Plane-like lighting units and display equipment provided therewith
US6561663B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 16, 2001 |
| Grant date | May 13, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 16, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S385/901
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A lighting unit is provided which comprises: a plurality of linear light sources arranged in parallel; light-guiding plates arranged along said light sources; light diffusion means arranged at the top of said light sources and light-guiding plates; and reflection means arranged at the bottom of the light sources; wherein said lighting unit is characterized in that the surface of each light-guiding plate is flat, in that the reverse side of the light-guiding plate includes an inclined face of a curvilinear shape that thins down as the inclined face is more distanced from the light source, and in that when a position relatively near the light source and a position relatively far from the light source, on the reverse side of the light-guiding plate, are inclined by &thgr;n1 and &thgr;f1, respectively, the relationship of &thgr;n1 ≧&thgr;f1 is satisfied and the angle-of-inclination of the thinnest portion on the reverse side of the light-guiding plate is 0 degrees. With this arrangement, supply of a thin lighting unit that is high in luminance and in the in-plane uniformity of luminance can be obtained.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.