Patent ID: 6058271
Filing Date: 2000-05-02
Classification: G02B,G03B

Abstract:
An illumination apparatus comprising:light-emitting device, said light emitting device having an elongated shape; andan optical member for guiding, through a material, light emitted from said light-emitting device in a longitudinal direction of said optical member and converging the light while passing through the material so as to radiate the light emitted from said light emitting device toward an object,wherein said optical member: includes at least a portion of the material which continuously increases in cross sectional area in an advancing direction of the light guided through the material; has one cross-section at the light entering portion in the light advancing direction having a predetermined elongated continuous shape; and is arranged in such a manner that the lengthwise direction of the cross-section in the light advancing direction at the light entering portion coincides with the lengthwise direction of the light emitting device.