IP Library Granted Patent US 7,796,213
Granted Patent B2
US 7,796,213 · App. 11/960,789 · Granted Sep 14, 2010

Liquid crystal display device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,796,213
App. No.
11/960,789
Granted
Sep 14, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a liquid crystal display device using a light emitting diode as a light source, even when a plurality of light emitting elements are provided, an inclined surface is formed on a light guide plate as a reflection surface, and a light is converged in the liquid-crystal-panel direction using the reflection surface. In a liquid crystal display device which includes a backlight for radiating a light toward a liquid crystal panel, LEDs are formed on the light guide plate which is mounted on the backlight as light emitting elements. The plurality of LEDs are arranged along a side surface of the light guide plate, and a first reflection surface and a second reflection surface are formed on a bottom surface of the light guide plate. The second reflection surface is arranged closer to the LEDs than the first reflection surface and an angle of the second reflection surface is set larger than an angle of the first reflection surface.

Claims (43)

1. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a liquid crystal display panel; and

a flat lighting device which radiates a light to the liquid crystal display panel, wherein

the flat lighting device includes:

a plurality of light emitting elements;

a light guide plate having a side surface on which light from the light emitting elements is incident and which radiates light from the light emitting elements to the liquid crystal display panel;

an upper surface of the light guide plate which is arranged to face the liquid crystal display panel in an opposed manner;

a bottom surface of the light guide plate which is arranged to face the upper surface in an opposed manner;

inclination surfaces which are formed on the bottom surface including a first inclination surface which is inclined at an angle with respect to the bottom surface in a direction toward the upper surface and away from the light emitting elements;

a first light which is reflected on the inclination surfaces, and a second light which is radiated from the inclination surfaces, the first and second lights being radiated from the upper surface;

a peak of an intensity of the light radiated from the upper surface is inclined in a direction away from the light emitting elements; and

the angle of the first inclination surface with respect to the bottom surface at a position in a vicinity of the light emitting elements is greater than the angle of the first inclination surface at a position which is not in the vicinity of the light emitting elements.

2. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the light emitting elements is an LED.

3. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 , wherein the flat lighting device is a backlight which includes an optical film between the upper surface of the light guide plate and the liquid crystal panel.

4. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 , wherein the inclination surfaces include a second inclination surface which is inclined at an angle with respect to the bottom surface in a direction away from the upper surface and away from the light emitting elements and which is adjacent the first inclination surface.

5. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a display panel;

a backlight which radiates light to the display panel;

a light emitting element which is mounted on the backlight;

a light guide plate having a side surface proximate to the light emitting element on which light from the light emitting element is incident, the light guide plate having an upper surface which faces the display panel and a bottom surface which faces the upper surface;

grooves which are formed in the bottom surface of the light guide plate include a first slanted surface which slants at an angle with respect to the bottom surface in a direction toward the upper surface and away from the light emitting element; and

a reflection sheet which reflects the light radiated from the bottom surface;

wherein the grooves are formed to produce a first light which is reflected on the grooves of the bottom surface and radiated from the upper surface and a second light which is radiated from the grooves of the bottom surface toward the reflection sheet and is reflected on the reflection sheet so as to be radiated from the upper surface;

wherein a peak of an intensity of the light radiated from the upper surface is inclined in a direction away from the light emitting element; and

wherein the angle of the first slant surface at a position in a vicinity of the light emitting element is greater than the angle of the first slant surface at a position which is not in the vicinity of the light emitting element.

6. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 5 , wherein the light emitting element is an LED.

7. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 5 , wherein the backlight includes an optical film between the upper surface of the light guide plate and the display panel.

8. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 5 , wherein the grooves include a second slanted surface which slants at an angle with respect to the bottom surface in a direction away from the upper surface and away from the light emitting element and which is adjacent the first slanted surface.

9. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a display panel;

a backlight which radiates a light to the display panel;

a light emitting element which is mounted on the backlight;

a light guide plate having a side surface proximate to the light emitting element on which light from the light emitting element is incident;

a bottom surface formed on the light guide plate;

an upper surface which is formed on the light guide plate and faces the bottom surface in an opposed manner; and

reflection surfaces which are formed on the bottom surface of the light guide plate

wherein the reflection surfaces includes a first reflection surface which extends at a first angle with respect to the bottom surface in a direction toward the upper surface and away from the light emitting element, and a second reflection surface which extends at a second angle with respect to the bottom surface in a direction toward the upper surface and away from the light emitting element, the first angle of the first reflection surface being greater than the second angle of the second reflection surface;

wherein the light reflected on the first and second reflection surfaces are radiated from the upper surface;

wherein a peak of an intensity of the light radiated from the upper surface is inclined in a direction away from the light emitting element; and

wherein the first reflection surface having the first angle is arranged at a position closer to the light emitting element side than a position of the second reflection surface having the second angle to the light emitting element.

10. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 9 , wherein the light emitting element is an LED.

11. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 9 , wherein the backlight includes an optical film between the upper surface of the light guide plate and the liquid crystal display panel.

12. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 9 , wherein surfaces are arranged adjacent the first and second reflection surfaces and which extend at an angle with respect to the bottom surface in a direction away from the upper surface and away from the light emitting element.

Assignments (9)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 10, 2025
From: JAPAN DISPLAY INC
To: MAGNOLIA PURPLE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 071890/0202 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Nov 17, 2023
From: PANASONIC LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
Reel/Frame 065615/0327 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY DATA PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 034892 FRAME: 0478. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Mar 24, 2015
From: JAPAN DISPLAY EAST INC.
To: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
Reel/Frame 035316/0589 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 4, 2015
From: JAPAN DISPLAY EAST INC.
To: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
Reel/Frame 034892/0478 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 3, 2015
From: HITACHI DISPLAYS, LTD.
To: JAPAN DISPLAY EAST INC.
Reel/Frame 034891/0950 →
COMPANY SPLIT PLAN TRANSFERRING FIFTY (50) PERCENT SHARE OF PATENTS AND PATENT APPLICATIONS Recorded Dec 12, 2011
From: HITACHI DISPLAYS, LTD.
To: IPS ALPHA SUPPORT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 027362/0532 →
MERGER/CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 12, 2011
From: IPS ALPHA SUPPORT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 027363/0282 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 4, 2011
From: HITACHI DISPLAY DEVICES, LTD.
To: HITACHI DISPLAYS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 026223/0293 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2008
From: SHIRAISHI, YASUHISA; TOBE, AKIYOSHI; KOGANEZAWA, NOBUYUKI
To: HITACHI DISPLAYS, LTD; HITACHI DISPLAY DEVICES, LTD.
Reel/Frame 020819/0580 →