Liquid crystal cells – elements and systems – Particular structure – Holder – support – frame – or housing
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-16
2003-04-08
Dudek, James (Department: 2871)
Liquid crystal cells, elements and systems
Particular structure
Holder, support, frame, or housing
C349S065000, C362S035000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06545732
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a backlight assembly for a liquid crystal display device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a backlight assembly for a liquid crystal display device, the backlight assembly being used with an image display panel such as a liquid crystal display panel, in which it is possible to easily perform assembly and exchange of lamp units and in which it is further possible to achieve improvements in reliability.
A conventional backlight assembly for a liquid crystal display device shown in FIG.
8
and FIG.
9
(
a
) which is a partial enlarged sectional view seen from a direction of an arrow B in
FIG. 8
, comprises lamp units
11
serving as light sources, a frame
12
for supporting these lamp units
11
, a light-conducting plate
13
made of acrylic resin or the like and optical sheets
14
(diffusion sheet, lens sheet, reflecting sheet, etc.) which are overlapped onto both surfaces of the light-conducting plate
13
. The frame
12
comprises a frame main body
12
a
and a supporting frame
12
b
laminated onto the frame main body
12
a
for supporting the lamp units
11
and peripheral portions of the optical sheets
14
.
As shown in FIG.
9
(
b
) which is a perspective view of the lamp units
11
including partially omitted portions, each lamp unit
11
comprises a lamp reflector
17
, a cold-cathode fluorescent lamp
15
attached within the lamp reflector
17
to serve as a light-emitting source, and lamp rubbers
16
provided on both ends of the cold-cathode fluorescent lamp
15
.
In order to enable holding of the lamp units
11
by the frame
12
and easy insertion thereof, each lamp unit
11
is formed with a predetermined clearance C
1
over the entire outer periphery of the lamp reflector
17
.
However, in the above-described arrangement of the conventional backlight assembly for a liquid crystal display device, unevenness is caused in the clearance C
1
between each lamp unit
11
and the frame
12
depending on methods for insertion, and it is difficult to maintain a predetermined clearance. Moreover, in the presence of projections (returns and burrs) at both end portions
17
a
of the lamp reflector
17
which are formed during processing and molding (see FIG.
9
(
b
)), sliding of the lamp units
11
on the frame
12
will increase contact resistance between the end portions of the lamp reflector
17
and the frame main body
12
a
to thereby prevent smooth sliding of the lamp units
11
. Consequently, there are presented drawbacks that deformations in the frame
12
or the lamp reflector
17
or generation of foreign matters within the lamp reflector
17
occur, and inconveniences in view of assembly and reliability are caused.
The present invention has been made with the aim of solving these problems, and it is an object thereof to provide a backlight assembly for a liquid crystal display device in which it is possible to easily perform assembly and exchange of lamp units and in which it is possible to achieve improvements in reliability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a backlight assembly for a liquid crystal display device comprising lamp units each including a lamp reflector, a lamp portion attached within the lamp reflector and lamp rubbers provided on both ends of the lamp portion, and a frame for holding the lamp units, wherein the lamp units are arranged to include means for maintaining a predetermined clearance between at least end portions of the lamp units and the frame.
It is preferable that the predetermined clearance is approximately 0.1 to 10 mm.
It is preferable that a part of the lamp rubbers of the lamp units projects outward from the end portions of the lamp reflector along axial directions of the lamp reflector and a part of the projecting portions projects out from an outer peripheral surface of the lamp reflector.
It is preferable that at latest one projection is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lamp reflector.
It is preferable that at least a tip end of the projection is formed in a rounded manner.
It is preferable that the projection is formed by drawing the lamp reflector.
It is preferable that portions which project in the axial direction of the lamp reflector and of which tip ends are folded back inward of the lamp reflector are formed at end portions of the lamp reflector.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5537296 (1996-07-01), Kimura et al.
patent: 5558420 (1996-09-01), Oki et al.
patent: 6425673 (2002-07-01), Suga et al.
patent: 6480245 (2002-11-01), Sakamoto et al.
Advanced Display Inc.
Dudek James
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
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