Abstract: A light source device includes: a light source part comprising a plurality of laser light sources, each laser light source being configured to emit light having a predetermined wavelength width; a plurality of collimators; a light-condensing part configured to adjust light emitted from the collimators into parallel light and to condense the parallel light; a diffraction grating configured to receive the condensed light; and an output coupler disposed in an optical path of diffracted light from the diffraction grating so as to form an external resonator with the laser light sources, wherein a reflecting surface of the output coupler is a depressed surface; and an adjusting lens disposed downstream of the output coupler, the adjusting lens being configured to convert light emitted from the output coupler into substantially parallel light or to condense the light emitted from the output coupler.

Abstract: A light source device includes: a laser diode bar comprising a plurality of strips configured to emit light in a wavelength region with a predetermined width; a light guiding part comprising a plurality of cores, each of which corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of strips, and on each of which light emitted from the respective one of the strips is incident; a diffraction grating on which light emitted from the cores is incident; and a resonator mirror on which light emitted from the diffraction grating is incident. The cores are disposed such that light emitted from the cores is incident on a region of the diffraction grating at different angles. The diffraction grating comprises a pattern configured to diffract light incident on the diffraction grating from the cores such that the diffracted light is emitted along a single optical axis.

Abstract: Provided is an illuminating device including a plurality of light sources. Micro prisms are provided in an opposed surface of a light guide plate. Each of the micro prisms is provided so that a reflective surface has a bottom side located at substantially 90 degrees with respect to an optical path of a beam from any one of the light sources. In a display device including a liquid crystal panel illuminated by the illuminating device, at least two micro prisms are provided in each area overlapped with aperture portions of the liquid crystal panel.

Abstract: A lighting device has a light source, a light guiding plate having first and second opposite main surfaces, and a reflector confronting the second main surface of the light guiding plate. The light guiding plate has a light entrance part that introduces light from the light source into the light guiding plate and reflecting parts formed on one of the first and second main surfaces for reflecting light introduced into the light guiding plate toward the first main surface. The reflecting parts are arranged on respective sets of arcs of concentric circles with each concentric circle having the light entrance part as its center. Each of the reflecting parts has a long axis extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to a line connected between a center of the corresponding reflecting part and the center of the light entrance part.

Abstract: A display device has at least one light source for emitting light and a light guide plate having a first surface for inputting light emitted from the at least one light source, a second surface for outputting illumination light, and a third surface opposite to the second surface. A display element having dots for displaying image information is arranged over the second surface of the light guide plate for receiving the illumination light. At least two microprisms are arranged on the third surface of the light guide plate in areas overlapping the dots of the display element. Each microprism has a height in the range of from 1 ?m to 10 ?m and a mirror surface for reflecting light emitted from the at least one light source. Each mirror surface has a base disposed perpendicular to a light path of the light emitted from the at least one light source.

Abstract: Provided is an illuminating device including a plurality of light sources. Micro prisms are provided in an opposed surface of a light guide plate. Each of the micro prisms is provided so that a reflective surface has a bottom side located at substantially 90 degrees with respect to an optical path of a beam from any one of the light sources. In a display device including a liquid crystal panel illuminated by the illuminating device, at least two micro prisms are provided in each area overlapped with aperture portions of the liquid crystal panel.

Abstract: Provided is a display device including a microprism array backlight using a point light source, in which at least two pyramidal microprisms are arranged on an opposing surface opposite to an exit surface of a light guide plate, in areas overlapping openings of display element. An incident surface of the light guide plate includes an entrance portion, which is a semicircular depressed portion. An arrangement angle of the microprisms is optimized so that light from the entrance portion may be output with high efficiency. With this structure, the display device may use two or more point light sources, to thereby prevent moire in a liquid crystal panel.

Abstract: To provide a lighting unit which: does not greatly affect the design of a light guide plate; and has a long lifetime, high efficiency, and a wide color reproduction range by means of a phosphor. In view of the foregoing, the lighting unit of the present invention is constituted in such a manner that a phosphor bead or a phosphor film is arranged on at least one of the light irradiation plane of a light guide plate, the rear surface of the light guide plate, and the light incidence plane of the light guide plate. In addition, a phosphor film is constituted by using: a phosphor bead formed of a phosphor particle and a water-impervious material with which the phosphor particle is coated so that the particle is confined in the material; and a polymer film holding the phosphor bead.

Abstract: A lighting device includes: a light source; a light guiding plate; and a reflector. The light guiding plate includes: a light entrance part, which introduces light of the light source into the light guiding plate; and a plurality of reflecting parts, which are formed on at least the one of the light exit face and the opposed face to cause the introduced light to exit to outside. The plurality of reflecting parts are arranged in staggered pattern in a circumferential direction of a circle having the light entrance part as its center, and in a radius direction orthogonal to the circumferential direction. Therefore a reflecting surface of one of the plurality of reflecting parts that is placed in a back does not fall in a shadow of another one of the plurality of reflecting parts that is placed nearer to the light source, and incident light is reflected in a wide area.

Abstract: An illumination device for emitting light includes a light incident body having a first end portion that has a light incident surface on which light from a light source is incident, a second end portion, and an outer oval-shaped surface portion interconnection the first and second end portions. A light guide plate is optically coupled to the second end portion of the light incident body and has a light emitting surface through which light that propagates through the light incident body is emitted. The light guide plate and the light incident body are integrally formed and may comprise a one-piece body. A display device utilizes the illumination device for illuminating a display element of the non-self light emitting type.

Abstract: A lighting device comprises a light guide plate having a light incident surface and a light exit surface, at least one point light source for emitting light that is incident on the light incident surface of the light guide plate and is guided by the light guide plate to the light exit surface of the light guide plate, and micro-structures disposed on a surface of the light guide plate that is opposite to the light exit surface thereof for scattering light from the point light source that is incident on the light incident surface. A longitudinal direction of each of the micro-structures is substantially aligned with a direction in which the light from the point light source is incident on each of the micro-structures. Each of the micro-structures has an inclined surface for reflecting the incident light toward the light exit surface of the light guide plate.

Abstract: There is provided a color display unit having a wide range of color reproduction and low power consumption, with a simple structure, and without causing element deterioration. The display unit comprises light source means for generating blue light, a color conversion layer having a red color region for converting the blue light generated by the light source means to red light, a green color region for converting the blue light to green light, and a blue color region for transmitting the blue light as is, arranged on a flat surface, and a pixel switch structure for turning the blue light ON or OFF for each of the red color region, green color region and blue color region in response to an image signal.

Abstract: The invention realizes a phosphor film that has a fluorescent characteristic excellent in resistance to humidity and provides, using the phosphor film, a liquid crystal display device that is excellent in resistance to humidity and has satisfactory calorimetric property and color mixture property. Phosphor particles that are excited by incident light and emit light having a wavelength different from the incident light are mixed in a binder. The binder mixed with the phosphor particles is sandwiched between a translucent film and a non-permeable layer as a phosphor layer to form a phosphor film. This phosphor film is provided at least in one place among a place between a light source and a light guide of a lighting device, a place on a light irradiation surface of the light guide, and a place between the light guide and a reflection plate.

Abstract: To provide a lighting unit which: does not greatly affect the design of a light guide plate; and has a long lifetime, high efficiency, and a wide color reproduction range by means of a phosphor. In view of the foregoing, the lighting unit of the present invention is constituted in such a manner that a phosphor bead or a phosphor film is arranged on at least one of the light irradiation plane of a light guide plate, the rear surface of the light guide plate, and the light incidence plane of the light guide plate. In addition, a phosphor film is constituted by using: a phosphor bead formed of a phosphor particle and a water-impervious material with which the phosphor particle is coated so that the particle is confined in the material; and a polymer film holding the phosphor bead.

Abstract: A thin illumination device with a high efficiency of utilizing light and a display element using the same are realized. In an illumination device according to the present invention, a light incident body (3) having a light incident surface (4) is optically coupled to a light guide plate (2), light coming from a light source (1) being incident on the light incident surface (4). At least part of the light incident body between the light incident surface (4) and the light guide plate (2) is oval in cross section.

Abstract: A lighting device includes a light guide plate and a point light source located on a light incident surface side of the light guide plate. Micro-structures for light-scattering are provided separate from one another on a surface opposed to the light exit surface of the light guide plate. Each of the micro-structures for light-scattering has an orientation in a longitudinal direction. The longitudinal direction becomes substantially parallel to a direction joining the micro-structure for light-scattering with the point light source. With this structure, a high intensity of the lighting device is realized. The surface opposed to the light exit surface of the light guide plate is divided into a plurality of regions. A thickness of the light guide plate reduces stepwise in the respective regions as a distance from the point light source increases.

Abstract: An optical switch has at least first, second, and third optical fibers disposed generally parallel to each other and spaced at non-equal intervals in a direction substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of each of the optical fibers. The optical fibers have tip portions disposed approximately along a straight line extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of each of the optical fibers. A first non-movable guiding structure guides a beam of light emitted from the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber along a first optical path disposed between the tip portion of the first optical fiber and the tip portion of the second optical fiber.

Abstract: There is disclosed an optical switch consisting of a support substrate, a movable raw optical fiber, a fixed raw optical fiber, a magnetic member for the movable raw optical fiber, and a leaf spring. The fibers are disposed in a V-shaped groove formed in the substrate. The magnetic member is actuated by an electromagnet disposed above the substrate. The leaf spring pushes the movable raw optical fiber into the V-shaped groove. The structure of the switch is relatively simple. Since the movable raw optical fiber is pushed using the leaf spring, the switch is less affected by the assembly accuracy than conventional. It is easy to make adjustments during assembly. Consequently, high-performance, low-cost, optical switch that can be mass-produced can be offered.

Abstract: The invention equalizes the lengths of optical paths required in optical communication among optical paths constructed by plural optical fibers. Optical fibers parallel to each other at non-equal intervals are set to ADD, OUT, IN and DROP, and are used for add-drop. An ADD-OUT optical path of an optical path length A+2E from the optical fiber to the optical fiber through a fixing mirror and a movable mirror, and an IN-DROP optical path of an optical path length C+2E from the optical fiber to the optical fiber through a movable mirror and a fixing mirror are formed. When the movable mirrors are escaped, an ADD-DROP optical path of an optical path length A+B+C+2E from the optical fiber to the optical fiber through the fixing mirrors, and an IN-OUT optical path of an optical path length B+2D+2E from the optical fiber to the optical fiber through fixing mirrors are formed. Three optical paths except for ADD-DROP are set to the same length by setting A=C=B+2D.

Abstract: An optical fiber with lens for constituting an optical functional component capable of light beam propagation, which improves the stability in holding and handling and contributes to downsizing. To one end of a single mode (SM) optical fiber, which is a main part of the optical fiber with lens, a graded index (GI) optical fiber functioning as a convergence type rod lens and having a predetermined length is integrally connected, and this GI optical fiber is thinner than SM optical fiber. The refractive index distribution constant {square root}A of the GI optical fiber is from 1.0 to 4.0, and the end surface thereof is inclined at from 2.0 degrees to 4.0 degrees. Further, the GI optical fiber may be constituted only by a core part without a clad part.