Light emitting diode lamp and light emitting diode display unit

Abstract

An LED lamp has a convex lens 3 which has an upper portion 5 and a lower portion 6 . An upper curved surface 5 A of the upper portion is different in shape from a lower curved surface 6 A of the lower portion 6 so as to refract rays of light from an LED chip 2 more strongly than the lower curved surface 6 A does. This avoids reflection of incident outside light toward a front and hence prevents misrecognition. An interface plane S1 between the upper and lower portions 5 and 6 of the convex lens 3 is located on an upper end face 2 A to thereby prevent collection of outgoing light upon the interface plane S1 and generation of an irregular emission peak at the front.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A light emitting diode lamp comprising: 
 at least one light emitting diode chip; and    a convex lens through which rays of light emitted from the at least one light emitting diode chip pass, wherein 
 the convex lens has two different curved surfaces on both sides of a plane orthogonal to a light emitting surface of the light emitting diode chip or to an extension of the light emitting surface and extending off a center of the light emitting surface, and  
 one of the curved surfaces of the convex lens refracts outgoing rays of light from the light emitting diode chip more greatly than the other of the curved surfaces of the convex lens does.  
   
     
     
         2 . The light emitting diode lamp as defined in  claim 1 , wherein 
 the plane extending off a center of the light emitting surface is orthogonal to the extension of the light emitting surface of the light emitting diode chip and does not intersect with the light emitting diode chip.    
     
     
         3 . The light emitting diode lamp as defined in  claim 1 , comprising more than one light emitting diode chips, which are arrayed in one direction.  
     
     
         4 . The light emitting diode lamp as defined in  claim 1 , wherein 
 said at least one light emitting diode chip is molded by resin having a light absorption band in wavelengths other than a peak wavelength of rays of light emitted by the light emitting diode chip, and the resin constitutes the convex lens.    
     
     
         5 . The light emitting diode lamp as defined in  claim 1 , wherein 
 said at least one light emitting diode chip is mounted on a black surface-treated lead frame.    
     
     
         6 . The light emitting diode lamp as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a reflection cup surrounding at least a part of a periphery of the light emitting diode chip, and an inner peripheral surface of the reflection cup is black surface-treated.    
     
     
         7 . The light emitting diode lamp as defined in  claim 1 , wherein 
 black-colored resin is mounted on a lead frame on which the light emitting diode chip is mounted, the black-colored resin being positioned behind the light emitting diode chip.    
     
     
         8 . A light emitting diode display unit comprising the light emitting diode lamp as defined in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         9 . The light emitting diode lamp as defined in  claim 1 , wherein 
 at least one of said two curved surfaces of the convex lens comprises a plurality of curved surfaces different in shape.    
     
     
         10 . The light emitting diode lamp as defined in  claim 9 , wherein 
 the plurality of curved surfaces include a curved surface on one side and a curved surface on the other side of a plane that is orthogonal to the extension of the light emitting surface of the light emitting diode chip and that does not intersect with the light emitting diode chip.    
     
     
         11 . The light emitting diode lamp as defined in  claim 9 , comprising more than one light emitting diode chips, which are arrayed in one direction.  
     
     
         12 . The light emitting diode lamp as defined in  claim 9 , wherein 
 the light emitting diode chips are molded by resin having a light absorption band in wavelengths other than a plurality of wavelength peaks of rays of lights emitted by the light emitting diode chips, and the resin constitutes the convex lens.    
     
     
         14 . The light emitting diode lamp as defined in  claim 9 , further comprising 
 a reflection cup surrounding at least a part of a periphery of the light emitting diode chip, and an inner peripheral surface of the reflection cup is black surface-treated.    
     
     
         15 . The light emitting diode lamp as defined in  claim 9 , wherein 
 black-colored resin is mounted on a lead frame on which the light emitting diode chip is mounted, the black-colored resin being positioned behind the light emitting diode chip.    
     
     
         16 . A light emitting diode display unit comprising the light emitting diode lamp as defined in  claim 9.