Illuminating apparatus, backlight assembly and liquid crystal display device having the same

• US 20040001345A1
• Filed: 05/29/2003
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Sang-Duk, Park, Jin-Hyuk
• Granted Patent: US 7,021,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/561
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0071 with elongated shape, e.g. tube

Abstract

An illuminating apparatus for improving brightness of light, a backlight assembly and an LCD device having the same are provided. The LCD device includes a backlight unit having a lamp for emitting a first light, a light guiding plate for guiding the first light, and a lamp reflector disposed adjacent to the lamp to partially cover the lamp and receiving the first light exited from the lamp, the lamp reflector having a plurality of protrusion portions for diffusing and reflecting the received first light to generate a second light; and a display unit for displaying images in response to the second light, the display unit having a lower substrate, an upper substrate opposite to the lower substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the lower and the upper substrates.

Claims

1. An illuminating apparatus comprising:

a lamp for receiving an electric power signal to emit light; and

a lamp reflector for partially covering the lamp and for receiving the light exited from the lamp, the lamp reflector having a plurality of protrusion portions to reflect and diffuse the received light.

2. The illuminating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising,

a first lamp holder for receiving a first end portion of the lamp, the first lamp holder having a first hole;

a first power supply line, penetrating through the first hole, for supplying a first electric power signal to a first electrode of the lamp;

a second lamp holder for receiving a second end portion of the lamp, and the second lamp holder having a second hole; and

a second power supply line, penetrating through the second hole, for supplying a second electric power signal to a second electrode of the lamp, and

wherein the first lamp holder and the second lamp holder are partially covered by the lamp reflector, and wherein the protrusion portions are formed on an inner surface of the lamp reflector.

3. The illuminating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lamp reflector has a shape of a wrinkled sheet, and the protrusion portions are formed on peak portions of the wrinkled sheet.

4. The illuminating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the protrusion portions has a pointed end portion to face the lamp.

5. The illuminating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the protrusion portions has a round end portion to face the lamp.

6. The illuminating apparatus as clamed in claim 1, wherein the protrusion portions are arrayed in a plurality of rows, and each of the rows forms a predetermined angle with respect to the lamp.

7. The illuminating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protrusion portions are equal in size and are regularly arrayed on the lamp reflector.

8. The illuminating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protrusion portions differ in size and are irregularly arrayed on the lamp reflector.

9. The illuminating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a material having high reflectivity is coated on an inner surface of the lamp reflector to improve a reflectivity of the lamp reflector.

10. The illuminating apparatus as claimed in claim 9, the material having high reflectivity comprises silver or titanium.

11. A backlight assembly comprising:

a lamp for emitting light;

a light guiding plate for guiding the light; and

a lamp reflector, disposed adjacent to the lamp to partially cover the lamp and receiving the light exited from the lamp, the lamp reflector having a plurality of protrusion portions for reflecting and diffusing the receiving light.

12. The backlight assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein a first end of the lamp reflector is coupled to a portion of a lower surface of the light guiding plate, and a second end of the lamp reflector is coupled to a portion of an upper surface of the light guiding plate, to thereby partially cover the lamp.

13. The backlight assembly as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a reflecting sheet, disposed on a lower surface of the light guiding plate, for reflecting the light transmitted through the light guiding plate.

14. The backlight assembly as claimed in claim 11, further comprising an optical sheet, disposed on the light guiding plate, for controlling a brightness of the light transmitted through the light guiding plate.

15. The backlight assembly as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a first lamp holder for receiving a first end portion of the lamp, the first lamp holder having a first hole;

a second lamp holder for receiving a second end portion of the lamp, and the second lamp holder having a second hole;

a first power supply line, penetrating through the first hole, for supplying a first electric power signal to a first electrode of the lamp; and

a second power supply line, penetrating through the second hole, for supplying a second electric power signal to a second electrode of the lamp.

16. The backlight assembly as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a

receiving container having four sidewalls to receive the lamp, the light guiding plate and the lamp reflector;

and

wherein one of the sidewalls adjacent to an end of the lamp has a guiding portion for attaching and detaching the lamp and the lamp reflector from the receiving container.

17. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a backlight unit, including;

a lamp for emitting a first light;

a light guiding plate for guiding the first light; and

a lamp reflector disposed adjacent to the lamp to partially cover the lamp and receiving the first light exited from the lamp, the lamp reflector having a plurality of protrusion portions for reflecting and diffusing the received first light to generate a second light; and

a display unit for displaying an image in response to the second light exited from the backlight unit, including;

a lower substrate;

an upper substrate opposite to the lower substrate; and

a liquid crystal layer disposed between the lower and the upper substrates.

18. The liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the lamp reflector has a shape of a wrinkled sheet, and wherein the protrusion portions of the lamp reflector are formed on peak portions of the wrinkled sheet.

19. The liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 17, wherein each of the protrusion portions of the lamp reflector has a pointed end portion to face the lamp.

20. The liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 17, wherein each of the protrusion portions of the lamp reflector has a round end portion to face the lamp.