Backlight assembly

• US 8,550,689 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2012
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Han, Sang-Sun, Jung, Tai-Yun
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, LAURA K
• Application Number:
  US13/358,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20120206940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 362/632, 362/634, 362/97.1, 362/97.2, 362/97.3
• US Class Current: 362/634
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0073 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0088 of the light guide or other optical sheets in the package
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/009 of the light source in the package G02B6/0021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0093 Means for protecting the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133314 Back frames
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49959 Nonresilient fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49966 with supplemental joining

Abstract

A backlight assembly includes a light emitting part, a light guide plate, a bracket and receiving container. The light emitting part generates light. The light guide plate includes a first side surface which receives the light, and a second side surface adjacent to the first side surface. The bracket is fixed to the second side surface of the light guide plate. The receiving container includes a bottom, and a sidewall perpendicularly extending from the bottom, and receives the light emitting part and the light guide plate. The sidewall includes combining portions which are combined with the bracket.

Claims

1. A backlight assembly comprising:

a light emitting part which generates a light;

a light guide plate comprising;

a light emitting surface, and a bottom surface opposing the light emitting surface; and

a first side surface which receives the light generated from the light emitting part, and a second side surface adjacent to the first side surface, wherein the first and second side surfaces connect the light emitting and bottom surfaces to each other;

a bracket which is fixed to the second side surface of the light guide plate; and

a receiving container comprising a bottom, and sidewall which perpendicularly extends from the bottom, wherein the receiving container receives the light emitting part and the light guide plate, and the sidewall includes a combining portion which is combined with the bracket.

2. The backlight assembly of claim 1, wherein the bracket comprises:

a plate which is fixed to the light guide plate; and

a hook portion which protrudes from the plate, and is combined with the combining portion of the receiving container.

3. The backlight assembly of claim 2, wherein the hook portion has a trigonal prism shape which inclinedly protrudes from the plate.

4. The backlight assembly of claim 2, wherein the combining portion of the receiving container is a combining hole, into which the hook portion of the bracket is inserted, formed on the sidewall of the receiving container.

5. The backlight assembly of claim 2, wherein the combining portion of the receiving container is a combining groove, into which the hook portion is inserted, formed on the sidewall of the receiving container.

6. The backlight assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

an adhesive member between the second side surface of the light guide plate and the bracket, and which fixes the bracket to the light guide plate.

7. The backlight assembly of claim 6, wherein the adhesive member is a double-sided tape.

8. The backlight assembly of claim 6, wherein the adhesive member comprises a poron material.

9. The backlight assembly of claim 6, wherein the adhesive member is elastic.

10. The backlight assembly of claim 6, wherein the adhesive member comprises:

a first contact layer which contacts the light guide plate;

a second contact layer which contacts the bracket; and

a light reflective sheet between the first and second contact layers.

11. The backlight assembly of claim 10, wherein the light reflective sheet comprises a silver material.

12. The backlight assembly of claim 1, wherein the light guide plate has a rectangular shape such that a length of the first side surface is greater than a length of the second side surface, and the light emitting part faces the first side surface.

13. The backlight assembly of claim 1, wherein the light guide plate has a rectangular shape such that a length of the second side surface is greater than a length of the first side surface, and the light emitting part faces the first side surface.

14. The backlight assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a dummy bracket which overlaps a corner portion on which the first and second side surfaces of the light guide plate contact each other, and is combined with the receiving container.

15. The backlight assembly of claim 14, wherein the dummy bracket comprises:

a first fixing plate which overlaps the first side surface of the light guide plate;

a second fixing plate which perpendicularly extends from the first fixing plate, and overlaps the second side surface of the light guide plate; and

a dummy bracket fixing plate which extends from the first fixing plate in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the sidewall of the receiving container, and is combined with and fixed to the sidewall of the receiving container.

16. The backlight assembly of claim 15, wherein the sidewall of the receiving container comprises a dummy bracket fixing groove into which the dummy bracket fixing plate is inserted.

17. The backlight assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a contact prevention part which contacts and is between the light guide plate and the sidewall of the receiving container, such that the light guide plate and the sidewall of the receiving container do not contact each other.

18. The backlight assembly of claim 17, wherein the contact prevention part is respectively adjacent to both of opposing end portions of the light emitting part.

19. A method of forming a backlight assembly, the method comprising:

preparing a receiving container including a sidewall which is extended from a bottom portion, and a combining member which is extended into a thickness of the sidewall from an inner surface thereof;

attaching a bracket to a first side surface of a light guide plate which does not receive light from a light source;

disposing the light source facing a second side surface of the light guide plate which is adjacent to the first side surface; and

combining a portion of the bracket with the combining member of the receiving container, such that the light guide plate and the receiving container are removably disposed with each other,

wherein the light guide plate comprises a light emitting surface, and a bottom surface opposing the light emitting surface, and the first and second side surfaces connect the light emitting and the bottom surfaces of the light guide plate to each other.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the attaching a bracket comprises disposing a transparent adhesive member between the bracket and the first surface of the light guide plate, the transparent adhesive member attaching the bracket to the light guide plate.