Optical device and optical system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018180792-A1
Application number	US-201815902786-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 22, 2018
Priority date	Oct 7, 2015
Publication date	Jun 28, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An optical device includes: a light guide plate; a first light emission part provided in a first region of the light guide plate, the first light emission part having optical surfaces that cause the light incident thereon to exit from a first emission surface and a second emission surface opposite the first emission surface; and a second light emission part provided in a second region of the light guide plate, the second light emission part having optical surfaces that cause the light incident thereon to exit from the first emission surface and the second emission surface. The optical device configured to control the luminous flux from the first and second emission surfaces via the optical surfaces in the first and second light emission parts to thereby control how leaked light is perceived by an observer on the opposite side of the emission surface of the light guide plate.

First claim

1 . An optical device comprising:
a light guide plate that guides light in a plane parallel to a first emission surface; a first light emission part provided in a first region of the light guide plate, the first light emission part having a plurality of optical surfaces whereon light guided by the light guide plate is incident, the optical surfaces causing the light incident thereon to exit from the first emission surface and a second emission surface opposite the first emission surface; and a second light emission part provided in a second region of the light guide plate, the second light emission part having a plurality of optical surfaces whereon light guided by the light guide plate is incident, the optical surfaces causing the light incident thereon to exit from the first emission surface and the second emission surface, wherein the luminous flux from the first emission surface by each of the plurality of optical surfaces included in the first light emission part is greater than the luminous flux from the second emission surface by each of the plurality of optical surfaces included in the first light emission part, and the luminous flux from the second emission surface by each of the plurality of optical surfaces included in the second light emission part is greater than the luminous flux from the first emission surface by each of the plurality of optical surfaces included in the second light emission part.

2 . The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein
the luminous flux per unit area emitted from the second emission surface by the second light emission part in a portion adjacent to the first region within the second region is substantially the same as the luminous flux per unit area emitted from the second emission surface by the first light emission part in a portion adjacent to the second region within the first region.

3 . The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein
the luminous flux from the second emission surface by the second light emission part in the second region decreases as the distance of the second light emission part from the first region increases.

4 . The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein
the pattern density of the plurality of optical surfaces included in the second light emission part decreases as the distance of the optical surfaces from the first region increases.

5 . The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein the area of the plurality of optical surfaces included in the second light emission part decreases as the distance of the optical surfaces from the first region increases.

6 . The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second light emission part is provided on the surface opposite the surface whereon the first light emission part is provided.

7 . The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first light emission part is provided on the second emission surface of the light guide plate, and the second light emission part is provided on the first emission surface.

8 . The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein
the light emitted from the first emission surface by the first light emission part produces an image configured for viewing from a position near the first emission surface outside the light guide plate.

9 . The optical device according to claim 8 , wherein
the second light emission part causes the second emission surface to emit light which produces an image that is blurrier than the image produced by light emitted from the first emission surface.

10 . The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second light emission part is provided in the first region and the second region, the second light emission part emitting light of a complementary color to the color of the light emitted from the second emission surface by the first light emission part, and the luminous flux from the second emission surface by the first light emission part and the second light emission part is substantially uniform over the first region and the second region.

11 . The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second light emission part is provided in the first region and the second region and emits white light from the second emission surface, and the luminous flux from the second emission surface by the second light emission part is greater than the luminous flux from the second emission surface by the first light emission part.

12 . The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first light emission part includes a plurality of first light focusing portions each having optical surfaces whereon the light guided by the light guide plate is incident, the optical surfaces causing the first emission surface to emit light in the direction in which the emission light substantially converges on a single convergence point or convergence line in a space, or substantially diverges from a single convergence point or convergence line in space, and the convergence points or the convergence lines are mutually different among the plurality of first light focusing portions and a group of the plurality of convergence points or convergence lines forms an image in a space.

13 . The optical device according to claim 12 , wherein each plurality of first light focusing portions is formed along a predetermined line in a plane parallel to the first emission surface.

14 . The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second light emission part includes a plurality of second light focusing portions each having optical surfaces whereon the light guided by the light guide plate is incident, the optical surfaces causing the second emission surface to emit light in the direction in which the emission light substantially converges on a single convergence point or convergence line in a space, or substantially diverges from a single convergence point or convergence line in space, and the convergence points or the convergence lines of light emitted from the second light emission part are mutually different among the plurality of second light focusing portions and a group of the plurality of convergence points or convergence lines of light emitted from the second light emission part forms an image in a space.

15 . The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein
the pattern density of the plurality of optical surfaces included in the first light emission part is less than or equal to 30%.

16 . An optical system comprising:
an optical device according to claim 1 ; and a second optical device provided to face the second emission surface of the optical device, wherein the second optical device includes:
a second light guide plate that guides light in a plane parallel to an emission surface; and
a light emission part having a plurality of optical surfaces whereon light guided by the light guide plate is incident, the optical surfaces causing the light incident thereon to exit from the emission surface of the second light guide plate, and
the surface opposite the emission surface of the second light guide plate faces the second emission surface of the light guide plate; the light emitted from the first emission surface by the plurality of optical surfaces included in the first light emission part forms an image configured for viewing from a position near the first emission surface outside the light guide plate; and the light emitted from the emission surface by the plurality of optical surfaces included in the light emission part of the second light guide plate forms an image configured for viewing from a position near the emission surface outside the second light guide plate.

Assignees

• Omron Tateisi Electronics Co

Inventors

• Shinohara Masayuki
• Okada Kazuyuki
• Tanoue Yasuhiro
• Kitamura Norikazu

Classifications

• G09F13/18

  Edge-illuminated signs · CPC title

• G02B6/0063

  for extracting light out both the major surfaces of the light guide · CPC title

• G02B6/0036

  2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces · CPC title

• G02B6/006

  to produce indicia, symbols, texts or the like · CPC title

• G02B27/0977

  Reflective elements · CPC title