Light guide plate and surface-lighting device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10677979-B2
Application number	US-201716094185-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2017
Priority date	Apr 22, 2016
Publication date	Jun 9, 2020
Grant date	Jun 9, 2020

Abstract

A light guide plate includes an incidence surface and an output surface. The incidence surface is an end surface on which light emitted from a light source is incident. The output surface is a surface from which incident light coming from the incidence surface is outputted, and is a plane orthogonal to a thickness direction. The incidence surface is at least partially curved toward the light source, when viewed in a cross-section cut along a plane parallel to both a thickness direction of the light guide plate and an arrangement direction in which the light source and the light guide plate are arranged.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A light guide plate, comprising:
an incidence surface that is an end surface on which light from a light source is incident; and
an output surface that is a surface from which incident light coming from the incidence surface is outputted, the output surface being a plane orthogonal to a thickness direction,
wherein the incidence surface is at least partially curved toward the light source, when viewed in a cross-section cut along a plane parallel to both a thickness direction of the light guide plate and an arrangement direction in which the light source and the light guide plate are arranged,
wherein an end surface opposite to the incidence surface is provided with a reflective surface that reflects incident light coming from the incidence surface toward inside of the light guide plate,
wherein in the cross-section view, the reflective surface is at least partially curved toward a side opposite to the incidence surface, and
wherein the reflective surface is provided with one of a reflection plate and a reflection sheet that is capable of reflecting light incident thereon from the inside of the light guide plate.

2. The light guide plate according to claim 1 , wherein in the cross-sectional view, the curve of the incidence surface has a circular arc shape or an elliptical arc shape.

3. The light guide plate according to claim 1 , wherein in the cross-sectional view, a whole of the incidence surface is curved toward the light source.

4. The light guide plate according to claim 1 , wherein in the cross-sectional view, the output surface is at least partially bent or bendable.

5. The light guide plate according to claim 1 , further comprising:
two side surfaces extending in the arrangement direction,
wherein in the cross-sectional view, the two side surfaces are at least partially curved toward an outward of the light guide plate.

6. A surface-lighting device, comprising:
a light guide plate including an incidence surface that is an end surface on which light from a light source is incident; and an output surface that is a surface from which incident light coming from the incidence surface is outputted, the output surface being a plane orthogonal to a thickness direction, wherein the incidence surface is at least partially curved toward the light source, when viewed in a cross-section cut along a plane parallel to both a thickness direction of the light guide plate and an arrangement direction in which the light source and the light guide plate are arranged; and
a light source emitting light to the incidence surface of the light guide plate,
wherein an end surface opposite to the incidence surface is provided with a reflective surface that reflects incident light coming from the incidence surface toward inside of the light guide plate,
wherein in the cross-section view, the reflective surface is at least partially curved toward a side opposite to the incidence surface, and
wherein the reflective surface is provided with one of a reflection plate and a reflection sheet that is capable of reflecting light incident thereon from the inside of the light guide plate.

7. The surface-lighting device according to claim 6 , further comprising:
two side surfaces extending in the arrangement direction,
wherein in the cross-sectional view, the two side surfaces are at least partially curved toward an outward of the light guide plate.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Kuge Morimasa
• Kritoshi Takanori
• Oogushi Osami
• Tanaka Hideyuki

Classifications

• F21K9/61

  using light guides · CPC title

• F21Y2103/10

  comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements · CPC title

• G02B6/002

  by shaping at least a portion of the light guide, e.g. with collimating, focussing or diverging surfaces · CPC title

• G02B6/0055

  Reflecting element, sheet or layer · CPC title

• G02B6/0045 Primary

  by shaping at least a portion of the light guide · CPC title