 is formed at the center. Therefore, the hook metal fitting 25 has hook portions 252 and 253 on both sides of the recess 251. As shown in FIG. 4, the hook metal fitting 25 is disposed on the back surface of the back plate 23 with the recess 251 extending in the lateral direction. The plate nut 244 presses the recess 251 against the back plate 23. A through hole 231 is formed in the portion of the back plate 23 through which the screw 242 passes, and an O-ring 243 is provided around the screw 242. Since the diameter of the through hole 231 is set to be larger than that of the shaft portion 2422 of the screw 242, the light guide plate 21, the reflection sheet 22, and the back plate 23 can be independently expanded and contracted. It is. Therefore, the light guide plate 21 and the reflection sheet 22 and the back plate 23 have almost no wrinkles or warpage even when the expansion / contraction behavior is different due to the difference in expansion rate. When the hook metal fitting 25 is attached to the back surface of the back plate 23, gaps 254 and 255 are formed between the hook portions 252 and 253 and the back plate 23. As shown in FIG. 6, the surface light emitting plate unit 1 is slidable with respect to the horizontal frame 53 by inserting the upper vertical portion 531 of the horizontal frame 53 of the external support 5 into the lower gap 255. It is to be installed. Note that the surface light emitting plate unit 1 may not have the hook metal fitting 25. In that case, the surface emitting plate unit 1 is attached to an external support by using another jig.

  The light guide plate 21 is a rectangular plate in plan view, and has a first end surface 211 (FIG. 11), a second end surface 212, a third end surface 213, and a fourth end surface 214. The light guide plate 21 is made of resin as a main component. As the resin, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of (meth) acrylic resin, polystyrene resin, polyolefin resin, polycarbonate resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, and (meth) acrylic acid ester-styrene resin is preferable, Particularly preferred is a (meth) acrylic resin. These resins may be used as a mixture of two or more, or may be used so as to laminate two or more. The thickness of the light guide plate 21 is usually 1 to 10 mm, preferably 1.5 to 8 mm, and more preferably 2 to 5 mm. If the light guide plate 21 is too thin, the light from the light source may be difficult to enter. If the light guide plate 21 is too thick, the light emission efficiency may be insufficient. Since the weight increases, it is not preferable that the thickness is too thin or too thick.

  The first end surface 211 is preferably a mirror surface, and more preferably has an arithmetic average roughness (Ra) of 0.01 to 0.3 μm. When the first end surface 211 is a mirror surface, the light from the light source is prevented from diffusing at the end surface and efficiently enters the light guide plate 21, and the arithmetic average roughness of the end surface is within the predetermined range. In this case, the light enters the light guide plate 21 more efficiently. Even if the arithmetic average roughness is less than 0.01 μm, the same effect as described above can be obtained. However, if the arithmetic average roughness is too small, the processing cost of the end face becomes high, which is not preferable. Here, arithmetic mean roughness can be measured based on JIS B0601-2001, for example.

  The second end surface 212, the third end surface 213, and the fourth end surface 214 are preferably mirror surfaces, and more preferably have an arithmetic average roughness (Ra) of 0.01 to 0.3 μm. When these end faces are mirror surfaces, diffusion of light emitted from these end faces is suppressed on the end faces, and the vicinity of these end faces is suppressed from being locally brightened. When the arithmetic average roughness is within the predetermined range, it is further suppressed that the vicinity of these end faces is locally brightened. Even if the arithmetic average roughness is less than 0.01 μm, the same effect as described above can be obtained. However, if the arithmetic average roughness is too small, the processing cost of the end face becomes high, which is not preferable.

  As the light reflecting sheet 22, for example, a foamed film made of (meth) acrylic resin, a foamed film made of polyester, a film made of glass or plastic and a metal having a high reflectivity deposited thereon can be used. When a film made of (meth) acrylic resin is used as the light reflecting sheet 22, the thickness is preferably 300 μm or more, more preferably 400 μm or more, and even more preferably 500 μm or more. In that case, since the light reflecting sheet 22 has high rigidity, even if a deviation occurs due to the difference in expansion coefficient between the light guide plate 21 and the light reflecting sheet 22, the light reflecting sheet 22 has almost no wrinkles. Can not. Therefore, it is possible to prevent unevenness in light reflection. The thickness is preferably 1 mm or less, and more preferably 800 μm or less. Furthermore, as the resin constituting the light guide plate 21 and the light reflection sheet 22, when both adopt (meth) acrylic resin, the difference in expansion coefficient between the light guide plate 21 and the light reflection sheet 22 becomes substantially equal. A shift is less likely to occur between the light guide plate 21 and the light reflecting sheet 22, and the light reflecting sheet 22 is hardly wrinkled or warped. Therefore, it is possible to prevent unevenness in light reflection. The film made of (meth) acrylic resin may not be a foamed film, but is preferably a foamed film. In the case of a foam film, the warpage of the light guide plate 21 can be suppressed by the heat insulating effect from the back plate 23. Moreover, when using the film which consists of a polyethylene terephthalate as the light reflection sheet 22, thickness is preferable 500 micrometers or more. In that case, since the light reflecting sheet 22 has high rigidity, even if a deviation occurs due to the difference in expansion coefficient between the light guide plate 21 and the light reflecting sheet 22, the light reflecting sheet 22 has almost no wrinkles. Can not. Therefore, it is possible to prevent unevenness in light reflection. Specifically, as the light reflecting sheet 22, a product name “RF188” manufactured by Tsujiden Co., Ltd., a product name “Lumirror E60L” manufactured by Toray Industries, Inc., a product name “Lumirror E6SR” manufactured by Toray Industries, Inc., The product name “Lef White RW188” manufactured by Kimoto Co., Ltd., the product name “MCPET” manufactured by Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., and the product name “Diffure” manufactured by Duera Corporation can be used.

  In addition, it is preferable to form an irregular reflection layer between the back surface 21 </ b> X of the light guide plate 21 and the light reflection sheet 22. The irregular reflection layer is formed on the back surface 21X by subjecting the back surface 21X to a dot shape or a stripe shape directly by a laser, screen printing or vapor deposition of ink, or ink jet printing. In particular, a dot shape is preferable. As a form of a dot, for example, a substantially circular shape, a substantially triangular shape, a substantially rectangular shape, a substantially hexagonal shape and the like are preferable. As a method of forming the irregular reflection layer in the form of dots, (1) a method of applying unevenness to the portion corresponding to the dots or attaching ink or the like, and (2) a portion of the ground other than the dots In other words, there is a method of performing uneven processing or attaching ink or the like. The method (1) is referred to as “positive pattern”, and the method (2) is referred to as “negative pattern”. In the case of a positive pattern, the dot distribution is preferably such that the area occupied by dots per unit area gradually increases from the first end surface 211 side to the third end surface 213. In this case, it is preferable that the area occupied by dots per unit area gradually decreases from the first end surface 211 side toward the third end surface 213.

  Further, it is preferable to provide a light diffusion plate on the surface (light exit surface) 21Y side of the light guide plate 21. The light diffusing plate is a plate having a light diffusing function or a light collecting function. The light diffusing plate is a plate made of a resin composition containing a light diffusing agent, a plate made of a resin composition and having an uneven shape on the surface, or a resin composition containing a light diffusing agent on the surface. It is composed of a plate with an uneven shape. As the resin constituting the light diffusion plate, for example, selected from the group consisting of (meth) acrylic resin, polystyrene resin, polyolefin resin, polycarbonate resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, polyester resin, and (meth) acrylic acid ester-styrene resin At least one kind is preferable, and (meth) acrylic resin is particularly preferable. These resins may be used as a mixture of two or more, or may be used so as to laminate two or more. Examples of the light diffusing agent that can be included in the light diffusing plate include organic fine particles such as acrylic crosslinked beads and methyl (meth) acrylate-styrene copolymer (MS) crosslinked beads, silica, titanium oxide, and sulfuric acid. Inorganic fine particles such as barium can be used, and two or more of these may be used simultaneously. In particular, organic fine particles are preferable. Similar to the light guide plate 21, the light diffusion plate may be a rectangular plate in plan view. The thickness is usually about 0.1 to 5 mm, preferably 0.15 to 4 mm. If the light diffusing plate is too thin, wrinkles are likely to occur in the light diffusing plate itself. If the light diffusing plate is too thick, the weight of the entire surface light emitting device becomes heavy. . In addition, in order to suppress the generation of wrinkles of the light diffusion plate on the light exit surface side of the light diffusion plate, it is installed a clear protection plate (not shown) having a rectangular shape in plan view so as to cover the light diffusion plate. preferable. In addition, as a light diffusing plate, specifically, a product name “Sumipex 032”, a product name “Sumipex 040”, a product name “Sumipex 055”, a product name “Sumipex E032”, or a product manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. The name “SUMIPEX E535” or the like can be used, and the product name “LIGHT-UP GM3”, the product name “LIGHT-UP GM7”, or the product name “LIGHT-UP NSH” manufactured by Kimoto Co., Ltd. can be used.

  FIG. 7 is an enlarged front perspective view of the light source unit 3. FIG. 8 is an enlarged rear perspective view of the same. FIG. 9 is a front upper perspective view of the housing that supports the light source. 10 is a view taken in the direction of arrow X in FIG. 11, FIG. 12, and FIG. 13 are enlarged front upper perspective views showing the light source unit 3 in an exploded manner. 14 is a view taken in the direction of arrow XIV in FIG. The light source unit 3 includes a plurality of light sources 31, a housing 32, and a protective cover 33.

  The housing 32 is a molded body of a single plate, and includes a front vertical surface 321, a horizontal surface 322, and a rear vertical surface 323. The rear vertical surface 323 includes a rear lower vertical surface 3231 and a rear upper vertical surface 3232 positioned slightly forward of the rear lower vertical surface 3231. As shown in FIG. 9, the plurality of light sources 31 are fixed at equal intervals on the substrate 30 fixed on the lateral surface 322, so that the housing 32 supports the plurality of light sources 31. doing. On the substrate 30, spacers 34 are fixed at both ends and the center. The thickness of the spacer 34 is set to be thicker than the thickness of the light source 31 by a predetermined dimension. The predetermined dimension is preferably 0.1 to 0.8 mm. A wire connector 351 connected to all the light sources 31 is fixed at the center of the lower surface of the horizontal surface 322, and a power cord 352 extends downward from the side of the connector 351.

  As the light source 31, an LED, a fluorescent lamp, a cold cathode tube, or the like can be used. In particular, an LED can be preferably used.

  The spacer 34 is a plate made of metal or resin. As the metal, for example, Cu, Fe, Zn, Ni, Au, Ag, Al, or an alloy composed of two or more of these can be used. The spacer 34 may be a plate whose surface is plated with the above metal. Examples of the resin include silicone rubber, acrylic rubber, nitrile rubber, urethane rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, chloroprene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, fluorine rubber, polyolefin resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, polytetrafluoroethylene resin, nylon resin, Polycarbonate resin, epoxy resin, etc. can be used. As a resin constituting the spacer, even when the light guide plate 21 is expanded by heat or moisture absorption, a suitable position of the light guide plate (that is, a suitable distance between the light source and the light guide plate) can be maintained, and illumination can be performed. A resin that can have a certain degree of elasticity is preferred so that no distortion occurs. Moreover, you may give a predetermined process to the surface of a spacer. For example, when the surface of the spacer is processed to impart lubricity, it is possible to prevent rubbing in the parallel direction due to the difference in expansion between the light source and the light guide plate. The spacer is made of a transparent resin having a high light transmittance or a white resin having a high light reflectance in order to efficiently use light emitted from the light source to the light guide plate. Is preferred.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the housing 32 is disposed so that the spacer 34 contacts the first end surface 211 of the light guide plate 21, and the rear lower vertical surface 3231 is interposed via the first double-sided tape 361. Is attached to the back surface of the light guide plate portion 2. Thereby, the plurality of light sources 31 are arranged along the first end surface 211 of the light guide plate 21 and opposed to the first end surface 211. In addition, it is preferable that the 1st double-sided tape 361 has waterproofness. The back plate 23 has a lower end surface 235 located slightly behind the main body, and the rear upper vertical surface 3232 of the housing 32 is sandwiched between the lower end surface 235 and the back surface of the light guide plate 21. ing.

  Further, in the light source unit 3, as shown in FIG. 12, the second double-sided tape 362 is attached across the end surface of the light guide plate 21 and the front surface of the front vertical surface 321. Further, as shown in FIG. 13, the protective cover 33 is attached to the front surface of the second double-sided tape 362. In addition, it is preferable that the 2nd double-sided tape 362 has waterproofness. The lower end portion of the protective cover 33 is curved rearward and upward to form a curved portion 331. The curved portion 331 accommodates the lower end portion of the front vertical surface 321 and the lower end portion of the second double-sided tape 362 from below. A curved portion 332 is formed at a portion where the connector 351 and the power cord 352 are located. Further, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a protective cap 371 is attached so as to cover the first end surface 211 and the light source 31 from both sides. In the figure, only the protective cap 371 on one side is shown.

  FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of a portion A in FIG. A transparent sheet 26 is attached to the second end surface 212, the third end surface 213, and the fourth end surface 214 of the light guide plate 21. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XVI-XVI in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the back plate 23 has a size slightly smaller than the light guide plate 21 and the light reflection sheet 22. Therefore, a portion 239 where the back plate 23 does not exist is formed at the peripheral edge portions of the back surfaces of the light guide plate 21 and the light reflection sheet 22. And the transparent sheet 26 is stuck so that the edge part of only the light guide plate 21 and the light reflection sheet 22 may be covered from the front and back, covering the end surface of only the light guide plate 21 and the light reflection sheet 22. The transparent sheet 26 has a performance capable of transmitting the light from the light source 31 with almost no loss. As the transparent sheet 26, for example, a registered trademark “Scotch Kal” film manufactured by Sumitomo 3M Limited can be used.

  In the surface light emitting plate unit 1 having the above-described configuration, the light emitted from the light source 3 enters the light guide plate 21 from the first end surface 211 and is reflected by the light reflecting sheet 22 while being repeatedly reflected in the light guide plate 21. Then, the light exit surface 21Y emits light, and thereby the light exit surface 21Y emits light, and also exits from the second end surface 212, the third end surface 213, and the fourth end surface 214.

  Accordingly, the surface light emitting plate unit 1 can be used alone as a surface light emitting device, and can be used alone as an internally illuminated signboard by pasting a display sheet on which letters, patterns, and the like are drawn on the light emitting surface 21Y. Can also be used.

  Further, since the light guide plate 21 is screwed to the back plate 23 by a screw 241 at the center portion, the screw 241 serves as a starting point of expansion of the light guide plate 21 and allows the light guide plate 21 to escape expansion. it can. Therefore, the light guide plate 21 and the back plate 23 can be firmly integrated, and warpage of the light guide plate 21 can be prevented.

  Moreover, since the transparent sheet 26 is affixed on the 2nd end surface 212, the 3rd end surface 213, and the 4th end surface 214, these end surfaces are protected from the external influence. In addition, since the transparent sheet 26 has a performance capable of transmitting light with almost no loss, light emission from these end faces is not hindered.

  In addition, since the transparent sheet 26 holds the end portions of only the light guide plate 21 and the light reflection sheet 22 and is not attached to the back plate 23, the transparent sheet 26 expands between the light guide plate 21 and the back plate 23. Even if a shift occurs due to the difference in rate, the transparent sheet 26 does not break. Therefore, the function of the transparent sheet 26 can be exhibited stably.

  Further, according to the surface light emitting plate unit 1 having the above-described configuration, since the protective cover 33 and the protective cap 371 are provided on the light source unit 3, the light source 31 is protected from external influences. In particular, since the protective cover 33 has the curved portion 331, an external factor that tries to enter the light source 31 from below is excluded. Furthermore, since the waterproof tape is used as the first and second double-sided tapes 361 and 362, the light source 31 is effectively protected from rain and snow.

  Moreover, the surface light emitting plate unit 1 can be used as a large surface light emitting device by combining a plurality of surface light emitting plate units 1 as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18.

  FIG. 17 is a front perspective view of a large-sized surface light emitting device obtained by combining eight surface light emitting plate units 1. FIG. 18 is a rear perspective view of the same. The surface light emitting device 10 includes surface light emitting plate units 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, and 1H. In the surface light emitting device 10, the third end surface 213 of the surface light emitting plate unit 1A is in contact with the third end surface 213 of the surface light emitting plate unit 1B, and the fourth end surface 214 of the surface light emitting plate unit 1A is the surface light emitting plate unit 1C. The second end surface 212 is in contact with the second end surface 212, the second end surface 212 of the surface light emitting plate unit 1B is in contact with the fourth end surface 214 of the surface light emitting plate unit 1D, and the third end surface 213 of the surface light emitting plate unit 1C is surface emitting. The plate unit 1D is in contact with the third end surface 213, the surface light emitting plate unit 1C is in contact with the fourth end surface 214 of the surface light emitting plate unit 1E, and the surface light emitting plate unit 1D is in the second end surface. 212 is in contact with the fourth end surface 214 of the surface light emitting plate unit 1F, and the third end surface 213 of the surface light emitting plate unit 1E is in contact with the third end surface 213 of the surface light emitting plate unit 1F. The first end surface 214 of the first light emitting unit 1E is in contact with the second end surface 212 of the surface light emitting plate unit 1G, and the second end surface 212 of the surface light emitting plate unit 1F is in contact with the fourth end surface 214 of the surface light emitting plate unit 1H. The third end surface 213 of the surface light emitting plate unit 1G is in contact with the third end surface 213 of the surface light emitting plate unit 1H. Further, in order to maintain such a contact state, the surface light emitting plate units 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, and 1H are respectively shown in FIG. It is installed on the external support tool 5. Specifically, the external support 5 has four horizontal frames 53 between the two vertical frames 51 and 52, and each surface light emitting plate unit 1 includes an upper vertical portion 531 of the horizontal frame 53. Is inserted into the gap 255 between the hook portion 253 and the back plate 23, so that it can be slid with respect to the lateral frame 53 and is installed on the external support 5. In addition, the surface emitting plate unit 1 is attached to the external support 5 or another support by using another jig | tool, when it does not have the hook metal fitting 25.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 19, an elastic jig 7 as shown in FIG. 20 is attached to one vertical frame 51 of the external support 5. 21 is a view taken in the direction of arrow XXI in FIG. The elastic jig 7 includes a thin box-shaped fixing member 71 and a movable member 72 that can move in a lateral direction (arrow X 1, X 2 direction) with respect to the fixing member 71. The fixing member 71 is fixed to the vertical frame 51 with a bolt through a mounting hole 719. The movable member 72 includes a flat plate-shaped moving plate portion 721 extending in the horizontal direction, and a flat plate-shaped receiving plate portion 722 extending orthogonally to the horizontal direction to the front side (arrow Y direction side). Yes. 22 and 23 are front views of the elastic jig 7 seen through the fixing member 71. An end edge 7211 of the moving plate portion 721 opposite to the receiving plate portion 722 is coupled to one end surface 711 of the fixed member 71 by one or more springs 73 in the fixed member 71. Here, the four springs 73 are equally connected. FIG. 22 shows the elastic jig 7 in a state where a tensile force by the spring 73 is not applied to the movable member 72. In the state shown in FIG. 22, the upper elastic jig 7 in FIG. 19 has the movable plate portion 721 accommodated in the fixed member 71, and the receiving plate portion 722 has an arrow X1 on the fourth end surface 214 of the surface light emitting plate unit 1B. It is provided so as to contact in the direction. Similarly, the lower elastic jig 7 in FIG. 19 is also provided so that the receiving plate portion 722 is in contact with the second end surface 212 of the surface light emitting plate unit 1A in the direction of the arrow X1. FIG. 23 shows the elastic jig 7 in a state where the movable member 72 is moved in the lateral direction against the tensile force of the spring 73. In the state of FIG. 23, since the tensile force by the spring 73 acts on the movable member 72, the receiving plate portion 722 is urged in the arrow X1 direction. The tensile force of the spring 73, that is, the elastic force of the elastic jig 7, allows the surface light-emitting plate unit 1 installed on the external support 5 to move due to lateral expansion and moves the surface light-emitting plate unit 1 to the vertical frame 52 side ( It is set to a size that can be pressed in the direction of arrow X1. The elastic jig 7 has a separate pull metal fitting 75, and the movable member 72 is formed with a hook portion 76 on which the pull metal fitting 75 is hooked. The pull metal fitting 75 is used so that the movable member 72 is manually pulled in the direction of the arrow X2 by being hooked on the hook portion 76 when the surface emitting plate unit 1 is attached to or detached from the external support 5.

  In the surface light emitting device 10 having the above-described configuration, the light emitting surface 21Y emits light in each of the surface light emitting plate units 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, and 1H, and the light from the light source 31 The light is also emitted from the second end surface 212, the third end surface 213, and the fourth end surface 214. Accordingly, the light passes between the contact portions of the end faces, and therefore the boundary between the contact portions becomes inconspicuous. Therefore, according to the surface light emitting device 10, it is possible to obtain a large light emitting surface in which the eight light emitting surfaces 21Y are integrated. Accordingly, the surface light emitting device 10 can function as a large surface light emitting device.

  Further, if a light diffusing plate is attached to the large light exit surface, the uniformity of light emission can be improved. Moreover, a large internally illuminated signboard can be obtained by attaching a display sheet on which characters, patterns, and the like are attached to the large light exit surface. In these cases, a single sheet of the light diffusing plate or the display sheet can be attached to the front surface of the eight light exit surfaces 21Y.

  Moreover, since the surface light emitting device 10 can be obtained simply by combining the same surface light emitting plate unit 1, it can be obtained inexpensively and easily. In order to change the size, the surface light emitting plate unit 1 to be combined can be obtained. Since it is only necessary to increase or decrease the number, the size can be changed at low cost and easily. In the surface light emitting device 10 having the above configuration, eight surface light emitting plate units are used. However, the surface light emitting device 10 of the present invention is not limited to eight, and can be configured using two or more surface light emitting plate units. .

  Furthermore, the surface light emitting device 10 can be configured simply by attaching the surface light emitting plate unit 1 to the external support 5 using the hooking metal fitting 25, so that the installation can be easily performed.

  Furthermore, in the surface light emitting device 10 having the above-described configuration, when the surface light emitting plate units 1B, 1D, 1F, and 1H arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction expand in the horizontal direction (arrow X2 direction), the fourth surface light emitting plate unit 1B has a fourth. The movable member 72 of the elastic jig 7 in contact with the end face 214 moves in the lateral direction (arrow X2 direction) so as to follow the expansion. Further, when the surface light emitting plate units 1B, 1D, 1F, and 1H arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction contract after being expanded in the horizontal direction, the elastic jig 7 that is in contact with the fourth end surface 214 of the surface light emitting plate unit 1B. The movable member 72 presses the surface light emitting plate units 1B, 1D, 1F, and 1H in the lateral direction (arrow X1 direction) while following the contraction. Therefore, according to the surface light emitting device 10 having the above configuration, even if the surface light emitting plate units 1B, 1D, 1F, and 1H arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction expand or contract in the horizontal direction, they are adjacent in the horizontal direction. The contact relationship between the surface light emitting plate units can be maintained. The same applies to the surface emitting plate units 1A, 1C, 1E, and 1F. Therefore, according to the surface light emitting device 10 having the above configuration, the light emitting function can be stably exhibited even in an environment where the surface light emitting plate unit 1 is expanded or contracted.

  The combined arrangement of the surface light emitting plate units 1 in the surface light emitting device 10 is not limited to the regular arrangement as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 and may be used in an irregular arrangement.

  The surface light-emitting plate unit of the present invention has a great industrial utility value because it can constitute a surface light-emitting device that can be easily and inexpensively changed in size and can be easily installed.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1A-1H Surface light-emitting plate unit 10 Surface light-emitting device 2 Light guide plate part 21 Light guide plate 21X (Back side of light guide plate) 21Y Surface (of light guide plate) 211 1st end surface 212 2nd end surface 213 3rd end surface 214 4th end surface DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 22 Light reflection sheet 23 Back plate 241 Screw 25 Hook metal fitting 26 Transparent sheet 3 Light source part 31 Light source 32 Housing 33 Protective cover 5 External support 53 Horizontal frame 7 Elastic jig

Claims (13)

The light guide plate portion having a rectangular shape in plan view, and a light source portion attached to one end portion of the light guide plate portion,
The light guide plate portion includes a light guide plate having first to fourth end faces, a light reflecting sheet provided on the back surface of the light guide plate, and a back plate provided on the back surface of the light reflecting sheet. And
The light source unit includes a plurality of light sources arranged along the first end surface of the light guide plate and facing the first end surface, and a housing that supports the light source,
The light of the light source is incident from the first end surface of the light guide plate, reflected within the light guide plate, and emitted from the surface of the light guide plate and the second to fourth end surfaces.
A surface light emitting plate unit. The back plate has a metal fitting for hooking to an external support on the back surface,
The surface emitting plate unit according to claim 1. The light guide plate, the light reflecting sheet, and the back plate are integrated by screwing,
The surface emitting plate unit according to claim 1 or 2. A transparent sheet is attached to the second to fourth end faces of the light guide plate.
The surface emitting plate unit according to claim 1. A transparent sheet is attached to the second to fourth end faces of the light guide plate together with the end face of the light reflecting sheet,
The transparent sheet is pasted so as to cover the end surfaces of only the light guide plate and the light reflecting sheet and to grip the end portions of only the light guide plate and the light reflecting sheet from the front and back.
The surface emitting plate unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The light reflecting sheet is made of (meth) acrylic resin and has a thickness of 300 μm or more.
The surface emitting plate unit as described in any one of Claims 1-5. The first to fourth end faces of the light guide plate are mirror surfaces;
The surface emitting plate unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The arithmetic average roughness (Ra) of the first to fourth end faces of the light guide plate is 0.01 to 0.3 μm.
The surface emitting plate unit according to claim 1. The housing has a form of covering the light source facing the first end face from the rear;
The light source unit further includes a protective cover that covers the light source facing the first end surface from the front.
The surface emitting plate unit according to claim 1. A plurality of the surface light emitting plate units according to any one of claims 2 to 9 are arranged side by side,
The adjacent surface light emitting plate units slide in the lateral direction to the lateral frame of the external support by the hooking metal fittings with the second to fourth end faces of the light guide plate in contact with each other. Installed by hooking possible,
A surface light-emitting device. The external support is provided with an elastic jig on the other side in the lateral direction for biasing the surface emitting plate unit installed toward the one side in the lateral direction,
The elastic force of the elastic jig is set to a size capable of allowing the surface light emitting plate unit to move due to expansion and pressing the surface light emitting plate unit against one side in the lateral direction.
The surface emitting device according to claim 10. A light diffusing plate is provided on the surface of the light guide plate of all the surface light emitting plate units,
The surface emitting device according to claim 10 or 11. Display sheets are provided on the surfaces of the light guide plates of all the surface emitting plate units,
The surface light-emitting device as described in any one of Claims 10-12.

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