IP Library Granted Patent US 10,203,441
Granted Patent B2
US 10,203,441 · App. 15/045,634 · Granted Feb 12, 2019

Illuminating device, display device, and portable electronic device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,203,441
App. No.
15/045,634
Granted
Feb 12, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An illuminating device includes a light emitting element constituted of a light emitting diode, and a light guide plate including a light receiving section provided on a side face and opposed to the light emitting element. The light guide plate emits illuminating light from a first surface. The light receiving section includes a plurality of cylindrical lens surfaces each formed of a concave curved surface oriented such that an axial direction of the curved surface is parallel to a thickness direction of the light guide plate, the cylindrical lens surfaces being aligned in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction. The cylindrical lens surface is formed of an arcuate surface having a curvature radius of 0.5 mm or less, and more preferably 0.2 mm or less.

Claims (40)

1. An illuminating device comprising:

a light emitting element; and

a light guide plate including a light receiving section located on a side face opposed to the light emitting element and configured to emit illuminating light from one of a first surface and a second surface which oppose each other in a thickness direction,

wherein the light receiving section includes a plurality of cylindrical lens surfaces each formed of a concave curved surface formed in an edge of the light guide plate and curving inward from the edge of the light guide plate toward a middle portion of the light guide plate and away from the light emitting element and oriented such that an axial direction of the curved surface is parallel to a thickness direction of the light guide plate, the cylindrical lens surfaces being aligned in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction.

2. The illuminating device according to claim 1 ,

wherein a maximum width of the light guide plate, taken in a width direction orthogonal to a direction in which the light emitting element and the light receiving section oppose each other, is larger than a width of a portion corresponding to the light receiving section.

3. The illuminating device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the cylindrical lens surfaces are each formed of an arcuate surface having a curvature radius equal to or less than 0.5 mm.

4. The illuminating device according to claim 3 ,

wherein the cylindrical lens surfaces are each formed of an arcuate surface having a curvature radius equal to or less than 0.2 mm.

5. The illuminating device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the cylindrical lens surfaces adjacent to each other in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction are directly connected to each other.

6. The illuminating device according to claim 1 ,

wherein a surface parallel to a light emitting surface of the light emitting element is provided between the cylindrical lens surfaces adjacent to each other in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction.

7. The illuminating device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the light emitting element is a light emitting diode.

8. A display device comprising:

the illuminating device according to claim 1 ; and

a display panel opposed to one of the first surface and the second surface of the light guide plate.

9. A display device comprising:

the illuminating device according to claim 2 ; and

a display panel opposed to one of the first surface and the second surface of the light guide plate.

10. A display device comprising:

the illuminating device according to claim 3 ; and

a display panel opposed to one of the first surface and the second surface of the light guide plate.

11. A display device comprising:

the illuminating device according to claim 4 ; and

a display panel opposed to one of the first surface and the second surface of the light guide plate.

12. A display device comprising:

the illuminating device according to claim 5 ; and

a display panel opposed to one of the first surface and the second surface of the light guide plate.

13. A display device comprising:

the illuminating device according to claim 6 ; and

a display panel opposed to one of the first surface and the second surface of the light guide plate.

14. A display device comprising:

the illuminating device according to claim 7 ; and

a display panel opposed to one of the first surface and the second surface of the light guide plate.

15. The display device according to claim 8 ,

wherein the display panel is a reflective display panel.

16. A portable electronic device comprising the display device according to claim 8 .

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2018
From: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
To: E INK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047072/0325 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 17, 2016
From: KOBAYASHI, HIDEKAZU
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 037753/0015 →