Abstract: Individual side-emitting LEDs are separately positioned in a waveguide, or mounted together on a flexible mount then positioned together in a waveguide. As a result, the gap between each LED and the waveguide can be small, which may improve coupling of light from the LED into the waveguide. Since the LEDs are separately connected to the waveguide, or mounted on a flexible mount, stress to individual LEDs resulting from changes in the shape of the waveguide is reduced.

Abstract: An optical light guide member according to the present invention includes a tubular portion in which an annular light incident end surface for entering light is formed on a one end thereof, a funnel-shaped expanded section having a one end side thereof continuously extending to the other end of the tubular portion, a flat section which has on a front side thereof a light exit surface extending along a flat plane intersecting an axis of the tubular portion, and which extends continuously to the other end side of the funnel-shaped expanded section, and a plurality of light deflection elements formed at least on the back side of the flat section each for altering the traveling direction of the light. An incident light on the tubular portion from the light incident end surface is emitted with a uniform intensity distribution from the light exit end surface.

Abstract: A light guide panel according to the present invention includes at least one set of mutually opposing incident end surface portions through which light from light sources is introduced, a front surface portion through which light introduced from the set of the incident end surface portions is emanated, a back surface portion positioned on the opposite side to the front surface portion, and many light deflection portions formed on at least one between the front surface portion and the back surface portion. The rate of the light deflection portion per unit area along the other incident end surface portion from the one incident end surface portion is set to be two Gaussian distributions, and the peak of the first Gaussian distribution is biased to the side of the one incident end surface portion, and the peak of the second Gaussian distribution is biased to the side of the other incident end surface portion.

Abstract: A light guide panel includes a front surface portion, a back surface portion located on the opposite side of the front surface portion, and an incidence end surface portion located on one side of the front and the back surface portions. The incidence end surface portion is configured for introducing light from a light source into the light guide panel. A plurality of optical elements are randomly disposed on the front and/or back surface portions. The optical elements typically have a maximum diameter in a range from 10 &mgr;m to 150 &mgr;m and are configured for emanating light propagating in the light guide panel from the front surface portion and/or back surface portion to the outside of the light guide panel.