JPH09127896A - Surface light emitting body - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a surface light emitting body long in service life, simple in structure, thin in entire thickness, and capable of performing uniform surface light emission without luminance irregularities viewed at any angle in the front. SOLUTION: This surface light emitting body is constituted by disposing a light source (LED light emitting element) 2 on the side end face of a light transmissive plate 1 whose rear surface 1 is made rugged and coarse. Light made incident from the light source onto the light transmissive plate 1 is refracted and diffused on the rear surface 1 whose surface is made rugged and coarse and the diffused light is emitted from the front surface 1a of the light transmissive plate 1. It is preferable that the light transmissive plate 1 and the light source 2 are housed in a housing 3, and the front surface 1a of the light transmissive plate 1 is exposed in the front surface opening part of the housing 3 to make a housing inner surface as a light reflection surface.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a surface light emitter suitable for applications such as side wall lighting of highways and tunnels.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, it has been considered to mount a surface light emitter on a side wall of a highway or a tunnel for the purpose of alleviating traffic congestion, improving traffic safety, and improving scenery.

As such a surface light-emitting body, an EL is generally used.
(Electroluminescence lamp) is well known, and the type that irradiates and diffuses light from the side of the light diffusing plastic sheet, and the type that irradiates light from the rear surface side of the milky semi-colored plastic plate Is also known.

[0004]

However, EL has a problem that it has poor moisture resistance and has a short life. Further, the surface-emitting body using the light diffusing plastic sheet has a problem that the manufacturing cost becomes high because the structure is complicated and the sheet is expensive. And the surface light emitter using a milky-colored plastic plate has a large overall thickness because the light source is arranged on the back side of the plate, and moreover,
There is a problem that uneven brightness occurs and perfect surface emission cannot be achieved.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a uniform surface emission having a simple structure, a small overall thickness, and no uneven brightness when viewed from any angle in the front. Another object of the present invention is to provide a surface light emitter that can be performed and has a long life.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the surface light emitter according to claim 1 of the present invention is characterized in that a light source is arranged on a side end surface of a light transmitting plate having a roughened rear surface. I am trying.

The surface light emitter of claim 2 is characterized in that the translucent plate and the light source are housed in a housing, and the front surface of the translucent plate is exposed to the front opening of the housing. The light emitting body is characterized in that the inner surface of the housing is a light reflecting surface, the light emitting body of claim 4 is characterized in that the light source is an LED light emitting element, and the surface light emitting body of claim 5 is LE.
A large number of D light emitting elements are arranged in a line on a strip-shaped wiring board and mounted, and the wiring board is fitted in a groove formed in a side end surface of the light-transmitting plate so that the LED light emitting element is located inside. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the LED light emitting element fitted in the concave groove of the translucent plate is sealed in the concave groove with a transparent resin.

The surface light emitter according to claim 1 of the present invention has an extremely simple structure in which the light source is arranged on the side end surface of the light transmitting plate as described above, and the light source is arranged on the rear surface side of the light transmitting plate. Since it is not provided, the overall thickness can be reduced. Then, when the light source is turned on, light enters from the side end surface of the transparent plate, is refracted and diffused by the rough surface of the rear surface of the transparent plate, and this diffused light is emitted from the front surface of the transparent plate. Even if viewed from any angle, uniform surface emission without uneven brightness is performed.

When the light-transmitting plate and the light source are housed in the housing as in the surface light emitter of claim 2, the light source and the like are protected by the housing, so that there is no fear of damage or disconnection of the light source or the like, and transportation becomes easy. . When the inner surface of the housing is a light reflecting surface as in the surface light emitter of claim 3, the light refracted and diffused to the rear of the light transmitting plate is also reflected on the inner surface of the housing and emitted forward without waste. , The emission brightness is improved. In particular, when the light source is an LED light emitting element like the surface light emitter of claim 4, the life is much longer than that of EL, so that it can be used semipermanently. Further, when a strip-shaped wiring board, in which a large number of LED light-emitting elements are arranged in a line and mounted as in the surface-emitting body according to claim 5, is fitted into the concave groove of the side end surface of the transparent plate,
The work of disposing and wiring the LED light emitting element on the end surface of the light transmitting plate is extremely simple, and the surface light emitter can be efficiently assembled. Further, when the LED light emitting element is sealed in the concave groove with a transparent resin like the surface light emitter of claim 6, when the light of the LED light emitting element is incident on the translucent plate, the change of the light refraction at the interface is small, Light attenuation is reduced.

[0010]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the surface light emitting device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view thereof, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a substrate on which an LED light emitting element is mounted.

As shown in FIG. 1, in this surface light emitter, LED light emitting elements 2 are arranged as light sources on the upper and lower side end surfaces of a light transmitting plate 1, and the light transmitting plate 1 is housed in a housing 3 to transmit light. Light board 1
It has a simple structure in which the front surface 1a is exposed at the front opening of the housing 3.

The transparent plate 1 is a transparent plate having a thickness of about 3 to 15 mm and made of a transparent resin such as acrylic resin, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride or the like, or glass, and its rear surface 1b is sandblasted or grained. The roughened surface is processed by means such as roll processing. Then, on the upper and lower side end surfaces of the translucent plate 1, concave grooves 1c, 1c for arranging the LED light emitting elements 2 are formed. The roughness of the rear surface 1b (roughened rough surface) of the translucent plate 1 is not particularly limited, but in order to sufficiently refract and scatter light, roughening is performed so that the average unevenness difference is about 10 to 1000 μm. It is desirable to do.

As shown in FIG. 3, a large number of LED light emitting elements 2 are mounted in a line on a strip-shaped wiring board 4 so that the LED light emitting elements 2 are turned on all at once when energized by a lead wire 4a. Has become. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the wiring board 4 is formed in the concave grooves 1c, 1c of the transparent plate 1.
The LED light-emitting elements 2 are fitted inward so that the LED light-emitting elements 2 are arranged in a line on the upper and lower side end surfaces of the transparent plate 1. In this way, the work of arranging the LED light emitting elements 2 and the wiring are simplified, so that the efficiency of assembling the surface light emitter can be improved.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the concave groove 1 of the transparent plate 1 is used.
The LED light emitting element 2 fitted in the c is made of the transparent resin 5 and the concave groove 1c is formed.
By enclosing it in the inside, it is possible to prevent the intrusion of water, and when the light emitted from the LED light emitting element 2 enters the transparent plate 1, the change of the light refraction at the interface is reduced and the light attenuation is small. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a decrease in light emission luminance. As the transparent resin 5 for encapsulation, a resin having a high light transmittance such as a silicone resin or an epoxy resin is preferably used, and it is encapsulated by a method such as casting.

As the LED light emitting element 2, in addition to a chip-shaped element (so-called LED chip) as shown in FIG. 3, a lamp-shaped element (so-called LED lamp) or the like can be used. The LED light emitting elements 2 may be unified to have the same light emitting color, but two or more kinds of LED light emitting elements having different light emitting colors are alternately arranged so that the light emitting color can be changed by switching the energization. Good.

In this embodiment, the LED light emitting element 2 is used.
Are arranged on the upper and lower side end surfaces of the transparent plate 1.
When the width (upper and lower width) of the LED light emitting element 2 is small, the LED light emitting element 2 may be disposed only on one of the side end surfaces.

The housing 3 is made of a metal such as aluminum or a hard plastic. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper and lower side edges of the housing 3 are U-shaped bent portions 3.
a and 3a are formed, and the front surface of the housing 3 is opened in a groove shape. Then, the U-shaped bent portions 3a, 3a
Insert the upper and lower edges of the transparent plate 1 into the transparent plate 1, L
The ED light emitting element 2, the wiring board 4 and the like are housed in the housing 3, the front surface of the translucent plate 1 is exposed in the front opening of the housing 3, and the end plates 3b and 3b are attached to both ends of the housing 3 in the longitudinal direction. The surface light emitter is assembled. When the LED light emitting element 2 and the like are housed in the housing 3 in this manner, there is no fear of damage or disconnection of the LED light emitting element 2 and the like, and it is easy to carry.

The inner surface 3c of the housing 3 is preferably a light-reflecting surface having a high light reflectance by means such as applying a white or silver-based light-reflecting paint. When used as a reflective surface, the transparent plate 1
The light refracted and diffused to the rear of the transparent plate 1 by the rear surface 1b is also reflected by the inner surface 3c of the housing and is emitted forward without waste, so that the emission brightness is improved. The housing 3
When is made of plastic, a white pigment such as titanium oxide may be mixed to enhance the light reflectance of the housing inner surface 3c. Further, instead of using the inner surface 3c of the housing as a light reflecting surface, a light reflecting sheet (not shown) may be sandwiched between the light transmitting plate 1 and the housing 3, and in that case, the light emission brightness is improved similarly to the above. To do.

The surface light emitter having such a structure is embedded in a side wall of a highway or a tunnel so that the front surface 1a of the light transmitting plate 1 is exposed. When the LED light emitting element 2 is energized, the light transmitting plate 1 emits surface light. Perform roadside lighting. That is, when the LED light emitting element 2 is caused to emit light by energization, the light is incident from the upper and lower side end surfaces of the light transmitting plate 1 and is refracted and diffused by the rear surface 1b of the light transmitting plate which is a rough uneven surface. Is emitted from the front surface 1a of the translucent plate, so that even when viewed from any angle in the front, uniform surface emission without uneven brightness is performed. Performing roadside illumination with such a surface light emitter can further alleviate traffic congestion, improve traffic safety, road scenery, and the like, and since the LED light emitting element 2 has a long life, it also has durability. Outstanding.

The surface light-emitting body of the present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, a light bulb other than an LED light-emitting element or a fluorescent lamp is used as a light source. Various design changes, such as the use of etc., are allowed. Also, in addition to the roadside lighting of highways and tunnels, it is also used for various lighting and lighting applications such as lighting of approach parts and wall surfaces of buildings, lighting, lighting of cement plate laying in parks, lighting, etc. It goes without saying that it can be used.

[0022]

In the surface light emitter of the present invention, the light refracted and diffused on the rear surface which is the rough surface of the transparent plate is emitted from the front surface of the transparent plate, so that it can be seen from any front angle. It is possible to perform uniform surface emission without unevenness in brightness, and moreover, since the structure is simple, it can be easily and inexpensively manufactured, and since the whole thickness is small, it is easy to transport and store,
In particular, the one using an LED light emitting element as a light source is
It has a remarkable effect that it is superior in durability as compared with the surface-emitting body.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a surface light emitter of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the surface light emitter according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a substrate on which an LED light emitting element used for the surface light emitting device of the same embodiment is mounted.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the surface light emitter of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 translucent plate 1a front face of translucent plate 1b rear face which is rough surface of translucent plate 2 light source (LED light emitting element) 3 housing 3c inner surface of housing 4 wiring board 5 transparent resin

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A surface light-emitting body, wherein a light source is disposed on a side end surface of a light-transmitting plate having a roughened rear surface. 2. The surface light emitter according to claim 1, wherein the light transmitting plate and the light source are housed in a housing, and the front surface of the light transmitting plate is exposed at the front opening of the housing. 3. The surface light emitting device according to claim 2, wherein an inner surface of a housing that accommodates the light transmitting plate and the light source is a light reflecting surface. 4. The surface light emitter according to claim 1, wherein the light source is an LED light emitting element. 5. A large number of LED light-emitting elements are arranged in a line on a strip-shaped wiring board and mounted, and the wiring board is fitted in a groove formed in a side end surface of a light-transmissive plate so that the LED light-emitting elements are located inside. The surface light emitter according to claim 4, wherein 6. The LED light-emitting element fitted in the groove of the translucent plate is sealed in the groove with a transparent resin.
The surface light-emitting device according to.