Prism member, backlight assembly provided with the same, and display device provided with the same

1. A backlight assembly comprising:

a light source unit for emitting light;

a prism member through which light emitted from the light source unit passes; and

a supporting member for supporting the light source unit and the prism member in overlaying relationship,

wherein the prism member includes

a plate-type body portion having a predetermined thickness, and

a plurality of unit light-concentrating portions formed on at least one surface of the body portion and arranged along a first direction and in a second direction crossing the first direction,

wherein the first direction is a length direction of the plurality of unit light-concentrating portions and the second direction is a width direction of the plurality of unit light-concentrating portions,

wherein adjacent ones of the plurality of unit light-concentrating portions arranged along the first direction are spaced apart with one of a plurality of non-light-concentrating regions formed therebetween, and

wherein the plurality of unit light-concentrating portions on a straight line along the first direction have irregular lengths.

2. The backlight assembly of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined thickness of the body portion is between 1 and 5 mm.

3. The backlight assembly of claim 1 , wherein the non-light-concentrating regions are formed to have various sizes.

4. The backlight assembly of claim 1 , wherein the non-light-concentrating regions are formed to have irregular cross sections.

5. The backlight assembly of claim 1 , wherein a cross section along the second direction has one of a rounded and a polygonal shape.

6. The backlight assembly of claim 1 , wherein the light source unit comprises a planar light source unit having a plurality of channel portions for emitting light.

7. A display device comprising:

a panel assembly for displaying an image;

a light source unit for supplying light to the panel assembly;

a prism member disposed between the panel assembly and the light source unit; and

a supporting member for supporting the panel assembly, the light source unit, and the prism member in an overlaying relationship,

wherein the prism member includes

a plate-type body portion having a predetermined thickness, and

a plurality of unit light-concentrating portions formed on at least one surface of the body portion and arranged along a first direction and in a second direction crossing the first direction,

wherein the first direction is a length direction of the plurality of unit light-concentrating portions and the second direction is a width direction of the plurality unit light-concentrating portions,

wherein adjacent ones of the plurality of unit light-concentrating portions arranged along the first direction are spaced apart with one of a plurality of non-light-concentrating regions therebetween, and

wherein the plurality of light-concentrating portions on a straight line along the first direction have irregular lengths.

8. The display device of claim 7 , wherein the predetermined thickness of the body portion is between 1 and 5 mm.

9. The display device of claim 7 , wherein the non-light-concentrating regions are formed to have various sizes.

10. The display device of claim 7 , wherein the non-light-concentrating regions are formed to have irregular cross sections.

11. The display device of claim 7 , wherein a cross section along the second direction has one of a rounded and a polygonal shape.

12. The display device of claim 7 , wherein the light source unit comprises a planar light source unit having a plurality of channel portions for emitting light.