Backlight unit and display device using same

• US 20110122650A1
• Filed: 11/24/2010
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Industrial Devices SUNX Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works SUNX Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Doi, Kenji, Katsuya, Hiroki, Uematu, Eiiti, Osumi, Sachi
• Application Number:
  US12/926,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20110122650A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/606
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0018 Redirecting means on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0055 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0073 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0086 Positioning aspects

Abstract

A backlight unit arranged at the rear side of a liquid crystal panel for illuminating the liquid crystal panel. The backlight unit includes a light source for emitting light and a light guide plate. The light guide plate includes a light incident surface on which the light emitted from the light source is incident, a main reflection surface for internally reflecting the light incident on the light incident surface and a light launching surface from which the light reflected by the main reflection surface is launched toward the liquid crystal panel. The backlight unit further includes a frame for supporting the light guide plate and a substrate arranged at the opposite side of the frame from the liquid crystal panel and mounted with electronic parts. The light source is mounted to the substrate.

Claims

1. A backlight unit arranged at the rear side of a liquid crystal panel for illuminating the liquid crystal panel, comprising:

a light source for emitting light;

a light guide plate including a light incident surface on which the light emitted from the light source is incident, a main reflection surface for internally reflecting the light incident on the light incident surface and a light launching surface from which the light reflected by the main reflection surface is launched toward the liquid crystal panel;

a frame for supporting the light guide plate; and

a substrate arranged at the opposite side of the frame from the liquid crystal panel and mounted with electronic parts, the light source being mounted to the substrate.

2. The backlight unit of claim 1, wherein the light source is oriented so that the optical axis thereof extends in the thickness direction of the substrate, the light guide plate including an auxiliary reflection surface for reflecting the light incident on the light incident surface toward the main reflection surface.

3. The backlight unit of claim 2, further comprising a reflection member provided outside the main reflection surface.

4. The backlight unit of claim 2, wherein the frame includes a covering portion for covering the main reflection surface, the covering portion provided with a frame reflection layer serving as a covering surface for reflecting the light toward the main reflection surface.

5. The backlight unit of claim 1, wherein the frame is arranged to support the liquid crystal panel.

6. The backlight unit of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a surrounding member arranged between the substrate and the frame to surround the light source, the surrounding member having a transmission hole for passing the light emitted from the light source.

7. The backlight unit of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a surrounding portion for surrounding the light source, the surrounding portion having a transmission hole for passing the light emitted from the light source.

8. The backlight unit of claim 1, wherein the substrate includes a substrate reflection layer provided around the light source.

9. The backlight unit of claim 1, wherein the light source is kept in close contact with the light incident surface.

10. The backlight unit of claim 1, wherein the light source is oriented so that the optical axis thereof extends in the direction parallel to the plane of the substrate.

11. A display device comprising the backlight unit of claim 1.