JP2003141904A - Linear luminous body - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a linear luminous body of a single-layer structure which can retain high light transmission efficiency not only at an initial period but also after degradation due to ultraviolet rays, in case of use at a place exposed to ultraviolet rays such as outdoors, with measures taken against degradation due to ultraviolet. SOLUTION: The linear luminous body 1, provided with a transparent columnar light guide body 2 and at least one strip light-reflecting layer 3 extended along its longitudinal direction, makes light incident from a light source arranged at least at an end part of the columnar light guide body 2 emitted from sides of the columnar light guide body in the longitudinal direction. An ultraviolet shielding agent or an ultraviolet absorbent is contained at least on the light- emitting faces of a surface layer region 4 at side peripheral faces of the light guide body 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a linear luminous body (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "luminous body") which emits light having directivity by emitting light incident from an end portion from a side surface. , It is possible to maintain a good light emission state up to the end even after the deterioration of ultraviolet rays, as well as the initial characteristics,
The present invention relates to a linear luminous body suitable for outdoor use.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, neon tubes, fluorescent tubes and the like have been used as light-emitting bodies capable of emitting light over a length of several meters. However, since these neon tubes and fluorescent tubes require high voltage for light emission, they should be used because there is a risk of electric shock or leakage in water, places exposed to rain or snow, etc. Moreover, since it is formed of a glass tube, it has a poor impact resistance, and there is a problem in using it in a place where an object such as a person or a car is easily contacted.

Therefore, as a light emitting body which does not cause the above problems, a linear tube formed by filling a flexible tube with a transparent core liquid or a flexible transparent polymer to form a two-layer structure consisting of a surface layer and a core layer. A light-emitting body (light transmission tube), a linear light-emitting body having a single layer structure using a rod-shaped light guide made of a transparent material such as glass or resin, and the like have been proposed. These allow light emitted from the light source to enter from one end thereof and emit light from the side surface of the tube over a length of several tens of meters. The light source and the light emitting portion can be separated, and there is no risk of damage. Therefore, it can be used in water, outdoors, and in environments where there is a risk of explosion. In addition, since complicated processing such as glasswork is not required, it is easy to manufacture and has good workability and workability. It has the advantage that

In the case where side light is emitted from such a linear luminous body, it is important to use a material having excellent transparency in both the single layer structure and the double layer structure. In particular, in the case of a two-layered linear luminous body, since the core layer is formed of a material having a higher refractive index than the surface layer, a resin material having excellent transparency, for example, a refractive index of about 1.6 is used. Polystyrene (PS), about 1.49 polymethylmethacrylate (P
MMA), and about 1.59 polycarbonate (P
In the combination of C), the difference in refractive index between the two layers is small.

When light having various incident angles is made to enter such a light-emitting body by using a general light source such as a light emitting diode (LED) instead of a highly directional light source such as laser light, Light transmission in the depth direction becomes very inefficient. This is because the difference in the refractive index between the two layers is small, so that the light totally reflected at the interface is small, that is, the attenuation rate of the propagating light is high. In terms of the light transmission efficiency in the length direction, the single layer structure has a higher refractive index between the air layer (refractive index: about 1) and the resin material than the double layer structure including the surface layer and the core layer. This is advantageous because the difference in the ratio becomes large, and a bright linear light guide can be formed to the tip.

[0006]

However, any transparent resin material will fog when it is continuously exposed to ultraviolet rays.
Since it has a drawback that transparency is deteriorated, a problem arises in terms of environmental resistance when actually used outdoors. In a two-layer structure, it is possible to prevent deterioration by using a resin with an ultraviolet shielding agent or an ultraviolet absorbing agent mixed in the surface layer, but the transparent resin containing an ultraviolet absorbing agent is itself transparent. Therefore, it cannot be used for a core layer in a two-layer structure or a constituent material for a single-layer structure. Therefore, the linear light guide having a single-layer structure has a problem in that the initial light transmission efficiency is good, but the performance is deteriorated due to deterioration of ultraviolet rays.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and take measures against ultraviolet deterioration in a linear luminous body having a single-layer structure so that when used in a place exposed to ultraviolet rays such as outdoors, Another object of the present invention is to provide a linear luminous body capable of maintaining high light transmission efficiency even after being deteriorated by ultraviolet rays.

[0008]

As a result of intensive studies to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventor has found that the above-mentioned object can be achieved by the following constitution, and has completed the present invention. . That is, the present invention is as shown below.

<1> A linear luminous body comprising a transparent columnar light guide and at least one strip-shaped light reflecting layer along the longitudinal direction, and the linear luminous body is provided at at least one end of the columnar light guide. In a linear light emitting body that emits light incident from a light source emitted from the side surface in the longitudinal direction of the columnar light guide, at least a light emitting surface in a surface layer region of a side circumferential surface of the columnar light guide is shielded by ultraviolet rays. It is a linear luminescent material characterized by containing an agent or an ultraviolet absorber.

<2> In the linear luminous body of <1> above,
It is a linear luminous body in which the ultraviolet shielding agent or the ultraviolet absorbing agent is contained over the entire circumference of the surface layer region of the side peripheral surface of the columnar light guide.

<3> In the linear light-emitting body of <1> or <2>, the strip-shaped light reflection layer is a colored resin layer formed,
It is a linear light-emitting body provided by forming a coating film containing a light-reflecting material or imparting unevenness to the columnar light guide.

<4> In the linear light-emitting body according to any one of the above <1> to <3>, the cross-section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the columnar light guide is a circular shape or a semi-cylindrical shape. is there.

<5> In the linear light-emitting body according to any one of <1> to <4>, the ratio of the thickness of the surface layer region to the linear diameter of the columnar light guide is 1:10 to 1: 1. It is a linear light emitter having a range of 200.

<6> In the linear luminous body according to any one of <1> to <5>, the columnar light guide is a linear luminous body made of polymethylmethacrylate.

According to the invention of <1>, particularly <2>,
By protecting the core region of the columnar light guide with a surface layer region containing an ultraviolet shielding agent or an ultraviolet absorber, it is possible to appropriately suppress the deterioration of the core region even when the light emitter receives ultraviolet rays. It is possible to utilize the advantages of the single layer structure. That is, it is possible to realize a high-performance linear luminous body capable of exhibiting a high light transmissivity even when a low-directional light source such as an LED is used both in the initial stage and after the deterioration by ultraviolet rays. Further, according to the invention of <3> or <4>, it becomes possible to satisfactorily emit a high-luminance band-shaped light having high directivity from the linear light-emitting body. Further, according to the invention of <5>, the surface layer region made of a transparent resin containing an ultraviolet absorber or the like can be optimized in terms of both prevention of deterioration with respect to ultraviolet rays and suppression of attenuation of light, resulting in light transmission efficiency. It is possible to appropriately prevent the deterioration of ultraviolet rays while minimizing the deterioration of Furthermore, the above <6>
According to the invention, the performance as a light emitting body can be improved more appropriately.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred example of the linear light-emitting body of the present invention, in which (a) shows a cross section in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and (b) shows a cross section in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction. This linear luminous body 1 includes a transparent columnar light guide 2 and at least one strip-shaped light reflection layer 3 along the longitudinal direction, and is arranged at one end of the columnar light guide 2 in the longitudinal direction. Light incident from the provided light source 6 is reflected by the strip-shaped light reflection layer 3 formed on the side surface of the columnar light guide 2 along the longitudinal direction thereof and emitted from the longitudinal side surface.

The linear luminous body 1 of the present invention contains an ultraviolet ray blocking agent or an ultraviolet ray absorbent in the surface layer region 4 on the side peripheral surface of the columnar light guide 2. Therefore, as shown in the figure, the columnar light guide 1 substantially has a two-layer structure of the surface layer region 4 and the core region 5, and even when it is used outdoors such as exposed to ultraviolet rays, The core region 5 is appropriately protected by the surface layer region 4 containing the shielding agent or the ultraviolet absorber, and the transparency of the core region 5 that transmits light can be kept good for a long period of time. As a result, the linear luminous body 1 capable of exhibiting a bright luminous characteristic up to the tip for a long time
Can be realized.

Further, while the columnar light guide 2 has a substantially two-layer structure, the columnar light guide 2 is entirely formed of the same kind of transparent material, that is, a medium, and therefore has a single-layer structure from the viewpoint of light transmission characteristics. Can be said to have. Therefore, air layer (refractive index ≈ 1)
Due to the characteristic of the single-layer structure light-emitting body that the difference in the refractive index between the transparent resin medium and the transparent resin medium is large, even when light with various incident angles is made to enter using a general light source such as LED, It becomes a linear luminous body that light can reach.

It is necessary that the ultraviolet shielding agent or the ultraviolet absorbing agent is contained in at least the light emission surface of the surface layer region 4 on the side peripheral surface of the columnar light guide 2 to protect the core region 5 from ultraviolet deterioration. However, as shown in the drawing, it is preferably contained over the entire circumference of the side peripheral surface. A transparent resin containing an ultraviolet shielding agent or an ultraviolet absorber has poor transparency in itself, but in the structure of the present invention, such a portion is limited to only the surface layer region 4, so that the transmission of light in the length direction of the light emitter is performed. The decrease in sex can be minimized.

Another example of how to provide the surface layer region is shown in FIG. In the illustrated linear light-emitting body 31, the surface layer region 34 is provided only on the light emission surface of the side peripheral surface of the columnar light guide 32, that is, the portion that receives ultraviolet rays, and protects the core region 35. In this case, since the portion where the transparency is lowered by the ultraviolet shielding agent or the ultraviolet absorber can be suppressed within a narrower range, there is an advantage that the reduction of the light transmittance can be suppressed further.

The ratio of the thickness of the surface layer region to the wire diameter of the columnar light guide is 1:10 to 1: 200, particularly 1:20 to 1 :.
It is preferably within the range of 100. If the thickness is smaller than this range, sufficient UV resistance cannot be obtained,
On the other hand, when the thickness is larger than this range, the light transmittance in the length direction becomes low, which is not preferable.

The ultraviolet light shielding agent and the ultraviolet light absorbing agent used in the present invention include salicylic acid type, benzophenone type,
Organic compounds such as benzotriazole and cyanoacrylate, or titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ),
Examples thereof include metal oxides such as zinc oxide (ZnO), silicon oxide (SiO ₂ ), and aluminum oxide (Al ₂ O ₃ ), and carbonate compounds such as calcium carbonate (CaCO ₃ ).

The amount of such an ultraviolet shielding agent or ultraviolet absorber to be blended with respect to the surface layer region 4 is preferably 0.1 to 1% by weight. If it is less than this range, sufficient ultraviolet resistance cannot be obtained, while if it is more than this range, moldability may be impaired.

In the present invention, a transparent material having a high refractive index is used as a material forming the columnar light guide 2, and can be appropriately selected from plastics, elastomers and the like according to the purpose. Specific examples of the constituent material of the columnar light guide include polystyrene (PS), styrene / methyl methacrylate copolymer, methacrylic resin, acrylic resin, polymethylpentene, allyl glycol carbonate resin, spirane resin, amorphous polyolefin,
Polycarbonate (PC), polyamide, polyarylate, polysulfone, polyallylsulfone, polyethersulfone, polyetherimide, polyimide, diallylphthalate, fluororesin, polyester carbonate,
Norbornene-based resin (ARTON), alicyclic acrylic resin (Opttrez), silicone resin, acrylic rubber,
Examples include transparent materials such as silicone rubber. Particularly, from the viewpoint of having excellent transparency, PS, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), PC, a copolymer of PC and PMMA, and the like are preferable, and PMMA is more preferably used.

The diameter of the columnar light guide 2 according to the present invention is not particularly limited, but the diameter is usually 2 to 20 mm, particularly 3 to 14 mm, and may be appropriately selected according to the application.

The strip-shaped light reflection layer 3 shown in FIG. 1 is provided as a colored resin layer formed by multi-layer extrusion with the constituent material of the columnar light guide 2. Such a colored resin layer can be formed by coloring a part of the columnar light guide 2 with white or the like to make it opaque. Specifically, for example, in the transparent material of the columnar light guide 2 described above. A white pigment or a scattering material, for example, metal oxide particles such as Al ₂ O ₃ , TiO ₂ , and SiO ₂ ;
Sulfate particles such as BaSO ₄ , carbonate particles such as CaCO ₃ ,
Inorganic compound particles such as glass fine powder and glass balloons,
It is formed by mixing one kind or two or more kinds such as a micro air cell.

In consideration of the coextrusion processability and the like in addition to the reflection efficiency, the average particle size of the particles of the white pigment and the scattering material is about 0.1 to 200 μm, particularly about 1 to 50 μm. The content in the strip-shaped light reflecting layer 3 is preferably about 0.5 to 20% by weight, particularly 1 to 10% by weight.
It is preferably about the same.

Although the thickness of the strip-shaped light reflecting layer 3 is not particularly limited, it is preferably 10 to 200 μm, particularly 50 to 100 μm. If the thickness is too thin, the brightness will be low because less light will be reflected, while if the thickness is too thick, more light will be reflected and the brightness will be higher,
This is in the case of a short distance from the light source, and there may be a disadvantage that the brightness becomes lower on the contrary from the light source.

FIG. 2 shows another method for forming the strip-shaped light reflection layer in the linear light-emitting body of the present invention, wherein (a) and (b) are respectively directions orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the light-emitting body 11. And a sectional view in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction, and (c) is a perspective view. The strip-shaped light reflection layer 13 shown in FIG. 2 is formed by providing unevenness on the side surface of the columnar light guide 12 along the longitudinal direction thereof. In this way, by forming the reflection layer having unevenness on the side surface of the columnar light guide 12, the light incident from the light source such as the LED is reflected on the unevenness of the band-shaped light reflecting layer 13 as in the case described above. Thus, the light can be emitted from the side surface in the longitudinal direction with high brightness.

FIG. 3 shows still another method for forming the strip-shaped light reflecting layer, wherein (a) and (b) are respectively a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the light emitting body 21 and a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction. FIG. The strip-shaped light reflection layer 23 shown in FIG.
A coating is formed on the side surface of the columnar light guide 22 along the longitudinal direction thereof by printing a paint containing a light-reflecting material, for example, the aforementioned white pigment or scattering material, or sticking an adhesive such as a white tape. It is formed by Also, FIG.
The method shown in FIG. 3 and the method shown in FIG. 3 may be used together to form a strip-shaped light reflection layer. In this case, a white pigment or the like may be further formed on the uneven surface formed as shown in FIG. The coating film may be formed by printing a coating material containing, or attaching a white tape or the like. The strip-shaped light reflecting layer denoted by reference numeral 33 in FIG. 4 can also be formed by the same method as in the case of the strip-shaped light reflecting layer 23 shown in FIG.

The white pigment and the scattering material used for the band-shaped light reflection layer 23 are the same as those used for the colored resin layer described above, for example, transparent organic resin particles such as silicone resin particles and polystyrene resin particles, Al ₂ O. ₃ , TiO ₂ , SiO ₂
Oxide particles such as BaSO ₄ , sulfate particles such as Ca, Ca
Examples thereof include carbonate particles such as CO _{3 and the} like, inorganic compound particles such as glass fine powder and glass balloons, and micro air cells, and these can be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds.

When the printability of the coating material is taken into consideration in addition to the reflection efficiency, the average particle diameter of the particles of the white pigment and the scattering material is about 0.01 to 20 μm, and particularly about 0.05 to 1 μm. It is preferable that the content of the strip-shaped light reflection layer 23 is about 0.5 to 50% by weight, and particularly about 3 to 20% by weight.

As the coating material, a thermosetting resin such as acrylic resin, urethane resin, or epoxy resin, or one having an acrylic, rubber-based or elastomer-based adhesive as a binder can be used.

The strip-shaped light-reflecting layer 23 is coated with such a light-reflecting material-containing paint by offset printing, gravure printing, letterpress printing,
It is formed by adopting a printing method such as pad printing, screen printing, ink jet printing or the like, preferably by inline printing in the extrusion molding step of the columnar light guide 22. If the printed thickness of the band-shaped light reflection layer 23 is too thin, the light reflection efficiency is not sufficient, and conversely, even if it is too thick, the printing cost rises even though there is no great difference in the light reflection efficiency. Since the problem of peeling of the band-shaped light reflection layer 23 and the band-shaped light reflection layer 23 arises, it is preferable to appropriately select in consideration of these. Usually, it is preferable to set the thickness to about 20 to 200 μm.

The width (circumferential length) of the strip-shaped light reflecting layer formed as described above is, for example, 3 to 50%, preferably 5 to 20 of the outer circumference (entire circumference) of the columnar light guide. %, But may be outside this range and is not particularly limited.
By forming a band-shaped light reflecting layer on the columnar light guide,
Light that has entered the columnar light guide from a light source such as D is reflected by the band-shaped light reflection layer, and is emitted from the columnar light guide as high-luminance side emission.

In the present invention, a plurality of strip-shaped light reflecting layers may be formed on the side surface of the columnar light guide along the longitudinal direction thereof. For example, the linear light guide 41 shown in FIG.
As described above, three strip-shaped light reflection layers 43 are provided along the longitudinal direction on the side surface of the columnar light guide 42 having the surface layer region 44 and the core region 45, and the light incident from the light source is supplied to these strip-shaped light reflection layers. Alternatively, the light may be reflected by 43 and the light may be emitted in three directions from the gap of the band-shaped light reflection layer 43.

Further, the cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the columnar light guide is not limited to a circular shape, and may have, for example, a semicylindrical cross section like the linear light emitter 51 shown in FIG. Of course, in this case, the band-shaped light reflection layer 53 is formed on the bottom surface of the semicylindrical columnar light guide 52 having the surface layer region 54 and the core region 55, whereby high-luminance side light emission is obtained from the columnar light guide 52. be able to.

In the production of the linear luminous body of the present invention, for example, when the structure shown in FIG. 1 is used, for example, three extruders are used and the transparent material of the core region 5 and the colored resin layer are used. The transparent material containing the white pigment of the strip-shaped light reflection layer 3 and the transparent material containing the ultraviolet shielding agent or the ultraviolet absorber of the surface layer region 4 are introduced into the mold to form the core region 5 in a cylindrical shape and the strip light reflection. The layer 3 may be extruded in the form of a strip on the outer peripheral surface of the core region 5, and the surface layer region 4 may be extruded in the form of a tube covering the core region 5 and the strip-shaped light reflection layer 3 at the same time. That is, by connecting three extruders to one die (base), the materials are joined together in a molten state in the die, and the materials are extruded in a molten state and cooled to have a three-layer structure as shown in the figure. The linear luminous body of can be molded.

According to the above method, it is possible to simultaneously extrude three kinds of materials having different compositions and the like to form a laminated structure having three kinds of functions at one time, and to increase the forming speed and to make each material different. Since the layers are laminated in the softened state, it is possible to efficiently manufacture a linear light-emitting body having excellent adhesion between layers.

Further, the linear luminous bodies shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 can be manufactured in the same manner by devising the method of merging the materials in the mold and the shape of the mold. For example, as shown in FIG. When three strip-shaped light reflection layers 43 are provided, they can be similarly extruded by devising a die structure for combining three materials in the above extrusion molding method. In the case of the linear luminous body shown in FIG. 2, since it is difficult to make the surface layer clean by injection molding, for example, after the main extrusion, in a semi-molten state, by pressing a gear or the like on the product, unevenness is formed, Then, a method of cooling and solidifying can be used.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention, by taking measures against the deterioration of ultraviolet rays in a linear luminous body having a single layer structure, the linear luminous body can be used even in a place exposed to ultraviolet rays such as outdoors. It was possible to realize a high-performance linear luminous body capable of maintaining high light transmission efficiency for a long period of time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a linear luminous body of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view and a perspective view showing another embodiment of the linear light-emitting body of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment of the linear luminous body of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment of the linear luminous body of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment of the linear luminous body of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment of the linear luminous body of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1,11,21,31,41,51 Linear light emitter 2, 12, 22, 32, 42, 52 Columnar light guide 3,13,23,33,43,53 Band-shaped light reflection layer 4, 14, 24, 34, 44, 54 Surface layer area 5,15,25,35,45,55 Core area 6 light source

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A linear light-emitting body comprising a transparent columnar light guide and at least one strip-shaped light reflection layer along the longitudinal direction, the linear light-emitter being disposed at at least one end of the columnar lightguide. In a linear light-emitting body that emits light incident from a light source from the side surface in the longitudinal direction of the columnar light guide, an ultraviolet shielding agent is provided on at least the light emission surface of the surface layer region of the side surface of the columnar light guide. Alternatively, a linear luminous body containing an ultraviolet absorber. 2. The linear luminous body according to claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet shielding agent or the ultraviolet absorbing agent is contained over the entire circumference of the surface layer region of the side peripheral surface of the columnar light guide. 3. The strip-shaped light-reflecting layer is provided by forming a colored resin layer, forming a coating film containing a light-reflecting material, or imparting an uneven shape to the columnar light guide. Linear luminous body. 4. The linear light-emitting body according to claim 1, wherein a cut surface of the columnar light guide orthogonal to the longitudinal direction is circular or semicylindrical. 5. The ratio between the thickness of the surface layer region and the wire diameter of the columnar light guide is within the range of 1:10 to 1: 200. Linear luminous body. 6. The linear luminous body according to claim 1, wherein the columnar light guide is made of polymethylmethacrylate.