Patent ID: 8147078

Claim:
An illumination apparatus comprising: a light source; an optical member configured to at least transmit therethrough light from the light source; and a reflective member configured to include a reflective portion which extends closer to the optical member than the light source and reflects the light from the light source to cause the light to enter the optical member, wherein an upper inner surface of the optical member and a lower inner surface of the optical member disposed between a light entrance surface of the optical member and an exit surface of the optical member are formed as internal reflective surfaces, wherein a concave portion is formed in upper and lower outside areas located outside the light entrance surface where the light reflected by the reflective portion reaches, wherein the concave portion includes a refractive surface refracting light, and wherein the refractive surface reflects light proceeding toward the refractive surface from the light entrance surface of the optical member, and the reflected light introduces to the exit surface of the optical member.