KR20060044015A - Back light assembly and liquid crystal display device having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A backlight assembly and a liquid crystal display having the same are disclosed. The backlight assembly includes a bottom part and a side part, and includes a storage container for providing a storage space, at least one first fixing part penetrating the first opening formed in the bottom part and sliding in the first direction to be coupled to the bottom part, and in the first direction. A support member includes a second fixing part coupled to the bottom part through the second opening formed in the bottom part by sliding of the lamp, and lamps fixed to the support member. By engaging the support member with the bottom portion of the storage container by the sliding method, the protruding height of the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion protruding from the bottom portion can be reduced. Thus, the thickness of the backlight assembly can be reduced.

Description

BACK LIGHT ASSEMBLY AND LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE HAVING THE SAME}

1 is an exploded perspective view showing a backlight assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a coupling relationship between the support member and the lamp illustrated in FIG. 1.

3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coupling relationship of the backlight assembly illustrated in FIG. 1.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a coupling method of the support member and the storage container shown in FIG.

5 is a plan view showing a supporting member according to another embodiment of the present invention.

6 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: storage container 112: first opening

114: second opening 130: support member

132: first fixing part 134: second fixing part

136: lamp fixing portion 138: diffuser plate support

140: lamp 150: diffusion plate

200: inverter 210: power supply                 

300: liquid crystal display panel 500: top chassis

1000: backlight assembly 2000: liquid crystal display device

The present invention relates to a backlight assembly and a liquid crystal display having the same, and more particularly, to a backlight assembly for providing light for displaying an image and a liquid crystal display having the same.

In general, a liquid crystal display (LCD) is a flat panel display that displays an image by using the electrical and optical characteristics of a liquid crystal having an intermediate characteristic between a liquid and a solid. It is thin and light, has a low driving voltage and low power consumption, and thus is widely used throughout the industry.

Such a liquid crystal display device requires a backlight assembly for providing a separate light because the liquid crystal display panel for displaying an image is a non-light emitting device that does not emit light by itself. Such backlight assembly includes a lamp for generating light. Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL), which is a long cylindrical shape, is mainly used as a lamp.

In recent years, as a liquid crystal display becomes larger, a backlight assembly having high brightness and providing uniform light over a large area is required. In order to satisfy this demand, a direct type backlight assembly has been developed in which a plurality of lamps are disposed directly below the liquid crystal display panel. The direct type backlight assembly includes a container for accommodating lamps, a diffuser plate disposed above the lamps to diffuse light, and a support member supporting the lamps and the diffuser plate.

In general, the support member has a fixing portion for engaging with the bottom of the storage container. The fixing part protrudes to the outside through an opening formed at the bottom of the storage container, and is vertically coupled to the bottom. At this time, the fixing portion protrudes from the bottom of the storage container more than a predetermined portion to maintain the coupling force in the direction perpendicular to the bottom. The protruding distance is at least about 3.0 mm vertically from the back of the bottom. Therefore, a problem arises in that the thickness of the backlight assembly is increased due to the protrusion of the fixing part.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a backlight assembly capable of reducing thickness.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display having the backlight assembly as described above.

The backlight assembly for achieving the object of the present invention includes a container, a support member and lamps. The storage container comprises a bottom portion and a side portion to provide a storage space. The support member penetrates through the first opening formed in the bottom portion and passes through the second opening formed in the bottom portion by sliding in the first direction and at least one first fixing portion coupled to the bottom portion by sliding in the first direction. And a second fixing part coupled to the bottom part. The lamps are fixed to the support member. In this case, the first fixing part may have a 'b' shape. The second fixing portion prevents the supporting member from moving in the second direction, which is opposite to the first direction. The support member further includes at least one lamp fixing part for fixing the lamp.

The backlight assembly further includes a diffuser plate disposed over the lamps and an optical sheet disposed over the diffuser plate. The support member further includes a diffuser plate support for supporting the diffuser plate.

A liquid crystal display device for achieving another object of the present invention includes a backlight assembly and a liquid crystal display panel. The backlight assembly includes a bottom part and a side part and includes a storage container for providing a storage space, at least one first fixing part penetrating through a first opening formed in the bottom part and sliding in a first direction to be coupled to the bottom part in a first direction. A support member includes a second fixing part coupled to the bottom part through the second opening formed in the bottom part by sliding of the lamp, and lamps fixed to the support member. The liquid crystal display panel displays an image using light emitted from the backlight assembly.

According to the backlight assembly and the liquid crystal display having the same, the thickness of the fixing parts of the support member for coupling with the storage container can be reduced, thereby reducing the thickness of the backlight assembly.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.                     

1 is an exploded perspective view showing a backlight assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a coupling relationship between the support member and the lamp shown in FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coupling relationship of the backlight assembly illustrated in FIG. 1.

1, 2 and 3, the backlight assembly 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a storage container 100, support members 130, and lamps 140.

The storage container 100 includes a bottom portion 110 and a side portion 120 extending from the bottom portion 110 to form a storage space. For example, the bottom 110 has a rectangular plate shape. The bottom portion 110 is formed with first openings 112 and second openings 114 for coupling with the support member 130. The side part 120 extends upward from an edge of the bottom part 110 to provide a storage space. For example, the side parts 120 are disposed to face each other on both sides parallel to the longitudinal direction of the lamp 140. The storage container 100 may be made of various materials. For example, the storage container 100 is made of a metal having high strength and easy processing.

The support member 130 is coupled to the bottom portion 110 of the storage container 100. The support member 130 includes a first fixing part 132 and a second fixing part 134 for coupling with the storage container 100. The first fixing part 132 penetrates and slides through the first opening 112 formed in the bottom part 110 and is coupled to the bottom part 110. The first fixing part has a 'b' shape for sliding. The second fixing part 134 is coupled to the bottom part 110 through the second opening 114 formed in the bottom part 110 by sliding in the first direction. An end portion of the second fixing part 134 has a hook shape for coupling with the bottom part 110.                     

The support member 130 further includes at least one lamp fixing part 136 for fixing the lamp 140. The lamp fixing part 136 has an annular shape open to allow the lamp 140 to be inserted. In the present embodiment, the support member 130 has two lamp fixing portion 136 portion. The lamp fixing parts 136 are disposed to correspond to the positions of the lamps 140.

The support member 130 further includes a diffuser plate support part 138 supporting the diffuser plate 150. The diffusion plate support part 138 is formed at the center of the support member 130. The diffuser plate support 138 is disposed between the lamp fixtures 136. The diffusion plate support part 138 is formed higher than the lamp fixing part 136 to support the diffusion plate 150 and to uniformly maintain the distance between the lamp 140 and the diffusion plate 150 fixed to the lamp fixing part 136. Keep it. The support member 130 may be formed of various materials capable of reflecting and diffusing light. For example, the support member 130 is formed of polycarbonate (PC) material.

The support members 130 are arranged in a zigzag form along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lamp 140. When the support members 130 are disposed in a straight line, a poor quality such as a dark line, which looks dark only in an area where the support members 130 are located, may occur. Therefore, the support members 130 are preferably arranged in a zigzag form rather than in a straight line.

The lamps 140 are fixed to the support member 130 and generate light. The lamps 140 are inserted into and fixed to the lamp fixing part 136 formed on the support member 130. The lamps 140 are disposed in parallel with the side portion 120 of the storage container 100. The lamp 140 is, for example, made of a cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL) having an elongated cylindrical shape. Unlike the present embodiment, the lamp 140 may be formed in a 'U' shape. The lamps 140 are preferably arranged at equal intervals for uniformity of brightness of the backlight assembly 1000, and the number of lamps 140 may be variously changed according to the required brightness.

The backlight assembly 1000 further includes a diffuser plate 150 disposed on the lamps 140 and an optical sheet 160 disposed on the diffuser plate 150.

The diffusion plate 150 diffuses the light incident from the lamps 140 to improve the luminance uniformity of the light emitted. For example, the diffusion plate 150 is formed of a poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) material. The diffusion plate 150 is supported by the diffusion plate support part 138 formed on the support member 130.

The optical sheet 160 changes the path of the light emitted through the diffuser plate 150 to improve luminance uniformity or to improve front luminance. For example, the optical sheet 150 is made of a light collecting sheet for condensing the light diffused through the diffuser plate 160 to improve the front brightness, or diffuse the light diffused through the diffuser plate once again. It is made of a diffusion sheet to make. The backlight assembly 1000 may add or remove optical sheets having various functions according to desired luminance characteristics.

The backlight assembly 1000 further includes a reflector plate 170, a lamp holder 180, and an inverter 200. The reflector plate 170 is disposed under the lamps 140 to reflect the light generated from the lamps 140 toward the diffuser plate 150. The lamp holder 180 fixes both ends of the lamps 140 and covers both ends where no light is generated. The lamp holder 180 is coupled to the storage container 100 to fix the lamps 140 to the storage container 100. The lamp holders 180 may support edges of the diffusion plate 150 corresponding to both ends of the lamps 140. The inverter 200 is disposed outside the storage container 100 and outputs a driving voltage for driving the lamps 140. The inverter 200 outputs an AC voltage having a low voltage applied from the outside as an AC voltage having a high voltage for driving the lamp 140. The driving voltage output through the inverter 200 is transmitted to the lamps 140 through the power supply line 210.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a coupling method of the support member and the storage container shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 4, the first fixing part 132 of the support member 130 penetrates through the first opening 112 formed in the bottom part 110 and slides in the first direction to be coupled to the bottom part 110. . The second fixing part 134 is coupled to the bottom part 110 through the second opening 114 formed in the bottom part 110 by sliding in the first direction.

More specifically, first, the first fixing part 132 of the support member 130 is disposed in the first opening 112 formed in the bottom part 110. In this case, the second fixing part 134 of the support member 130 is disposed on the adjacent bottom part 110 of the second opening 114. The first fixing part 132 disposed on the first opening 112 is inserted into the first opening 112 by a force pushing the support member 130 toward the bottom 110 and penetrates through the first opening 112. Then, the first fixing part 132 is slid by a force acting in the first direction. In this case, the second fixing part 134 is slid in the first direction on the bottom part 110 adjacent to the second opening 114. In this process, the second fixing part 134 is slid in a curved state by being pressed by the bottom part 110. When the sliding of the first fixing part 132 is completed, the bent second fixing part 134 is inserted into the second opening 114 and penetrated while returning to its original shape. In this case, an end portion of the second fixing part 134 has a hook shape and is coupled to the bottom part 110. Therefore, the second fixing part 136 prevents the supporting member 130 from moving in the second direction opposite to the first direction. As a result, the support member 130 is the bottom of the storage container 100 by the coupling force of the first fixing part 132 acting in the first direction and the coupling force of the second fixing part 134 acting in the second direction. Coupled to 110.

As such, since the first fixing part 132 and the second fixing part 134 are coupled to the bottom part 110 by a sliding method, the first fixing part 132 and the second fixing part 134 may have a relatively flat shape. For example, the first fixing part 132 and the second fixing part 134 protrude vertically from the rear surface of the bottom part 110 to about 1.5 mm or less.

Referring to FIG. 5, the support member 190 may include a first fixing part 191, a second fixing part 192, a third fixing part 193, four lamp fixing parts 196, and a diffusion plate support part ( 198). The first fixing part 191 is formed at one side based on the diffusion plate support part 198. The second fixing part 192 is formed at the other side based on the diffusion plate support part 198. The third fixing part 193 is formed to correspond to the diffusion plate support part 198. The third fixing part 193 has the same shape as the first fixing part 191. The first fixing part 191 and the third fixing part 193 prevent sliding in the first direction after sliding engagement with the storage container, and the second fixing part 192 is opposite to the first direction. Prevents flow in any direction. Two lamp fixing parts 196 are disposed on both sides of the diffusion plate support 198. The lamp fixing parts 196 are arranged at equal intervals for equal intervals of the lamps. The diffusion plate support 198 is disposed at the center of the support member 190 and supports the diffusion plate. Meanwhile, the support member 190 may include four or more lamp fixing parts 196, and may include three or more fixing parts and two or more diffusion plate support parts 198.

6 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, the liquid crystal display device 2000 includes a backlight assembly 1000 and a liquid crystal display panel 300.

Since the backlight assembly 1000 is the same as that shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, duplicate description thereof will be omitted.

The liquid crystal display panel 300 displays an image by using light emitted from the backlight assembly 1000. The liquid crystal display panel 300 includes a thin film transistor (hereinafter, referred to as TFT) substrate 310, a color filter substrate 320 coupled to the TFT substrate 310, and between the two substrates 310 and 320. The liquid crystal 330 is interposed therebetween.

The TFT substrate 310 is a transparent glass substrate on which a switching element TFT (not shown) is formed in a matrix form. Data and gate lines are respectively connected to the source and gate terminals of the TFTs, and a pixel electrode (not shown) made of a transparent conductive material is connected to the drain terminal.

The color filter substrate 320 is a substrate in which RGB pixels (not shown) which are color pixels are formed by a thin film process. A common electrode (not shown) made of a transparent conductive material is formed on the color filter substrate 320.

The liquid crystal 330 is a material having an intermediate state between a crystal and a liquid. The liquid crystal 330 is made of a material having a state in which the center of gravity of the unit molecules is irregular but regularity in the direction is maintained to some extent. The liquid crystal 330 is interposed between the TFT substrate 310 and the color filter substrate 320. In this case, an electric field is formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode by a driving signal transmitted from the outside. The directivity of the liquid crystal 330 is changed by this electric field to change the transmittance of light emitted through the liquid crystal 330. Accordingly, the liquid crystal display panel 300 may display images having various colors by adjusting the light transmittance as desired.

The liquid crystal display device 2000 further includes a driving circuit unit 400 for driving the liquid crystal display panel 300. The driving circuit unit 400 applies data and gate printed circuit boards 410 and 420 that provide driving signals, and driving signals provided from the data and gate printed circuit boards 410 and 420 to the liquid crystal display panel 300. Data and gate flexible circuit films 430 and 440. In this case, each of the data and gate flexible circuit films 430 and 440 controls the driving signals to apply the driving signals provided from the data and gate printed circuit boards 410 and 420 to the liquid crystal display panel 300 at an appropriate timing. Data and gate driving chips 432 and 442 are further included. Accordingly, the liquid crystal display panel 300 may adjust the arrangement of the liquid crystal 330 in response to the driving signal output from the driving circuit unit 400 to implement an image having a desired gray scale.

The liquid crystal display 2000 further includes a top chassis 500. The top chassis 500 is disposed above the liquid crystal display panel 300 to fix the liquid crystal display panel 300. For example, the top chassis 500 is coupled to the storage container 100 while surrounding the edge of the liquid crystal display panel 300 to fix the liquid crystal display panel 300. The top chassis 500 prevents the liquid crystal display panel 300 from being damaged by an external impact and prevents the liquid crystal display panel 300 from being separated.

According to the backlight assembly and the liquid crystal display device having the same, the support member is coupled to the bottom of the storage container by a sliding method, thereby protruding heights of the first fixing part and the second fixing part which protrude outwardly through the bottom part. Can be reduced. Thus, the thickness of the backlight assembly can be reduced.

Although the above has been described with reference to preferred embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art will be variously modified and changed within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention described in the claims below. I can understand that you can.

Claims (11)

A storage container comprising a bottom part and a side part to provide a storage space; Penetrates through the first opening formed in the bottom part and slides in the first direction and passes through the second opening formed in the bottom part by sliding in the first direction and at least one first fixing part coupled to the bottom part; A support member including a second fixing portion coupled to the bottom portion thereof; And And a lamp fixed to the support member. The backlight assembly of claim 1, wherein the first fixing part has a 'b' shape. The backlight assembly of claim 1, wherein the second fixing part prevents the support member from moving in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The backlight assembly of claim 1, wherein the support member further comprises at least one lamp fixing part for fixing the lamp. The method of claim 1, A diffuser plate disposed above the lamps; And The backlight assembly further comprises an optical sheet disposed on the diffusion plate. The backlight assembly of claim 5, wherein the support member further comprises a diffusion plate supporter for supporting the diffusion plate. The method of claim 1, An inverter for outputting a driving voltage for driving the lamps; And And a reflector disposed below the lamps to reflect light generated from the lamps. A storage container comprising a bottom part and a side part to provide a storage space, at least one first fixing part penetrating the first opening formed in the bottom part and sliding in a first direction to be coupled to the bottom part and in the first direction. A backlight assembly including a support member including a second fixing part coupled to the bottom part through a second opening formed in the bottom part by sliding of the lamp, and lamps fixed to the support member; And And a liquid crystal display panel which displays an image by using light emitted from the backlight assembly. The liquid crystal display of claim 8, wherein the support member further comprises at least one lamp fixing part for fixing the lamp. The method of claim 8, wherein the backlight assembly A diffuser plate disposed above the lamps; And And an optical sheet disposed on the diffusion plate. The method of claim 10, wherein the support member And a diffuser plate supporter for supporting the diffuser plate.

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