Optical member, composite optical member, and lighting device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12204128-B2
Application number	US-202318156855-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 19, 2023
Priority date	Jan 20, 2022
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

An optical member includes a first light guide member having an elongated shape and comprising an end surface and a lateral surface extending in a longitudinal direction from the end surface; and a wavelength conversion layer disposed on the lateral surface of the first light guide member and containing a phosphor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical member comprising:
a first light guide member having an elongated shape and comprising an end surface and a lateral surface extending in a longitudinal direction from the end surface; and
a wavelength conversion layer disposed on the lateral surface of the first light guide member and containing a phosphor, wherein
the phosphor has a first composition containing an alkali metal containing K, and Si, Al, Mn, and F, wherein
in the first composition, when a total number of moles of the alkali metal is 2, a total number of moles of Si, Al, and Mn is 0.9 or greater and 1.1 or less, a number of moles of Al is greater than 0 and 0.1 or less, a number of moles of Mn is greater than 0 and 0.2 or less, and a number of moles of F is 5.9 or greater and 6.1 or less, and
the phosphor has a cubic system crystal structure and a lattice constant of 0.8138 nm or greater.

2. The optical member according to claim 1 , wherein
the phosphor has an angle of repose that is 50 degrees or greater.

3. The optical member according to claim 1 , wherein
the wavelength conversion layer is disposed in a region between one end or its vicinity of the first light guide member and the other end or its vicinity of the first light guide member.

4. The optical member according to claim 1 , wherein
the wavelength conversion layer is disposed on a portion of the lateral surface of the first light guide member that is visible from at least one direction.

5. The optical member according to claim 1 , wherein
the wavelength conversion layer is disposed over the entire periphery of the lateral surface of the first light guide member.

6. The optical member according to claim 1 , wherein
the first light guide member has a cylindrical shape.

7. The optical member according to claim 1 , wherein
a surface roughness (Ra) of a surface of the first light guide member is 0.2 μm or greater and 1.0 μm or less.

8. The optical member according to claim 1 , wherein
the first light guide member contains a light diffusion material.

9. The optical member according to claim 1 , wherein
the first light guide member contains a silicone resin, a silicone-modified resin, an epoxy resin, a phenol resin, a polycarbonate resin, an acrylic resin, a methylpentene resin, or a polynorbornene resin.

10. A composite optical member comprising:
the optical member according to claim 1 ; and
a second optical member configured to emit light having a wavelength different from a wavelength of the optical member, wherein
the second optical member is a second light guide member having an elongated shape and including an end surface and a lateral surface extending in a longitudinal direction from the end surface.

11. The composite optical member according to claim 10 , wherein
no wavelength conversion layer is provided on the lateral surface of the second light guide member.

12. The composite optical member according to claim 10 , wherein
the first light guide member and the second light guide member are arranged in parallel.

13. The composite optical member according to claim 12 , wherein
the optical member is in contact with the second optical member.

14. The composite optical member according to claim 10 , wherein
the second light guide member comprises a resin identical to the resin contained in the first light guide member.

15. A lighting device comprising:
the composite optical member according to claim 10 ; and
a light source facing an end surface of the optical member or an end surface of the composite optical member.

16. The lighting device according to claim 15 , wherein the light source is configured to emit light having a peak wavelength that is 380 nm or greater and 485 nm or less.

17. The lighting device according to claim 15 , wherein
a surface roughness of a surface of the first light guide member increases as a distance from the light source increases.

18. The lighting device according to claim 15 , wherein
the first light guide member contains a light diffusion material, and a content of the light diffusion material in the first light guide member increases as a distance from the light source increases.

19. The lighting device according to claim 15 , wherein:
the optical member is configured to emit light having a peak wavelength that is 610 nm or greater and 650 nm or less, and
the second optical member emits light having a peak wavelength that is 380 nm or greater and 485 nm or less.

20. The lighting device according to claim 15 , wherein
the first light guide member and the second light guide member are arranged in parallel, and
the lighting device further comprising:
a switching device configured to switch between the first light guide member and the second light guide member as a member on which light emitted from the light source is incident.

21. The lighting device according to claim 20 , wherein
the switching device comprises a light shielding plate, and
the light shielding plate shields light incident on either the first light guide member or the second light guide member to switch between the first light guide member and the second light guide member as the member on which light emitted from the light source is incident.

22. The lighting device according to claim 20 , wherein
the switching device is configured to switch between the first light guide member and the second light guide member as the member on which light emitted from the light source is incident by moving the light source to a position facing an end surface of the first light guide member or to a position facing an end surface of the second light guide member.

23. The lighting device according to claim 15 , wherein
the light source is disposed with respect to one end surface of the composite optical member.

24. The lighting device according to claim 15 , wherein
the light source faces both end surfaces of the composite optical member.

25. The lighting device according to claim 15 , wherein
the lighting device is used for growing plants.

26. A lighting device comprising:
the optical member according to claim 1 ; and
a light source facing an end surface of the optical member or an end surface of the composite optical member.

27. The lighting device according to claim 26 , wherein
the light source is configured to emit light having a peak wavelength that is 380 nm or greater and 485 nm or less.

28. The lighting device according to claim 26 , wherein
a surface roughness of a surface of the first light guide member increases as a distance from the light source increases.

29. The lighting device according to claim 26 , wherein
the first light guide member contains a light diffusion material, and a content of the light diffusion material in the first light guide member increases as a distance from the light source increases.

30. The lighting device according to claim 16 , wherein
the light source is disposed with respect to one end surface of the optical member.

31. The lighting device according to claim 16 , wherein
the light source faces both end surfaces of the optical member.

32. The lighting device according to claim 16 , wherein
the lighting device is used for growing plants.

Assignees

• Nichia Corp

Inventors

• Yamaoka Kensuke
• Kuroda Hiroaki
• Sanga Daisuke

Classifications

• C09K11/617

  Silicates · CPC title

• C09K11/645 Primary

  with alkali or alkaline earth metals · CPC title

• G02B6/0006

  Coupling light into the fibre (in general G02B6/4298) · CPC title

• A01G7/045

  with electric lighting · CPC title

• G02B6/001 Primary

  the light being emitted along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the fibre · CPC title