Light guide device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9718399-B2
Application number	US-201314435861-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2013
Priority date	Oct 16, 2012
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

A light guide device that performs uniform brightness transmitted light illumination regardless of a distance from an incident portion is provided. Light that is emitted from a light source, and enters from an incident portion of a light guide member (light guide body) made of a translucent member formed along an outer edge portion of a decorated portion, travels in the light guide portion while repeating total reflection by an inner surface of the light guide member. In the light-guiding portion, the light is guided in the decorated portion made of a translucent member from the inside of the light guide member, and is emitted outside by being scattered by the inside of the decorated portion, and in the non-light-guiding portion, the light that travels in the light guide member is prevented from traveling in the decorated portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A light guide device comprising:
a light source;
a light guide body including an incident portion that light emitted from the light source enters, the light guide body being made of a translucent material that guides the light from the incident portion; and
a decorated portion that is disposed to have contact with the light guide body, the decorated portion being made of a translucent material that guides the light guided in the light guide body to be emitted outside by scattering the guided light; wherein
the light guide body includes a plurality of light-guiding portions and a plurality of non-light-guiding portions, the plurality of light-guiding portions and the plurality of non-light-guiding portions being alternately disposed along an outer edge portion of the decorated portion, and
the light-guiding portions guide the light guided in the light guide body in the decorated portion,
the non-light guiding portions prevent the light guided in the light guide body from being guided in the decorated portion,
each of the light-guiding portions is formed such that its length along the outer edge portion of the decorated portion increases with distance from the incident portion in the light guide body, and
each of the non-light-guiding portions is formed such that its length along the outer edge portion of the decorated portion decreases with distance from the incident portion in the light guide body.

2. The light guide device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a dial including a design that is disposed to overlap with a rear surface of the decorated portion; and
an illumination portion that is disposed on a surface of the dial, which is on a side opposite to a side of the decorated portion, to illuminate the design of the dial by transmitted light illumination, wherein
the light which has illuminated the dial by the transmitted light illumination with the illumination portion enters the decorated portion, and is emitted from a surface of the decorated portion.

3. The light guide device according to claim 1 , wherein
the light-guiding portions are formed by cementing the light guide body and the decorated portion, and the non-light guiding portion is portions are formed with a space between the light guide body and the decorated portion.

4. The light guide device according to claim 1 , wherein
the light-guiding portions are formed by cementing the light guide body and the decorated portion, and
the non-light-guiding portions are formed with a groove or a concave between the light guide body and the decorated portion.

5. The light guide device according to claim 1 , wherein
an outer circumference portion of the decorated portion has a circular shape or a circular arc shape,
the light guide body has a circular ring shape that has contact with an outer edge portion of the decorated portion or a part of the circular ring shape.

6. The light guide device according to claim 1 , wherein
the light guide body includes on both ends thereof an incident portion.

7. The light guide device according to claim 1 , wherein the incident portion bends toward a rear surface direction of the decorated portion.

8. The light guide device according to claim 1 , further comprising
a light source brightness controller that controls brightness of the light source.

9. A light guide device comprising:
a light source;
a light guide body including an incident portion that light emitted from the light source enters, the light guide body being made of a translucent material that guides the light from the incident portion; and
a decorated portion that is disposed to have contact with the light guide body, the decorated portion being made of a translucent material that guides the light guided in the light guide body to be emitted outside by scattering the guided light; wherein
the light guide body includes a plurality of light-guiding portions and a plurality of non-light-guiding portions, the plurality of light-guiding portions and the plurality of non-light-guiding portions being alternately disposed along an outer edge portion of the decorated portion, and
the light-guiding portions guide the light guided in the light guide body in the decorated portion,
the non-light guiding portions prevent the light guided in the light guide body from being guided in the decorated portion,
each of the light-guiding portions is formed such that its length along the outer edge portion of the decorated portion increases with distance from the incident portion in the light guide body, and
each of the non-light-guiding portions is formed to have an equal length along the outer edge portion of the decorated portion in the light guide body.

10. The light guide device according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a dial including a design that is disposed to overlap with a rear surface of the decorated portion; and
an illumination portion that is disposed on a surface of the dial, which is on a side opposite to a side of the decorated portion, to illuminate the design of the dial by transmitted light illumination, wherein
the light which has illuminated the dial by the transmitted light illumination with the illumination portion enters the decorated portion, and is emitted from a surface of the decorated portion.

11. The light guide device according to claim 9 , wherein
the light-guiding portions are formed by cementing the light guide body and the decorated portion, and the non-light guiding portions are formed with a space between the light guide body and the decorated portion.

12. The light guide device according to claim 9 , wherein
the light-guiding portions are formed by cementing the light guide body and the decorated portion, and
the non-light-guiding portions are formed with a groove or a concave between the light guide body and the decorated portion.

13. The light guide device according to claim 9 , wherein
the light guide body includes on both ends thereof an incident portion.

14. The light guide device according to claim 9 , further comprising
a light source brightness controller that controls brightness of the light source.

15. A light guide device comprising:
a light source;
a light guide body including an incident portion that light emitted from the light source enters, the light guide body being made of a translucent material that guides the light from the incident portion; and
a decorated portion that is disposed to have contact with the light guide body, the decorated portion being made of a translucent material that guides the light guided in the light guide body to be emitted outside by scattering the guided light; wherein
the light guide body includes a plurality of light-guiding portions and a plurality of non-light-guiding portions, the plurality of light-guiding portions and the plurality of non-light-guiding portions being alternately disposed along an outer edge portion of the decorated portion, and
the light-guiding portions guide the light guided in the light guide body in the decorated portion,
the non-light guiding portions prevent the light guided in the light guide body from being guided in the decorated portion,
each of the light-guiding portions is formed to have an equal length along the outer edge portion of the decorated portion in the light guide body, and
each of the non-light-guiding portions is formed such that its length along the outer edge portion of the decorated portion decreases with distance from the incident portion in the light guide body.

16. The light guide device according to claim 15 , further compris

Assignees

• Calsonic Kansei Corp

Inventors

• Nirei Tsuyoshi

Classifications

• G01D11/28 Primary

  Structurally-combined illuminating devices · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60K35/20

  Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60Q3/14

  lighting through the surface to be illuminated · CPC title

• B60K2350/203

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic