IP Library Granted Patent US 9,574,736
Granted Patent B2
US 9,574,736 · App. 14/139,958 · Granted Feb 21, 2017

Backlight device, light source device, lens, electronic apparatus and light guide plate

Inventor: Takeo Arai (Saitama, JP)
Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
F21V5/04G02B6/003G02B6/0016G02B6/0031G02B6/0068
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,574,736
App. No.
14/139,958
Granted
Feb 21, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein is a backlight device. The device includes: a light emitting element; a lens having an incident surface on which light emitted by the light emitting element is incident, and an outgoing surface which has an ability to converge the light and from which the light incident on the incident surface goes out; a light guide plate having a light incidence plane and introducing through the incidence plane the light going out from the outgoing surface, so as to perform surface light emission; and a reflective member operative to reflect a portion of the light going out from the outgoing surface of the lens, toward the incidence plane of the light guide plate.

Claims (37)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a lens including

an incident surface configured to receive light emitted by a light emitting element;

a side surface including a portion arranged to extend parallel to a base part of a reflective member; and

an outgoing surface configured to converge light so that a portion of light incident on the incident surface is transmitted toward a wedge part of the reflective member; and

the reflective member including

the base part having a constant thickness; and

the wedge part integrally formed with the base part, the wedge part extending from the base part and being tapered away from the outgoing surface of the lens beginning at a junction of the side surface and the outgoing surface of the lens.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the incident surface includes a principal surface configured to converge light and a projected surface provided at an end portion of the principal surface and projected from the principal surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the principal surface is one of a cylindrical surface and a toroidal surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the outgoing surface has a principal surface configured to converge light and the side surface provided at a side portion of the principal surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the incident surface diverges light upon transmittal of light through the incident surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the outgoing surface is one of a cylindrical surface and a toroidal surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the side surface includes a flat surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the side surface includes a curved surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wedge part is tapered from the base part.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the base part of the reflective member includes a complementary portion that extends parallel to and is in alignment with the portion of the side surface.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the incident surface is configured to transmit the portion of light incident on the incident surface toward the base part of the reflective member through the side surface.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the base part of the reflective member is configured to reflect the light received from the side surface toward the outgoing surface through the side surface.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the outgoing surface is configured to transmit the light received through the side surface toward the wedge part of the reflective member.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the wedge part of the reflective member is configured to reflect the light received through the outgoing surface toward the incidence plane of the light guide plate.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a lens including

an incident surface configured to receive light emitted by a light emitting element;

a side surface; and

an outgoing surface; and

a reflective member including

a base part arranged having a constant thickness and arranged to extend parallel to the side surface of the lens; and

a wedge part integrally formed with the base part, the wedge part having a progressively decreasing thickness as it extends away from the base part and configured to reflect light emitted from the outgoing surface of the lens.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a reflective member including

the base part having a constant thickness; and

a wedge part integrally formed with the base part, the wedge part extending from the base part and having a progressively decreasing thickness as it extends away from the base part; and

a lens including

an incident surface configured to receive light emitted by a light emitting element;

a side surface including a portion arranged to extend parallel to the base part of the reflective member; and

an outgoing surface configured to emit at least a portion of light incident on the incident surface toward the wedge part of the reflective member.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF THE ENTIRE INTEREST SUBJECT TO AN AGREEMENT RECITED IN THE DOCUMENT Recorded Jan 18, 2017
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: SATURN LICENSING LLC
Reel/Frame 041391/0037 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 11, 2014
From: ARAI, TAKEO
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032671/0279 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2006-216803 · Aug 9, 2006 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 13606766 · Sep 7, 2012
Division 11890333 · Aug 6, 2007
Related Publication 20140112002A1 · Apr 24, 2014