Abstract: A backlight unit is capable of preventing optical sheets from experiencing deformation due to thermal expansion and the like. The backlight unit includes a backlight chassis arranged to house a lamp via an optical plate and optical sheets, where a thickness of the optical sheets is less than a thickness of the optical plate, the backlight chassis including a support surface arranged to support the optical plate and the optical sheets, and a frame arranged to hold the optical plate and the optical sheets with the support surface, the optical plate and the optical sheets being interposed between the frame and the support surface, and the backlight chassis has a positioning piece arranged to position and support the optical plate at a predetermined position with respect to the support surface and not to position and support the optical sheets.

Abstract: A lighting device for a display device of the present invention includes a plurality of light sources 17, a power source 170, a plurality of connecting terminals 152 and balance coils 56. The power source 170 supplies driving power to the light sources 17. The connecting terminals 152 are capable of holding the light sources 17 separately and function as driving power supply terminals for respective light sources. The balance coils 56 are arranged between the connecting terminals 152 and the power source 170. They are used for making the amount of current of the driving power supplied to each connecting terminal 152 constant.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes a first liquid crystal panel and a second liquid crystal panel stacked on each other; and polarizers provided to the panels, together with a polarizer of an adjacent panel, arranged to define a crossed Nicols. When the first liquid crystal panel produces a display from a first display signal, the second liquid crystal panel produces a display from a second display signal obtained from the first display signal. Between a framework and drivers provided to the first liquid crystal panel and the second liquid crystal panel, heat conducting members are arranged to transfer heat from the drivers to the framework so as to improve luminance when two liquid crystal panels are stacked and achieve high display quality.

Abstract: This cold cathode tube lamp comprises a glass tube (11) into which at least a rare gas is filled, a pair of first electrodes (21, 22) disposed to face each other at both inner end portions of the glass tube (11) and composed of cylinder-shaped first cylindrical portions (21a, 22a) with openings at one ends and first bottom portions (21b, 22b) closing the other ends of the first cylindrical portions (21a, 22a), and second electrodes (41, 42) provided in the respective first electrodes (21, 22). The second electrodes (41, 42) include at least cylinder-shaped second cylindrical portions (41a, 42a) with openings at each one end thereof. The second electrodes (41, 42) are disposed such that the second cylindrical portions (41a, 42a) are a predetermined distance away from the respective first cylindrical portions (21a, 22a) of the first electrodes (21, 22).

Abstract: The cold cathode lamp includes a light-transmissive insulating tube; the first and second internal electrodes disposed inside the insulating tube; the first and second external electrodes disposed outside the insulating tube and connected to the first and second internal electrodes, respectively; the first and second insulating members covering the first and second external electrodes, respectively; the first opposite electrode opposite the first external electrode with the first insulating member interposed therebetween, the second opposite electrode opposite the second external electrode with the second insulating member interposed therebetween, the first insulating layer covering the outer edges of the first opposite electrode; and the second insulating layer covering the outer edges of the second opposite electrode. It is possible to light up a plurality of cold cathode lamps that are connected in parallel to a power supply.

Abstract: A cold cathode lamp includes a light-transmitting insulating tube, first and second internal electrodes arranged inside the insulating tube, first and second external electrodes arranged outside the insulating tube and respectively connected with the first and second internal electrodes, first and second insulating bodies respectively covering the first and second external electrodes, a first counter electrode arranged opposite to the first external electrode via the first insulating body, and a second counter electrode arranged opposite to the second external electrode via the second insulating body. The first (second) counter electrode has a portion which does not face the first (second) external electrode, and the space between this portion and the insulating tube is filled with the first (second) insulating body. A plurality of such cold cathode lamps can be lit by being connected in parallel with a power supply.

Abstract: In a discharge tube, a conductive ferrule is provided on an end portion of a glass tube. The ferrule includes a body that is to be mounted to the outer circumference of the glass tube and has a contact portion to be electrically conductively fixed to a relay connector (or a bearing device). Further included is a conductive portion that extends from the body so as to have elastic contact with an outer lead. The outer lead will not be under load due to the weight of the discharge tube, but the conductive portion solely has elastic contact therewith. Thus, stress concentration on the outer lead can be prevented.

Abstract: Relay connectors are arranged to supply power from power boards arranged on the back side of a chassis having a substantially plate-shaped configuration to discharge tubes arranged on the front side of the chassis. Each relay connector includes a holder having an insulation property and to be mounted to the chassis, and further includes a relay terminal mounted to the holder and capable of electrical connection to the discharge tube and the power board. The relay terminal is immune to direct contact with the chassis. This enables the use of a metallic chassis.

Abstract: A backlight device includes a light guide plate opposed to fluorescent tubes, a diffusion sheet stacked on the light guide plate, and lens sheets further stacked on the diffusion sheet. A tip end of a corner portion of the diffusion sheet has a shape defined by removing a portion of the sheet along a straight line spanning between two sides constituting the corner portion. In first of the lens sheets, a tip end portion of a corner portion formed by two sides has a shape defined by removing a portion of the sheet in a larger amount than in the diffusion sheet by a circular arc which projects outward. In a second of the lens sheets, a tip end of a corner portion formed by two sides has a shape defined by removing a larger amount than in the first of the lens sheets along a straight line.

Abstract: An optical member 15 of the present invention includes a lens sheet 28, a light diffusing sheet 27 and light reflecting members 24. The lens sheet 28 has a plurality of convex lenses 29 on an inner surface thereof. The light diffusing sheet 27 is disposed so as to face the lens sheet 28 and diffuses light. The light reflecting members 24 are selectively arranged in boundary areas of the plurality of convex lenses 29 between the lens sheet 28 and the light diffusing sheet 27. The lens sheet 28 has a surface having a light guiding direction and a non-light-guiding direction that crosses the light guiding direction because the convex lenses 29 have anisotropy for collecting light. The light diffusing sheet 27 has diffuseness larger in the light guiding direction of the lens sheet 28 than in the non-light-guiding direction of the lens sheet 28.

Abstract: A backlight unit is capable of preventing optical sheets from experiencing deformation due to thermal expansion and the like. The backlight unit includes a backlight chassis arranged to house a lamp via a diffusion plate and optical sheets, where a thickness of the optical sheets is less than a thickness of the diffusion plate, the backlight chassis including a support surface arranged to support the diffusion plate and the optical sheets, and a frame arranged to hold the diffusion plate and the optical sheets with the support surface, the diffusion plate and the optical sheets being interposed between the frame and the support surface, and the backlight chassis has a positioning piece arranged to position and support the diffusion plate at a predetermined position with respect to the support surface and not to position and support the optical sheets.

Abstract: A ferrule includes a body having a cylindrical shape. Elastic gripping portions are arranged on the body so as to bulge radially inwardly. The elastic gripping portions can have elastic contact with the outer circumferential surface of a glass tube. The body of the ferrule is mounted to the glass tube via the elastic gripping portions capable of elastic and radial deformation. Thereby, the variations in outer diameter of the glass tube can be absorbed, and therefore the dimensional control with high precision is not required for glass tubes at the time of manufacturing. This leads to cost reduction.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes: (I) a liquid crystal panel including (i) a pair of substrates, which sandwich a liquid crystal layer, and (ii) optical members each provided so as to face an external surface of each of the pair of substrates, which surface is opposite to an internal surface of the each of the pair of substrates that faces the liquid crystal layer, the optical members each including a polarizer in pair; and (II) a backlight provided so as to face a surface of the liquid crystal panel, the surface being opposite to a display surface of the liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal display device further includes a near-infrared region absorbing member that absorbs light in a near-infrared region of 900 nm to 1000 nm, the near-infrared region absorbing member being provided at least either in the liquid crystal panel or between the liquid crystal panel and the backlight.

Abstract: This cold cathode tube lamp comprises: a discharge tube composed of a glass tube (11) having at least a rare gas sealed therein and a pair of electrodes (21, 22) arranged opposite each other inside the glass tube (11) at opposite ends thereof. The electrodes (21, 22) have cylindrical portions (21a, 22a) having a cylindrical shape with an opening at one end and bottom portions (21b, 22b) closing the other end of the cylindrical portions (21a, 22a). Projecting portions (41, 42) are formed on interior surfaces of the cylindrical portions (21a, 22a).

Abstract: Provided are a liquid crystal display device and television receiving apparatus having further improved use efficiency of light emitted from a light source while suppressing increase in costs. A liquid crystal display device 1 of the invention includes a liquid crystal display panel (40), two polarizing layers (first polarizing layer (50), second polarizing layer (52)) disposed so that the two polarizing layers sandwich the liquid crystal display panel, and a backlight device (10) (light source). Between the backlight device (10) and the first polarizing layer (50) (rear polarizing layer) that is one of the two polarizing layers disposed closer to the backlight device (10), an optical sheet assembly (20) is provided, which optical sheet assembly includes a lens sheet (22) for converging light emitted from the backlight. Furthermore, the first polarizing layer (50) and the optical sheet assembly (20) sandwich a ?/2 sheet (30) (?/2 layer).

Abstract: In a backlight apparatus, laminated optical sheets are housed in a tray such that a wall portion thereof surrounds their circumferences so that the optical sheets receive light from fluorescent lights. Tips of one corner portion A of optical sheets preferably have a shape in which the tips are trimmed by line segments extending between two edges defining the corner portions. At the wall portion of the tray, an opposing surface is formed along the line segments of the corner portions so as to correspond to the shape of the corner portions having tips trimmed off. The opposing surface restrains the line segments.

Abstract: A lamp holder includes a mounting portion, a lamp holding part which is connected to the mounting portion, and includes an end capable of surrounding a peripheral surface of a lamp, and is capable of being elastically opened and deformed during attaching and detaching of the lamp. The lamp holder also includes a recessed portion positioned at a surface of the lamp holding part that is opposite to the lamp and located at a position between an end portion and a connecting region of a mounting portion, such that the recessed portion allows the lamp holding part to bend so that the end portion is displaced in a direction away from the peripheral surface of the lamp.

Abstract: This cold cathode tube lamp comprises a glass tube (11) into which at least a rare gas is filled and a discharge tube composed of a pair of an electrode (21) and an electrode (22) disposed facing each other at both ends inside the glass tube (11). In the respective electrode (21) and electrode (22), lead terminals (31a, 31b, 31c) and lead terminals (32a, 32b, 32c), one end of each of which is connected to the electrode and the other end of each of which is led out to the outside of the glass tube (11) are provided.

Abstract: Discharge tubes, each of which includes a glass tube and a ferrule that has a substantially cylindrical shape and is fitted to each end portion of the glass tube, are supported by a plurality of pairs of relay connectors (or supporting members) provided on the front side of a chassis having substantially a plate-shaped configuration. When a discharge tube is supported by relay connectors, stoppers provided on the relay connectors lock the ferrules so that axial movement of the discharge tube relative to the relay connectors is restricted.

Abstract: A backlight device includes a light guide plate opposed to fluorescent tubes, a diffusion sheet stacked on the light guide plate, and lens sheets further stacked on the diffusion sheet. A tip end of a corner portion of the diffusion sheet has a shape defined by removing a portion of the sheet along a straight line spanning between two sides constituting the corner portion. In first of the lens sheets, a tip end portion of a corner portion formed by two sides has a shape defined by removing a portion of the sheet in a larger amount than in the diffusion sheet by a circular arc which projects outward. In a second of the lens sheets, a tip end of a corner portion formed by two sides has a shape defined by removing a larger amount than in the first of the lens sheets along a straight line.