Light emitting element

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD [Detailed description of the invention]

【0001】

[Industrial application field]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can uniformly scatter and emit light transmitted through an optical transmission tube or the like by being connected to the tip of the optical transmission tube or the like, and is suitable for applications such as decorative lighting, underwater lighting, explosion-proof lighting, and display. With respect to the illuminant used.

【0002】

[Problems to be solved by conventional techniques and inventions]

Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 3, a light scatterer 2 is connected to the tip of an optical transmission tube or an optical fiber 4 by a joint 3, and light from these tubes or fibers is transmitted to the light scatterer 2 to scatter the light. A lighting method is known in which light incident on the body 2 is emitted from the entire outer peripheral surface of the light scatterer 2, and this has a wide range of uses such as decorative lighting, underwater lighting, explosion-proof lighting, display, and special lighting.

【0003】

Here, the light scatterer 2 is a transparent matrix 2a in which a transparent material 2b having a different refractive index is uniformly dispersed, and is composed of, for example, a material in which a spherical silicone resin is dispersed in a methacrylate resin. Such a material is rod-shaped, spherical, multi-faceted, plate-shaped, or the like.

【0004】

In such a light scatterer, the transparent matrix itself undergoes total internal reflection of light at the interface with air and transmits light without leaking light to the outside. However, when light travels through the matrix, it is transmitted. Light is scattered at the interface with the transparent material uniformly dispersed in this matrix, and a high-angle component is created in which the angle between the interface between the transparent matrix and air does not satisfy the total reflection conditions, and this light is emitted from the peripheral surface. Therefore, light is emitted from the entire light scatterer.

【0005】

However, the brightness of such a light scatterer may vary depending on the direction, and when a light scatterer having a large light emitting area is desired, if the light scatterer is enlarged, it becomes heavy and cannot be easily installed. Occurs.

【0006】

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a light emitting body having a wide light emitting area and uniformly emitting light in all directions.

【0007】

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is formed in a block shape or a columnar shape by a material in which a transparent material having a different refractive index from this matrix is uniformly dispersed in a transparent matrix, and light incident from an incident portion at one end thereof is emitted. Provided is a light emitting body characterized in that a light scattering body emitted from the entire outer peripheral surface is surrounded by a thin hollow body formed of a light-transmitting material at a predetermined distance from the light scattering body.

【0008】

[Action]

In the light emitting body of the present invention, an optical transmission tube or the like is connected to one end of a light scattering body formed in a block shape or a columnar shape, and light transmitted from the tube or the like and incident from one end is scattered inside the light scattering body. The light is emitted from the entire outer peripheral surface of the light scattering body. However, since the light scattering body is surrounded by a hollow body formed of a light-transmitting material, the light emitted from the light scattering body is further scattered. It passes through the hollow body that surrounds the body and is emitted to the outside, and the hollow body further diffuses the light and diffuses the light uniformly in all directions, so that the hollow body itself is as if it were a luminous body. It will be in a state like itself. In this case, if a light bulb is used instead of the light scattering body, the inconvenience that the light bulb can be seen through the hollow body occurs, but the light source of the present invention does not have the inconvenience that the light source (light scattering body) can be seen. ..

【0009】

Therefore, the light emitting body of the present invention is lightweight even if the light emitting portion is enlarged and the light emitting area is widened and the light emitting area is large as described above.

【0010】

[Example]

Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of a light emitting body of the present invention. In this light emitting body 1, an optical transmission tube 4 is connected to one end of a light scattering body 2 by a joint 3, and light is emitted. It has a structure in which a thin spherical hollow body 5 surrounds the light scattering body at a predetermined distance from the scattering body 2.

【0011】

The light scatterer 2 is formed of a material in which a transparent material 2b having a different refractive index is uniformly dispersed in a transparent matrix 2a. Specifically, as the transparent matrix 2a, organic resins such as polymethylmethacrylate, polycarbonate, silicone and polystyrene, and inorganic materials such as glass, quartz and transparent ceramic can be used, and as the transparent material 2b, poly Organic powders such as methyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, polystyrene, and silicone resin, inorganic powders such as calcium carbonate, titanium oxide, glass, silica, and ceramic powder with transparent single crystals, as well as gas, bubbles, vacuum voids, etc. It can also be configured with. In this case, the shape is preferably spherical, and the average particle size is preferably 0.01 to 50 μm, particularly preferably about 0.1 to 10 μm. The amount of the transparent material dispersed is generally 0.001 to 50 parts by weight, preferably 0.005 to 1 part by weight. Specifically, a preferred example is 100 parts by weight of a transparent matrix of polymethylmethacrylate mixed with 0.005 to 0.5 parts by weight of a spherical silicone resin having an average particle size of 0.1 to 10 μm, or 100 parts by weight of polymethylmethacrylate or polycarbonate. An example thereof is a mixture of 0.005 to 0.5 parts by weight of powder such as calcium carbonate, titanium oxide, and glass having an average particle size of 0.5 to 20 μm.

【0012】

The shape of the light scatterer 2 is not particularly limited, but it may be spherical as shown in FIG. 1, rod-shaped as shown in FIG. 2, or polyhedral.

【0013】

A known optical transmission tube can be used for connecting to the light scatterer 2. For example, a single type in which the core material is in a liquid, solid, or gel state, or a core material in which the core material is plastic, quartz, or multi-component. An example is a bundle type in which a large number of optical fibers are bundled.

【0014】

Further, the hollow body 5 surrounding the light scattering body 2 is preferably one having a light transmitting property and a property of scattering light, and the material may be the same as that of the above-mentioned light scattering body. Alternatively, it is also preferable that the surface is molded from a transparent material, and one or both of the inner and outer surfaces thereof are roughened by sandblasting or the like to form a matte shape. Further, a transparent material mixed with a material such as aluminum foil or mica that reflects light may be used. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, transparent materials 5a and 5b having different refractive indexes may be bonded together to cause refraction at the interface of each layer. When the hollow body 5 is composed of a laminated body of transparent materials in this way, it may of course be composed of two or more sheets.

【0015】

The size, shape, wall thickness, etc. of the hollow body 5 are appropriately selected as needed. For example, the shape is spherical in FIGS. It can be shaped appropriately according to the application such as a pyramid. The wall thickness depends on the material, but is preferably about 1 to 10 mm, preferably about 1 to 5 mm in order to sufficiently diffuse the light from the light scatterer.

【0016】

[Effect of the invention]

The light emitting body of the present invention has a large light emitting area and can emit light in all directions.

[Simple explanation of drawings]

[Figure 1]

It is sectional drawing which shows one Example of the light emitting body of this invention.

[Figure 2]

It is sectional drawing which shows the other embodiment of the light emitting body of this invention.

[Fig. 3]

It is sectional drawing which shows the conventional light emitting body.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Luminescent 2 Light scatterer 2a transparent matrix 2b transparent material 3 joints 4 Optical transmission tube 5 hollow body