Lighting unit and display device having the same

• US 8,568,012 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2011
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Joo Hyang
• Primary Examiner(s): Makiya, David J
• Application Number:
  US13/006,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20110199788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 362/612, 362632-634, 362/607, 362/616, 362/97.3, 362 971- 974
• US Class Current: 362/612
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0023 provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed between the light guide and the light source, or around the light source
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/003 Lens or lenticular sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133603 with LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133607 the light controlling member including light directing or refracting elements, e.g. prisms or lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/50 Wavelength conversion elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/54 having a particular shape

Abstract

Provided are a lighting unit and a display device including the same. The lighting unit includes a bottom cover having a plurality of sidewalls, light emitting modules each including a board disposed on the bottom cover and a plurality of light emitting diodes mounted on the board, and a light-transmitting resin layer covering the bottom cover and the board.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus comprising:

a bottom cover having a sidewall and a recess;

a board on a bottom surface of the recess of the bottom cover;

a coupler coupled between a surface of the bottom cover and the board;

a plurality of light emitters disposed on a top surface of the board; and

a light-transmitting layer over the plurality of light emitters and the board, wherein the bottom surface of the recess of the bottom cover has a first width and the board has a second width less than the first width, wherein a first portion of the light-transmitting layer extends into a space between the board and the sidewall, and wherein a size of the space corresponds to or is based on a difference between the first width and the second width,

wherein each of the plurality of light emitters includes a body, an LED chip within the body, and a resin material on the LED chip within the body,

wherein the sidewall of the bottom cover includes a recess,

wherein a second portion of the light-transmitting layer is disposed in the recess of the sidewall,

wherein the recess of the sidewall is located at a position lower than a top surface of the light-transmitting layer,

wherein the resin material of each of the plurality of light emitters is disposed between the LED chip and the light-transmitting layer,

wherein the first portion of the light-transmitting layer that extends into the space contacts the bottom surface of the recess of the bottom cover, and

wherein the top surface of the light-transmitting layer has an area greater than the bottom surface of the recess of the bottom cover.

2. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the top surface of the light-transmitting layer includes a rough surface.

3. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a reflective sheet including a plurality of holes between the board and the light-transmitting layer, and at least one of the light emitters is coupled to one of the holes of the reflective sheet.

4. The lighting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a third portion of the light-transmitting layer extends into one or more of the holes in the reflective sheet and directly contacts the top surface of the board through the hole.

5. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light-transmitting layer comprises:

a first resin layer over the bottom cover; and

a second resin layer over the first resin layer, the second resin layer having a refractive index less than that of the first resin layer, wherein the first resin layer includes a first transparent material particle having a refractive index of about 1.5 or more.

6. The lighting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second resin layer includes a second transparent material particle having a refractive index of about 1.5 or more, and wherein the second transparent material particle is formed from one of GaP, Si, TiO₂, SrTiO₃, SiC, cubic or amorphous carbon, carbon nano-tube, ZnO, AlGaInP, AlGaAs, SiN, SiON, ITO, SiGe, AlN, or GaN.

7. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the top surface of the light-transmitting layer has a lens array shape on which a plurality of convex portions corresponding to each of the plurality of light emitters is arrayed.

8. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light-transmitting layer includes at least one of a phosphor, a diffuser, or a transparent material particle having a refractive index different from that of the light-transmitting layer.

9. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1,

a lens on the resin material of each of the plurality of light emitters,

wherein each of the lens includes a central portion in substantially a hemispherical shape with a recess facing towards LED chip.

10. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the coupler includes at least one of an adhesive or a screw.

11. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sheet support protrusion that protrudes higher than the top surface of the light-emitting layer and is formed in a material of the light-emitting layer.

12. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recess of the sidewall has an inside region that is greater than an opened inlet region.

13. The light apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bottom cover includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall,

wherein the recess of the sidewall includes a first recess recessed from the first sidewall and a second recess recessed from the second sidewall,

wherein an interval between the first recess and the second recess is wider than a width of the board.

14. A lighting apparatus comprising:

a bottom cover having a bottom surface, a sidewall coupled to the bottom surface, and a recess adjacent the sidewall;

a plurality of light emitters disposed in the recess over the bottom surface of the bottom cover;

a light-transmitting layer over the light emitters; and

an optical sheet disposed over the light emitters,

wherein the bottom surface of the bottom cover includes a metal layer serving as a heat sink to dissipate heat, and wherein the light-transmitting layer contacts the bottom surface of the bottom cover and the sidewall,

wherein each of the plurality of light emitters includes a body, an LED chip within the body, and a resin material on the LED chip within the body,

wherein each of the sidewall and the bottom surface of the bottom cover includes a recess,

wherein a portion of the light-transmitting layer is disposed in the recess of the sidewall and the bottom surface,

wherein the recess of the sidewall is at a position lower than a top surface of the light-transmitting layer,

wherein the resin material of each of the plurality of light emitters is disposed between the LED chip and the light-transmitting layer, and

wherein the light-transmitting layer includes a resin layer.

15. The lighting apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the bottom cover further includes:

an insulation layer over the metal layer; and

a plurality of electrode patterns to which the plurality of light emitting diodes are coupled, the plurality of electrode patterns being disposed over the insulation layer.

16. The lighting apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a sheet support protrusion supporting the optical sheet, wherein the sheet support protrusion extends between two of the plurality of light emitters.

17. The lighting apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the optical sheet comprises at least one of a diffusion sheet, a prism sheet, or a photo luminescent film.

18. The lighting apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a plurality of transparent material particles within the light-transmitting layer, each of the transparent material particles having a refractive index greater than that of the light-transmitting layer.

19. The lighting apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a portion of the light-emitting layer extends between at least one pair of light emitters.

20. A display device comprising:

a lighting apparatus comprising

(a) a bottom cover having a plurality of sidewalls and a recess between the plurality of sidewalls,

(b) a board on a bottom surface of the recess of the bottom cover,

(c) a coupler between the bottom surface of the recess of the bottom cover and the board;

(d) a plurality of light emitters over the board, and

(e) a light-transmitting layer over the plurality of light emitters and the board; and

a display panel over the lighting apparatus; and

an optical sheet between the lighting apparatus and the display panel,

wherein the bottom surface of the recess of the bottom cover has a first width and the board has a second width less than the first width, wherein at least a first portion of the light-transmitting layer extends into a space between the board and the sidewall, and wherein a size of the space corresponds to or is based on a difference between the first width and the second width,

wherein each of the plurality of light emitters includes a body, an LED chip within the body, and a resin material on the LED chip within the body,

wherein each of the plurality of sidewalls of the bottom cover includes a recess,

wherein a second portion of the light-transmitting layer is disposed in the recess of each of the plurality of sidewalls,

wherein the recess of each of the plurality of sidewalls is at a lower position than a top surface of the light-transmitting layer,

wherein the resin material of each of the plurality of light emitters is disposed between the LED chip and the light-transmitting layer,

wherein the light-transmitting layer includes a resin layer, and

wherein the light-transmitting layer contacts the plurality of sidewalls and the bottom surface of the recess of the bottom cover.