Abstract: A backlight (illumination device) of this invention includes a plurality of light source units (12) each including (i) at least one light source (5) and (ii) a light guide body (7) for surface-emitting light which has come from the at least one light source. In the light source unit (12), the light source is disposed at one end portion of the light guide body (7), and another end portion of the light guide body (7), opposite to the one end portion, has a thickness from 0.05 mm to 0.15 mm. As a result, it is possible to further improve luminance uniformity in an illumination device including a plurality of light guide bodies.

Abstract: A backlight (illumination device) 2 is disclosed including: light sources (5); light guide plates (7) for causing surface emission of light from the light sources (5); and a diffusing plate (8) for diffusing light from the light guide plates (7), the diffusing plate (8) facing a light-emitting surface (7a) of each of the light guide plates (7) at a predetermined distance. The illumination device further includes at least one maintaining section between the light-emitting surface (7a) of the light guide plate (7) and the diffusing plate (8), the maintaining section (10) maintaining the predetermined distance. The maintaining section (10) is provided on either of first and second end sections of the light-emitting surface (7a) of a light guide plate (7), the first end section being closer to a corresponding light source (5), the second end section being farther from the corresponding light source (5).

Abstract: A backlight (illumination device) according to the present invention includes a plurality of light sources, and a light guiding body for causing light emitted from the light sources to be emitted from a light emitting surface. The light sources are provided inside the light guiding body, and emit light in directions which are substantially parallel to a light emitting surface of the light guiding body. At least two of the plurality of light sources emit the light in directions which are different from each other. More specifically, at least two of the plurality of light sources are provided so as to face each other, and provided so that one of the plurality of light sources emits light toward the other one of the plurality of light sources, and vice versa.

Abstract: An object is to implement a narrowed picture-frame while suppressing the occurrence of light leakage and a reduction in luminance in an edge-light type backlight device. A backlight device is composed of LEDs (40); a side chassis (51) supporting a board having the LEDs (40) mounted thereon; a light guide plate (20) for allowing light emitted from the LEDs (40) to exit toward a liquid crystal panel in a planar manner; a reflection sheet (30) for allowing light traveling toward a back surface side within the light guide plate (20) to be reflected thereby; optical sheets (10) including a reflection type polarizer (11), a prism sheet (12), and a diffuser (13); and a top chassis (52) disposed on top of the optical sheets (10). Black printing (60) is provided in a part of the region of the diffuser (13).

Abstract: An illuminating device (4) includes a light emitting diode substrate (8). A connector (20) is provided at a predetermined position on one end in the longitudinal direction of the light emitting diode substrate (8). Two light emitting diode substrates (8) are adjacent in an arrangement direction, and a plurality of light emitting diodes (18r), (18g), and (18b) included in light emitting diode units (19a) to (19h) in each of the two light emitting diode substrates (8) are provided so as to be symmetrical with respect to a point that is in the center of these two light emitting diode substrates (8).

Abstract: An illumination device (10) comprises: a plurality of substrates (3) each of which has one surface on which a plurality of light sources (5) are provided; a plurality of first reflecting sheets (7), which cover the one surfaces of the respective plurality of substrates (3) so as to leave the plurality of light sources (5) uncovered; a supporting plate (1) which supports the plurality of substrates (3); and a second reflecting sheet (8) which covers an upper surface of the supporting plate (1) in a gap between respective adjacent ones of the plurality of substrate (3). This makes it possible to provide an illumination device capable of irradiating light without luminance non-uniformity.

Abstract: An LED driver circuit which provides a cost reduction is provided by employing a circuit configuration which allows a size reduction. In at least one example embodiment, the LED driver circuit includes a first switching element, a second switching element, a sense resistor, a sensing unit, a calculator, and a driver. The plurality of LEDs, the first switching element, the second switching element, and the sense resistor are coupled to each other in series in this order. The sensing unit receives a voltage at a node between the second switching element and the sense resistor, and generates voltage data representing the voltage. The calculator calculates a temporal average of a current flowing through the LEDs based on the voltage data, and generates current data corresponding to the temporal average. The driver drives the first switching element and the second switching element based on the current data.

Abstract: A light-emitting element (1) includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes [3(R1, G11, . . . )] of two or more different colors, and a light-guiding member (4) for emitting, in the form of plane emission, light emitted by the plurality of light-emitting diodes [3(R1, G11, . . . )]. The plurality of light-emitting diodes are arranged in a predetermined order along the light-guiding member (4). A scattering member (31) for scattering light is provided on that side surface of the light-guiding member (4) which faces in a width direction (i.e., a direction along the direction that the light-emitting diodes (3) are arranged). Thus obtained is a white light source, free from coloration attributed to the color of a light-emitting diode disposed next to a side edge surface, whose colors have been sufficiently mixed.

Abstract: A tandem type backlight comprises plural light-emitting units (11) including at least one point light source (5) and a light guide plate (7) for causing light from the at least one point light source to be diffused and surface-emitted. In each of the light-emitting units (11), a length X of a light guide area (9) is set so that an area, on a boundary surface between a light-emitting area (10) and the light guide area (9), of a cross-section of a light beam that is emitted from the at least one point light source (5) and is diffused in the light guide plate (7) is equal to or larger than an area of the boundary surface (interface). Moreover, a length X, in a length direction D1, of the light guide area is smaller than a length Y, in the length direction D1, of the light-emitting area.

Abstract: A large liquid crystal display (100) comprises a light guide plate (3) arranged on the back side of a liquid crystal panel (1). The front surface of the light guide plate (3) is flat, while the back surface thereof is concave. The upper and lower end faces of the light guide plate (3) respectively facing hot cathode fluorescent lamps (2a, 2b) have a convex shape projecting toward the respective lamps. White light from the fluorescent lamps is incident on the upper and lower end faces of the light guide plate directly or by being reflected by reflectors (4a, 4b), and propagates within the light guide plate while being reflected by the front and back surfaces of the light guide plate. At the front surface of the light guide plate, a part of the white light is directed toward the back side of the liquid crystal panel (1) by a light guide portion (5).

Abstract: A triangle prism (PR1) that refracts light coming from a first light-reception face (RS1) is formed on a first outgoing face (IS1) of a first prism sheet (PS1). Furthermore, one of the side surfaces (SS1a, SS2a) of that triangle prism (PR1) will refract light coming from the first light-reception face (RS1), and the other side surface will refract light coming from that side surface.

Abstract: A first light guide plate of a light-emitting element is formed by a plurality of strip-shaped light guide bodies arranged in parallel with each other, where each strip-shaped light guide body has a light incident surface on which light from a light source is incident, and a light-emitting surface from which light from the light incident surface is emitted, and on which a plurality of prisms are formed. A second light guide plate of the light-emitting element is positioned so as to face the light-emitting surface side of the first light guide plate, has prisms formed on a surface of the first light guide plate side in a shape that meshes with a shape of the prisms of the first light guide plate, and is formed by a fewer number of light guide bodies arranged in parallel than the strip-shaped light guide bodies.

Abstract: A projecting part (4) is provided on at least one of a reflection sheet (3), which is provided so as to cover a surface facing an emission surface (1c) of a light guide (1), and a light guide section (1a) of the light guide (1) so that a space is secured at least partially between the light guide section (1a) and the reflection sheet (3). This makes it possible to provide an illumination device which (i) has a reduce thickness, (ii) achieves high light use efficiency, and (iii) can carry out a local dimming.

Abstract: A backlight (illuminating device) of the present invention is a tandem type backlight including a plurality of light-emitting units (11) including at least one point light source (5) and a light guide plate (7) for causing light from the at least one point light source to be diffused and surface-emitted. In each of the light-emitting units (11), a length X of a light guide area (9) is set so that an area, on a boundary surface between a light-emitting area (10) and the light guide area (9), of a cross-section of a light beam that is emitted from the at least one point light source (5) and is diffused in the light guide plate (7) is equal to or larger than an area of the boundary surface (interface). Moreover, a length X, in a length direction D1, of the light guide area is smaller than a length Y, in the length direction D1, of the light-emitting area, the length direction being a direction pointing from the at least one point light source (5) toward the light-emitting area (10).

Abstract: A backlight (2) (illumination device) of this invention includes: a plurality of light sources (5), a plurality of light guide bodies (7) for causing surface emission of light emitted from the light sources; a diffusing plate (8) (flat plate) provided so as to face light-emitting surfaces (7a) of the light guide bodies (7) while maintaining a predetermined distance between the diffusing plate (8) and the respective light-emitting surfaces (7a). Maintaining sections (10) (distance maintaining sections) are provided between the respective light guide bodies (7) and the diffusing plate (8) and provided on the side of the diffusing plate (8), the maintaining sections (10) maintaining the predetermined distance between the diffusing plate (8) and the respective light-emitting surfaces (7a) of the respective light guide bodies (7).

Abstract: A backlight (illumination device) (22) of the present invention includes: a plurality of light sources (25) which emit light beams of two or more different colors; and a plurality of light guides (27) each of which mixes colored light beams emitted from the light sources and then converts the colored light beams thus mixed into surface emission, wherein the plurality of light guides (27) are arranged so as not to overlap one another, the plurality of light sources (25) are aligned in a given order along first end parts of each of the light guides, and scatterers (scattering means) (34) for scattering light beams are provided on side surfaces of second end parts (27b) of each of the light guide, which second end parts face a direction where the light sources are aligned (d1).

Abstract: The present invention achieves a light guide unit capable of, with use of minimum-sized reflection means, (i) preventing light from directly leaking out from a light guide through a surface of the light guide and thus preventing luminance unevenness, and also (ii) suppressing an increase in production costs. Specifically, reflection means (8) is provided on an upper surface of a light guide part (2a) so as to cause light entered a light guide (2) to travel toward inside of the light guide (2). The reflection means (8) extends from one intersection (P) of first intersections so as to cover a region, of the upper surface of the light guide part (2a), which faces a light incidence surface (9) right above a light source (6). Each of the first intersections is an intersection of (i) a straight line extending at an angle ? to a vertical line (M) and passing through a second intersection and (ii) the upper surface of the light guide part (2a).

Abstract: A backlight (illumination device) (2) of the present invention includes a plurality of light sources (5) and a plurality of light guides (7, 17, . . . ) that allow light entered into the light guides from the plurality of light sources (5) to be emitted from surfaces of the plurality of light guides (7, 17 . . . ). Each of the light guides (7, 17, . . . ) includes: a light emitting section (7b, 17b, . . . ) that has a light emitting surface (7a); and a light guide section (7c) that guides, to the light emitting section (7b, 17b, . . . ), light entered into the light guides from the plurality of light sources (5). Each of the light guides (7, 17, . . . ) is also arranged such that the light emitting section (17b) of the light guide (17) that is adjacent to the light guide (7) overlaps the light guide section (7c) of the light guide (7). An edge surface (7e) of the light emitting section (17b) of the light guide (17) that overlaps the light guide (7) has concaved and/or convexed shape.

Abstract: Each of light guides (2) has: a reflection surface (2e); and a light emitting surface (2c) that is opposite to the reflection surface (2e) and is not covered by a neighboring light guide (2). The light emitting surface (2c) is made up of a first emitting surface (7) and a second emitting surface (8). The first emitting surface (7) is substantially parallel with the reflection surface (2e). The second emitting surface (8) is substantially parallel with an irradiated surface. The each of the light guides (2) is provided with microprisms (9) serving as diffusing means at least in a first emitting surface region (12) in which there is the first emitting surface (7).

Abstract: A backlight (illumination device) of the present invention includes a plurality of light source units (32) each of which includes: a plurality of light sources (25) which emit light beams of two or more different colors; and a light guide (27) which mixes colored light beams emitted from the light sources and then converts the colored light beams thus mixed into surface emission. The plurality of light source units (32) are arranged so as not to overlap one another. In the light source unit (32), the plurality of light sources (25) are aligned in a given order along an end part (27d) of the light guide (27), and a light source disposed at a midsection of the end part (27d) of the light guide (27) has the highest luminance intensity among the plurality of light sources (25), and luminous intensities of the other light sources decrease with distance from the light source disposed at the midsection of the end part (27d) of the light guide (27).