Planar light source device and liquid crystal display device having the same

• US 20060039151A1
• Filed: 06/23/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Jong-Dae, Choi, Jin-Sung, Kim, Dong-Hoon
• Application Number:
  US11/159,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20060039151A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/260
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0242 by means of dispersed particles
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0278 used in transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133507 Films for enhancing the luminance
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133543 Cholesteric polarisers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13362 providing polarized light, e.g. by converting a polarisation component into another one

Abstract

A planar light source device includes a planar fluorescent lamp and a luminance enhancing film. The planar fluorescent lamp includes first and second substrates, a sealing member and at least one partition member. The first substrate has a plate shape. The second substrate faces the first substrate. The second substrate includes light diffusing beads. The sealing member is disposed along edge portions of the first and second substrates to combine the first and second substrates. The at least one partition member is interposed between the first and second substrate to define discharge spaces. The luminance enhancing film is attached on an outer surface of the second substrate.

Claims

1. A planar light source device comprising:

a planar fluorescent lamp having discharge spaces, the planar fluorescent lamp emitting light; and

a luminance enhancing film attached to the planar fluorescent lamp.

2. The planar light source device of claim 1, wherein the planar fluorescent lamp comprises:

a first substrate having a plate shape;

a second substrate having a substantially same shape as the first substrate, the second substrate being combined with the first substrate to define an inner space between the first and second substrates;

a sealing member disposed along edges of the first and second substrates to combine the first and second substrates; and

at least one partition member disposed between the first and second substrates to divide the inner space into the discharge spaces.

3. The planar light source device of claim 2, wherein the luminance enhancing film is attached to an outer surface of the second substrate.

4. The planar light source device of claim 3, wherein the second substrate comprises light diffusing beads.

5. The planar light source device of claim 4, wherein the diffusing beads comprise polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

6. The planar light source device of claim 2, wherein the planar fluorescent lamp comprises a connection path that connects the discharge spaces.

7. The planar light source device of claim 6, wherein at least one end portion of the at least one partition member is spaced apart from the sealing member to define the connection path.

8. The planar light source device of claim 6, wherein the at least one partition member includes an orifice corresponding to the connection path.

9. The planar light source device of claim 2, wherein the planar fluorescent lamp further comprises a first electrode and a second electrode that apply discharge voltages to the discharge spaces.

10. The planar light source device of claim 9, wherein the first and second electrodes are disposed at first and second end portions of the planar fluorescent lamp, respectively, such that a longitudinal direction of the first and second electrodes is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the at least one partition member, and the first and second electrodes each cross all of the discharge spaces.

11. The planar light source device of claim 10, wherein the first and second electrodes are disposed at an outer surface of at least one of the first and second substrates.

12. The planar light source device of claim 10, wherein the first and second electrodes are disposed at an inner surface of at least one of the first and second substrates.

13. The planar light source device of claim 2, wherein the planar fluorescent lamp further comprises:

a fluorescent layer disposed at an inner surface of each of first and second substrates and a side face of the at least one partition member; and

a light-reflecting layer interposed between the first substrate and the fluorescent layer.

14. The planar light source device of claim 1, further comprising a light diffusing layer interposed between the planar fluorescent lamp and the luminance enhancing film.

15. The planar light source device of claim 14, wherein the light diffusing layer comprises light diffusing beads and a resin for fixing the light diffusing beads to the planar fluorescent lamp.

16. The planar light source device of claim 1, wherein the planar fluorescent lamp comprises light diffusing patterns disposed at a surface of the planar fluorescent lamp, and the light diffusing patterns uniformize luminance of light generated by the planar fluorescent lamp.

17. The planar light source device of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive layer that combines the luminance enhancing film with the planar fluorescent lamp.

18. The planar light source device of claim 1, wherein the luminance enhancing film is a reflective polarizing film corresponding to a dual brightness enhancement film (DBEF) that transmits a P-wave component and reflects an S-wave component.

19. The planar light source device of claim 1, wherein the luminance enhancing film is a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) film that reflects light having a specific wavelength and transmits other light.

20. A planar light source device comprising:

a planar fluorescent lamp including a first substrate having a plate shape, a second substrate facing the first substrate, a sealing member disposed along edge portions of the first and second substrates to combine the first and second substrates, and at least one partition member interposed between the first and second substrates to form discharge spaces, the second substrate including light diffusing beads; and

a luminance enhancing film attached to an outer surface of the second substrate.

21. The planar light source device of claim 20, wherein the planar fluorescent lamp comprises a connection path that connects the discharge spaces.

22. The planar light source device of claim 20, wherein the planar fluorescent lamp further comprises a first electrode and a second electrode that apply discharge voltages to the discharge spaces.

23. The planar light source device of claim 22, wherein the first and second electrodes are disposed at first and second end portions of the planar fluorescent lamp, respectively, such that a longitudinal direction of the first and second electrodes is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the at least one partition member, and the first and second electrodes cross all of the discharge spaces.

24. The planar light source device of claim 22, wherein the first and second electrodes are disposed at an outer surface of at least one of the first and second substrates.

25. The planar light source device of claim 23, wherein the first and second electrodes are disposed at an inner surface of at least one of the first and second substrates.

26. The planar light source device of claim 20, wherein the planar fluorescent lamp further comprises:

a fluorescent layer disposed at an inner surface of the first and second substrates and a side face of the at least one partition member; and

a light-reflecting layer interposed between the first substrate and the fluorescent layer.

27. The planar light source device of claim 20, wherein the luminance enhancing film is a reflective polarizing film corresponding to a dual brightness enhancement film (DBEF) that transmits a P-wave component and reflects an S-wave component.

28. The planar light source device of claim 20, wherein the luminance enhancing film is a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) film that reflects light having a specific wavelength and transmits other light.

29. A liquid crystal display (LCD) device comprising:

a planar light source device including a planar fluorescent lamp having discharge spaces, and a luminance enhancing film attached to the planar fluorescent lamp, the planar fluorescent lamp emitting light;

an LCD panel that displays images using the light; and

an inverter that outputs discharge voltages for driving the planar light source device.

30. The LCD device of claim 29, further comprising an adhesive layer that combines the luminance enhancing film with the planar fluorescent lamp.

31. The LCD device of claim 29, wherein the luminance enhancing film is a reflective polarizing film corresponding to a dual brightness enhancement film (DBEF) that transmits a P-wave component and reflects an S-wave component.

32. The LCD device of claim 29, wherein the luminance enhancing film is a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) film that reflects light having a specific wavelength and transmits other light.

33. The LCD device of claim 29, wherein the planar fluorescent lamp comprises:

a first substrate having a plate shape;

a second substrate having a substantially same shape as the first substrate, and the second substrate being combined with the first substrate to define an inner space between the first and second substrates;

a sealing member disposed along edges of the first and second substrates to combine the first and second substrates; and

at least one partition member disposed between the first and second substrates to divide the inner space into the discharge spaces.

34. The LCD device of claim 33, wherein the second substrate comprises light diffusing beads.

35. The LCD device of claim 34, wherein the diffusing beads comprise polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

36. The LCD device of claim 33, further comprising a light diffusing layer interposed between the planar fluorescent lamp and the luminance enhancing film.

37. The LCD device of claim 36, wherein the light diffusing layer comprises light diffusing beads and a resin for fixing the beads to the planar fluorescent lamp.

38. The LCD device of claim 33, wherein the planar fluorescent lamp comprises light diffusing patterns disposed at an outer surface of the second substrate, and the light diffusing patterns uniformize luminance of light generated by the planar fluorescent lamp.

39. The LCD device of claim 38, wherein the light diffusing patterns include a first pattern and a second pattern, the first pattern being disposed at a portion of the outer surface of the second substrate corresponding to the discharge spaces, and the second pattern being disposed at a portion of the outer surface of the second substrate corresponding to the at least one partition member.

40. The LCD device of claim 39, wherein the first pattern has a high density and the second pattern has a low density.

41. The LCD device of claim 33, wherein the planar fluorescent lamp comprises a connection path that connects the discharge spaces.

42. The LCD device of claim 33, wherein the planar fluorescent lamp further comprises a first electrode and a second electrode that apply discharge voltages to the discharge spaces, and the first and second electrodes are disposed at first and second end portions of the planar fluorescent lamp, respectively, such that a longitudinal direction of the first and second electrodes is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the at least one partition member, and the first and second electrodes each cross all of the discharge spaces.

43. The LCD device of claim 42, wherein the first and second electrodes are disposed at an outer surface of at least one of the first and second substrates.

44. The LCD device of claim 42, wherein the first and second electrodes are disposed at an inner surface of at least one of the first and second substrates.

45. The LCD device of claim 33, wherein the planar fluorescent lamp further comprises:

a fluorescent layer disposed at an inner surface of the first and second substrates and a side face of the at least one partition member; and

a light-reflecting layer interposed between the first substrate and the fluorescent layer.

46. The LCD device of claim 29, further comprising:

a receiving container that receives the planar light source device; and

a fixing member that fixes the planar light source device to the receiving container.

47. The LCD device of claim 29, further comprising an optical sheet interposed between the planar light source device and the LCD panel.