Patent ID: 8279372
Filing Date: 2012-10-02
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A planar light-emitting device comprising a plurality of light-emitting units, each respective light-emitting unit of the plurality of light-emitting units comprising: a lightguide plate having an upper surface as a light-exiting surface, a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, a peripheral side surface extending between respective peripheral edges of the upper surface and the lower surface, and a light-entrance surface defined by a part of the peripheral side surface; a light-emitting diode light source adjacently disposed to face the light-entrance surface and to emit light into the lightguide plate through the light-entrance surface; and a support member having the lightguide plate mounted thereon and securing the lightguide plate together with the light-emitting diode light source, wherein each respective light-emitting unit is arranged adjacent to another light-emitting unit of the plurality of light-emitting units, such that the light-exiting surfaces of the plurality of light-emitting units are substantially flush with one another, wherein the lightguide plate of each respective light-emitting unit has (i) an opposite surface opposite to the light-entrance surface of the lightguide plate of the respective light-emitting unit, such that the opposite surface is defined by a part of the peripheral side surface of the respective light-emitting unit, (ii) a first protruding portion protruding from and along the light-entrance surface of the lightguide plate of the respective light-emitting unit, and (iii) a second protruding portion protruding from and along the opposite surface of the lightguide plate of the respective light-emitting unit, wherein, in each pair of adjacently disposed light-emitting units of the plurality of light-emitting units, with the light-entrance surface of the lightguide plate of one of the adjacently disposed light-emitting units of the pair opposed to the opposite surface of the lightguide plate of another of the adjacently disposed light-emitting units of the pair, the first protruding portion of the one adjacently disposed light-emitting unit abuts against the second protruding portion of the another adjacently disposed light-emitting unit, wherein the light-emitting diode light source of each respective light-emitting unit (i) has a light-exiting surface and (ii) is disposed in a space formed underneath the first protruding portion of the lightguide plate of the respective light-emitting unit abutting against the second protruding portion of the lightguide plate of another adjacent light-emitting unit, the first protruding portion of the lightguide plate of the respective light-emitting unit receiving light emitted through the light-exiting surface of the light-emitting diode light source of the respective light-emitting unit, wherein the lightguide plates of the plurality of light-emitting units are arranged in a matrix, and wherein each respective lightguide plate further includes right and left side edge surfaces extending between the light-entrance surface and the opposite surface, and includes a projecting portion projecting from each of the right and left side edge surfaces and having an outwardly and downwardly inclined upper surface extending from the light-exiting surface of the respective lightguide plate.