Patent ID: 7901098

Claim:
An illuminating apparatus comprising: a light source including a cylindrical light-emitting tube; a prism, the prism including: a first optical system having a first incident surface, which faces the light source such that light emitted from the light source to an object to be illuminated is incident on the first incident surface, an emergent surface, which is oriented with respect to the first incident surface such that the light passing through the first incident surface is emitted through the emergent surface, and a first reflecting surface, which is oriented opposite to the first incident surface such that the first reflecting surface reflects the light incident from the first incident surface to the emergent surfaced; and a second optical system having a second incident surface, which is connected to the first incident surface and is oriented with respect to the light source such that light emitted from the light source is also incident on the second incident surface, and a second reflecting surface, which is connected to the second incident surface such that the second reflecting surface reflects the light incident from the second incident surface to the first reflecting surface, wherein the light emitted from the light source and reflected on the first reflecting surface is emitted from the emergent surface; and a third optical system having a third incident surface, which is connected to the first incident surface and is oriented with respect to the light source such that light emitted from the light source is also incident on the third incident surface, and a third reflecting surface, which is connected to the third incident surface such that the light incident from the third incident surface is reflected by the third reflecting surface to the first reflecting surface, wherein the light emitted from the light source and reflected on the first reflecting surface is emitted from the emergent surface, wherein the first optical system, the second optical system, and the third optical system are integrally included in the prism and each configured to illuminate the entire illumination area of the object so as to superpose each light via the first, second, and third optical systems.