# US 8,783,934 B2 · Spread illuminating apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,934 B2 - Document ID: US8783934B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/431,515 - Filed: 2012-03-27 - Published: 2012-10-18 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2011-04-18 - Assignees: Minebea Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Yasuo Ohno; Masahisa Nishio - Inventors: Yasuo Ohno; Masahisa Nishio - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783934B2 ## CPC - H05K 1/14: Structural association of two or more printed circuits (providing electric connection to or between printed circuits H05K1/11, H01R12/00) - G02B 6/0083: {Details of electrical connections of light sources to drivers, circuit boards, or the like} - G02F 1/133615: {Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side} - H05K 1/148: {Arrangements of two or more hingeably connected rigid printed circuit boards, i.e. connected by flexible means} - H05K 2201/10106: Light emitting diode [LED] - H05K 2201/10189: Non-printed connector - H05K 2201/10287: Metal wires as connectors or conductors - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS ## Abstract A sidelight type spread illuminating apparatus includes a light guiding plate; a plurality of circuit boards arranged so as to face a side end face of the light guiding plate; a light source mounted on the circuit boards; and a connector that electrically connects the circuit boards adjacent to each other. The connector includes a socket and a plug that are removable therebetween. The socket and the plug are configured to be removable in a direction parallel to each mounting surface of the light sources of the circuit boards in a state that either the socket or the plug is fixed to ends of the circuit boards adjacent to each other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sidelight type spread illuminating apparatus comprising: a light guiding plate; a plurality of strip-shaped circuit boards arranged so as to face a side end face of the light guiding plate, each of the circuit boards being configured to have a long-extended side and a narrow side; light sources mounted on the circuit boards; and a connector that electrically connects the circuit boards adjacent to each other, wherein the connector includes a socket and a plug that are removable therebetween, the socket and the plug are configured to be removable in a direction parallel to each mounting surface of the light sources of the circuit boards in a state that either the socket or the plug is fixed to ends of the circuit boards adjacent to each other, and the socket and the plug are configured to be removable relative to each other only in a direction along the narrow side of each of the circuit boards. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a frame that is configured to house the light guiding plate and the circuit boards and that has a sidewall parallel to the side end face of the light guiding plate, wherein the circuit boards are arranged and fixed to the sidewall of the frame. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the frame has at least two sidewalls that face to each other, the frame thus being in a U-shaped cross-section with an opening, and either the socket or the plug is fixed to the circuit boards being configured to allow the socket and the plug removable relative to each other parallel to a thickness of the light guiding plate and in a direction toward the opening of the frame. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pair of sockets are fixed to the ends of the circuit boards adjacent to each other; a pair of plugs are mounted to the pair of sockets, each of the plugs including a terminal electrically connected to an electrode of each socket, a plug body holding each of the terminals, and a connecting portion electrically connecting each of the terminals held in the plug body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the connecting portion is configured to have a certain length to make an interval between each of the pair of plugs to correspondent to an interval between each of the pair of sockets fixed to the ends of the circuit boards adjacent to each other. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the connecting portion is configured to have flexibility. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the socket includes: a concave portion that opens toward the outside of a circuit board and is fitted with the terminal of the plug; and the electrode that is exposed in the concave portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The spread illuminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connector is arranged on a mounting surface side of a circuit board on which a light source is arranged, and an optical axis length of the connector is configured to be smaller than an optical axis length of the light source.