Patent ID: 8888348

Claim:
An illumination device placed on a back side of a member to be illuminated, comprising: a light source that emits ultraviolet light; a light guide plate having a light incident surface whereon light from the light source is incident and a light exiting surface wherefrom light exits, the light guide plate guiding light from the light source; an optical member placed between the light source and the light incident surface of the light guide plate, the optical member having an ultraviolet light incident surface whereon ultraviolet light from the light source is incident, the optical member allowing ultraviolet light to pass through and reflecting visible light; and a fluorescent member placed between the ultraviolet light incident surface of the optical member and the light incident surface of the light guide plate, the fluorescent member converting ultraviolet light into visible light, wherein the light incident surface of the light guide plate has a smaller area than the light exiting surface.