IP Library Granted Patent US 9,915,772
Granted Patent B2
US 9,915,772 · App. 14/752,197 · Granted Mar 13, 2018

Display back illumination apparatus having compression molded light guide

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,915,772
App. No.
14/752,197
Granted
Mar 13, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

The illumination apparatus includes a light guide plate, a light source disposed opposing an incident light surface of the light guide plate, at least one optical sheet stacked on a light emitting surface of the light guide plate, and a frame for accommodating the light guide plate. On principal surfaces of the light guide plate, a protruding part and a recessed part are provided so as to form a pair at least along an end surface of the light guide plate extending in a direction that intersects an end surface serving as the incident light surface of the light guide plate, or along an end surface that opposes the incident light surface of the light guide plate.

Claims (38)

1. A spread illuminating apparatus comprising:

a light guide plate in which one principal surface among a pair of opposing principal surfaces is a light emitting surface;

at least one piece of optical sheet that is stacked on the emitting surface;

a light source disposed opposing an incident light surface of the light guide plate; and

a frame for accommodating the light guide plate,

wherein on the principal surfaces of the light guide plate, a protruding part that projects in a thickness direction and a recessed part that is recessed in the thickness direction are provided so as to form a pair at least along an end surface of the light guide plate extending in a direction that intersects an end surface serving as the incident light surface of the light guide plate, or along an end surface that opposes the incident light surface of the light guide plate.

2. The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a light blocking member that defines an effective area of the emitting surface of the light guide plate, wherein the light blocking member is fixed spanning across outer edge of the at least one piece of optical sheet and an upper surface of the frame.

3. The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, using a bottom surface that lies at a maximum depth of the recessed part as a reference, a maximum height of the protruding part is formed to match a maximum depth of the recessed part or is formed to be less than the maximum depth of the recessed part.

4. The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a dimension of the protruding part and a dimension of the recessed part in a direction from the end surface at which the protruding part and the recessed part are provided toward a center in a plan view of the pair of opposing principal surfaces of the light guide plate are formed such that the dimension of the recessed part is greater than the dimension of the protruding part.

5. The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the recessed part is formed so as to gradually become deeper beginning at the center in a plan view of the pair of opposing principal surfaces of the light guide plate toward the end surface at which the protruding part is provided, the recessed part reaching a maximum depth at or near the end surface.

6. The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of convex strip-shaped parts extending from the end surface serving as the incident light surface of the light guide plate toward an opposing end surface are provided on one principal surface among the pair of opposing principal surfaces of the light guide plate.

7. The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein both the protruding part and the recessed part are provided on one principal surface among the pair of opposing principal surfaces of the light guide plate such that the recessed part is positioned on the inside of the protruding part in a plan view of the principal surface.

8. The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein one or both of the protruding part and the recessed part is/are provided on the principal surface side serving as the emitting surface of the light guide plate or on the other principal surface side.

9. A spread illuminating apparatus comprising:

a light guide plate in which one principal surface among a pair of opposing principal surfaces is a light emitting surface;

at least one piece of optical sheet that is stacked on the emitting surface;

a light source disposed opposing an incident light surface of the light guide plate; and

a frame for accommodating the light guide plate,

wherein on the principal surfaces of the light guide plate, a protruding part that projects in a thickness direction and a recessed part that is recessed in the thickness direction are provided so as to form a pair along an end surface of the light guide plate, and

wherein the recessed part is formed so as to gradually become deeper beginning at the center in a plan view of the pair of opposing principal surfaces of the light guide plate toward the end surface at which the protruding part is provided, the recessed part reaching a maximum depth at or near the end surface.

10. The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising a light blocking member that defines an effective area of the emitting surface of the light guide plate, wherein the light blocking member is fixed spanning across outer edge of the at least one piece of optical sheet and an upper surface of the frame.

11. The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein, using a bottom surface that lies at a maximum depth of the recessed part as a reference, a maximum height of the protruding part is formed to match a maximum depth of the recessed part or is formed to be less than the maximum depth of the recessed part.

12. The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein a dimension of the protruding part and a dimension of the recessed part in a direction from the end surface at which the protruding part and the recessed part are provided toward a center in a plan view of the pair of opposing principal surfaces of the light guide plate are formed such that the dimension of the recessed part is greater than the dimension of the protruding part.

13. The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein a plurality of convex strip-shaped parts extending from the end surface serving as the incident light surface of the light guide plate toward an opposing end surface are provided on one principal surface among the pair of opposing principal surfaces of the light guide plate.

14. The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein both the protruding part and the recessed part are provided on one principal surface among the pair of opposing principal surfaces of the light guide plate such that the recessed part is positioned on the inside of the protruding part in a plan view of the principal surface.

15. The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein one or both of the protruding part and the recessed part is/are provided on the principal surface side serving as the emitting surface of the light guide plate or on the other principal surface side.

16. A spread illuminating apparatus comprising:

a light guide plate in which one principal surface among a pair of opposing principal surfaces is a light emitting surface;

at least one piece of optical sheet that is stacked on the emitting surface;

a light source disposed opposing an incident light surface of the light guide plate; and

a frame for accommodating the light guide plate,

wherein on the principal surfaces of the light guide plate, a protruding part that projects in a thickness direction and a recessed part that is recessed in the thickness direction are provided so as to form a pair along an end surface of the light guide plate, and

wherein a plurality of convex strip-shaped parts extending from the end surface serving as the incident light surface of the light guide plate toward an opposing end surface are provided on one principal surface among the pair of opposing principal surfaces of the light guide plate.

17. The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 16 , further comprising a light blocking member that defines an effective area of the emitting surface of the light guide plate, wherein the light blocking member is fixed spanning across outer edge of the at least one piece of optical sheet and an upper surface of the frame.

18. The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein, using a bottom surface that lies at a maximum depth of the recessed part as a reference, a maximum height of the protruding part is formed to match a maximum depth of the recessed part or is formed to be less than the maximum depth of the recessed part.

19. The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein a dimension of the protruding part and a dimension of the recessed part in a direction from the end surface at which the protruding part and the recessed part are provided toward a center in a plan view of the pair of opposing principal surfaces of the light guide plate are formed such that the dimension of the recessed part is greater than the dimension of the protruding part.

20. The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein both the protruding part and the recessed part are provided on one principal surface among the pair of opposing principal surfaces of the light guide plate such that the recessed part is positioned on the inside of the protruding part in a plan view of the principal surface.

21. The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein one or both of the protruding part and the recessed part is/are provided on the principal surface side serving as the emitting surface of the light guide plate or on the other principal surface side.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 5, 2020
From: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
To: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
Reel/Frame 051803/0293 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 26, 2015
From: KUNIMOCHI, TORU
To: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 035916/0845 →