JP4849053B2 - Light emitting device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a light-emitting device, and more specifically, surface / line light emission for preventing uneven brightness in the vicinity of an incident surface of a surface-emitting module that emits light incident from one end surface serving as an incident surface from one main surface. The present invention relates to a module-integrated light emitting device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a light emitting device used for display, production, and lighting purposes indoors and outdoors, a light guide technique in which a region of a light emitting portion is a surface or a line is generally known. As a light guide method, it is known to give a three-dimensional shape of light diffusion by printing or molding to a transparent material (resin, glass, etc.) in a fixed pattern.

  Furthermore, as an application of the light guide technology, there are a surface light emission method that shines a surface region and a line light emission method that shines a line region (for example, see Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

  As an example, as shown in FIG. 4, one end surface of the flat light guide plate 10 is an incident surface 10 a, and a plurality of light guide patterns 2 that refract or leak internal light on the surface of one main surface in parallel. The light-emitting device provided is known. As a point light source, a plurality of LEDs 11 (light emitting diodes) are juxtaposed at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the incident surface 10a. However, since the LED 11 has the directivity of light, the dark portion 12 outside the angle in accordance with the radiation angle of the LED 11 (the valley formed so as to form a triangle from the incident surface 10a of the light guide plate 10 in the plane in FIG. 4). Part) will remain. That is, since the LED 11 is arranged as close as possible to the incident surface 10a of the light guide plate 10 in order to ensure the brightness of illumination, the dark part 12 to which no incident light is supplied is more likely to appear. Such a dark part 12 will show the brightness nonuniformity of the light-guide plate 10 notably, and as a result, the problem that visibility will be impaired remarkably arises.

  As an effort to prevent the dark portion 12 from appearing, it has been attempted to perform light guide printing (or processing) in the vicinity of the incident surface 10a of the light guide plate 10, but in this case, the manufacturing process becomes complicated, and labor and cost are reduced. There is a problem that it takes.

Further, in place of the point light source such as the LED 11, uneven luminance can be eliminated by using a long line light source such as a cold cathode fluorescent tube. However, in this case, there is a problem that power consumption increases.
JP 2001-167625 A JP 2001-184927 A

  The present invention has been invented in view of the above-described conventional problems, and prevents the occurrence of dark portions (brightness unevenness) in the vicinity of the incident surface of the surface light emitting module even though a point light source is used, thereby providing a uniform surface. It is an object of the present invention to provide a light-emitting device that can achieve light emission and can achieve rational production and cost reduction.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention is a flat plate-shaped guide in which one end surface is a light incident surface 1a and one main surface is a light emitting surface 4a from which light incident from the incident surface 1a leaks and exits. The light guide pattern 2 in which the light is refracted or scattered on the surface of the one main surface on the optical plate 1 starts from the vicinity of the incident surface 1a, and the degree of refraction or scattering increases as the distance from the incident surface 1a increases. And a wide surface emitting module 1A provided in parallel with a plurality of the incident surfaces 1a in the width direction D;
The light guide plate 1 is a long rectangular light guide plate different from the flat light guide plate 1, and the end surface on one short side of the long rectangular light guide plate serves as a light incident surface 1 b, and extends along the long side. One of the main surfaces is a light emitting surface 4b through which light incident on the inside from the incident surface 1b leaks and exits, and the internal light is refracted or scattered on the surface of the one main surface to leak light. At least from the end surface on one short side toward the end surface on the other short side, the light guide pattern 2 starts from the vicinity of the incident surface 1b and the degree of refraction or scattering increases as the distance from the incident surface 1b increases. One, a narrow line light emitting module 1B provided,
A point light source 5 disposed on the incident surface 1b of the line light emitting module 1B,
The line light emitting module 1B is arranged along the light incident position of the surface light emitting module 1A so that the light emitting surface 4b of the line light emitting module 1B faces the incident surface 1a of the surface light emitting module 1A. Light is guided to light linearized by the light guide pattern 2 inside the line light emitting module 1B, and the light linearized from the light emitting surface 4b of the line light emitting module 1B to the incident surface 1a of the surface light emitting module 1A. So that it is incident over the entire area ,
The long rectangular light guide plate constituting the line light emitting module 1B is formed by cutting the same light guide plate 1 as the flat light guide plate 1 constituting the surface light emitting module 1A between the parallel light guide patterns 2. , Formed by cutting out at a predetermined width,
The cut-out width H of the line light emitting module 1B is the same as the thickness L of the light guide plate 1 constituting the surface light emitting module 1A,
The line light emitting module 1B cut out from the surface light emitting module 1A is arranged such that the cut out width H direction is the thickness L direction of the surface light emitting module 1A .

With such a configuration, the light from the point light source 5 can be converted into linearized light using the linear light emitting module 1B, and the linearized light can be converted to almost the incident surface 1a of the surface emitting module 1A. Since the incident light can be incident from the entire region, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a dark part (brightness unevenness) due to a conventional point light source. In addition, by combining the point light source 5 and the line light emitting module 1B, even though the point light source 5 is used, uniform brightness with no luminance unevenness can be obtained over the entire area of the surface light emitting module 1A. Is very good. Further, in the same manufacturing process as the light guide plate 1 constituting the surface light emitting module 1A, a long rectangular light guide plate can be manufactured. Therefore, it is not necessary to manufacture each of the surface and line light guide plates individually, and the manufacturing process The number can be greatly reduced. Moreover, the thickness dimension at the time of combining both modules 1A and 1B can be unified.

  The present invention converts the light from the point light source into linearized light and makes it incident on the surface light emitting module, thereby preventing the occurrence of dark portions (brightness unevenness) due to the conventional point light source. Even though it is used, uniform surface light emission of the surface light emitting module can be achieved, and furthermore, a surface light emitting module and a line light emitting module can be obtained using a common light guide plate, so the surface light emitting module integrated type It is possible to rationalize the manufacturing of the light emitting device and reduce the cost.

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

  FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a light emitting device 6 according to this embodiment, and shows an example of a light emitting device 6 in which a wide surface light emitting module 1A and a narrow line light emitting module 1B are integrated.

  The wide surface light emitting module 1A is a flat light guide plate 1 whose one end surface is a light incident surface 1a and whose one main surface is a light emitting surface 4a from which light incident inside from the incident surface 1a leaks and exits. In addition, the light guide pattern 2 in which internal light is refracted or scattered and leaks on the surface of the one principal surface starts from the vicinity of the incident surface 1a toward the other end surface 1e opposite to the incident surface 1a. In addition to being extended, it is provided so as to be parallel to the width direction D of the incident surface 1a.

  The narrow line light emitting module 1B is composed of a long rectangular light guide plate cut out from the same light guide plate 1 as the flat light guide plate 1 constituting the surface light emitting module 1A. The light incident surface 1b is an end surface on one short side of the long rectangular light guide plate, and one main surface of four main surfaces along the long side is incident on the inside from the incident surface 1b. Becomes a light emitting surface 4b that emits light and emits light, and one light guide pattern 2 in which internal light is refracted or scattered on the surface of the one main surface to leak light from the end surface on one short side to the other short side It is given toward the end face 1f.

  Here, the light guide pattern 2 provided to each module 1B, 1C is for achieving uniform surface emission by refracting or scattering incident light incident on the inside of the module. As the distance from the surfaces 1a and 1b) increases, the degree of refraction or scattering of light increases. Here, the area closer to the light source has a smaller light guide printing area, and the light guide printing area is gradually increased with increasing distance from the light source. That is, the light guide area becomes sparse in the portion close to the LED 5a, and the area ratio gradually changes from sparse to dense as the distance from the LED 5a increases. As a result, the light taken in from the incident surface 1b is guided to the light guide pattern 2. Is used to obtain uniform surface light emission or line light emission. In addition, conventionally well-known methods, such as the method of processing or shape | molding prism-shaped unevenness | corrugation other than light guide printing, the method of sticking a reflecting film, etc., can be employ | adopted as a production | generation method of the light guide pattern 2. FIG.

  FIG. 3 shows a step of cutting out the line light emitting module 1B from the large area light guide plate 1 having a combined shape of surface and line light emission by a method called “multiple”. First, a plurality of light guide patterns 2 described above are formed in parallel on the surface of one main surface of a light guide plate 1 made of acrylic resin, glass, or the like, thereby obtaining a manufacturing module 1C in which surface and line light emission are integrated. . Then, it cut | disconnects between the parallel light guide patterns 2, and cuts out the wide surface emitting module 1A and the narrow line light emitting module 1B. As a cutting device, for example, a conventionally known device such as a dicing blade rotating at high speed or a laser beam is used. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1, the line light emitting module 1B is arranged along the light incident position of the surface light emitting module 1A so that the light emitting surface 4b of the line light emitting module 1B faces the light incident surface 1a of the surface light emitting module 1A. At the same time, the LED 5a is disposed as the point light source 5 on the incident surface 1b of the line light emitting module 1B, thereby assembling the light emitting device 6 integrated with the surface / line light emitting module. As an example of the light emitting device 6, a reflector (not shown) is arranged on the back surface of the surface emitting module 1A, and a light-transmitting decorative panel (not shown) is placed in front of the surface emitting module 1A. It may be a thing. FIG. 2 shows an example in which the light emitting device 6 is held by the holding frame 3 and the holding frame 3 is fixed to the wall 7.

  Thus, in the surface / line light emitting module-integrated light emitting device 6 having the above configuration, the spot light from the LED 5a shown in FIG. 1 is guided in the direction indicated by the arrow E by the light guide pattern 2 inside the line light emitting module 1B. Converted into linear light. The linearized light is emitted from the light emitting surface 4b of the line light emitting module 1B in the direction indicated by the arrow F, so that it is incident from substantially the entire region of the incident surface 1a of the surface light emitting module 1A. An arrow G in FIG. 1 indicates a light emitting direction from the light emitting surface 4a of the surface emitting module 1A. Thus, by converting the spot light from the LED 5a into linear light using the line light emitting module 1B and entering it from almost the entire area of the incident surface 1a of the surface light emitting module 1A, It is possible to prevent the dark portion 12 (brightness unevenness shown in FIG. 4) from being generated by the point light source. Therefore, by combining the LED 5a and the linear light emitting module 1B, uniform brightness without unevenness in luminance can be obtained over the entire light emitting surface 4a of the surface emitting module 1A even though a point light source such as the LED 5a is used. And visibility is very good. Therefore, it is not necessary to give light guide printing (or processing) to the dark portion of the surface emitting module 1A as in the conventional case, and the labor and cost for manufacturing can be reduced, so that the large size with high brightness and high uniformity can be obtained. The light emitting device 6 can be obtained easily and at low cost.

  In addition, by adopting a method of cutting the surface / line light-emitting light-guiding pattern 2 after the surface light / light-emitting light guide pattern 2 is integrally applied to one light guide plate 1, the plate-shaped light guide plate 1 and the line light-emitting module 1B of the surface light-emitting module 1A are configured. The long rectangular light guide plate can be manufactured in the same manufacturing process. Therefore, it is not necessary to manufacture each of the light guide plates for the surface and the line individually, the number of processes can be greatly reduced, and there is an advantage that investment can be suppressed by cost reduction. In addition, by using the line light emitting module 1B as a line light source of the surface light emitting module 1A, it becomes possible to rationalize the manufacturing of the light emitting device 6 integrated with the surface / line light emitting module and reduce the cost. Since the consumption is small and the size can be reduced, there is an advantage that the light emitting device 6 as a whole can be reduced in size and weight and contribute to cost reduction.

  Moreover, in this example, since the cut-out width H (FIG. 2) of the line light emitting module 1B is the same as the thickness L of the surface light emitting module 1A, the thickness dimensions of both modules 1A and 1B can be unified as shown in FIG. . Moreover, since the length of the line light-emitting module 1B is the same as the length of one side of the surface light-emitting module 1A, the line light-emitting module 1B does not protrude from the surface light-emitting module 1A, and as a result, it can be placed in a good fit. The overall dimensions of the light emitting device 6 can be unified.

  In the above-described embodiment, the lower side of the surface light emitting module 1A is the light incident position, but one of the upper side and the left and right sides is the light incident position, and the line light emitting module 1B is arranged along the light incident position. It may be the configuration.

1 is a schematic perspective view of a light emitting device integrated with a surface / line light emitting module according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is side surface sectional drawing which shows an example which attaches a light-emitting device same as the above to a wall. It is explanatory drawing of the process of cutting out a line light emitting module from a light-guide plate same as the above. It is a front view explaining the brightness nonuniformity at the time of using the conventional point light source.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Light guide plate 1A Surface light emitting module 1B Line light emitting module 1a, 1b Incident surface 2 Light guide pattern 4a, 4b Light emitting surface 5 Point light source D Width direction of incident surface H Cutout width of line light emitting module L Thickness of light guide plate

Claims (1)

The internal light is refracted on the surface of the one principal surface, with one end surface serving as a light incident surface and one principal surface serving as a light-emitting surface from which light incident from the incident surface leaks and exits. Alternatively, a light guide pattern that scatters and leaks light is provided so that the degree of refraction or scattering increases with increasing distance from the incident surface starting from the vicinity of the incident surface and parallel to the width direction of the incident surface. A wide surface emitting module,
It consists of a long rectangular light guide plate different from the above-mentioned flat light guide plate, and the end surface on one short side of the long rectangular light guide plate is the light incident surface, and the four main sides along the long side One main surface of the surface is a light emitting surface from which light incident inside from the incident surface leaks and emits, and a light guide pattern in which light is leaked by internal light being refracted or scattered on the surface of the one main surface. At least one is provided from the end surface on one short side toward the end surface on the other short side so that the degree of refraction or scattering increases from the incident surface starting from the vicinity of the incident surface. A narrow line-emitting module;
A point light source disposed on the incident surface of the line light emitting module,
The line light emitting module is disposed along the light incident position of the surface light emitting module so that the light emitting surface of the surface light emitting module faces the light incident surface of the surface light emitting module, and light from the point light source is placed inside the line light emitting module. The linearized light is guided to the linearized light by the light guide pattern so that the linearized light is incident on the entire surface of the incident surface of the surface light emitting module from the light emitting surface of the linear light emitting module ,
The long rectangular light guide plate constituting the light emitting module is cut out with a predetermined width by cutting the same light guide plate as the flat light guide plate constituting the surface light emitting module between the parallel light guide patterns. Formed,
The cut-out width of the line light emitting module is the same as the thickness of the light guide plate constituting the surface light emitting module,
A light-emitting device, wherein a line light-emitting module cut out from a surface light-emitting module is arranged so that a cut-out width direction is a thickness direction of the surface light-emitting module .

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