LIGHTING DEVICE AND LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY

摘要

A backlight (lighting device) (2) has a plurality of photoconductor units (11) each consisting of a combination of a light source (5) and a photoconductor (7) performing surface emission by diffusing light from the light source. Each of the photoconductors (7, 7, ...) consists of a light emitting portion (7b) having a light emitting surface (7a), and a photoconducting portion (7c) for guiding light from the light source (5) to the light emitting portion. The light emitting portion (7b) of one photoconductor (7) adjoining the other photoconductor is arranged to run on the photoconducting portion (7c) of the other photoconductor (7). The light emitting surface (7a) consists of a horizontal surface (7d) which is horizontal to an irradiation object, and a surface (7e) provided between the horizontal surface (7d) and the photoconducting portion (7c) and inclining against the irradiation object. The inclining surface (7e) is permitted to be a curved surface continuous to the horizontal surface by changing the inclination against the horizontal surface (7d) continuously. A lighting device in which light from the light source can exit uniformly is thereby provided.