Abstract: A surface light source device includes a light guide plate having a light outgoing plane in one principal plane thereof; and a light source facing one end face of the light guide plate. A plurality of deflection patterns are formed in a surface facing the light outgoing plane of the light guide plate, the deflection pattern including an inclined plane located on a light source side and a re-incident plane substantially perpendicular to the light outgoing plane. Light emitted by the light source into the light guide plate is reflected by the inclined plane and then the light is outputted from the light outgoing plane. A tilt angle (?) of the inclined plane satisfies: 45°?[arc sin(sin ?/n)]/2???45°+[arc sin(sin ?/n)]/2, wherein ? is an angle formed between a direction of the peak brightness of the light outputted from the light outgoing plane and a direction perpendicular to the light outgoing plane, and n is a refractive index of the light guide plate, and wherein ? is within the range 6-15 degrees.

Abstract: Plural diffusion patterns are formed on a light-incident surface of an optical film, while plural prisms are formed on a light-emitting surface. The diffusion patterns have, in at least one section thereof, a main inclined surface that is curved face with a relatively small inclination and an auxiliary inclined surface that is oppositely inclined to the main inclined surface with a relatively large inclination.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical device is disclosed. The method includes coating a substrate with a resin thin layer, wherein temperature of the resin thin layer is controlled lower than a polymerization reaction starting temperature thereof and the resin is not substantially polymerized, heating the resin thin layer to a temperature higher than polymerization reaction starting temperature and glass-transition temperature but lower than a thermal decomposition starting temperature of the resin so that the resin thin layer is polymerized on the substrate to form a resin thin film thereon, pressing a stamp having an inverted micro-asperity pattern against the resin thin film such that a micro-asperity pattern is formed on a surface of the resin thin film; cooling the resin thin film to a temperature lower than the glass-transition temperature; and separating the stamp from the resin thin film.

Abstract: A reflective plate is offered which is capable of forming an exit region of reflected light in an effective field of view area in an obliquely above or below position. The reflective plate has plural reflective subregions each having reflective surfaces for reflecting light. Light rays reflected from the reflective subregions form plural spreads of exit which intersect each other at a given upper position to thereby form a common exit region. The reflective subregions are so arranged that light entering the reflective plate from a vertical direction is reflected by the reflective subregions substantially toward the center of the exit region lying outside a region that is vertically above the reflective plate. The centers of the intensities of the reflected light rays concentrate at the center of the exit region.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical device is disclosed. The method includes coating a substrate with a resin thin layer, wherein temperature of the resin thin layer is controlled lower than a polymerization reaction starting temperature thereof and the resin is not substantially polymerized, heating the resin thin layer to a temperature higher than polymerization reaction starting temperature and glass-transition temperature but lower than a thermal decomposition starting temperature of the resin so that the resin thin layer is polymerized on the substrate to form a resin thin film thereon, pressing a stamp having an inverted micro-asperity pattern against the resin thin film such that a micro-asperity pattern is formed on a surface of the resin thin film; cooling the resin thin film to a temperature lower than the glass-transition temperature; and separating the stamp from the resin thin film.

Abstract: A metal die having a reverse pattern of a irregular surface in which a height of a convex increases from the center toward the outer periphery is pressed onto a surface of a molding resin on a substrate. A total volume of convexes protruding from a cutting plane and a total volume of concaves depressed below the cutting plane coincide with each other over all of the metal die as a whole, so that it is possible to form the irregular surface on a reflective plane with good precision. A reflective film such as an aluminum film is provided on a surface of an uneven layer formed in such a manner, thereby obtaining a reflective plate having high light-collecting performance in a direction toward the center. As a result, it is possible to provide a reflective plate capable of collecting reflected light in a specified direction and of being formed with good precision by embossing, a method of making same, and a reflective type liquid crystal display having the reflective plate.

Abstract: Unit reflection areas (13) each consisting of one or plural recesses and projections (17) are formed on the surface of a reflection plate (11). Light incident into the reflection plate (11) and reflected by respective unit reflection areas (13) is emitted to the entire specified plane area (emission area (14)) established on a specified plane, which is like a band: ring. The emission area (14) is established so that overlap thereof with a shining area of light regularly reflected by a liquid crystal panel (18) is made slight. With such a construction, in a reflection plate that is used for a reflection type or semi-transmission type display device, light that is reflected in useless directions, is reduced, and light utilization efficiency of incident light-can be increased.

Abstract: In a front light equipped with a light source and a transparent plate emitting light from a light emitting surface which is situated at the reverse side against an observation side surface by conducting light from the light source, the reflection preventive patterns comprising the minute unevennesses 30 for prevention of reflection are formed on the light emitting surface. When a wavelength of visible light with the shortest wavelength among light which is emitted from the light source 24 is ?min, the refractive index of the transparent plate is n1 and the refractive index of air is n0, the period p of the minute unevennesses 30 satisfies the following equation. p<?min/(n0+n1). Thereby, it can be prevented that the diffracted light is emitted from the reflection preventive patterns (light emitting surface) of the transparent plate.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a reflector plate capable of suppressing coloring caused by interference and enhancing visibility. A plurality of first reflecting units 10 and a plurality of second reflecting units 11 are provided together. In this case, a reflecting plane 11a of the second reflecting unit 11 is set to be smaller in diameter and have smaller difference in in-plane height than those of a reflecting plane 10a of the first reflecting unit 10, and an arrangement interval between the second reflecting units 11 is set to be greater than that between the first reflecting units 10.

Abstract: According to a front light comprising an optical waveguide 25 and a light source 24 arranged on the side of the optical waveguide 25, the optical waveguide 25 comprises a light input surface and light emission surface 28, and a plurality of deflection patterns 26 are formed on the surface opposed to the light emission surface 28. Light from the light source 24 is input from the light input surface of the optical waveguide 25 and propagated in the optical waveguide 25. The light totally reflected by the deflection patterns 26 among the light propagated in the optical waveguide 25 is emitted from the light emission surface 28 in the direction oblique to the normal direction of the light emission surface 28. The light is emitted from the light emission surface 28 so as to be aligned in one direction regardless of its position.

Abstract: A front light and a reflective display using the same are provided. A light guide of the front light includes a plurality of patterns on the upper surface, each of the patterns including a first surface inclining relative to the light-emitting surface toward the light-entering surface, a second surface substantially perpendicular to the light-emitting surface or inclining relative to the light-emitting surface opposite to the light-entering surface, and a third surface inclining relative to the light-emitting surface toward the light-entering surface.

Abstract: A cylindrical embossment roll whose outer circumferential surface is formed with a micro-asperity pattern is prepared. A substrate is coated with a thin resin film. The substrate is held by a transfer stage, and a micro-asperity pattern is formed on the thin resin film by pressing the outer circumferential surface of the embossment roll against the thin resin film with a pressurizing mechanism while rolling the embossment roll on the thin resin film.

Abstract: In a reflective type liquid crystal display unit which is provided with a reflective plate, there is provided a reflective liquid crystal display unit free from color mixture by preventing color mixing of reflected light is presented. The unit includes a substrate, a reflective layer disposed on the substrate, and a color filter, wherein the reflective layer has a plurality of reflective unit regions each of which has a first reflective surface for reflecting a light in a predetermined direction, and an inclination angle of the first reflective surface is defined so that an incident light which passes through a pixel of a determined color of the color filter to enter the first reflective surface is reflected by the first reflective surface to pass through the pixel of the same color as the color through which the incident light of the color filter has passed.

Abstract: A reflector is used in a display device and is disposed parallel to a predetermined plane, and has plural unit reflecting portions each having a reflection face for reflecting incident light in a direction different from that of regular reflection light of the predetermined plane. Further, the distance between a first tangential plane abutting on a first reflection face arranged in an arbitrarily extracted first unit reflecting portion at a reference point arranged in an arbitrary position on the first reflection face, and a second tangential plane abutting on a second reflection face arranged in a second unit reflecting portion adjacent to the first unit reflecting portion in parallel with the first tangential plane is preferably half or more of a coherent length of the incident light.

Abstract: In a reflection type display apparatus in which a forward lightening apparatus is arranged in front of a reflection type display panel, lowering of contrast occurred when the forward lightening apparatus is turned ON is prevented. In this reflection type display apparatus, the forward lightening apparatus is adhered via an adhesive layer to a front surface of the reflection type display panel having a reflection plane. The reflection plane is constituted by a large number of first very fine patterns having a spherical shape, and a large number of second very fine patterns whose front surfaces are inclined. External light which is vertically entered into the front surfaces is reflected by the first patterns, and thereafter, the reflected external light is projected as a display along a forward direction. The forward lightening apparatus is arranged by providing a light source on a side surface of a light conducting plate having a wedge shape.

Abstract: There is provided a manufacturing method of an optical device having a micro-asperity pattern that has various kinds of accurate three-dimensional shapes and is realized as thin films. A substrate is coated with a resin thin film made of a photosensitive resin, and the temperature of the resin thin film is controlled so as to be lower than the photosensitivity extinction temperature of the resin thin film. A micro-asperity pattern of a stamper is pressed against the resin thin film when the resin thin film is in a softened or melted state by pressurizing means, whereby a micro-asperity pattern is formed on the surface of the resin thin film.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical film having a diffusion pattern that can diffuse light and direct at least a part of incident light vertically to the surface of the optical film. Further, the present invention provides an optical film having both a function of a prism sheet and a function of a diffusion sheet.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a reflector plate capable of suppressing coloring caused by interference and enhancing visibility. A plurality of first reflecting units 10 and a plurality of second reflecting units 11 are provided together. In this case, a reflecting plane 11a of the second reflecting unit 11 is set to be smaller in diameter and have smaller difference in in-plane height than those of a reflecting plane 11a of the first reflecting unit 10, and an arrangement interval between the second reflecting units 11 is set to be greater than that between the first reflecting units 10.

Abstract: A metal die having a reverse pattern of a irregular surface in which a height of a convex increases from the center toward the outer periphery is pressed onto a surface of a molding resin on a substrate. A total volume of convexes protruding from a cutting plane and a total volume of concaves depressed below the cutting plane coincide with each other over all of the metal die as a whole, so that it is possible to form the irregular surface on a reflective plane with good precision. A reflective film such as an aluminum film is provided on a surface of an uneven layer formed in such a manner, thereby obtaining a reflective plate having high light-collecting performance in a direction toward the center. As a result, it is possible to provide a reflective plate capable of collecting reflected light in a specified direction and of being formed with good precision by embossing, a method of making same, and a reflective type liquid crystal display having the reflective plate.

Abstract: The invention presents a reflective display and a portable information appliance capable of preventing lowering of image quality and contrast by not forming pattern in the front light. The reflective display comprises a light guide plate 109 for guiding the light from a light source 110, reflective ruggedness 107 for reflecting the light entering from the light guide plate 109, and a liquid crystal layer 106 for controlling the exit of light, in which the polarizing characteristics of the liquid crystal layer 106 is set so that the transmissivity of the incident light entering from a direction different from the vertical direction of the liquid crystal layer 106 maybe an optimum value.