Surface illuminant device and flat-panel display using the same

• US 6,339,418 B1
• Filed: 11/12/1999
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Central Incorporated (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kitagawa, Masakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CHANH DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/438,378
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 345/102, 345/101, 345/87, 345/73, 345/75, 345/77, 345/38, 349/65, 349/69, 349/62, 349/67, 349/58
• US Class Current: 345/102
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0071 with elongated shape, e.g. tube
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0083 Details of electrical connections of light sources to drivers, circuit boards, or the like

Abstract

In a side-light type surface illuminant device, or a flat-panel display device using the same, a light guide plate 1 has a groove-like or notch-like receiving portion 11 for receiving the pull-around line 21, that is, a wiring that supplies electricity to a tubular light source (or lamp) 22 from a power socket 24 of a lamp unit 2. The receiving portion 11 for receiving the pull-around line 21 is disposed an the lower face (rear-side) of the light guide plate 1 along one side-end face 1a of the light guide plate 1 at which the tubular light source 22 is not disposed.

Claims

1. A surface illuminant device comprising

a tubular light source having both ends thereof respectively connected with power wirings,

a light guide plate having a light-introducing side-end face or side-end faces along which said tubular light source is disposed closely so that an incident light from said tubular light source is propagated in said light guide plate and is emitted from an upper face or said light guide plate, and the other side-end face(s) or edge(s) along which said tubular light source is not disposed, and

a pull-around line which extends along said other side-end face(s) or edge(s) and is included in one of said power wirings,

further comprising a groove-like or notch-like receiving portion, formed in said light guide plate, which extends continuously along said other side-end face(s) or edge(s) and which at least partially accommodates said pull-around line.

2. A surface illuminant device according to claim 1, wherein said receiving portion is formed so as to open at a lower face of said light guide plate.

3. A surface illuminant device according to claim 1, wherein said receiving portion has the sufficient depth and the width to accommodate said pull-around line.

4. A surface illuminant device according to claim 1, wherein said pull-around line is fitted into said receiving portion.

5. A surface illuminant device according to claim 2,

wherein the depth and the width of said receiving portion is set smaller than corresponding sizes of said pull-around line so that said pull-around line protrudes downwardly to form a protruding portion, and

further comprising a slit which receives said protruding portion and is formed in a cover that covers a lower face of said light guide plate, said protruding portion being inserted and fitted into said slit so as to substantially hermetically close said slit.

6. A surface illuminant device according to claim 1, wherein a flat light reflecting member which returns a light emitted downwardly from the inside of said light guide plate to the inside of said light guide plate is disposed below said light guide plate.

7. A surface illuminant device according to claim 6, wherein said light reflecting member is disposed between said pull-around line and said light guide plate.

8. A surface illuminant device according to claim 6, wherein a sheath of said pull-around line is white.

9. A surface illuminant device according to claim 5, further comprising a flat light reflecting member disposed between said cover and a lower face of said light guide plate, said light reflecting member being omitted at a portion coinciding with said slit.

10. A surface illuminant device according to claim 2, wherein said receiving portion is a groove which opens only toward a lower face of said light guide plate.

11. A surface illuminant device according to claim 2, wherein said receiving portion is a notch which opens toward a lower face of said light guide plate and toward said side-end face of said light guide plate.

12. A surface illuminant device according to claim 1, wherein said receiving portion is at least partially positioned within an effective light emitting area of said light guide plate.

13. A flat-panel display device comprising

a tubular light source having both ends thereof respectively connected with power wirings,

a light guide plate having a light-introducing side-end face or side-end faces along which said tubular light source is disposed closely so that an incident light from said tubular light source is propagated in said light guide plate and is emitted from an upper face of said light guide plate, and the other side-end face(s) or edge(s) along which said tubular light source is not disposed,

a pull-around line which extends along said other side-end face(s) or edge(s) and is included in at least one of said power wirings, and

a display panel which is disposed above said light guide plate,

further comprising a groove-like or notch-like receiving portion, formed in said light guide plate, which extends continuously along said other side-end face(s) or edge(s) and which at least partially accommodates said pull-around line.