IP Library Granted Patent US 7,616,271
Granted Patent B2
US 7,616,271 · App. 11/539,458 · Granted Nov 10, 2009

Backlight assembly with plural light guides separated by protrusions

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,616,271
App. No.
11/539,458
Granted
Nov 10, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A backlight assembly and a display device having the backlight assembly include a plurality of light guiding plates, and at least one light source unit that illuminates the light guiding plates, wherein the light guiding plates are provided with protrusions that protrude from facing planes thereof so as to allow the adjacent light guiding plates to be separated from each other by a separation distance.

Claims (30)

1. A backlight assembly comprising:

a plurality of light guiding plates, each of the light guiding plates includes a light emitting plane perpendicular to a light entering plane, a light reflecting plane opposite the light emitting plane, and a facing plane, the light entering plane, the light emitting plane, and the facing plane are disposed to be perpendicular to each other; and

at least one light source unit that illuminates the light guiding plates,

wherein each of the light guiding plates includes at least one protrusion that protrudes from the facing plane thereof so as to allow adjacent light guiding plates to be separated from each other by a separation distance, light from the light source is incident on the light entering plane and emitted from the light emitting plane, and each of the light guiding plates is disposed to extend in a direction perpendicular to the light entering plane.

2. The backlight assembly of claim 1 , wherein the light source unit sequentially supplies three primary colors of light to each of the light guiding plates.

3. The backlight assembly of claim 2 , wherein the light source unit includes a plurality of light emitting diodes.

4. The backlight assembly of claim 1 , wherein the protrusions protrude toward the adjacent light guiding plate, and one surface of each protrusion is aligned in a same plane as the light emitting plane.

5. The backlight assembly of claim 4 , wherein an end portion of the protrusion is in contact with an end portion of another protrusion protruding from the facing plane of the adjacent light guiding plate.

6. The backlight assembly of claim 1 , wherein an end portion of the protrusion is in contact with the facing plane of the adjacent light guiding plate.

7. The backlight assembly of claim 6 , wherein each protrusion is dome shaped.

8. The backlight assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a reflecting member that faces the light reflecting plane of the light guiding plate.

9. The backlight assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an optical member that faces the light emitting plane of the light guiding plate.

10. The backlight assembly of claim 9 , wherein the optical member includes a transparent sheet that is disposed to be closest to the light guiding plate.

11. The backlight assembly of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of light source units are disposed in a partitioned manner corresponding to partitioning of the light guiding plates.

12. The backlight assembly of claim 1 , further comprising containing members that contain the light guiding plates and the light source units.

13. A display device comprising:

a panel assembly for displaying an image;

a plurality of light guiding plates, each of the light guiding plates includes a light emitting plane perpendicular to a light entering plane, a light reflecting plane opposite the light emitting plane, and a facing plane, the light entering plane, the light emitting plane, and the facing plane are disposed to be perpendicular to each other;

at least one light source unit that illuminates the light guiding plates; and

containing members that contain the light guiding plates and the light source units,

wherein each of the light guiding plates includes at least one protrusion that protrudes from the facing plane of adjacent light guiding plates, light from the light source is incident on the light entering plane and emitted from the light emitting plane, and each of the light guiding plates is disposed to extend in a direction perpendicular to the light entering plane.

14. The display device of claim 13 , wherein the light source unit sequentially supplies three primary colors of light to each of the light guiding plates.

15. The display device of claim 14 , wherein the light source unit includes a plurality of light emitting diodes.

16. The display device of claim 13 , wherein the protrusions protrude toward the adjacent light guiding plate, and one surface of each protrusion is aligned in a same plane as the light emitting plane.

17. The display device of claim 16 , wherein an end portion of the protrusion is in contact with an end portion of another protrusion protruding from the facing plane of the adjacent light guiding plate.

18. The display device of claim 13 , wherein an end portion of the protrusion is in contact with the facing plane of the adjacent light guiding plate.

19. The display device of claim 18 , wherein each protrusion is dome shaped.

20. The display device of claim 13 , further comprising an optical member that faces the light emitting plane of the light guiding plate,

wherein the optical member includes a transparent sheet that is disposed to be closest to the light guiding plate.

21. The display device of claim 13 , wherein a plurality of light source units are disposed in a partitioned manner corresponding to partitioning of the light guiding plates.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 21, 2012
From: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
To: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 029019/0139 →