Liquid crystal display apparatus

• US 20030030765A1
• Filed: 07/26/2002
• Published: 02/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamanaka, Satoru, Hayashi, Shunichiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,806,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/65
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133311 Environmental protection, e.g. against dust or humidity
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133317 Intermediate frames, e.g. between backlight housing and front frame
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133616 Front illuminating devices

Abstract

A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a liquid crystal panel in which a liquid crystal layer is interposed between a pair of substrates, a front light unit that illuminates the liquid crystal panel, and a cell case that cooperates with the front light unit to sandwich the liquid crystal panel. The front light unit comprises a light source section, a plate-shaped light guide body that guides light from the light source section to the liquid crystal panel, and a frame-shaped protection member mounted on a peripheral portion of the light guide body and engaged with the cell case, thus integrally holding the liquid crystal panel and the light guide body.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display apparatus including:

a liquid crystal panel in which a liquid crystal layer is interposed between a pair of substrates;

a front light unit that illuminates the liquid crystal panel; and

a cell case that cooperates with the front light unit to sandwich the liquid crystal panel,

wherein the front light unit comprises a light source section, a plate-shaped light guide body that guides light from the light source section to the liquid crystal panel, and a frame-shaped protection member mounted on a peripheral portion of the light guide body and engaged with the cell case, integrally holding the liquid crystal panel and the light guide body.

2. A liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protection member comprises a frame-shaped first protection body disposed on one major surface side of the light guide body, and a frame-shaped second protection body disposed on the other major surface side of the light guide body, and the first and second protection bodies sandwich the light guide body.

3. A liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second protection body engages the first protection body, whereby the light guide body is sandwiched between the first and second protection bodies.

4. A liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second protection body is adhered to the first protection body to cover a peripheral portion of the light guide body.

5. A liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second protection body has a rectangular opening portion having an area less than an effective area of the light guide body.

6. A liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the frame-shaped first protection body has at least one side portion having a thickness smaller than the other side portions, and has a receiving portion which receives the light guide body such that the light guide body is disposed on the side portion with the smaller thickness and surrounded by the side portions with greater thickness.

7. A liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the frame-shaped first protection body has a receiving portion which receives the light guide body by surrounding all peripheral portions of the light guide body.

8. A liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first protection body has a light source receiving portion that receives the light source section.

9. A liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a holder which holds the light source section contained in the light source receiving portion.

10. A liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light source section comprises a light emission portion that emits light, and a light guide stick that guides light emitted from the light emission portion to the light guide body.