Backlight unit and liquid crystal display device having the same

• US 7,804,556 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2008
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Jae Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): HEALY, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US12/149,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20080278660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 349/65, 349/38, 349/56, 349/58, 349/62, 349/70, 349/71, 349/139, 349/149, 349/147, 349/158, 362/613
• US Class Current: 349/65
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133604 with lamps
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133611 including means for improving the brightness uniformity
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133612 Electrical details

Abstract

Disclosed are a backlight unit and a liquid crystal display device having the same, capable of reducing tube current variation between light sources. The backlight unit includes a plurality of lamps provided at both ends thereof with electrodes and having a tubular shape, a plurality of lamp holders for fixing the both ends of the lamps, at least one substrate on which the lamp holders are mounted, and at least two conductors formed on the substrate in opposition to each other to generate capacitance for uniformly maintaining tube current of the lamps.

Claims

1. A backlight unit comprising:

a plurality of lamps provided at both ends thereof with electrodes and having a tubular shape;

a plurality of lamp holders for fixing the both ends of the lamps;

at least one substrate on which the lamp holders are mounted; and

at least two conductors formed on the substrate in opposition to each other to generate capacitance for uniformly maintaining tube current of the lamps,

wherein the conductors include a first conductor formed on a top surface of the substrate and a second conductor formed on a bottom surface of the substrate.

2. The backlight unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of contact holes formed through the substrate, wherein the second conductor makes contact with the contact holes and the lamp holders are electrically connected with the contact holes.

3. The backlight unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first conductor includes a plurality of first electrodes serving as surface electrodes, a first connection bar for connecting the first electrodes to each other, and a pad provided at an end portion of the first connection bar to receive a driving signal from an exterior to drive the lamps, and the second conductor includes second electrodes serving as surface electrodes corresponding to the first electrodes, and second connection bars making contact with the contact holes, respectively.

4. The backlight unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first electrodes, the first connection bar and the pad are integrally formed with each other.

5. The backlight unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second electrodes are integrally formed with the second connection bars.

6. The backlight unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first electrodes have an area identical to an area of the second electrodes.

7. The backlight unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first and second electrodes have a corrugated shape.

8. The backlight unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one third conductor interposed between the first and second conductors.

9. The backlight unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate includes a multi-layer substrate and at least one third conductor is interposed between layers of the substrate.

10. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a plurality of lamps provided at both ends thereof with electrodes and having a tubular shape;

a plurality of lamp holders for fixing the both ends of the lamps;

at least one substrate on which the lamp holders are mounted;

at least two conductors formed on the substrate in opposition to each other to generate capacitance for uniformly maintaining tube current of the lamps; and

a liquid crystal display panel disposed above the lamps to display images by using light generated from the lamps,

wherein the conductors include a first conductor formed on a top surface of the substrate and a second conductor formed on a bottom surface of the substrate.

11. The liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a plurality of contact holes formed through the substrate, wherein the second conductor makes contact with the contact holes and the lamp holders are electrically connected with the contact holes.

12. The liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first conductor includes a plurality of first electrodes serving as surface electrodes, a first connection bar for connecting the first electrodes to each other, and a pad provided at an end portion of the first connection bar to receive a driving signal from an exterior to drive the lamps, and the second conductor includes second electrodes serving as surface electrodes corresponding to the first electrodes, and second connection bars making contact with the contact holes, respectively.

13. The liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first electrodes, the first connection bar and the pad are integrally formed with each other.

14. The liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second electrodes are integrally formed with the second connection bars.

15. The liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first electrodes have an area identical to an area of the second electrodes.

16. The liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first and second electrodes have a corrugated shape.

17. The liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising at least one third conductor interposed between the first and second conductors.

18. The liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the substrate includes a multi-layer substrate and at least one third conductor is interposed between layers of the substrate.