# US 10,502,871 B2 · Light flux controlling member, light-emitting device, illumination apparatus, and mold > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,871 B2 - Document ID: US10502871B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/888,307 - Filed: 2014-04-14 - Published: 2016-03-17 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-05-02 - Assignees: Enplas Corporation - Applicants: Enplas Corporation - Inventors: Tomohiro Saito - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502871B2 ## CPC - G02B 3/08: with discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lens {(diffractive Fresnel lenses G02B5/1876)} - B29C 33/3842: {Manufacturing moulds, e.g. shaping the mould surface by machining} - B29C 33/42: characterised by the shape of the moulding surface, e.g. ribs or grooves - F21V 5/045: {the lens having discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lenses} - B29K 2905/00: Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, as mould material - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - G02B 13/00: Optical objectives specially designed for the purposes specified below (with variable magnification {in general} G02B15/00) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS - F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED ## Abstract In a light flux controlling member (140), light emitted from a light-emitting element enters from an incidence region (141), and is emitted from an emitting region (142). The light-incidence region (141) includes a plurality of protrusions. The protrusions have ridgelines that are connected between two of four virtual lines that are adjacent to each other, the virtual lines joining an intersecting point and a vertex point of diagonal lines of a first virtual quadrangle. Valleys are formed between the plurality of protrusions. The planar shape of the ridge lines is an arc, and the radius of curvature of the ridge lines is greater than the distance from the intersection point of the diagonal lines of the first virtual quadrangle to the midpoint of the ridge lines. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light flux controlling member that controls a distribution of light emitted from a light emitting element, the light flux controlling member comprising: an incidence region on which light emitted from the light emitting element is incident; and an emission region from which light incident on the incidence region is emitted, wherein the incidence region includes a plurality of protrusions each having a ridgeline connecting two adjacent first virtual lines of four first virtual lines, each of the four first virtual lines connecting a vertex of a first virtual quadrangle with an intersection of diagonals of the first virtual quadrangle, wherein the plurality of protrusions are disposed such that every two of the plurality protrusions adjacent to each other have a valley part between the two adjacent first virtual lines, wherein in plan view, at least one of a plurality of ridgelines is a first ridgeline forming one arc shape entirely between the two adjacent first virtual lines connected by the first ridgeline, and wherein the first ridgeline having curvature radius greater than a distance from the intersection to a middle point of the first ridgeline. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The light flux controlling member according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of ridgelines include at least one ridgeline which is the first ridgeline forming the one arc shape entirely between the two adjacent first virtual lines and at least one ridgeline which is a second ridgeline having a linear shape in plan view, and wherein a first protrusion having the first ridgeline has a height lower than a height of a second protrusion having the second ridgeline, the second protrusion disposed on an outside relative to the first protrusion having the first ridgeline. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The light flux controlling member according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of ridgelines forms the arc shape entirely between the two adjacent first virtual lines. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The light flux controlling member according to claim 1, wherein the first ridgeline protrudes toward the intersection in plan view, and wherein the first ridgeline has a curvature center on a straight line passing through the intersection and a middle point of one side of the first virtual quadrangle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The light flux controlling member according to claim 1, wherein the first ridgeline protrudes in a direction away from the intersection in plan view, and wherein the first ridgeline has a curvature center on a straight line passing through the intersection and a middle point of one side of the first virtual quadrangle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The light flux controlling member according to claim 1, wherein ridgelines connecting the two adjacent first virtual lines have the same curvature center. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A light-emitting device comprising: a light emitting element; and the light flux controlling member according to claim 1, wherein the intersection is on an optical axis of the light emitting element. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An illumination apparatus comprising: the light-emitting device according to claim 7; and a cover configured to allow light emitted from the light-emitting device to pass therethrough while diffusing the light. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A mold for molding the light flux controlling member according to claim 1, the mold comprising an incidence region molding region for molding the incidence region, wherein the incidence region molding region includes a plurality of recesses each having a valley line connecting two adjacent second virtual lines of four second virtual lines, each of the four second virtual lines connecting a vertex of a second virtual quadrangle with an intersection of diagonals of the second virtual quadrangle, wherein the plurality of recesses are disposed in a manner such that every two adjacent recesses form a top part between the two adjacent second virtual lines, wherein in plan view, at least one of a plurality of valley lines is a first valley line forming one arc shape entirely between the two adjacent second virtual lines connected by the first valley line, and wherein the first valley line forming a curvature radius greater than a distance from the intersection of the diagonals of the second virtual quadrangle to a middle point of the first valley line. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The mold according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of valley lines include at least one valley line which is the first valley line forming the on arc shape entirely between the two adjacent second virtual lines and at least one valley line which is a second valley line having a linear shape in plan view, and wherein a first recess having the first valley line has a depth less than a depth of a second recess having the second valley line, the second recess disposed on an outside relative to the first recess having the first valley line. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The mold according to claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of valley lines is a valley line having the arc shape. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The mold according to claim 9, wherein the at least one valley lines protrudes toward the intersection in plan view, and wherein the first valley line has a curvature center on a straight line passing through the intersection of the diagonals of the second virtual quadrangle and a middle point of one side of the second virtual quadrangle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The mold according to claim 9, wherein the first valley line protrudes in a direction away from the intersection in plan view, and wherein the first valley line has a curvature center on a straight line passing through the intersection of the diagonals of the second virtual quadrangle and a middle point of one side of the second virtual quadrangle.