Patent ID: 8077272

Claim:
A planar light-emitting device comprising a plurality of light-emitting units, each light-emitting unit comprising: a lightguide plate having (i) an upper surface as a light-exiting surface, (ii) a lower surface opposite to the light-exiting surface, and (iii) a peripheral side surface extending between respective peripheral edges of the light-exiting surface and the lower surface, wherein the peripheral side surface includes a light entrance surface, an opposite surface opposite to the light entrance surface, and two side surfaces extending between the light entrance surface and the opposite surface; a light source positioned adjacent to the light entrance surface to emit light into the lightguide plate through the light entrance surface; and a support member that fixedly supports the light source and the lightguide plate, wherein the support member has a mounting portion on which the lightguide plate is mounted, and the support member further has hooks projecting upward from the mounting portion to engage with the side surfaces of the lightguide plate to secure the lightguide plate, wherein the lightguide plate has projecting portions projecting from the side surfaces to extend directly above the hooks engaged with the side surfaces, the projecting portions having respective upper surfaces that extend contiguously and incline downward from the light-exiting surface, and wherein the light-emitting units are arranged side by side with the upper surfaces of their respective lightguide plates being substantially flush with each other.