Reflector formed with highly reliable conductive pattern, process for fabricating reflector and liquid crystal display unit using the same

• US 6,867,832 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2001
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vista Peak Ventures LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies Limited (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishiyama, Michiaki, Kaneko, Hideki, Sato, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sefer, Ahmed N.
• Application Number:
  US09/897,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20020015124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 349/113, 349 67- 70, 349151-152, 349/65
• US Class Current: 349/113
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/00 Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/508
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/24 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0065 Manufacturing aspects; Material aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0071 with elongated shape, e.g. tube
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133615 Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side

Abstract

A reflector is incorporated in a liquid crystal display panel for directing light to an optical path from a lamp to a liquid crystal panel, and a high voltage line is directly connected to an electrode of the lamp, but a low voltage line is connected through a conductive pattern formed on the reflector to the other electrode of the lamp, wherein the conductive pattern is formed from a layer of conductive filler printed on the reflector through thermosetting so that the conductive pattern is thick enough to withstand thermal stress without enlargement of the liquid crystal display unit.

Claims

1. A reflector, comprising:

a body formed of insulating resin, and having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a space open to an object to which a light is to be directed; and

a conductive pattern printed on said outer surface for supplying an electric power to a light source placed in said space,

wherein said insulating resin comprises a thermoplastic resin, and the conductive pattern comprises a thermosetting resin.

2. The reflector as set forth in claim 1, in which said thermoplastic resin comprises a polyethylene terephthalate resin.

3. The reflector as set forth in claim 1, in which said thermoplastic resin comprises a polycarbonate resin.

4. The reflector as set forth in claim 1, in which said body comprises a first end and a second end respectively corresponding to two ends of a lamp, and said conductive pattern extends along a shortest path between said first end and said second end.

5. The reflector as set forth in claim 1, in which a groove is formed in said body, and said conductive pattern is formed in said groove.

6. The reflector as set forth in claim 5, in which said conductive pattern is coplanar with a surface of said body to which said groove is open.

7. The reflector as set forth in claim 1, in which said conductive pattern comprises a plurality of conductive sub-patterns arranged parallel to one another.

8. The reflector according to claim 1, wherein said conductive pattern comprises a flexible conductive pattern.

9. The reflector according to claim 1, wherein said conductive pattern comprises a screen printed and thermally-cured material formed on said outer surface.

10. The reflector according to claim 1, wherein said thermosetting resin comprises a flexible thermosetting resin.

11. The reflector according to claim 1, wherein said insulating resin comprises a layer of conductive filler.

12. The reflector according to claim 11, wherein said conductive filler includes a co-polymerized polyester.

13. A reflector, comprising:

a body formed of insulating resin, and having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a space open to an object to which a light is to be directed; and

a conductive pattern printed on said outer surface for supplying an electric power to a light source placed in said space,

wherein said insulating resin comprises a thermoplastic resin, and the conductive pattern comprises a thermosetting resin comprising conductive material, and

wherein said thermosetting resin comprising a conductive material comprises a layer of conductive filler comprising modified copolymerized polyester, silver and carbon.

14. A liquid crystal display unit for producing an image, comprising:

a liquid crystal panel comprising an incident surface and an image producing surface;

a driving circuit connected to said liquid crystal panel, and varying the transparency of a part of said liquid crystal panel so as to transmit a light from said incident surface to said image producing surface through said part; and

a light source illuminating said light incident surface with said light, including;

a lamp comprising electrodes and generating said light propagated along an optical path to said liquid crystal panel,

a power supply cable comprising a conductive pattern and voltage application lines directly connected to one of said electrodes and connected through said conductive pattern to the other of said electrodes, and

a reflector comprising an insulating resin and including an outer surface where said conductive pattern is printed and an inner surface defining a space accommodating said lamp and open to said optical path for directing said light to said optical path,

wherein said insulating resin comprises a thermoplastic resin, and the conductive pattern comprises a thermosetting resin comprising a conductive material.

15. The liquid crystal display unit as set forth in claim 14, in which said thermoplastic resin comprises a polyethylene terephthalate resin.

16. The liquid crystal display unit as set forth in claim 14, in which said thermoplastic resin comprises a polycarbonate resin.

17. The liquid crystal display unit as set forth in claim 14, in which said reflector comprises a first end and a second end respectively corresponding to said electrodes of said lamp, and said conductive pattern extends along a shortest path between said first end and said second end.

18. The reflector according to claim 14, wherein said conductive pattern comprises a multiple conductive pattern comprising a plurality of conductive stripes.

19. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 14, wherein said insulating resin comprises a layer of conductive filler.

20. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 19, wherein said conductive filler includes a co-polymerized polyester.

21. A liquid crystal display unit for producing an image, comprising:

a liquid crystal panel comprising an incident surface and an image producing surface;

a driving circuit connected to said liquid crystal panel, and varying the transparency of a part of said liquid crystal panel so as to transmit a light from said incident surface to said image producing surface through said part; and

a light source illuminating said light incident surface with said light, including;

a lamp comprising electrodes and generating said light propagated along an optical path to said liquid crystal panel,

a power supply cable comprising a conductive pattern and voltage application lines directly connected to one of said electrodes and connected through said conductive pattern to the other of said electrodes, and

a reflector comprising an insulating resin and including an outer surface where said conductive pattern is printed and an inner surface defining a space accommodating said lamp and open to said optical path for directing said light to said optical path,

wherein said insulating resin comprises a thermoplastic resin, and the conductive pattern comprises a thermosetting resin comprising a conductive material, and in which said thermosetting resin wherein said conductive material comprises a layer of conductive filler comprising modified copolymerized polyester, silver and carbon.