Display device

• US 9,310,646 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2012
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Sangtae, Bae, Seungchoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Payne, Sharon
• Application Number:
  US13/343,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20120170253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• Field of Search: 362/97.1, 362/97.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133603 with LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133605 including specially adapted reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133606 including a specially adapted diffusing, scattering or light controlling members
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133608 including particular frames or supporting means
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133611 including means for improving the brightness uniformity
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133612 Electrical details
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133628 with cooling means

Abstract

A display device includes a display panel, a backlight unit disposed at the back of the display panel, and a back cover disposed at the back of the backlight unit, wherein the backlight unit including a base layer, a plurality of substrates disposed on the base layer and separated from each other, and light sources disposed on the substrates.

Claims

1. A backlight unit comprising:

a base layer;

a plurality of substrates disposed on the base layer and separated from each other; and

light sources disposed on each of the substrates,

wherein;

the plurality of substrates includes a first substrate and a second substrate, and

the light sources include a first light source disposed on the first substrate and a second light source disposed on the second substrate,

wherein;

the base layer includes a first part overlapping with the first substrate, a second part overlapping with the second substrate, and a third part positioned between the first part and the second part,

the third part has a maximum thickness at a first position, the maximum thickness being thicker than the first part and the second part, and

a thickness of the base layer gradually increases from the first part to the first position, and the thickness of the base layer gradually decreases from the first position to the second part,

wherein the light sources each include a respective light emitting face configured to emit light,

wherein a light emitting face of the first light source is configured to face the first position, and a light emitting face of the second light source is configured to face opposite to the first position, and

wherein a first slope of the base layer from the first part to the first position is less than a second slope of the base layer from the first position to the second part.

2. The backlight unit of claim 1, wherein a plurality of grooves are formed in the base layer, and the substrates are positioned in the grooves.

3. The backlight unit of claim 2, wherein the depth of the grooves is greater than the height from a bottom of the substrates to the top of the light sources.

4. The backlight unit of claim 2, wherein the depth of the grooves is less than a thickness of the substrates.

5. The backlight unit of claim 2, wherein a hole is formed in each groove.

6. The backlight unit of claim 1, further comprising a resin layer covering the substrates and the light sources.

7. The backlight unit of claim 6, wherein the resin layer comprises portions positioned on top of the base layer.

8. The backlight unit of claim 6, wherein the resin layer comprises a portion in which a height measured from a bottom of the base layer is less than a maximum thickness of the base layer.

9. The backlight unit of claim 8, wherein the resin layer comprises a recessed portion recessed toward the bottom of the base layer, and the recessed portion comprises a portion overlapping with the light sources.

10. The backlight unit of claim 1, further comprising a reflection layer disposed on top of the base layer.

11. The backlight unit of claim 10, wherein the reflection layer comprises portions overlapping with the substrates.

12. The backlight unit of claim 1, wherein the substrates comprise:

a first substrate where a plurality of light sources are disposed; and

a second substrate disposed in parallel to the first substrate and having a plurality of light sources disposed thereon.

13. The backlight unit of claim 12, wherein the gap between the first substrate and the second substrate is greater than a width of the first substrate or a width of the second substrate.

14. The backlight unit of claim 1, wherein a rate of change in the thickness of the base layer between the first substrate and the first position is greater than a rate of change in the thickness of the base layer between the second substrate and the first position, and

the light sources disposed on the first substrate emit light in the direction becoming distant from the first position, and the light sources disposed on the second substrate emit light toward the first position.

15. The backlight unit of claim 1, wherein the light emitting direction of the light sources disposed on the first substrate is different from the light emitting direction of the light sources disposed on the second substrate.

16. The backlight unit of claim 1, wherein the light emitting direction of a plurality of light sources disposed on the first substrate or the second substrate is the same.

17. A display device comprising:

a display panel;

a backlight unit disposed at a back of the display panel; and

a back cover disposed at a back of the backlight unit,

the backlight unit comprising;

a base layer;

a plurality of substrates disposed on the base layer and separated from each other; and

light sources disposed on the plurality of substrates,

wherein;

the plurality of substrates includes a first substrate and a second substrate, and

the light sources include a first light source disposed on the first substrate and a second light source disposed on the second substrate,

wherein;

the base layer includes a first part overlapping with the first substrate, a second part overlapping with the second substrate, and a third part positioned between the first part and the second part,

the third part has a maximum thickness at a first position, the maximum thickness being thicker than the first part and the second part, and

a thickness of the base layer gradually increases from the first part to the first position, and the thickness of the base layer gradually decreases from the first position to the second part,

wherein the light sources each include a respective light emitting face configured to emit light,

wherein a light emitting face of the first light source is configured to face the first position, and a light emitting face of the second light source is configured to face opposite to the first position, and

wherein a first slope of the base layer from the first part to the first position is less than a second slope of the base layer from the first position to the second part.

18. The display device of claim 17, further comprising a frame disposed at the back of the base layer.