Spread illuminating apparatus
AssigneeMinebea Co., Ltd.
InventorsShingo Suzuki, Koichi Tokoda
Life of this patent
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AssigneeMinebea Co., Ltd.
InventorsShingo Suzuki, Koichi Tokoda
Estimating the term…
There is provided a spread illuminating apparatus which is improved in terms of compactness. A light guiding member (15) provided with a curve (20) is disposed between an end (5a) of a light conductive member (5) and a spot-like light source (6). Light beams from the spot-like light source (6) which travel in the direction orthogonal to an electric wiring board (17) are directed toward the end (5a) of the light conductive member (5) (in the direction parallel with the electric wiring board (17)) to be properly guided while reflected at the curve (20). Since the light beams from the spot-like light source (6) are properly guided, the light beams from the spot-like light source (6) can enter the light conductive member (5) with the spot-like light source (6) and the light conductive member (5) not disposed on the same plane. Therefore, the spot-like light source (6) can be arranged with less restrictions, thereby enabling the spot-like light source (6) to be disposed on the electric wiring board (17) together with other electronic components. Accordingly, in comparison with the conventional art in which the spot-like light source can not be disposed on the electric wiring board together with other electronic components requiring separate circuits to be provided, the apparatus can be improved in terms of compactness.
A spread illuminating apparatus having a bar-like light source disposed in the vicinity of an end surface of a transparent substrate made of a light transmissible material, characterized in that said light source is composed of a light conductive member which is made of a transparent material, formed bar-like and disposed close to and along at least one end face of said transparent substrate, and a spot-like light source which is disposed at at least one end of said light conductive member, and that a light guiding member which can guide light is provided between the end of said light conductive member and said spot-like light source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.