IP Library Granted Patent US 7,798,671
Granted Patent B2
US 7,798,671 · App. 11/501,840 · Granted Sep 21, 2010

Display device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,798,671
App. No.
11/501,840
Granted
Sep 21, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a liquid crystal TV, there is provided a direct back light for increasing brightness in the vicinity of the center of a screen. Plural fluorescent tubes are used for backlight, and the respective two fluorescent tubes are paired and driven. The arrangement intervals of the respective pairs are made smallest in the vicinity of the center of the screen to increase the brightness in the vicinity of the center of the screen. The use of the paired fluorescent tubes is to alleviate a variation of the brightness in each of the fluorescent tubes.

Claims (58)

1. A display device comprising:

a plurality of pairs of fluorescent tubes arranged at the back of a display area of a display panel,

wherein each fluorescent tube in each pair of fluorescent tubes includes a light emission portion separate from the light emission portion of any other fluorescent tube, and said fluorescent tubes paired in each pair are connected in series having an electrical connection connecting one electrode of a first fluorescent tube to an electrode of a second fluorescent tube of the pair of fluorescent tubes;

wherein another electrode of said first fluorescent tube is connected to a first inverter circuit, and another electrode of said second fluorescent tube is connected to a second inverter circuit;

wherein said pairs of fluorescent tubes are arranged at irregular intervals;

wherein an arrangement interval between said fluorescent tubes paired in one pair of fluorescent tubes is the same as that of every other pair of fluorescent tubes, and

wherein the arrangement intervals of the respective pairs of fluorescent tubes are narrowest in the vicinity of a predetermined boundary in the arrangement direction.

2. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the arrangement intervals of the respective pairs of fluorescent tubes are narrowest in the vicinity of a predetermined boundary in the arrangement direction, and the intervals are broadened further with distance from the boundary.

3. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the narrowest interval among the arrangement intervals of the respective pairs of fluorescent tubes is narrower than the arrangement interval of the paired fluorescent tubes.

4. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the boundary is in the center of the display area of the display panel.

5. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the number of pairs of fluorescent tubes arranged at both sides of the boundary is different from each other.

6. The display device according to claim 5 , wherein the number of pairs of fluorescent tubes which are arranged between the boundary and an upper side of the display area is smaller than that between the boundary and a lower side of the display area.

7. The display device according to claim 1 , further comprising a support member that supports end portions of the respective fluorescent tubes,

wherein the support member has a first portion that supports the fluorescent tubes which are arranged between the boundary and one end portion of the display area at one of opposed two sides, and a second portion that is capable of supporting the fluorescent tubes which are arranged between the boundary and the other end portion of the display area at another side, and

wherein the first portion and the second portion pass through the center of the two sides, and are axisymmetrical with respect to a line that is in parallel to the two sides.

8. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein said pairs of fluorescent tubes are not connected in series.

9. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein said pairs of fluorescent tubes are connected in parallel.

10. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the fluorescent tubes of each of said pairs of fluorescent tubes are arranged substantially in parallel to one another.

11. A display device comprising:

a plurality of pairs of fluorescent tubes arranged at the back of a display area of a display panel,

wherein each fluorescent tube in each pair of fluorescent tubes includes a light emission portion separate from the light emission portion of any other fluorescent tube, and said fluorescent tubes paired in each pair are connected in series having an electrical connection connecting one electrode of a first fluorescent tube to an electrode of a second fluorescent tube of the pair of fluorescent tubes;

wherein another electrode of said first fluorescent tube is connected to a first inverter circuit, and another electrode of said second fluorescent tube is connected to a second inverter circuit;

wherein said pairs of fluorescent tubes are arranged at irregular intervals;

wherein at least two of arrangement intervals between said fluorescent tubes paired in said pairs of fluorescent tubes are different from each other, and

wherein the arrangement intervals of the respective paired fluorescent tubes are narrowest in the vicinity of a predetermined boundary.

12. The display device according to claim 11 , wherein the arrangement intervals of the respective pairs of fluorescent tubes are narrowest in the vicinity of a predetermined boundary in the arrangement direction, and the intervals are broadened further with distance from the boundary.

13. The display device according to claim 11 , wherein the narrowest interval among the arrangement intervals of the respective pairs of fluorescent tubes is narrower than the arrangement interval of the paired fluorescent tubes.

14. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 13 , further comprising a support member that supports the end portions of the respective fluorescent tubes, wherein the support member includes a support portion that supports the fluorescent tubes that are arranged between the boundary and one end portion of the display area.

15. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 13 , further comprising a support member that supports the end portions of the respective fluorescent tubes,

wherein the support member has a first support portion that supports the fluorescent tubes which are arranged between the boundary and one end portion of the display area at one of opposed two sides, and a second support portion that supports the fluorescent tubes which are arranged between the boundary and another end portion of the display area at another side.

16. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 13 , wherein a reflector is disposed at the back of the fluorescent tubes, and the reflector has convex portions between the respective pairs of fluorescent tubes.

17. A display device comprising:

a plurality of pairs of fluorescent tubes arranged at the back of a display area of a display panel,

wherein each fluorescent tube in each pair of fluorescent tubes includes a light emission portion separate from the light emission portion of any other fluorescent tube, and said fluorescent tubes paired in each pair are connected in series having an electrical connection connecting one electrode of a first fluorescent tube to a corresponding electrode of a second fluorescent tube of the pair of fluorescent tubes;

wherein another electrode of said first fluorescent tube is connected to a first inverter circuit, and another electrode of said second fluorescent tube is connected to a second inverter circuit;

wherein at least two arrangement intervals between said fluorescent tubes paired in said pairs of fluorescent tubes are different from each other, and

wherein the arrangement intervals of the respective pairs of fluorescent tubes are the smallest in the center of the display panel.

18. A display device comprising:

a plurality of pairs of fluorescent tubes arranged at the back of a display area of a display panel,

wherein each fluorescent tube in each pair of fluorescent tubes includes a light emission portion separate from the light emission portion of any other fluorescent tube, and said fluorescent tubes paired in each pair are connected in series having an electrical connection connecting one electrode of a first fluorescent tube to an electrode of a second fluorescent tube of the pair of fluorescent tubes;

wherein another electrode of said first fluorescent tube is connected to a first inverter circuit, and another electrode of said second fluorescent tube is connected to a second inverter circuit;

wherein at least two arrangement intervals between said fluorescent tubes paired in at least two different pairs of fluorescent tubes are different from each other; and

wherein a center of one pair among said pairs of fluorescent tubes substantially coincides with a center of the display area.

19. A display device comprising:

a plurality of pairs of fluorescent tubes arranged at the back of a display area of a display panel,

wherein each fluorescent tube in each pair of fluorescent tubes includes a light emission portion separate from the light emission portion of any other fluorescent tube, and said fluorescent tubes paired in each pair are connected in series having an electrical connection connecting one electrode of a first fluorescent tube to an electrode of a second fluorescent tube of the pair of fluorescent tubes;

wherein another electrode of said first fluorescent tube is connected to a first inverter circuit, and another electrode of said second fluorescent tube is connected to a second inverter circuit;

wherein at least two arrangement intervals between said paired fluorescent tubes of said plurality of pairs of fluorescent tubes are different from each other; and

wherein a center of one pair among said plurality of pairs of fluorescent tubes substantially coincides with a center of the display area; and

wherein the arrangement intervals of the respective pairs of fluorescent tubes are larger in a periphery of the screen than the center of the display area.

20. A display device comprising:

a plurality of pairs of fluorescent tubes arranged at the back of a display area of a display panel,

wherein pairs of the fluorescent tubes whose light emission portions are independent from each other are arranged at irregular intervals,

wherein each fluorescent tube in each pair of fluorescent tubes includes a light emission portion separate from the light emission portion of any other fluorescent tube, and said fluorescent tubes paired in each pair are connected in series having an electrical connection connecting one electrode of a first fluorescent tube to an electrode of a second fluorescent tube of the pair of fluorescent tubes;

wherein another electrode of said first fluorescent tube is connected to a first inverter circuit, and another electrode of said second fluorescent tube is connected to a second inverter circuit;

wherein at least two arrangement intervals between said paired fluorescent tubes of said plurality of pairs of fluorescent tubes are substantially the same;

wherein a center of one pair among said pairs of fluorescent tubes substantially coincides with the center of the display area, and

wherein the arrangement intervals of the respective pairs of fluorescent tubes are larger in the periphery of the screen than the center of the display area.

Assignments (8)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 10, 2025
From: JAPAN DISPLAY INC
To: MAGNOLIA PURPLE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 071890/0202 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 17, 2023
From: HITACHI DISPLAYS, LTD.
To: JAPAN DISPLAY EAST, INC.
Reel/Frame 065614/0223 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 17, 2023
From: JAPAN DISPLAY EAST, INC.
To: JAPAN DISPLAY, INC.
Reel/Frame 065614/0644 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Nov 17, 2023
From: JAPAN DISPLAY, INC.
To: JAPAN DISPLAY, INC.
Reel/Frame 065654/0250 →
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 →
MERGER Recorded Oct 14, 2011
From: IPS ALPHA SUPPORT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 027063/0139 →
COMPANY SPLIT PLAN TRANSFERRING FIFTY (50) PERCENT SHARE OF PATENTS Recorded Oct 14, 2011
From: HITACHI DISPLAYS, LTD.
To: IPS ALPHA SUPPORT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 027063/0019 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 20, 2006
From: OTA, TAKAYUKI; ITAKURA, SHIMON; SUMIYA, NAOTOSHI
To: HITACHI DISPLAYS LTD.
Reel/Frame 018444/0905 →