Patent · US Expired

Lightguide

US6259854A · kind A · utility

102Cited by
3References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 29, 1999
Grant dateJul 10, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 29, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S385/901
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A lightguide which guides light from at least one side end plane and includes a plurality of approximately trapezoidal protrusions whose apex edge in the cross section perpendicular to the axis of a linear light source has a partially straight section. The approximately trapezoidal protrusions are arranged on the rear surface of the lightguide, opposing a light emitting surface. The approximately trapezoidal protrusions are arranged in a pattern of specks, solid lines, or broken lines. The pattern has a low area density in a region neighboring the at least one side end plane and at a high area density in a region removed from the at least one side end plane such that the luminance distribution of the light emitted from the light emitting surface is approximately uniform. Preferably, the approximately trapezoidal protrusions have, in the same cross section, two rounded corners, and the roughness of the surface that includes the apex edge of the protrusions, the roughness of the rear surface excluding the protrusions, is less than 0.2 .mu.m, the ratio of the height H to the width W of the approximately trapezoidal protrusions in the same cross-section be 0.1.ltoreq.H/W.ltoreq.0.6, an…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.