The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 15, 2004
Filed:
Aug. 26, 2002
Shingo Suzuki, Iwata-gun, JP;
Toru Kunimochi, Iwata-gun, JP;
Minebea Co., Ltd., Nagano-ken, JP;
Abstract
A light conductive bar has a plurality of flat portions parallel to a side surface thereof facing a light conductive plate and formed on a side surface thereof opposite to the side surface and a plurality of inclined surfaces descending from one end surface facing a spot-like light source toward the other end surface, wherein the flat portions step down gradually from the one end surface to the other end surface. When light introduced into the light conductive bar from the one end surface is repeatedly reflected at the flat portions and the side surface facing the light conductive plate, angles of reflections thereat can stay larger than the critical angle because the flat portions are parallel to the side surface. Accordingly, the light can travel to the other end surface without leakage, thereby improving the luminance of the apparatus.