# US 9,429,703 B2 · Illumination apparatus, liquid-crystal display apparatus, and electronic device

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- Number: US 9,429,703 B2
- Document ID: US9429703B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/615,934
- Filed: 2015-02-06
- Published: 2015-06-04
- Granted: 2016-08-30
- Earliest claimed: 2011-08-17
- Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Inventors: Yoichi Momose; Nobutaka Urano
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9429703B2

## CPC

- G02B 6/0091: {of the light source relative to the light guide (G02B6/0021 takes precedence)}
- G02B 6/0031: {Reflecting element, sheet or layer}
- G02B 6/0068: {Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources}
- G02F 1/1336: {Illuminating devices}
- G02F 1/133317: {Intermediate frames, e.g. between backlight housing and front frame}
- 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

An illumination apparatus includes: a light-guiding plate; a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed along a side-end surface of the light-guiding plate that serves as a light-entry portion, each of the plurality of light-emitting elements has a light-emitting surface which faces toward the light entry portion; a light source substrate, disposed and separated with a space from the light entry portion of the light-guiding plate when viewed from above, that includes a mounting surface for the plurality of light-emitting elements, the mounting surface being orthogonal to the side-end surface serving as the light entry portion; and a step portion with which an end portion of the light source substrate located toward the light-guiding plate makes contact.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An illumination device comprising:
a light-guiding member;
a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed along a side-end surface of the light-guiding member that serves as a light-entry portion, each of the plurality of light-emitting elements has a light-emitting surface which faces toward the light-entry portion;
a light source substrate, disposed and separated with a space from the light-entry portion of the light-guiding member when viewed from above that includes a mounting surface for the plurality of light-emitting elements, the mounting surface being orthogonal to the side-end surface serving as the light-entry portion; and
a frame having a base plate portion on a side of the light-guiding member that is opposite to the direction in which a light is emitted from the light-guiding member,
the frame forming a step portion with which an end portion of the light source substrate located toward the light-guiding member makes contact, the step portion positioned between the light-entry portion of the light-guiding member and the light-emitting surface when viewed from above.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The illumination device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a light-reflecting member being positioned between the light-guiding member and the frame,
wherein the step portion overlaps with a side end of the light-reflecting member.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The illumination device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a light-reflecting member being positioned between the light-guiding member and the frame,
wherein the step attaches to a side end of the light-reflecting member.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The illumination apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein an end portion of each of the plurality of the light-emitting elements on an opposite side as the light source substrate is positioned lower than a light emission surface of the light-guiding member.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The illumination apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein a depth dimension of the step portion is equal to a thickness dimension of the light source substrate.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The illumination apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein a depth dimension of the step portion is smaller than a thickness dimension of the light source substrate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The illumination apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the light-emitting surface of each of the plurality of the light-emitting elements is located closer toward the light-guiding member than the end portion of the light source substrate that is located toward the light-guiding member.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A electro-optical apparatus provided with the illumination device according to claim 1, the electro-optical apparatus comprising:
a liquid-crystal panel disposed overlapping a light-emitting portion of the light-guiding member.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

An electronic device comprising the electro-optical apparatus according to claim 8.