Lighting member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9933130-B2
Application number	US-201615168855-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2016
Priority date	Jul 24, 2015
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

A lighting member includes a light guiding element, and a housing including a cover element and a light-guiding-element attachment claw. The cover element is formed as a frame shape, is capable of deforming elastically, and covers an outer peripheral face of the light guiding element over the entire circumference. The light-guiding-element attachment claw is disposed integrally with the cover element, and protrudes diametrically toward an inner side beyond the outer peripheral face of the light guiding element. The housing has an inner peripheral face facing the outer peripheral face of the light guiding element, and further includes a larger-clearance portion and smaller-clearance portion. The larger-clearance portion provides a larger clearance between the inner peripheral face of the cover element and the outer peripheral face of the light guiding element than does the smaller-clearance portion between them.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting member comprising:
a light guiding element having an outer peripheral face; and
a housing including a cover element formed as a frame shape, being capable of deforming elastically and covering the outer peripheral face of the light guiding element over an entire circumference thereof, and a light-guiding-element attachment claw disposed integrally with the cover element, and protruding toward an inner side that is present on a more inside than is the outer peripheral face of the light guiding element, wherein
the cover element of the housing has an inner peripheral face facing the outer peripheral face of the light guiding element,
the cover element includes
a larger-clearance portion providing a large clearance between the inner peripheral face of the cover element and the outer peripheral face of the light guiding element and
a smaller-clearance portion providing therebetween a small clearance, which is smaller than the large clearance that the larger-clearance portion provides,

the light-guiding-element attachment claw of the housing is disposed at the larger-clearance portion in the cover element of the housing,
the cover element of the housing has an inner circumference formed as a non-true-circular shape,
the cover element includes the larger-clearance portion in a quantity of one each at opposite ends thereof, where the inner circumference exhibits a maximum diameter, in a first axial direction thereof, and in a quantity of one each at other opposite ends in a second axial direction thereof intersecting with the first axial direction perpendicularly, and
the light-guiding-element attachment claw is disposed at each of the larger-clearance portions.

2. The lighting member according to claim 1 , wherein:
the cover element of the housing has an inner circumference formed as a non-true-circular shape;
the cover element includes the larger-clearance portion in a quantity of one each at opposite ends thereof, where the inner circumference exhibits a maximum diameter, in a first axial direction thereof; and
the light-guiding-element attachment claw is disposed at each of the larger-clearance portions.

3. The lighting member according to claim 2 , wherein the cover element of the housing includes the larger-clearance portions disposed at equal intervals.

4. The lighting member according to claim 1 further comprising a base element, wherein:
the housing further includes a base-element attachment claw disposed integrally with the cover element, and engaging with the base element; and
the base-element attachment claw is disposed at a position avoiding the larger-clearance portion.

5. The lighting member according to claim 4 , wherein the base-element attachment claw is disposed at the smaller-clearance portion.

6. The lighting member according to claim 1 , wherein the cover element of the housing has the inner peripheral face formed as a teardrop shape.

7. The lighting member according to claim 1 , wherein the cover element of the housing exhibits a maximum curvature at the larger-clearance portion.

8. The lighting member according to claim 1 , wherein the cover element of the housing includes the larger-clearance portions disposed at equal intervals.

9. The lighting member according to claim 1 , wherein the light guiding element includes a region subjected to a light diffusion treatment, the region having an area that grows gradually in an optical flow direction.

10. The lighting member according to claim 9 , wherein the area changes from small to large at the larger-clearance portion in the optical flow direction.

11. The lighting member according to claim 1 further comprising a light introducing element that follows the light guiding element continuously to protrude therefrom and make a convex lens at a protruded end thereof.

Assignees

• Toyoda Gosei Kk

Inventors

• Umeda Yukihiko

Classifications

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• G02B6/001

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

• G02B6/0095

  Light guides as housings, housing portions, shelves, doors, tiles, windows, or the like · CPC title

• F21V5/002 Primary

  using microoptical elements for redirecting or diffusing light · CPC title

• G02B6/00

  Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings · CPC title