Illumination – Illuminated scale or dial – Edge illuminated modifier or light rod/pipe
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-20
2002-11-05
Husar, Stephen (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Illuminated scale or dial
Edge illuminated modifier or light rod/pipe
C362S085000, C362S109000, C362S561000, C349S058000, C349S063000, C349S061000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06474823
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an illuminating device and an information processing device, and more particularly, is suitably applied to the illuminating device to be used in the reflex liquid crystal display formed of liquid crystal display (LCD) and the notebook type personal computer (hereinafter referred to as notebook PC) equipped with the reflex liquid crystal display.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, there has been a translucent liquid crystal display as the liquid crystal display. Such translucent liquid crystal display comprises liquid crystal layer which is formed by sealing in the liquid crystal between a pair of transparent substrates and is provided with the light source such as a cathode-ray tube called as back-light on the rear surface of the liquid crystal layer.
Moreover, in the translucent liquid crystal display, the light is transmitted through the liquid crystal layer by illuminating the back surface side of the liquid crystal layer using the light obtained by lighting up the back light. With this arrangement, in the translucent liquid crystal display, the predetermined information displayed on the display screen comprised of liquid crystal layer can be seen from the front side.
In the translucent liquid crystal display, the consumption of electric power is comparatively large because the back light is used. And as for the liquid crystal display, the reflex liquid crystal display has been used in place of the translucent liquid crystal display.
In the reflex liquid crystal display, a reflection plate is placed on the back side of the liquid crystal layer, and reflecting the outside light such as natural light injected from the front surface of the liquid crystal layer at the reflection plate and transmitting the light through the liquid crystal, the liquid crystal layer is lighted up. Thus, in the reflex liquid crystal display, the predetermined information displayed on the display screen can be seen from the front surface side, and thus, the consumption of the electric power can be remarkably decreased for not using the back light.
However, in the reflex liquid crystal display, since it is difficult to light up the liquid crystal layer sufficiently due to poor lighting condition at night, the visibility of information displayed on the display screen is deteriorated remarkably. Thus, in order to use the reflex liquid crystal display under the poor outside light condition, it is required that the light source is placed on the front surface side of the reflex LC display and irradiated to the liquid crystal layer.
However, if the light source is placed on the front side of the reflex liquid crystal display, the volume of the light source becomes large when carrying out the reflex liquid crystal display and it has been difficult to carry it around.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, an object of this invention is to provide an illuminating device and an information processing device capable of facilitating the carrying of the reflex liquid crystal display.
The foregoing objects and other objects of the invention have been achieved by the provision of an illuminating device which comprises a prescribed light source, a light guiding plate for guiding the light to be obtained from the light source, and the holding means for holding the light source and the light guiding plate, which is attached removable-free to the reflex liquid crystal display, in order to irradiate the light evenly over the entire surface of the display screen of the reflex liquid crystal display via the light guiding plate and to transmit the predetermined information to be displayed on the display screen.
Accordingly, under the condition of poor outside light to the display screen of the reflex liquid crystal display, the sufficient light can be irradiated to the display screen and at the same time, it can be removed easily when carrying out the reflex liquid crystal display.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, in the information processing device, the main unit to execute the predetermined processing, the display unit attached open/close free to the main unit and equipped with a reflex liquid crystal display, and the lighting means having the predetermined light source and a light guiding plate to guide the lights to be obtained from the light source and attached removable-free to the display unit so that light will be irradiated evenly over the entire surface of the display screen of the reflex liquid crystal display via the light guiding plate and the predetermined information to be displayed on the display screen will be past through are provided.
Thus, under the condition of poor outside light to the display screen of the reflex liquid crystal display, sufficient lights can be irradiated to the display screen by the lighting means and simultaneously, the lighting means can be easily removed from the display unit when carrying this.
The nature, principle and utility of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are designated by like reference numerals or characters.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5091832 (1992-02-01), Tortola et al.
patent: 5144290 (1992-09-01), Honda et al.
patent: 5777704 (1998-07-01), Selker
patent: 5815225 (1998-09-01), Nelson
patent: 6088074 (2000-07-01), Suzuki
Agata Kenichi
Hayashi Kaoru
Hisakawa Yuichiro
Frommer William S.
Frommer & Lawrence & Haug LLP
Husar Stephen
Ryan Matthew K.
Sony Corporation
LandOfFree
Illuminating device and information processing device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Illuminating device and information processing device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Illuminating device and information processing device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2987357