Display apparatus, manufacturing method thereof, pattern display method, blind apparatus, and blind method

Abstract

This display apparatus 10 includes: a light guide plate 1 ; and a light source 6 provided on an edge face 1 a of the light guide plate 1 . In the light guide plate 1 , a display portion 3 made of a dot-like reflection portion 2 with a reflection surface 2 a for reflecting a light beam emitted from the light source 6 to a surface 1 b is formed. In the display portion 3 , the reflected light beam from the dot-like reflection portion 2 is configured to be visible. This display apparatus 10 is excellent in transparency, has a display portion visually recognizable with ease, and can be manufactured at a low cost.

1 . A display apparatus, comprising: a light guide plate; and at least one light source that is provided on at least one edge face of the light guide plate, wherein
 a display portion that is made of one or more dot-like reflection portions with a reflection surface for reflecting a light beam emitted from the light source and incident from the edge face, to a surface, is formed in the light guide plate,   reflected light beams from the dot-like reflection portions of the display portion being configured to be visually recognizable.   
   
   
       2 . The display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the dot-like reflection portion is made of a dot-like notch formed in the light guide plate. 
   
   
       3 . The display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the reflection surface of the dot-like reflection portion is a smooth plane. 
   
   
       4 . The display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the display portion is made of a plurality of dot-like reflection portions and is configured so that reflected light beams from the dot-like reflection portions are visually recognizable as forming a predetermined pattern. 
   
   
       5 . The display apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the dot-like reflection portions are arranged so as to form a letter, a sign, a graphic form, a designed pattern, or a combination of two or more of these. 
   
   
       6 . The display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the light guide plates are provided and the light guide plates are stacked. 
   
   
       7 . The display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the light guide plates are provided and the light guide plates are disposed in a spaced-apart manner in a thickness direction. 
   
   
       8 . The display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the light guide plates are provided and the light guide plates are disposed side by side within one plane. 
   
   
       9 . The display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the light guide plates is formed with at least one part thereof being curved. 
   
   
       10 . The display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a reflection surface of the dot-like reflection portion has an angle of 45 degrees or more and 60 degrees or less with respect to a surface of the light guide plate. 
   
   
       11 . The display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the dot-like reflection portion is configured to have a substantially rectangular shape, seen in a plane, a width to height ratio thereof being in a range of 10:1 to 1:1. 
   
   
       12 . The display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the dot-like reflection portion has a shape, seen in a plane, selected from a substantial rectangle, a trapezoid, a triangle, a circle, or a circle having a part which is cut out. 
   
   
       13 . The display apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the light source is provided on the respective light guide plates. 
   
   
       14 . The display apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein a relative position of the light source with respect to the light guide plates is configured to be variable from a position capable of entering a light beam into one of the light guide plates to a position capable of entering a light beam into one of the other light guide plates. 
   
   
       15 . The display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the light source is extendingly formed along an extension direction of the light guide plate. 
   
   
       16 . The display apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the light source is made of a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in a predetermined direction. 
   
   
       17 . A manufacturing method of the display apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 using a machining tool having one or more blade portions in a shape in accordance with a shape of the one or more of the dot-like reflection portions; heating one or both of the blade portions and the light guide plate to a softening point of a material of the light guide plate or higher; and pressing the blade portions into the light guide plate to form the dot-like reflection portions.   
   
   
       18 . The manufacturing method of the display apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 a light guide plate in which the dot-like reflection portions are formed is stamped or injection-molded by a mold on which a raised pattern with a shape in correspondence to the letter, the sign, the graphic form, the designed pattern, or the combination of two or more of these according to  claim 5 , the shape of the raised pattern mating the dot-like reflection portion.   
   
   
       19 . A pattern display method, using: a light guide plate in which a display portion including a pattern made of one or more dot-like reflection portions with a reflection surface; and at least one light source that is provided on at least one edge face of the light guide plate, and
 entering a light beam from the light source from the edge face of the light guide plate to allow the light beam to exit from a surface after reflection off the one or more dot-like reflection portions, to thereby display one or more reflected light beams of the pattern.   
   
   
       20 . The pattern display method according to  claim 19 , wherein a change is imparted to the pattern of the one or more reflected light beams by modifying one or more of an amount of time for light emission, an amount of light emission, and a color of emitted light of the light source. 
   
   
       21 . A blind apparatus, comprising: a light guide plate; and at least one light source that is provided on at least one edge face of the light guide plate, wherein
 a display portion that is made of one or more dot-like reflection portions with a reflection surface for reflecting a light beam, emitted from the light source and incident from the edge face, to a surface is formed in the light guide plate,   one or more reflected light beams from the one or more dot-like reflection portions of the display portion being configured to be visually recognizable.   
   
   
       22 . A blind method, using: a light guide plate in which a display portion made of one or more dot-like reflection portions with a reflection surface; and at least one light source that is provided on at least one edge face of the light guide plate, and
 entering a light beam from the light source from an edge face of the light guide plate to allow the light beam to exit from a surface of the light guide plate after reflection off the one or more dot-like reflection portions, to thereby lower a background visibility.