Backlight module

• US 9,046,243 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2013
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kawada, Kazuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, JASON
• Application Number:
  US14/097,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20140092337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 362 971- 972, 36221701-225, 362632-634, 349/58
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/04 Optical design
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133605 including specially adapted reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133608 including particular frames or supporting means

Abstract

A backlight module includes at least one light source, a light reflecting member, and a frame. The light reflecting member includes a center reflecting part, two first peripheral reflecting parts, two second peripheral reflecting parts, and two extension parts. The extension parts extend from either first upper bases of the first peripheral reflecting parts or second upper bases of the second peripheral reflecting parts, respectively. The center reflecting part, the first peripheral reflecting parts, the second peripheral reflecting parts and the extension parts are integrally formed as a one-piece, unitary member. The extension parts of the light reflecting member are disposed on either first side parts of the frame or second side parts of the frame, respectively.

Claims

1. A backlight module comprising:

at least one light source configured to emit light;

a light reflecting member arranged to reflect the light emitted from the light source, the light reflecting member including

a center reflecting part having two first opposite side portions and two second opposite side portions,

two first peripheral reflecting parts each having a first trapezoidal shape with a first lower base and a first upper base that is longer than the first lower base, the first lower bases being connected to the first opposite side portions of the center reflecting part, respectively, such that the first peripheral reflecting parts extend from the first opposite side portions of the center reflecting part, respectively,

two second peripheral reflecting parts each having a second trapezoidal shape with a second lower base and a second upper base that is longer than the second lower base, the second lower bases being connected to the second opposite side portions of the center reflecting part, respectively, such that the second peripheral reflecting parts extend from the second opposite side portions of the center reflecting part, respectively, and

two extension parts extending from either the first upper bases or the second upper bases, respectively, with the center reflecting part, the first peripheral reflecting parts, the second peripheral reflecting parts and the extension parts being integrally formed as a one-piece, unitary member; and

a frame including a bottom part, two first side parts and two second side parts, the first and second side parts extending frontward from peripheral portions of the bottom part, respectively, the first and second side parts defining an interior of the frame therebetween,

the light reflecting member being arranged with respect to the frame while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame such that the center reflecting part, the first peripheral reflecting parts and the second peripheral reflecting parts are disposed within the interior of the frame, and such that the extension parts are disposed on either the first side parts or the second side parts, respectively,

side end portions of an adjacent pair of the first peripheral reflecting parts and the second peripheral reflecting parts abutting against each other to form a corner section of the light reflecting member at a corner portion of the center reflecting part while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame,

the light reflecting member further including a tongue part that extends from one of the side end portions of the adjacent pair of the first peripheral reflecting parts and the second peripheral reflecting parts towards the other of the side end portions of the adjacent pair of the first peripheral reflecting parts and the second peripheral reflecting parts,

the tongue part of the light reflecting member at least partially overlapping with the other of the side end portions of the adjacent pair of the first peripheral reflecting parts and the second peripheral reflecting parts while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame,

the tongue part of the light reflecting member having a distal edge extending between first and second ends of the tongue part, with the first end of the tongue part being located closer to the corner portion of the center reflecting part than the second end of the tongue part,

a distance between the distal edge of the tongue part and the other of the side end portions of the adjacent pair of the first peripheral reflecting parts and the second peripheral reflecting parts increasing as approaching the second end of the tongue part from the first end of the tongue part along the distal edge of the tongue part.

2. The backlight module according to claim 1, wherein

the extension parts of the light reflecting member are arranged parallel to the center reflecting part of the light reflecting member while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame.

3. The backlight module according to claim 2, wherein

the light reflecting member has a first depth measured between the center reflecting part and the extension parts in a direction perpendicular to the center reflecting part while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame, and

the frame has a second depth measured between an inner surface of the bottom part and a top surface of one of the first and second side parts in a direction perpendicular to the inner surface of the bottom part, with the second depth of the frame being larger than the first depth of the light reflecting member such that the center reflecting part of the light reflecting member is spaced apart from the inner surface of the bottom part while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame.

4. The backlight module according to claim 3, wherein

the light reflecting member is further arranged with respect to the frame while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame such that an inner edge of one of the extension parts is aligned with an inner edge of the top surface of one of the first and second side parts on which the one of the extension parts is disposed as viewed in the direction perpendicular to the center reflecting part.

5. The backlight module according to claim 1, further comprising

a plurality of optical sheets disposed on the light reflecting member such that the optical sheets at least partially overlap with the extension parts of the light reflecting member as viewed in a direction perpendicular to the center reflecting part while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame.

6. The backlight module according to claim 1, wherein

the light reflecting member further includes two additional extension parts extending from either the first upper bases or the second upper bases, from which the extension parts do not extend, respectively, and

the light reflecting member is further arranged with respect to the frame while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame such that the additional extension parts of the light reflecting member are disposed on either the first side parts or the second side parts, on which the extension parts are not disposed, respectively.

7. The backlight module according to claim 1, wherein

the extension parts of the light reflecting member are disposed along entire lengths of either the first upper bases or the second upper bases, respectively.

8. The backlight module according to claim 7, wherein

the extension parts of the light reflecting member have a rectangular shape.

9. The backlight module according to claim 7, wherein

the extension parts have a first width measured in a widthwise direction perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of the extension parts, and

either the first side parts or the second side parts on which the extension parts are disposed have a second width measured in the widthwise direction, with the second width being larger than the first width.

10. The backlight module according to claim 1, wherein

the first peripheral reflecting parts of the light reflecting member each have an isosceles trapezoidal shape as the first trapezoidal shape, and

the second peripheral reflecting parts of the light reflecting member each have an isosceles trapezoidal shape as the second trapezoidal shape.

11. The backlight module according to claim 1, wherein

the first peripheral reflecting parts are slanted with respect to the center reflecting part such that the first peripheral reflecting parts extend inwardly away from the first side parts of the frame, respectively, as the first peripheral reflecting parts approach the center reflecting part, respectively, and

the second peripheral reflecting parts are slanted with respect to the center reflecting part such that the second peripheral reflecting parts extend inwardly away from the second side parts of the frame, respectively, as the second peripheral reflecting parts approach the center reflecting part, respectively.

12. The backlight module according to claim 11, wherein

a side end portion of one of the first peripheral reflecting parts abuts against a side end portion of one of the second peripheral reflecting parts that is adjacent to the one of the first peripheral reflecting parts to form a corner section of the light reflecting member at a corner portion of the center reflecting part with the corner portion of the center reflecting part being located between the one of the first peripheral reflecting parts and the one of the second peripheral reflecting parts,

the light reflecting member further includes a tongue part that extends from one of the side end portions of the first and second peripheral reflecting parts towards the other of the side end portions of the first and second peripheral reflecting parts, and

the tongue part of the light reflecting member at least partially overlaps with the other of the side end portions of the first and second peripheral reflecting parts while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame.

13. The backlight module according to claim 1, wherein

one of the first and second side parts of the frame extends perpendicularly frontward with respect to the bottom part such that the one of the first and second side parts of the frame and corresponding one of the first and second peripheral reflecting parts that is adjacently opposite the one of the first and second side parts of the frame define a spacing therebetween while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame.

14. The backlight module according to claim 1, wherein

at least one of the first and second side parts of the frame has an outer surface that is perpendicular to the bottom part of the frame.

15. The backlight module according to claim 1, wherein

either the first peripheral reflecting parts or the second peripheral reflecting parts are oriented with respect to the center reflecting part while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame such that angles defined between the center reflecting part and either the first peripheral reflecting parts or the second peripheral reflecting parts are equal to each other.

16. The backlight module according to claim 15, wherein

either the first side parts of the frame or the second side parts of the frame are oriented with respect to the bottom part of the frame such that angles defined between the bottom part and either the first side parts or the second side parts are equal to each other.

17. The backlight module according to claim 1, wherein

the first opposite side portions of the center reflecting part are longer than the second opposite side portions of the center reflecting part, respectively.

18. The backlight module according to claim 17, further comprising

a plurality of light sources arranged with respect to the frame, the light sources being connected to a plurality of electric connectors, respectively, the electric connectors being arranged closer to one of the second side parts of the frame than the other of the second side parts of the frame.

19. The backlight module according to claim 18, wherein

the light sources are symmetrically arranged relative to the frame with respect to a horizontal center plane of the backlight module.

20. The backlight module according to claim 19, wherein

the light reflecting member further has a plurality of openings located on the center reflecting part, the light sources being supported with respect to the frame via light source supports that are disposed through the openings of the light reflecting member.

21. The backlight module according to claim 20, wherein

the light reflecting member further has a plurality of through holes with continuous periphery, the light sources being connected to the electric connectors through the through holes, respectively, the through holes being at least partially located on one of the second peripheral reflecting parts that is adjacently opposite the one of the second side parts of the frame while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame.

22. The backlight module according to claim 1, wherein

the distal edge of the tongue part of the light reflecting member is disposed on a rear side of the other of the side end portions of the adjacent pair of the first peripheral reflecting parts and the second peripheral reflecting parts while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame.

23. The backlight module according to claim 1, wherein

each of the side end portions of the adjacent pair of the first peripheral reflecting parts and the second peripheral reflecting parts has first and second ends, with the first end of each of the side end portions being located closer to the corner portion of the center reflecting part than the second end of each of the side end portions, and

the tongue part is entirely disposed within an area enclosed by the side end portions and an imaginary line extending between the second ends of the side end portions.

24. A backlight module comprising:

at least one light source configured to emit light;

a light reflecting member arranged to reflect the light emitted from the light source, the light reflecting member including

a center reflecting part having two first opposite side portions and two second opposite side portions,

two first peripheral reflecting parts each having a first trapezoidal shape with a first lower base and a first upper base that is longer than the first lower base, the first lower bases being connected to the first opposite side portions of the center reflecting part, respectively, such that the first peripheral reflecting parts extend from the first opposite side portions of the center reflecting part, respectively,

two second peripheral reflecting parts each having a second trapezoidal shape with a second lower base and a second upper base that is longer than the second lower base, the second lower bases being connected to the second opposite side portions of the center reflecting part, respectively, such that the second peripheral reflecting parts extend from the second opposite side portions of the center reflecting part, respectively, and

two extension parts extending from either the first upper bases or the second upper bases, respectively, with the center reflecting part, the first peripheral reflecting parts, the second peripheral reflecting parts and the extension parts being integrally formed as a one-piece, unitary member; and

a frame including a bottom part, two first side parts and two second side parts, the first and second side parts extending frontward from peripheral portions of the bottom part, respectively, the first and second side parts defining an interior of the frame therebetween,

the light reflecting member being arranged with respect to the frame while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame such that the center reflecting part, the first peripheral reflecting parts and the second peripheral reflecting parts are disposed within the interior of the frame, and such that the extension parts are disposed on either the first side parts or the second side parts, respectively,

side end portions of an adjacent pair of the first peripheral reflecting parts and the second peripheral reflecting parts abutting against each other to form a corner section of the light reflecting member at a corner portion of the center reflecting part while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame,

the side end portions of the adjacent pair of the first peripheral reflecting parts and the second peripheral reflecting parts defining an abutment interface while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame, the abutment interface extending from the corner portion of the center reflecting part in a direction that intersects with a diagonal of the center reflecting part that extends through the corner portion of the center reflecting part as viewed in a direction perpendicular to the center reflecting part,

the light reflecting member further including a tongue part that extends from one of the side end portions of the adjacent pair of the first peripheral reflecting parts and the second peripheral reflecting parts towards the other of the side end portions of the adjacent pair of the first peripheral reflecting parts and the second peripheral reflecting parts,

the tongue part of the light reflecting member at least partially overlapping with the other of the side end portions of the adjacent pair of the first peripheral reflecting parts and the second peripheral reflecting parts while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame,

the tongue part of the light reflecting member having a distal edge extending between first and second ends of the tongue part, with the first end of the tongue part being located closer to the corner portion of the center reflecting part than the second end of the tongue part,

a distance between the distal edge of the tongue part and the other of the side end portions of the adjacent pair of the first peripheral reflecting parts and the second peripheral reflecting parts increasing as approaching the second end of the tongue part from the first end of the tongue part along the distal edge of the tongue part.

25. The backlight module according to claim 24, wherein

the distal edge of the tongue part of the light reflecting member is disposed on a rear side of the other of the side end portions of the adjacent pair of the first peripheral reflecting parts and the second peripheral reflecting parts while the light reflecting member is attached to the frame.

26. The backlight module according to claim 25, wherein

each of the side end portions of the adjacent pair of the first peripheral reflecting parts and the second peripheral reflecting parts has first and second ends, with the first end of each of the side end portions being located closer to the corner portion of the center reflecting part than the second end of each of the side end portions, and

the tongue part is entirely disposed within an area enclosed by the side end portions and an imaginary line extending between the second ends of the side end portions.