Display devices having rounded corner backlight unit
A backlight unit for a display device includes a mold frame and a light guide panel. The mold frame includes a groove having at least one rounded corner. The light guide panel is on the mold frame and includes a light guide projection in the groove, having at least one rounded corner corresponding to the at least one rounded corner of the mold frame groove.
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This invention relates to display devices, and more particularly to backlight units for display devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONDisplay devices are widely used in many consumer and commercial applications. Display devices generally use light in order to display a visible image, especially in the dark. As is well known, display devices generally include active displays in which every picture element (pixel) emits light, and passive displays which use a source of light to project through the display panel. The source of light may be supplied by a backlight unit. Examples of active displays are cathode ray tubes (CRT) and light emitting diode (LED) displays. An example of a passive display is a liquid crystal display (LCD).
A backlight unit of an LCD will now be described. Backlight units generally include a light source such as a lamp, a reflecting sheet, a light guide panel and a diffusing sheet. The backlight unit and the display panel are generally enclosed within a mold frame and a top chassis.
To solve this problem, the light guide panel 2 includes a light guide projection 10 and a side of the mold frame includes a groove 11. The light guide projection 10 of the light guide panel 2 can thus be fitted to the groove 11 so that the mold frame can fixedly hold the light guide panel 2.
As a result of this concentration, the light guide projection 10 of the light guide panel 2 may be brighter compared to other portions. The concentrated light may result in a poor quality LCD. Moreover, as the distance A between the module and active area is reduced, the light concentration may increase.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improved backlight units for display devices.
It is another object of the present invention to provide light guide panels and backlight units which can reduce light concentration in a light guide projection thereof.
These and other objects are provided, according to the present invention, by a backlight unit for a display device having a mold frame including a groove and having a light guide panel including a light projection mounted in the groove, wherein the mold frame groove and light guide projection each include at least one rounded corner. The rounded corner can prevent light from being concentrated at the corners of the projecting portion.
In particular, a backlight unit for a display device includes a mold frame and a light guide panel. The mold frame includes a groove having at least one rounded corner. The light guide panel is mounted on the mold frame and includes a light guide projection mounted in the groove. The light guide projection includes at least one rounded corner corresponding to the at least one rounded corner of the mold frame groove.
A light source is also mounted on the mold frame in spaced apart relation from the light guide panel. In this configuration, the mold frame groove and the light guide panel both include a first corner and a second corner which is remote from the light source relative to the first corner. The first corner is preferably angled and the second corner is preferably rounded. Thus, the first angled corner may effectively prevent the light guide panel from damaging the light source. The second corner may be used to reduce light concentration from the light source and thereby improve the quality of the LCD. In other embodiments, the groove and the light guide projection are both free of all sharp angles. In other embodiments, both the first and second corners may be rounded.
The backlight unit may be combined with an array of display elements on the light guide panel, opposite the mold frame, to form a flat panel display device. A diffuser may be included between the light panel and the array of display elements. A printed circuit board may also be included on the mold frame and may include a plurality of integrated circuits which are electrically connected to the array of display elements.
Accordingly, the present invention can prevent the light source from being destroyed during movement of the LCD, by fitting the light guide projection into grooves in the mold frame. The present invention also can reduce or eliminate light concentration at portions of the LCD by rounding the corners of the projection and light guide panel.
The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
Referring now to
It is preferable to make the corner comer 30b of the projected portion 30, which is remote from the lamp 9 of
When light from the lamp reaches the boundary of the light guide projection 30, light is partially reflected to the light guide panel and partially transmitted to the air C. Light which passes through the air layer C is again reflected to the boundary of the light guide panel when it reaches at the boundary of the mold frame. The reflection and the transmission of light are repeatedly carried out in the air C between the mold frame 21 and the light guide panel 22. Since light guide projections 30 of light guide panels in accordance with the present invention include at least one rounded corner, light which is reflected into the light guide panel 22 may he dispersed. In addition, light guide panels having at least one rounded corner can reduce the amount of light reflected into the light guide panel.
Accordingly, a backlight unit of a display device in accordance with the present invention can prevent light from being concentrated, thereby improving the quality of the LCD by rounding the light guide panel projection.
In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed typical preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.
Claims
1. A mold frame for a display device comprising:
- means for receiving a display device light source;
- means for receiving a display device light guide panel such that the light guide panel is disposed adjacent and spaced apart from the light source; and
- means for fixing the light guide panel in spaced apart relation to the light source, the fixing means including at least one rounded corner, the at least one rounded corner operative to reduce non-uniform concentration of light from the light source in the light guide panel.
2. A The mold frame according to claim 1 wherein the fixing means comprises a groove including another at least one rounded corner.
3. A The mold frame according to claim 2 wherein the groove is entirely rounded.
4. A The mold frame according to claim 1:
- wherein the fixing means includes a first corner, and a second corner which is spaced farther from the means for receiving a display device light source than the first corner is spaced from the means for receiving a display device light source; and
- wherein the first corner is angled and the second corner is rounded.
5. A backlight unit for a display device comprising:
- a mold frame which includes a groove having at least one rounded corner;
- a light source on the mold frame, said light source being operative to provide light; and
- a light guide panel on the mold frame in spaced apart relation from the light source, including a light guide projection in the groove, the light guide projection having at least one rounded corner corresponding to the at least one rounded corner of the mold frame groove, the at least one rounded corners corner of the mold frame groove and the at least one rounded corner of the light guide projection being cooperative to maintain the light guide panel and the light source in spaced relation, the at least one rounded corner of the light guide projection being operative to reduce concentration of the light in the light guide projection.
6. A The backlight unit according to claim 5:
- wherein the at least one rounded corner of the mold frame groove and the at least one rounded corner of the light guide panel both include a first corner, and a second corner which is spaced farther from the light source than the first corner is spaced from the light source;
- wherein the first corners are angled and the second corners are rounded; and
- wherein the first corner of the light guide panel is disposed adjacent the first corner of the mold frame groove and the second corner of the light guide panel is disposed adjacent the second corner of the mold frame groove.
7. A The backlight unit according to claim 5 wherein the groove and light guide projection are both entirely rounded.
8. The backlight unit according to claim 5 wherein the light guide panel defines a peripheral edge, the peripheral edge being formed in part by the light guide projection.
9. A flat panel display device comprising:
- a mold frame which includes a groove having at least one rounded corner;
- a light source mounted on the mold frame and operative to provide light;
- a light guide panel on the mold frame in spaced apart relation from the light source, including a light guide projection mounted in the groove, the light guide projection having at least one rounded corner corresponding to the at least one rounded corner of the mold frame groove, the at least one rounded corners corner of the mold frame groove and the at least one rounded corner of the light guide projection being cooperative to maintain the light guide panel and the light source in spaced relation, the at least one rounded corner of the light guide projection being operative to reduce concentration of the light in the light guide projection;
- a display panel disposed on the light guide panel and positioned such that the light guide panel is interposed between the mold frame and the display panel.
10. A The flat panel display device according to claim 9 further comprising a diffuser between the light guide panel and the display panel.
11. A The flat panel display device according to claim 10 further comprising a printed circuit board on the mold frame, the printed circuit board being electrically connected to the display panel.
12. A The flat panel display device according to claim 9:
- wherein the at least one rounded corner of the mold frame groove and the at least one rounded corner of the light guide panel both include a first corner, and a second corner which is spaced farther from the light source than the first corner is spaced from the light source;
- wherein the first corners are angled and the second corners are rounded; and
- wherein the first corner of the light guide panel is disposed adjacent the first corner of the mold frame groove and the second corner of the light guide panel is disposed adjacent the second corner of the mold frame groove.
13. A The flat panel display device according to claim 9 wherein the groove and light guide projection are both arcuate.
14. The flat panel display device according to claim 9 wherein the light guide panel defines a peripheral edge, the peripheral edge being formed in part by the light guide projection.
15. The backlight unit according to claim 5, further comprising:
- diffuser sheets mounted on the light guide panel.
16. The flat panel display according to claim 9, further comprising:
- a top chassis provided with the mold frame to enclose the light source; the light guide panel, and the display panel.
17. The flat panel display device according to claim 9, further comprising:
- diffuser sheets mounted over the light guide panel.
18. The flat panel display device according to claim 9, further comprising:
- a printed circuit board connected to the display panel.
19. A mold frame for a display device comprising:
- a first frame portion configured for receiving a display device light source;
- a second frame portion configured for receiving a display device light guide panel such that the light guide panel is disposed adjacent and spaced apart from the light source; and
- a third frame portion comprising at least one rounded corner, the third frame portion being configured for fixing the light guide panel in spaced apart relation to the light source, the at least one rounded corner operative to reduce non-uniform concentration of light from the light source in the light guide panel.
20. The mold frame according to claim 19 wherein the third frame portion comprises a groove including another at least one rounded corner.
21. The mold frame according to claim 20 wherein the groove is entirely rounded.
22. A backlight unit for a display device comprising:
- a mold frame which includes a groove;
- a light source on the mold frame, said light source being operative to provide light; and
- a light guide panel on the mold frame in spaced apart relation from the light source, including a light guide projection in the groove, the light guide projection having at least one rounded corner, the mold frame groove and the at least one rounded corner of light guide projection being cooperative to maintain the light guide panel and the light source in spaced relation, the at least one rounded corner of the light guide projection being operative to reduce concentration of the light in the light guide projection.
23. The backlight unit according to claim 22:
- wherein the mold frame groove and the at least one rounded corner of the light guide panel both include a first corner and a second corner which is spaced farther from the light source than the first corner is spaced from the light source; and
- wherein the first corner of the light guide panel is disposed adjacent the first corner of the mold frame groove and the second corner of the light guide panel is disposed adjacent the second corner of the mold frame groove.
24. The backlight unit according to claim 22 wherein the light guide panel defines a peripheral edge, the peripheral edge being formed in part by the light guide projection.
25. A flat panel display device comprising:
- a mold frame which includes a groove;
- a light source mounted on the mold frame and operative to provide light;
- a light guide panel on the mold frame in spaced apart relation from the light source, including a light guide projection mounted in the groove, the light guide projection having at least one rounded corner corresponding to the mold frame groove, the mold frame groove and the at least one rounded corner of the light guide projection being cooperative to maintain the light guide panel and the light source in spaced relation, the at least one rounded corner of the light guide projection being operative to reduce concentration of the light in the light guide projection;
- a display panel disposed on the light guide panel and positioned such that the light guide panel is interposed between the mold frame and the display panel.
26. The flat panel display device according to claim 25 further comprising a diffuser between the light guide panel and the display panel.
27. The flat panel display device according to claim 26 further comprising, a printed circuit board on the mold frame the printed circuit board being electrically connected to the display panel.
28. The flat panel display according to claim 25:
- where the mold frame groove and the at least one rounded corner of the light guide panel both include a first corner and a second corner which is spaced farther from the light source than the first corner is spaced from the light source; and
- wherein the first corner of the light guide panel is disposed adjacent the first corner of the mold frame groove and the second corner of the light aide panel is disposed adjacent the second corner of the mold frame groove.
29. The flat panel display device according to claim 25 wherein the groove and light guide projection are both arcuate.
30. The flat panel display device according to claim 25 wherein the light guide panel defines a peripheral edge, the peripheral edge being formed in part by the light guide projection.
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- English translation of Japanese Patent No. 8076116.
Type: Grant
Filed: Nov 8, 2001
Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd. (Yongin, Gyeonggi-Do)
Inventor: Ik-Soo Lee (Kyungki-do)
Primary Examiner: Ljiljana Ciric
Application Number: 10/008,079
International Classification: F21V 7/04 (20060101); G01D 11/28 (20060101); G02F 1/1335 (20060101);