Lighting tube and lighting device

Abstract

To provide a lighting tube that makes a light-emitting element less visible from the outside than conventional lighting devices, while ensuring the same illuminance as conventional lighting devices.SOLUTION: A lighting tube of the present invention is a hollow lighting tube that houses a flexible wiring board on which a light-emitting part is provided, and comprises a front surface part, a first side surface part, a second side surface part, and a bottom surface part that cover all four sides, where a first region having a first transmittance is provided on the front surface part, a portion of the first side surface part, and a portion of the second side surface part, and a second region having a second transmittance lower than the first transmittance is provided on another portion of the first side surface part and another portion of the second side surface part. The lighting device of the present invention is formed by housing the flexible wiring board with the light-emitting part provided thereon in the lighting tube of the present invention.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lighting tube and a lighting device. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, there is known a lighting device in which a flexible printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as "FPC") provided with a light-emitting portion is housed in a flexible hollow lighting tube (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-150271 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In this type of lighting device, the light-emitting elements of the light-emitting unit may appear as dots from the outside. Because these dots can affect the appearance of the illuminated object, it is desirable to make them as invisible as possible from the outside.

[0005] Although it is possible to make the light-emitting element less visible from the outside by reducing the light transmittance of the lighting tube, reducing the light transmittance of the lighting tube makes it difficult to ensure brightness. Currently, no lighting device has been proposed that can both eliminate dots and ensure illuminance, and such a proposal is desired.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and the problem to be solved is to provide a lighting tube that ensures the same illuminance as conventional lighting devices while making the light-emitting element less visible from the outside than conventional lighting devices, and a lighting device that uses the lighting tube. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] [Lighting tube] The lighting tube of the present invention is a hollow tube that houses a flexible wiring board on which a light-emitting portion is provided, and has a front surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, and a bottom surface that cover all four sides, and a first region having a first transmittance is provided on the front surface, a portion of the first side surface, and a portion of the second side surface, and a second region having a second transmittance lower than the first transmittance is provided on another portion of the first side surface and another portion of the second side surface.

[0008] In the lighting tube of the present invention, the first region can be a region in which the front surface, a part of the first side surface, and a part of the second side surface are continuous without interruption. In addition, the inner surface of the front surface can be shaped such that the center portion in the width direction thereof protrudes inward.

[0009] In the lighting tube of the present invention, the inner surface of the first side portion and the inner surface of the second side portion can be provided with inwardly protruding ridges. In this case, the ridges can be part of the second region having the second transmittance. In addition, in the lighting tube of the present invention, the first region can be milky translucent and the second region can be white and opaque.

[0010] Here, "milky translucent" means a state or color that is whitish enough to allow an object placed behind it to be seen through, and "white opaque" means a state or color that is whitish enough to prevent an object placed behind it from being seen through.

[0011] In the lighting tube of the present invention, a core material can be provided inside the bottom portion.

[0012] [Lighting equipment] The lighting device of the present invention is obtained by accommodating a flexible wiring board provided with a light-emitting portion in the lighting tube of the present invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to make the light emitting element less visible than in conventional lighting devices while ensuring illuminance equivalent to that of conventional lighting devices. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1A is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a lighting device, and FIG. 1B is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the lighting device of FIG. 1A viewed from a different angle. [Figure 2] FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a lighting device, and FIG. 2B is a detailed explanatory view of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a usage state of the lighting device. [Figure 4] (a) is a front view showing an example of a lighting tube, (b) is a back view of (a), (c) is a left side view of (a), (d) is a plan view of (a), (e) is a bottom view of (a), and (f) is an explanatory diagram of how (a) is used. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are cross-sectional views of another embodiment of the lighting device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] (Embodiment) An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The lighting device of this embodiment is a thin lighting device that is flexible and can be bent in a desired direction. "Thin" here means that the thickness dimension is smaller than the width dimension and the thickness dimension is less than 10 mm. For example, it includes lighting devices with a thickness dimension of less than 10 mm, preferably less than 8 mm, and more preferably less than 6 mm, and a width dimension greater than these dimensions.

[0016] As an example, the lighting device shown in Figures 1(a) and (b) includes a lighting tube (hereinafter referred to as "tube") 10 and a flexible printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as "FPC") 20 on which a light-emitting section 21 is provided.

[0017] The tube 10 is a member that houses the FPC 20 provided with the light emitting portion 21. The tube 10 can be manufactured by, for example, two-color extrusion molding or other methods. The tube 10 can be manufactured from silicone or other resin materials.

[0018] 1(a)(b) and 2(a)(b), the tube 10 of this embodiment is a long hollow member (cylindrical member) that has a space inside it for accommodating an FPC 20 provided with a light-emitting unit 21 and a wiring cable (lead wire) 22 (FIG. 3) connected to the FPC 20. The tube 10 is configured so that it can be cut to a desired length with nippers, scissors, or the like.

[0019] The tube 10 has four planar portions covering all four sides, specifically, a front surface portion 11, a first side surface portion 12, a bottom surface portion 13, and a second side surface portion 14. The front surface portion 11 and the bottom surface portion 13 are positioned directly opposite each other, and the first side surface portion 12 and the second side surface portion 14 are positioned directly opposite each other.

[0020] In this embodiment, the width dimensions of the front surface portion 11 and the bottom surface portion 13 are the same, and the thickness dimensions of the first side surface portion 12 and the second side surface portion 14 are the same. The front surface portion 11, the first side surface portion 12, the bottom surface portion 13, and the second side surface portion 14 are integrally connected to form a rectangular tube, the cross section of which is generally horizontally elongated.

[0021] Next, the outer surface shape of each planar portion will be described. The outer surface of the front surface portion 11 is a flat surface with no irregularities. Like the front surface portion 11, the outer surfaces of the first side surface portion 12 and the second side surface portion 14 are also basically flat surfaces, but linear grooves 12a and 14a are provided along the longitudinal direction at the center of the thickness direction of the outer surfaces of the first side surface portion 12 and the second side surface portion 14, respectively.

[0022] The outer surface of the bottom surface portion 13 is also basically flat, but in a portion other than the visible portion 13a (a portion of the second region 17) described below, a plurality of bottom surface grooves 13b are provided along the longitudinal direction of the bottom surface portion 13. The bottom surface grooves 13b are provided in parallel with intervals in the width direction of the bottom surface portion 13.

[0023] When installing a lighting device, the bottom surface portion 13 may come into close contact with the installation surface, making it difficult to move the lighting device. In this regard, by providing bottom surface grooves 13b on the bottom surface portion 13, the bottom surface grooves 13b do not come into close contact with the installation surface, making it easier to move the lighting device during construction.

[0024] In this embodiment, the four corners of the outer shape of the tube 10 are approximately right angles, but the tube 10 of the present invention also includes tubes in which one or more of the four corners of the outer shape are curved or chamfered. For example, the tube 10 of the present invention also includes tubes in which both corners where the front surface 11 and both side surfaces 12, 14 intersect are curved.

[0025] In addition, the tube 10 of the present invention also includes a tube in which the portion formed by the front portion 11 and both side portions 12, 14 is formed in a dome shape (a hemisphere or a similar shape with a convex central portion).

[0026] Next, the inner surface shape of each planar portion will be described. The inner surface of the front surface portion 11 has an inverted arch shape with its widthwise center portion projecting inward (downward in Figs. 2(a) and 2(b)). Specifically, as shown in Fig. 2(b), the shape is such that a curve is drawn from positions P1 and P2 where the inner surface of the front surface portion 11 intersects with the inner surfaces of both side surfaces 12 and 14 (hereinafter referred to as "upper corners") toward P3, the widthwise center of the inner surface of the front surface portion 11 (hereinafter referred to as "top of the inverted arch").

[0027] The thickness T1 of the inverted arch apex P3 of the front portion 11, more specifically, from the inverted arch apex P3 to the widthwise center point P4 of the outer surface of the front portion 11 (hereinafter referred to as the "front portion center point"), is thicker than the thickness of other portions of the front portion 11.

[0028] The thickest part (hereinafter referred to as "thickest part") 11a is located directly opposite the tip end (hereinafter referred to as "light-emitting part top") P5 of the light-emitting part 21. Providing the thickest part 11a in a position directly opposite the light-emitting part top P5 has the advantage that the light-emitting element is difficult to see from the outside, even if the lighting device is curved and the light-emitting element approaches the inner surface of the front part 11.

[0029] The inverted arch shape is not an essential configuration, and if it is not required, the inner surface of the front surface 11 can be made flat.

[0030] Inwardly protruding protrusions 12b, 14b are provided on the inner surfaces of the first side surface portion 12 and the second side surface portion 14. Each protrusion 12b, 14b has a side curved surface 12c, 14c that curves obliquely downward from each upper corner P1, P2, and a protruding surface 12d, 14d that protrudes horizontally inward from the inner surface of each side surface portion 12, 14.

[0031] Each of the side curved surfaces 12c, 14c is configured to face the front surface 11 side, more specifically, the area (in this embodiment, the curved area) between the upper corners P1, P2 and the inverted arch apex P3 on the inner surface of the front surface 11, so that the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 21 can be reflected toward the front surface 11. This increases the amount of light emitted from the front surface 11 and emits light in a planar manner, making the dots less noticeable when viewed from the outside.

[0032] In this embodiment, the apexes (hereinafter referred to as "protruding apexes") P6, P7 of the respective protruding portions 12b, 14b are located below (closer to the bottom surface 13) halfway along the height direction of both side surface portions 12, 14. Furthermore, both protruding portions 12b, 14b have bilaterally symmetrical shapes, and the protruding apexes P6, P7 of both protruding portions 12b, 14b face each other with a gap between them.

[0033] Each of the protrusions 12b, 14b is provided along the longitudinal direction of the tube 10, and a space (hereinafter referred to as a "substrate accommodating section") 15 for accommodating the FPC 20 is formed below each of the protrusions 12b, 14b. The FPC 20 mounted with a light-emitting element can be inserted into the substrate accommodating section 15 from an opening on the end face of the tube 10.

[0034] In this embodiment, the light emitting element mounted on the FPC 20 is positioned between the two protruding apexes P6 and P7 when the FPC 20 is accommodated in the board accommodation portion 15. At this time, the light emitting portion apex P5 is arranged to protrude above the imaginary line L connecting the two protruding apexes P6 and P7.

[0035] Next, we will explain the distance relationship from the light-emitting part top P5 to various points on the inner surface of the tube 10. As shown in Figure 2(b), the distance D3 from the light-emitting part top P5 to the inverted arch top P3 is shorter than the distance from the light-emitting part top P5 to other parts of the inner surface of the front part 11.

[0036] In comparison with the distances D1 and D2 from the light-emitting part top P5 to both upper corners P1 and P2, the distance D3 from the light-emitting part top P5 to the inverted arch top P3 is shorter than the distances D1 and D2 from the light-emitting part top P5 to both upper corners P1 and P2.

[0037] Furthermore, in comparison with the distances D4 and D5 from the light-emitting portion top P5 to the two protruding tops P6 and P7, the distance D3 from the light-emitting portion top P5 to the inverted arch top P3 is shorter than the distances D4 and D5 from the light-emitting portion top P5 to the two protruding tops P6 and P7.

[0038] The light-emitting portion apex P5 and the inverted arch apex P3 do not come into contact with each other, and a slight clearance C (FIG. 2(a)) is maintained between them. By maintaining the clearance C between the light-emitting portion apex P5 and the inverted arch apex P3, it becomes easier to insert the FPC 20 into the tube 10.

[0039] Next, a description will be given of the transmittance of each portion of the tube 10. In this embodiment, a first region 16 having a first transmittance is provided in the front surface portion 11, a portion of the first side surface portion 12, and a portion of the second side surface portion 14, a second region 17 having a second transmittance lower than the first transmittance is provided in another portion of the first side surface portion 12, another portion of the second side surface portion 14, and a portion of the bottom surface portion 13, and a visibility region 18 for visually recognizing the cut line marked on the FPC 20 is provided in the portion of the bottom surface portion 13 other than the second region.

[0040] More specifically, a first region 16 is provided that continues uninterruptedly on the upper thickness side (front surface 11 side) of the front surface portion 11 and the first side surface portion 12 and the upper thickness side (front surface 11 side) of the second side surface portion 14, a second region 17 is provided that continues uninterruptedly on the lower thickness side (bottom surface 13 side) of the first side surface portion 12, the lower thickness side (bottom surface 13 side) of the second side surface portion 14 and both widthwise outer sides of the bottom surface portion 13, and a viewing region 18 is provided that continues uninterruptedly from the second region 17 between the second regions 17 on both widthwise outer sides of the bottom surface portion 13.

[0041] In this embodiment, the first region 16 is exposed so as to be visible from the outside, and light emitted from the light-emitting unit 21 is emitted to the outside of the tube 10. This is a clear difference from the lighting device of Comparative Example 2 used in the comparative test described later.

[0042] In this embodiment, both protrusions 12b, 14b are part of the second region 17. Both protrusions 12b, 14b can be entirely or partially defined as the second region 17. For example, only the portions of both protrusions 12b, 14b facing the region between the upper corners P1, P2 and the inverted arch apex P3 on the inner surface of the front surface 11 can be defined as the second region 17.

[0043] The first region 16 is a region (translucent region) through which the light emitted from the light-emitting section 21 is diffused and transmitted, and the second region 17 is a region (reflective region) through which the light emitted from the light-emitting section 21 is not or is unlikely to be transmitted or diffused.

[0044] The transmittance can be adjusted by the amount of diffusing material mixed into the raw material (e.g., silicon). The transmittance of the first region 16 can be about 70 to 80%, preferably about 72 to 78%, and more preferably about 73 to 75%. The transmittance of the second region 17 may be lower than this, and may even be zero.

[0045] In this application, the transmittance is a concept that includes the transmittance determined by the characteristics of the material, specifically the transmittance of a mixed material in which a diffusing material is mixed into the raw material (in other words, the transmittance that changes depending on the amount of diffusing material mixed into the raw material).

[0046] In appearance, the first region 16, which is a light-transmitting region that transmits light, is milky translucent, the second region 17, which is a reflective region that does not transmit light, is white and opaque, and the visible portion 13a, which is the portion where the cut line 24 is visible, is transparent.

[0047] As mentioned above, "milky translucent" means a state or color that is whitish enough to allow an object placed behind it to be seen through, "white opaque" means a state or color that is whitish enough to prevent an object placed behind it from being seen through, and "transparent" means a state or color that allows an object placed behind it to be seen through.

[0048] The visible portion 13a of the bottom surface portion 13 is provided to allow the cut line 24 marked on the FPC 20 to be visible, and does not need to be transparent as long as the cut line 24 can be seen from the outside.

[0049] As in this embodiment, by providing light-transmitting regions not only on the front surface 11 but also on parts of both side surfaces 12 and 14, it is possible to emit light laterally in the width direction of the lighting device, thereby obtaining a lighting device with a wide illumination range. In addition, by providing reflective regions on parts of both side surfaces 12 and 14 that reflect light, diffuse reflection occurs, making it easier to ensure illuminance.

[0050] The lighting device of this embodiment can be used by cutting it to a desired length. After cutting, lead wires 22 are connected to the electrodes 23 at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and the lead wires 22 are connected to a power supply (not shown) via connectors at their tips, and then the lighting device can be used.

[0051] The tube 10 of this embodiment has the design appearance shown in Figures 4(a) to 4(e). Figure 4(a) is a front view of the tube of this embodiment, (b) is a rear view of (a), (c) is a left side view of (a), (d) is a plan view of (a), (e) is a bottom view of (a), and (f) is a view showing the tube 10 of this embodiment in use. Although not shown, the right side view of (a) appears the same as the left side view.

[0052] The tube 10 of this embodiment is long and continuous only in the left-right direction in the front view of Fig. 4(a). Figures 4(a), (b), (d), and (e) show the long tube 10 at an appropriate length in the longitudinal direction, and Fig. 4(c) shows the left side view of the cross section of the tube 10 cut linearly in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0053] Next, we will explain the FPC 20 provided with the light-emitting section 21. The light-emitting section 21 is a section that includes a light-emitting element (light source), and the FPC 20 is a board on which the light-emitting section 21 is mounted. As the light-emitting element, a so-called bullet-type LED, an LED chip, etc. can be used.

[0054] In this embodiment, a chip-on-board type LED module is used as the FPC 20 provided with the light-emitting unit 21. The chip-on-board type LED module has LED chips, which are light-emitting elements, directly mounted on the FPC 20. The LED chips are mounted in a row along the longitudinal direction at the center of the width direction of the FPC 20.

[0055] The LED chips are mounted at intervals in the arrangement direction, and adjacent LED chips are connected with gold wires. The mounted LED chips and gold wires are coated with encapsulation resin. The part coated with the encapsulation resin, including the LED chips and gold wires, functions as the light-emitting section 21.

[0056] A plurality of electrodes 23 are provided on the chip mounting surface of the FPC 20 at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the FPC 20. The electrodes 23 are provided on both outer sides in the width direction of the FPC 20, and two electrodes arranged side by side form a pair, one of which is used as a positive electrode and the other as a negative electrode.

[0057] Each electrode 23 is long in the longitudinal direction of the FPC 20, and a cut line 24 that bisects the electrode 23 is provided in the center of the longitudinal direction of each electrode 23. The cut lines 24 are provided in the same locations on the top and back surfaces of the FPC 20. The cut line 24 on the top surface side is designed so that the light-emitting portion 21 is not provided on the cut line 24.

[0058] The cut line 24 on the rear side can be seen from the visible area 18 of the bottom surface portion 13 when the FPC 20 is housed in the tube 10. By cutting the tube 10 and the FPC 20 along the cut line 24, the length of the lighting device can be adjusted.

[0059] By providing the cut line 24 at a position that divides the electrode 23 in two, the electrode 23 remains on both sides after cutting, and both can be used as chip-on-board type LED modules.

[0060] (Other embodiments) The configuration of the above embodiment is merely an example, and the configuration of the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment. The tube and lighting device of the present invention can be appropriately modified, such as by adding, replacing, or omitting components, as long as the intended purpose can be achieved. Examples include the following modifications.

[0061] -Variation 1- Although not included in the above embodiment, as shown in Figures 5(a) and 5(b), a core material 19 can also be provided inside the bottom surface portion 13 of the tube 10. In the example shown, the core material 19 is provided integrally in close contact with the inner surface of the bottom surface portion 13. When the tube is extrusion-molded as an integral part, the core material 19 can also be extrusion-molded together with the tube 10 (extrusion three-color molding).

[0062] -Variation 2- In the above embodiment, a chip-on-board type LED module is used as an example of the FPC 20 on which the light-emitting section 21 is provided, but the FPC 20 on which the light-emitting section 21 is provided may be other types, and may be substituted with a flexible substrate on which a bullet-shaped LED is mounted, or an LED package mounted on the surface of a flexible substrate (surface-mount type), etc.

[0063] (Evaluation Test 1) Finally, an evaluation test of the lighting device of this embodiment will be described. The applicant of the present invention conducted Evaluation Test 1 to confirm the effects of the present invention. The outline of Evaluation Test 1 is as follows.

[0064] [Lighting equipment used] In evaluation test 1, the lighting device shown in Table 1 was used. [Table 1]

[0065] In Table 1, the example is the lighting device shown in Figure 5(a) from the above embodiment, comparative example 1 is a lighting device with a milky translucent light-emitting surface and opaque white side surfaces, and comparative example 2 is a lighting device with a transparent light-emitting surface and transparent side surfaces, all of which are equipped with a thin, hollow tube.

[0066] In Table 1, "thin" means that the thickness is smaller than the width and is less than 10 mm, and "hollow" means that there is a space inside the tube.

[0067] [Contents of Evaluation Test 1] In the evaluation test 1, (1) the appearance of the light-emitting elements (dots) from the outside was evaluated (sensory evaluation), and (2) the color temperature and illuminance were measured. The methods for each evaluation were as follows. (1) Method for evaluating the appearance of light-emitting elements (dots) from the outside (sensory evaluation) The lighting devices of Example, Comparative Example 1, and Comparative Example 2 were installed in a dark place with a spatial illuminance of 30 (lx) or less, and with the power of each lighting device turned on, a total of 10 people, including those involved in LED development and general consumers of LED lighting devices, visually inspected the devices and performed a sensory evaluation of the visibility of the dots of each lighting device according to the following evaluation criteria. [Evaluation criteria] "5": The LED chip dot is completely invisible "4": The LED chip dot is not visible "3": The LED chip dot is inconspicuous but visible "2": The LED chip dot is clearly visible "1": The LED chip dot is very visible. (2) Measurement methods for color temperature and illuminance An illuminance meter (UPEtek MK350N PLUS) was placed 300 mm directly above the center of the light-emitting surface of each lighting device, and the color temperature and illuminance of each lighting device were measured.

[0068] [Results of evaluation test 1] The results of evaluation test 1 are shown in Table 2. [Table 2]

[0069] [Consideration] (1) How dots appear? In Comparative Example 1, the score was "2: The dots of the LED chip are clearly visible," and in Comparative Example 2, the score was "1: The dots of the LED chip are very clearly visible," whereas in the Examples, the score was "4: The dots of the LED chip are not visible" or "5: The dots of the LED chip are not visible at all." This confirmed that the dots of the lighting device in the Examples are less visible from the outside than in Comparative Examples 1 and 2, which are thin and hollow lighting devices. (2) Color temperature and illuminance The color temperatures were approximately the same, at 2501 (K) for the Example, 2596 (K) for Comparative Example 1, and 2974 (K) for Comparative Example 2. The illuminance (15W equivalent) was 1029 (lx) for the Example, 1191 (lx) for Comparative Example 1, and 1161 (lx) for Comparative Example 2, which were also approximately the same. From these results, it was confirmed that the lighting device of the Example was able to ensure brightness approximately the same as that of Comparative Examples 1 and 2, which are thin and hollow lighting devices.

[0070] (Evaluation Test 2) In order to confirm the effects of the present invention, the applicant conducted Evaluation Test 2. The outline of Evaluation Test 2 is as follows.

[0071] [Lighting equipment used] In evaluation test 2, the lighting device shown in Table 3 was used. [Table 3]

[0072] In Table 3, the example is the lighting device shown in Figure 5(a) from the above embodiment, comparative example 1 is a lighting device with a milky translucent light-emitting surface and opaque white side surfaces, and comparative example 2 is a lighting device with a transparent light-emitting surface and transparent side surfaces, all of which are equipped with a thin, hollow tube.

[0073] [Contents of Evaluation Test 2] In evaluation test 2, the lighting devices of the example, comparative example 1, and comparative example 2 were each placed on a piece of furniture, a smartphone, a mirrored marble, and behind a glass placed on a shelf, and then turned on, and a sensory evaluation was performed on the appearance of dots of light reflected on the furniture, smartphone, mirrored marble, and glass according to the following evaluation criteria. [Evaluation criteria] "5": The LED chip dot is completely invisible "4": The LED chip dot is not visible "3": The LED chip dot is inconspicuous but visible "2": The LED chip dot is clearly visible "1": The LED chip dot is very visible.

[0074] [Results of evaluation test 2] The results of Evaluation Test 2 are shown in Tables 4 to 7. Table 4 shows the results when each lighting device was placed on a piece of furniture and turned on, Table 5 shows the results when each lighting device was placed on a smartphone and turned on, Table 6 shows the results when each lighting device was placed on mirrored marble and turned on, and Table 7 shows the results when each lighting device was placed behind a glass placed on a shelf and turned on.

[0075] [Table 4]

[0076] [Table 5]

[0077] [Table 6]

[0078] [Table 7]

[0079] [Consideration] Regarding the visibility of the dots, the lighting device of Comparative Example 1 was rated as "2: The dots of the LED chip are clearly visible" in all cases, and the lighting device of Comparative Example 2 was rated as "1: The dots of the LED chip are very clearly visible" in all cases, whereas the lighting device of the Example was rated as "5: The dots of the LED chip are not clearly visible" in all cases, confirming that the dots of the lighting device of the Example are less visible (less noticeable) in reflections than the lighting devices of Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2. [Industrial Applicability]

[0080] The tube 10 and lighting device of the present invention can be used for a variety of purposes, including as lighting incorporated into building materials (including various built-in building facilities such as bathroom vanities and kitchen storage) and furniture (non-built-in furniture), as well as lighting attached to fixtures used for displaying products. They can also be used as indirect lighting installed on floors, walls, and raised ceilings. As is clear from Evaluation Test 2 above, the lighting device of the present invention (e.g., the lighting device of the above-mentioned embodiment) produces almost invisible dots when reflected, making it suitable for use in situations where dots should not be seen on products or shelves, such as so-called brand-name products. Furthermore, the tube 10 and lighting device of the present invention can be used both indoors and outdoors. However, the use examples given here are merely examples, and the uses of the tube 10 and lighting device of the present invention are not limited to the examples shown here. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 10 Lighting tube (tube) 11 Front part 11a Thickest part 12 First side part 12a Groove 12b Projection part 12c Lateral curved surface 12d protruding surface 13 Bottom part 13a Visibility section 13b Bottom groove 14 Second side part 14a Groove 14b Projection part 14c Lateral curved surface 14d protruding surface 15 Substrate storage section 16 First area 17 Second area 18 Visibility Zone 19 Core material 20 Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) 21 Light-emitting part 22 Wiring cable (lead wire) 23 electrodes 24 Cut Line C Clearance D1: Distance from the top of the light-emitting part to one of the upper corners D2 Distance from the top of the light-emitting part to the other upper corner D3 Distance from the top of the light-emitting part to the top of the reverse arch D4 Distance from the top of the light-emitting part to the top of one of the protruding parts D5 Distance from the top of the light-emitting part to the top of the other protruding part L Virtual Line P1 (One) upper corner P2 (other) upper corner P3 Reverse arch top P4 Front center point P5 Top of light-emitting part P6 (One side) protruding top P7 (other) protruding top T1 wall thickness

Claims

1. A hollow lighting tube that houses a flexible wiring board provided with a light-emitting portion, The device has a front surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, and a bottom surface, which cover all four sides of the device. a first region having a first transmittance is provided on the front surface, a portion of the first side surface, and a portion of the second side surface; a second region having a second transmittance lower than the first transmittance is provided on another part of the first side surface portion and another part of the second side surface portion; A lighting tube characterized by:

2. 2. The lighting tube according to claim 1, The first region is a region in which the front surface portion, a portion of the first side surface portion, and a portion of the second side surface portion are continuous without interruption. A lighting tube characterized by:

3. 2. The lighting tube according to claim 1, The inner surface of the front part has a shape in which the center part in the width direction protrudes inward. A lighting tube characterized by:

4. 2. The lighting tube according to claim 1, An inwardly protruding protrusion is provided on the inner surface of the first side surface portion and the inner surface of the second side surface portion. A lighting tube characterized by:

5. 5. The lighting tube according to claim 4, The ridge portion is part of a second region having a second permeability. A lighting tube characterized by:

6. 2. The lighting tube according to claim 1, The first region is milky translucent and the second region is white opaque. A lighting tube characterized by:

7. 2. The lighting tube according to claim 1, A core material is provided inside the bottom part, A lighting tube characterized by:

8. In the lighting device, A flexible wiring board provided with a light-emitting portion is housed in the lighting tube according to any one of claims 1 to 7. A lighting device characterized by:

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