JP2004327392A - Lighting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lighting apparatus that prevents the quantity of light reflected totally inwardly from decreasing thereby preventing darkening, and light nonuniformity from occurring, even in the vicinity of a major axis positioned on the opposite side to the light source, where a curvature radius becomes smaller, without increasing the number of light sources, in a lighting apparatus with a substantially elliptical shape. <P>SOLUTION: A bridge (7) is provided for connecting the other end of a cylinder, from one end of the inner side of a lighting member (3), avoiding a plurality of control keys. In the vicinity of a major axis (10), where curvature radius becomes smaller at side opposite to the light source (6), since the incident angle becomes larger, when a light passing through the substantially elliptical cylinder hits the inner wall of the perimeter of nearly elliptical cylinder. As a result, the quantity of light totally reflected on the inner side of the nearly elliptical cylinder decreases, and it becomes dark; however, a bridge (7) is designed to replenish the light to the proximity of this darkening major axis. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a lighting device having a substantially elliptical lighting unit. In particular, the present invention relates to a lighting device for illuminating a switch unit of an AV device such as a CD player and a video deck.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A conventional surface light source illuminating device arranges a linear light source such as one or more fluorescent lamps on a flat or curved reflecting plate, and further, with respect to the linear light source, on the side opposite to the reflecting plate. Was provided with a diffusion plate.
[0003]
Among such lighting devices, for example, in a lighting device using a single linear light source, the luminance on the diffuser has a distribution in which the central part near the light source is the largest, and gradually decreases toward the periphery. As a result, the distribution was not uniform over the entire diffusion plate.
[0004]
Therefore, attempts have been made to reduce the amount of light traveling upward from the light source and to make the luminance on the diffuser plate uniform.
[0005]
For example, in a structure in which two curved surfaces whose cross sections form a quadratic curve or the like are joined together, when a reflector plate body made of synthetic resin composed of a surface having a relatively low reflectance such as white or gray and a lighting device are configured, A structure having a high-reflectance surface formed by plating or vapor-deposition with a high-reflectance metal foil or a high-reflectivity metal on a portion except for a portion immediately below a linear light source is located (see Patent Document 1). . In this structure, two light sources are used.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
Published Japanese Utility Model Application No. 2-41328
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the prior art, since there are two light sources, costs for the light source and power supply are required, and a burden is also required for the user as power consumption.
[0008]
In an illuminating device that illuminates a substantially elliptical portion with one light source, the light passing through the substantially elliptical cylinder impinges on the inner wall of the substantially elliptical cylinder outer periphery in the vicinity of the long diameter portion on the opposite side of the light source and having a small radius of curvature. Since the angle is increased, most of the light passes through the side surface of the cylinder and goes out, and the amount of light totally reflected inside the substantially elliptical cylinder is reduced to darken the light. As a result, light unevenness occurs.
[0009]
An object of the present invention is to reduce the amount of light totally internally reflected even in the vicinity of a long-diameter portion where the radius of curvature located on the side opposite to the light source is small, without increasing the number of light sources. It is an object of the present invention to provide a lighting device that does not darken or generate light unevenness.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A lighting device according to the present invention according to claim 1 and 2, wherein a plurality of operation keys capable of protruding and depressing, and a hole for guiding the protruding and depressing of the plurality of operation keys are provided, and a transparent molded member is provided. A front panel provided with a hole for projecting a recessed portion of the plurality of operation keys that penetrates the substantially circular tube; and a front panel on the circumference of the substantially circular tube. In a lighting device including a light guide portion provided at an arbitrary position and a light source provided at the position of the light guide portion, the other end of the substantially circular tube is connected to one end of the substantially circular tube avoiding the plurality of operation keys. A bridging bridge is provided.
[0011]
In particular, the bridge connects the vicinity of the light guide of the substantially circular cylinder to the vicinity of the light guide and the other end substantially symmetric with respect to the center of the substantially circular shape.
[0012]
With the above configuration, in the illumination device according to the present invention, at a location substantially symmetrical with respect to the center of the substantially circular shape with respect to the light source, the amount of light totally reflected inside the cylinder is reduced and darkened due to distance attenuation. Light can be replenished in the vicinity of the darkened area.
[0013]
Further, by adjusting the size and position of the bridge, it is possible to obtain an illumination device with less light unevenness.
[0014]
The lighting device according to the present invention as set forth in claim 3 and claim 4, wherein a plurality of operation keys capable of protruding and depressing, and holes for guiding the protruding and depressing of the plurality of operation keys are provided, and a transparent molded member is provided. A front panel provided with a hole for projecting a protruding depression of the plurality of operation keys that penetrates the substantially elliptical cylinder, and a major axis of the substantially elliptical cylinder. A light guide provided at one end of the light guide, and a light source provided at the position of the light guide, in the lighting device, avoiding the plurality of operation keys from one end of the substantially elliptical cylinder to the other end of the cylinder A bridging bridge is provided.
[0015]
In particular, the bridge connects the vicinity of the light guide of the substantially elliptical cylinder to the vicinity of the light guide and the other end substantially symmetric with respect to the center between the substantially elliptical focal points.
[0016]
With the configuration described above, in the illumination device according to the present invention, the light passing through the substantially elliptical cylinder has a large incident angle when the light passing through the substantially elliptical cylinder exits from the substantially elliptical cylinder in the long-diameter portion where the radius of curvature substantially opposite to the light source is small. Although the amount of light totally reflected inside the substantially elliptical cylinder decreases and becomes darker, the bridge makes it possible to replenish light near the darkened major axis.
[0017]
Further, by adjusting the size and position of the bridge, it is possible to obtain an illumination device with less light unevenness.
[0018]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of a lighting device using the present invention will be described in detail with reference to a drawing in which a transparent lighting member has a substantially elliptical shape and four operation keys are provided.
[0019]
1 is a front view of the lighting device, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the lighting device, FIG. 3 is a front view of the lighting member, and FIG. 4 is a back view of the lighting member.
[0020]
In FIG. 2, 1 is a front panel, 2 is an operation key guide member, 3 is a transparent substantially elliptical illumination member, 4 is operation keys (four), 5 is a switch board, 6 is a light source, and 7 is an illumination member. The bridge 8 is a light guide for guiding the light of the light source (6) to the inside.
[0021]
The front panel (1) is an operation panel for AV equipment such as a CD player and a video deck, and operates each equipment using an operation key (4).
[0022]
The operation key guide member (2) is not necessarily required. A plurality of guide holes such as those of the operation key guide member (2) are formed in the front panel (1), and a transparent lighting member (3) is provided below the guide holes. It is also possible to attach directly.
[0023]
Since the transparent substantially elliptical lighting member (3) illuminates from behind the front panel (1), the operator can easily recognize what each operation key (4) operates, even in darkness. Here, the shape of the transparent lighting member (3) is substantially elliptical, but a design such as a circle or an oval may be designed to fit the front panel (1) of the AV equipment using the lighting device.
[0024]
An edge is provided along the elliptical shape of the transparent lighting member (3), which fits into the operation key guide member (2) to fix both, and the operation key guide member is provided. In the case where (2) is not provided, it is possible to form a cover on the edge and provide an operation key guide on the cover. It is also possible to adopt a structure that allows light to pass through the edge.
[0025]
Although four keys are provided as the operation keys (4), the number of keys can be changed according to the function of the AV equipment using the lighting device.
[0026]
As the light source (6), an electric lighting device such as a wheat ball or a bean ball can be used in addition to the LED (light emitting diode).
[0027]
The bridge (7) is made of the same material as the transparent lighting member (3), and passes light from the light source (6) traveling substantially along an ellipse from the light guide (8) of the transparent lighting member (3). It is an optical path that can be caused.
[0028]
3 and 4, reference numeral 9 denotes a mountain-shaped notch provided on the bottom surface of the transparent substantially elliptical illumination member (3), and reference numeral 10 denotes a long diameter portion substantially opposite to the light source.
[0029]
The chevron-shaped cut (9) reflects light from the light source (6) traveling along the substantially ellipse from the light guide (8) of the transparent lighting member (3) toward the front direction, that is, the front panel (1) side. Although it is a chevron-shaped notch formed in the radiation direction to make it do, the shape is not particularly limited to the chevron if it has the same function.
[0030]
In the conventional method in which the bridge (7) is not provided, the light hardly reaches the long diameter portion (10), and even when it reaches, the incident angle with respect to the outer peripheral portion is large, so that the light is reflected as shown in FIG. Instead, it passed and the function of illuminating the inside was small.
[0031]
According to the above configuration, light from the light source (6) provided at the position of the light guide (8) is transmitted from the light guide (8) of the transparent substantially elliptical lighting member (3) to the transparent substantially elliptical shape. While traveling along the optical path provided around the illumination member (3), the light travels through the bridge (7) and can proceed to the vicinity of the major axis (10) opposite to the light source (6). ) Part can be supplemented.
[0032]
In the light source (6) and in the vicinity of the major axis (10) where the radius of curvature on the opposite side is small, the incident angle when light passing through the substantially elliptical cylinder hits the inner wall of the outer periphery of the substantially elliptic cylinder becomes large, so that the substantially elliptical cylinder is formed. Although the amount of light totally reflected to the inside of the cylinder decreases and darkens, the bridge (7) can replenish light near the darkened major axis (10). As a result, each operation key (4) on the operation panel (1) can be illuminated from behind the operation panel (1) without unevenness of light, so that the operator can easily recognize the function of each key even in darkness. it can.
[0033]
The arrangement of the bridge (7) is not particularly limited to the shapes shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 as long as the arrangement does not hinder the arrangement of the plurality of operation keys (4), and the pattern shown in FIG. 5 may be used. However, it goes without saying that the function of the bridge (7) is easier when one of both ends of the bridge (7) is closer to the light source (6) and the other is closer to the long diameter portion (10). Further, by adjusting the size (width) and position of the bridge (7), light unevenness can be reduced.
[0034]
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the reflection and transmission of light.
[0035]
When the shape of the transparent lighting member (3) is substantially elliptical, the light emitted from the light source (6) may reach the outer periphery of the portion (10) located on the substantially opposite side to the light guide (8). Is reflected several times (reflection points A to C) on the inner wall of the outer periphery of the substantially elliptic cylinder. At this time, compared with the incident angles (θa to θc) when the light is reflected by the inner walls (reflection points A to C) of the optical path provided around the transparent substantially elliptical illumination member (3). Since the angle of incidence θd at the point (10) located on the opposite side of the light guide section (8) farthest from the light guide section (8) becomes large due to the radius of curvature, a large amount of light passes through the reflection point D. , The amount of total reflection decreases. In order to compensate for the decrease, the bridge (7) is provided at a necessary place.
[0036]
When the shape of the transparent illumination member (3) is substantially circular, the radius of curvature is constant, so that the above problem does not occur. However, a portion (10) located on a side substantially opposite to the light guide portion (8) is provided. The position farthest from the light guide portion (8) remains unchanged, and the light quantity at the reflection point D (10) also decreases because of the distance attenuation.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, without increasing the number of light sources, in a substantially elliptical illuminating device, even in the vicinity of a long diameter portion located on the opposite side to the light source and having a small radius of curvature, the amount of light totally internally reflected decreases. It is possible to provide a lighting device that does not darken or generate light unevenness.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view. FIG. 3 is a front view of a lighting member. FIG. 4 is a back view of a lighting member. FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of a bridge. FIG. A diagram showing that light passes through if the incident angle at the time of hitting the inner wall of the outer periphery of the substantially elliptic cylinder is large at the point (10).
1-front panel 2-operation key guide member 3-illumination member 4-operation key 5-switch board 6-light source 7-bridge 8-light guide 9- chevron-shaped portion 10-long-diameter portion opposite to light source

Claims (4)

A plurality of operation keys that can be projected and depressed,
A hole for guiding the protrusion and depression of the plurality of operation keys is provided, and a substantially circular cylinder formed by a transparent molded member,
A front panel provided with a hole for projecting a projecting depression of the plurality of operation keys penetrating the substantially circular cylinder;
A light guide provided at an arbitrary position on the circumference of the substantially circular tube,
A light source provided at the position of the light guide,
In the lighting device consisting of
A lighting device comprising a bridge connecting one end of the substantially circular cylinder to the other end of the substantially circular cylinder avoiding the plurality of operation keys. 2. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the bridge connects the vicinity of the light guide portion of the substantially circular tube, the vicinity of the light guide portion, and the other end substantially symmetric with respect to the center of the substantially circular shape. A plurality of operation keys that can be projected and depressed,
A hole for guiding the protrusion and depression of the plurality of operation keys is provided, and a substantially elliptical cylinder formed by a transparent molded member,
A front panel provided with a hole for projecting a projecting depression of the plurality of operation keys penetrating the substantially elliptical cylinder;
A light guide provided at one end of the major axis of the substantially elliptical cylinder;
A light source provided at the position of the light guide,
In the lighting device consisting of
A lighting device comprising a bridge connecting one end of the substantially elliptical cylinder to the other end of the cylinder avoiding the plurality of operation keys. 4. The bridge according to claim 3, wherein the bridge connects the vicinity of the light guide of the substantially elliptical cylinder to the vicinity of the light guide and the other end substantially symmetric with respect to the center between the substantially elliptical focal points. Lighting equipment.

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