LINEAR LIGHT GUIDE, LINEAR LIGHT GUIDE STRUCTURE, PLANAR LIGHT GUIDE STRUCTURE, AND ILLUMINATING DEVICE

摘要

A linear light guide 1 is mainly made up of a side emission type optical fiber 3, a flexible resin sheet, etc. The side emission type optical fiber is flexible and allows light entering a core to diffuse from its side via a clad. The flexible light resin sheet 5 is preliminarily formed into a form in conformity to an external form of the side emission type optical fiber 3. The flexible light resin sheet 5 is formed from, e.g., a microcellular structure resin sheet. A portion covered with the flexible light resin sheet 5 in an outer circumferential surface of the side emission type optical fiber 3 is defined as a covered section, while a portion not covered with the flexible light resin sheet 5 to expose the outer circumferential surface of the side emission type optical fiber 3 is defined as an opened section 9. In this case, it is desirable that the covered section 7 is formed in a half or more of a circumferential length of the side emission type optical fiber 3.