# US 2010/0166369 A1 · Cross-type light guide

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- Number: US 2010/0166369 A1
- Document ID: US20100166369A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/723,529
- Filed: 2010-03-12
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2007-09-27
- Assignees: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Kazutaka ISE; Naoki ITO
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100166369A1

## CPC

- G02B 6/125: Bends, branchings or intersections
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

With the width d of the incidence-side light guide portion of a first light guide and the width d of the incidence-side light guide portion of a second light guide, the width W1 of the emission-side light guide portion of the first light guide and the width W2 of the emission-side light guide portion of the second light guide are set to satisfy the relationship of d<W1=W2. In the first light guide, substantially all of the light that has been emitted from the incidence-side light guide portion and has been transmitted through the intersection can be captured by the emission-side light guide portion without being leaked out. In the second light guide, substantially all of the light that has been emitted from the incidence-side light guide portion and has been transmitted through the intersection can be captured by the emission-side light guide portion without being leaked out. Consequently, light loss can be reduced significantly.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cross-type light guide having a first light guide and a second light guide intersecting each other at an intersection:
wherein a width of an emission-side light guide portion of the first light guide, after the intersection, is larger than a width of an incidence-side light guide portion thereof, before the intersection, corresponding to the emission-side light guide portion, and
wherein a width of an emission-side light guide portion of the second light guide, after the intersection, is larger than a width of an incidence-side light guide portion thereof, before the intersection, corresponding to the emission-side light guide portion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cross-type light guide according to claim 1,
wherein a center line in a width direction of the emission-side light guide portion of the first light guide is shifted with respect to a center line in a width direction of the incidence-side light guide portion corresponding to the emission-side light guide portion of the first light guide.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The cross-type light guide according to claim 2,
wherein the center line in the width direction of the emission-side light guide portion of the first light guide is shifted in a direction in which the emission-side light guide portion of the second light guide exists with respect to the center line in the width direction of the incidence-side light guide portion corresponding to the emission-side light guide portion of the first light guide.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The cross-type light guide according to claim 2,
wherein a center line in a width direction of the emission-side light guide portion of the second light guide is shifted with respect to a center line in a width direction of the incidence-side light guide portion corresponding to the emission-side light guide portion of the second light guide.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The cross-type light guide according to claim 4,
wherein the center line in the width direction of the emission-side light guide portion of the second light guide is shifted in a direction in which the emission-side light guide portion of the first light guide exists with respect to the center line in the width direction of the incidence-side light guide portion corresponding to the emission-side light guide portion of the second light guide.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The cross-type light guide according to claim 3,
wherein a center line in a width direction of the emission-side light guide portion of the second light guide is shifted with respect to a center line in a width direction of the incidence-side light guide portion corresponding to the emission-side light guide portion of the second light guide.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The cross-type light guide according to claim 6,
wherein the center line in the width direction of the emission-side light guide portion of the second light guide is shifted in a direction in which the emission-side light guide portion of the first light guide exists with respect to the center line in the width direction of the incidence-side light guide portion corresponding to the emission-side light guide portion of the second light guide.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The cross-type light guide according to claim 1,
wherein an intersection angle φ between the first light guide and the second light guide is 90°.