IP Library Patent Application 18458894
Patent Application
App. No. 18/458,894

LIGHTING DEVICE

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
18/458,894
Abstract

A lighting device includes: a light source; and a display part that displays a first design on a front-side surface by transmitting, in a shape of the first design, light emitted by the light source. The display part includes: a front-side part including the front-side surface and a first portion that transmits light in the shape of the first design; and a light guide that is located behind the front-side part and transmits the light from the light source toward the front-side part, the light source is located at a position different from the first portion, the light guide includes a portion having a thickness that decreases with distance from the light source, and a protrusion including a light incidence surface on which the light from the light source is incident at an incident angle of a predetermined angle is provided on a back-side surface of the light guide.

Claims (37)

1 . A lighting device comprising:

a light source; and

a display part that displays a first design on a front-side surface of the display part by transmitting light forward in a shape of the first design, the light being emitted by the light source, wherein

the display part includes:

a front-side part that includes the front-side surface and a first portion that transmits light in the shape of the first design; and

a light guide that is located behind the front-side part and transmits the light from the light source toward the front-side part,

the light source is located at a position different from the first portion of the front-side part in a plan view of the front-side surface,

the light guide includes a portion that is located at a position different from the light source and overlapping with the first portion of the front-side part in the plan view of the front-side surface, the portion having a thickness that decreases with distance from the light source, and

the light guide includes, on a back-side surface of the portion having the thickness that decreases with distance from the light source, a protrusion including a light incidence surface on which the light from the light source is incident at an incident angle that is a predetermined angle.

2 . The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein

the predetermined angle is less than or equal to one half of a Brewster angle that is defined by a refractive index of the light guide and a refractive index of a medium around the light guide.

3 . The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein

the protrusion is in a shape extending in a direction intersecting a direction connecting the light source and the first portion.

4 . The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein

the light guide includes, on the back-side surface, a plurality of protrusions disposed at positions different in distance from the light source, each of the plurality of protrusions being the protrusion.

5 . The lighting device according to claim 4 , wherein

the plurality of protrusions include a first protrusion and a second protrusion that is located farther from the light source than the first protrusion is, and

a first angle of a first light incidence surface of the first protrusion with respect to the front-side surface is smaller than a second angle of a second light incidence surface of the second protrusion with respect to the front-side surface.

6 . The lighting device according to claim 4 , wherein

the plurality of protrusions are arranged at a predetermined pitch.

7 . The lighting device according to claim 4 , wherein

the plurality of protrusions are continuously arranged adjacent to one another.

8 . The lighting device according to claim 4 , wherein

the predetermined pitch between the plurality of protrusions varies according to distance from the light source.

9 . The lighting device according to claim 8 , wherein

the predetermined pitch between the plurality of protrusions increases with distance from the light source.

10 . The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein

the light guide includes a protruding part protruding backward,

the protruding part is located behind the first portion of the front-side part,

the protruding part has a thickness that decreases with distance from the light source, and

the protruding part includes, on a back-side surface of the protruding part, the protrusion including the light incidence surface on which the light from the light source is incident at the incident angle that is the predetermined angle.

11 . The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein

the front-side part further includes a second portion that transmits light in a shape of a second design, and

the light source is located at a position overlapping with the second portion of the front-side part in the plan view of the front-side surface.

12 . The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first portion of the front-side part includes a third portion and a fourth portion, and

the light source is located at a position different from the third portion and the fourth portion of the front-side part in the plan view of the front-side surface.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2024
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066709/0727 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 13, 2023
From: MASUDA, KATSUYOSHI
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 065864/0810 →