Abstract: An illumination device can include a light source; and a light guiding lens for receiving light from the light source. The light guiding lens includes a light emission portion that extends in a predetermined direction and has a main surface with reflecting cuts, and a light guiding portion provided to the light emission portion at an end portion thereof in the predetermined direction. The light guiding portion is configured to project more than the light emission portion in a thickness direction of the light emission portion and extend along the end portion of the light emission portion. The light source is disposed to face to an end face of the light guiding portion in an extending direction of the light guiding portion, the end face projecting more than the light emission portion. An end face of the light guiding portion has reflecting cuts arranged in the extending direction.

Abstract: A light guiding rod and an illumination device can facilitate the light distribution control in the width direction and can improve the light utilization efficiency. The light guiding rod can be configured to guide light emitted from a light source disposed to face to a longitudinal end face of the light guiding rod in a longitudinal direction. The light guiding rod can include a lens cut face having a plurality of lens cuts formed side by side along the longitudinal direction, and an emission face configured to allow the light to exit the light guiding rod therethrough. The light guiding rod can have a polygonal cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the polygonal cross section can have a plurality of paired sides facing to each other, and at least one of the paired sides can be a pair of the lens cut face and the emission face.

Abstract: An illumination device can include a light source; and a light guiding lens for receiving light from the light source. The light guiding lens includes a light emission portion that extends in a predetermined direction and has a main surface with reflecting cuts, and a light guiding portion provided to the light emission portion at an end portion thereof in the predetermined direction. The light guiding portion is configured to project more than the light emission portion in a thickness direction of the light emission portion and extend along the end portion of the light emission portion. The light source is disposed to face to an end face of the light guiding portion in an extending direction of the light guiding portion, the end face projecting more than the light emission portion. An end face of the light guiding portion has reflecting cuts arranged in the extending direction.

Abstract: A white highly-reflective layer is formed at both ends of a light incident edge face of a color-mixing region of a light guide plate to surround an LED. Alternately, an overhung portion may be overhung from both ends of the light incident edge face of the color-mixing region of the light guide plate by a same material thereof to surround the LED, and a white highly-reflective layer is formed at terminals of the overhung portion. Still further, an overhung portion may be overhung from both ends of the light incident edge face of the color-mixing region of the light guide plate by the same material thereof to surround the LED, and a specular highly-reflective layer made of metal such as silver or aluminum is formed at terminals of the overhung portion.

Abstract: A color-mixing section R1 is constructed by allocating to each light-adjusting area one or more LEDs 311, . . . as primary light sources and color-mixing elements R1(411), . . . for guiding primary light from the LED 311, . . . to color-mix or homogenize the brightness. An available element R2 for receiving secondary light from the color-mixing elements to emit light covers the entire color-mixing elements. The LEDs 311, . . . and the color-mixing elements R1(411), . . . are not superposed onto each other.

Abstract: A vehicle lamp can include a light source unit including a light guide plate with a light emission surface, and a point or line light source opposed to one end face of the light guide plate. The light guide plate can be made of a transparent plate-like material. A convex projection lens can be configured to focus light emitted from the light source unit and project the light forward in a direction of light illumination. The light guide plate can have a prism array on a rear surface thereof extending with a serrated cross section from the one end face to the opposite end face of the light guide plate, and in a direction parallel with the end face. The prism array can include a plurality of prism surfaces, with each prism surface being obliquely formed so that when light enters the light guide plate from the light source side and impinges thereon, a substantial amount of the light can be totally reflected into small angles of incidence to the emission surface.

Abstract: A vehicle lamp can create a desired distribution pattern easily with a simple configuration while having a thin body and light weight. The vehicle lamp can include a light source unit and a convex projection lens configured to project light from the light source unit forward in the direction of light illumination. The light source unit can include a light guide plate having a light emission surface and made of a transparent material to the visible light range and can include a light source disposed in front of one end face of the light guide plate. The projection lens can have a focus arranged on or near the light emission surface of the light guide plate. The light source unit can include a reflection sheet configured to reflect light from the light guide plate back into the light guide plate and can have a shape configured to provide a cutoff pattern. The reflection sheet can be located adjacent an edge of the light guide plate adjacent the light source.

Abstract: An LED light source device can have a simple configuration which can easily create a desired light distribution pattern with a low profile and light weight. An illumination apparatus and a vehicle lighting device can also be configured to use the LED light source device. The light source device can include a light guide plate made of a flat plate-like material that is transparent in the visible range, and which has a front surface serving as a light emission surface. A point light source can be opposed to an end surface of the light guide plate. A rear surface of the light guide plate can include a luminance control element configured to control a luminance distribution on the light emission surface. The luminance control element controls light from the light source, incident through the end surface of the light guide plate, so that a reduced inversion of a light distribution pattern that is to be emitted is formed on the light emission surface as the luminance distribution.

Abstract: The disclosed subject matter includes providing a surface light source device using a plurality of different color light-emitting chips that can emit light with uniform color and a LCD unit having the same qualities. The surface light source device can include a light guide having a light incoming surface and a light-emitting surface, and light sources including the light-emitting chips located adjacent the light incoming surfaces. The light-emitting surface can include a light-mixing area that is spaced a distance L away from the light incoming surface, and the widest interval between the adjacent light-emitting chips is configured to be L/27 or less. Light emitted from the light sources can generate a mixture light with very little color variability in the light-mixing area, and the light can be emitted from the light-emitting surface other than the light-mixing area. Therefore, the LCD unit that includes a LCD located toward the light guide can illuminate the display with uniform color light.

Abstract: An LED light source device and an illumination device using the same, including vehicle lighting devices, can have a light weight and thin profile and can form a desired light distribution pattern while employing a simple configuration. The light source device can include a plate shaped light guide member made of a material that is transparent in a visible range. The light guide member can have a front surface serving as a light emitting surface and having a plate shape, and a rear surface having a luminance control element for controlling a luminance distribution on the light emitting surface. A point or linear light source facing towards an end surface of the light guide member can be provided.

Abstract: A vehicle lamp can create a desired distribution pattern easily with a simple configuration while having a thin body and light weight. The vehicle lamp can include a light source unit and a convex projection lens configured to project light from the light source unit forward in the direction of light illumination. The light source unit can include a light guide plate having a light emission surface and made of a transparent material to the visible light range and can include a light source disposed in front of one end face of the light guide plate. The projection lens can have a focus arranged on or near the light emission surface of the light guide plate. The light source unit can include a reflection sheet configured to reflect light from the light guide plate back into the light guide plate and can have a shape configured to provide a cutoff pattern. The reflection sheet can be located adjacent an edge of the light guide plate adjacent the light source.

Abstract: A vehicle lamp can include a light source unit including a light guide plate with a light emission surface, and a point or line light source opposed to one end face of the light guide plate. The light guide plate can be made of a transparent plate-like material. A convex projection lens can be configured to focus light emitted from the light source unit and project the light forward in a direction of light illumination. The light guide plate can have a prism array on a rear surface thereof extending with a serrated cross section from the one end face to the opposite end face of the light guide plate, and in a direction parallel with the end face. The prism array can include a plurality of prism surfaces, with each prism surface being obliquely formed so that when light enters the light guide plate from the light source side and impinges thereon, a substantial amount of the light can be totally reflected into small angles of incidence to the emission surface.

Abstract: An LED light source device can have a simple configuration which can easily create a desired light distribution pattern with a low profile and light weight. An illumination apparatus and a vehicle lighting device can also be configured to use the LED light source device. The light source device can include a light guide plate made of a flat plate-like material that is transparent in the visible range, and which has a front surface serving as a light emission surface. A point light source can be opposed to an end surface of the light guide plate. A rear surface of the light guide plate can include a luminance control element configured to control a luminance distribution on the light emission surface. The luminance control element controls light from the light source, incident through the end surface of the light guide plate, so that a reduced inversion of a light distribution pattern that is to be emitted is formed on the light emission surface as the luminance distribution.

Abstract: An LED light source device and an illumination device using the same, including vehicle lighting devices, can have a light weight and thin profile and can form a desired light distribution pattern while employing a simple configuration. The light source device can include a plate shaped light guide member made of a material that is transparent in a visible range. The light guide member can have a front surface serving as a light emitting surface and having a plate shape, and a rear surface having a luminance control element for controlling a luminance distribution on the light emitting surface. A point or linear light source facing towards an end surface of the light guide member can be provided.

Abstract: A reflecting plate in form of dual half-ellipses comprises a first ellipse having a first focal point and a second focal point, and a second ellipse having a first focal point and a second focal point. The first ellipse and the second ellipse commonly share the first focal point. A cross-section of the reflecting plate is designed in such a form that the dual half-ellipses are aligned with each other, and that contours of the first ellipse and the second ellipse are divided by a straight line, which includes the commonly shared first focal point and the other focal points. The reflecting plate encloses the line light source by the dual half-ellipses and reflects a light from the line light source toward the diffusion plate arranged above by specular reflection and by diffused reflection. As a result, uneven brightness is eliminated at the boundary of the reflecting plate designed in form of dual half-ellipses.

Abstract: A reflecting plate in form of dual half-ellipses comprises a first ellipse having a first focal point and a second focal point, and a second ellipse having a first focal point and a second focal point. The first ellipse and the second ellipse commonly share the first focal point. A cross-section of the reflecting plate is designed in such a form that the dual half-ellipses are aligned with each other, and that contours of the first ellipse and the second ellipse are divided by a straight line, which includes the commonly shared first focal point and the other focal points. The reflecting plate encloses the line light source by the dual half-ellipses and reflects a light from the line light source toward the diffusion plate arranged above by specular reflection and by diffused reflection. As a result, uneven brightness is eliminated at the boundary of the reflecting plate designed in form of dual half-ellipses.

Abstract: A light diffusion/collecting member and a surface light source device can be provided with a simple configuration soas to achieve an easy assembly process and weight reduction. The surface light source device can include light sources arranged within the same plane, and a flat light diffusion/collecting member arranged above the light sources. The light diffusion/collecting member can be composed of a diffusion layer having a diffusion function, a low refractive layer, and a light collecting layer having a light collecting function. These layers can be integrally stacked in this order such that the diffusion layer is the nearest to the light sources. The low refractive layer can be made of a material with a lower refractive index than those of the materials composing the diffusion layer and the light collecting layer.