Patent ID: 8807819

Claim:
An illumination unit, comprising a light emitting element as a light source and a tabular light guide plate having a light emitting surface for emitting light from the light emitting element as planar light, wherein a recessed portion is formed in an opposite surface of the light emitting surface of the light guide plate, and the light emitting element is provided in the recessed portion so that an optical axis of the light emitting element becomes parallel to the light emitting surface of the light guide plate; wherein a dimming pattern is provided on the light emitting surface of the light guide plate at a portion positionally corresponding to the light emitting element; and wherein the dimming pattern includes a main portion covering the light emitting element on the light emitting surface side, and protrusions radially extending toward light emitting directions of the light emitting element around the light emitting element when viewing the light emitting surface of the light guide plate from the light emitting surface side.