KR20060042647A - Back light assembly, method of manufacturing the same and liquid crystal display device having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are a backlight assembly, a method of manufacturing the same, and a liquid crystal display device having the same. The backlight assembly includes a storage container including a bottom portion and a side portion extending from the bottom portion to provide a storage space, lamps stored in the storage container and having an electrode portion at an end thereof, an optical member disposed above the lamps, and a length direction of the lamps. A sliding member coupled to the storage container and having a groove into which the side of the optical member is inserted by sliding. In this case, the fixing member fixes the optical member and simultaneously supports the liquid crystal display panel, thereby improving assembly performance and reducing manufacturing cost.

Description

BACK LIGHT ASSEMBLY, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME AND LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE HAVING THE SAME}

1 is an exploded perspective view showing a backlight assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a perspective view partially cut away the fixing member shown in FIG.

3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coupling relationship of the backlight assembly illustrated in FIG. 1.

4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coupling relationship of the liquid crystal display shown in FIG. 4.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: storage container 200: lamp

220: lamp fixing member 300: optical member

400: fixing member 411: first fixing part

412: second fixing portion 413: reflecting portion

414: home 500: inverter

610 liquid crystal display panel 700 top chassis

1000: backlight assembly 2000: liquid crystal display

The present invention relates to a backlight assembly, a method for manufacturing the same, and a liquid crystal display having the same, and more particularly, to a backlight assembly for providing light for displaying an image, a method for manufacturing the same, and a liquid crystal display having the same.

In general, a liquid crystal display (LCD) is a flat panel display that displays an image by using the electrical and optical characteristics of a liquid crystal having an intermediate characteristic between a liquid and a solid. It is thin and light, has a low driving voltage and low power consumption, and thus is widely used throughout the industry.

Such a liquid crystal display device requires a backlight assembly for supplying additional light because the liquid crystal display panel for displaying an image is a non-light emitting device that does not emit light by itself. The backlight assembly includes a storage container, lamps disposed in parallel with each other on a bottom portion of the storage container to generate light, and an optical member disposed above the lamps to control light emitted from the lamps.

In addition, the backlight assembly may include a side mold supporting the optical member while covering the electrode part of the lamps, and a middle mold supporting the liquid crystal display panel while fixing the optical member to improve the optical and mechanical properties. It further includes parts of. For this reason, the backlight assembly has a problem in that assembly is poor and manufacturing cost is increased.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a backlight assembly capable of improving assembly performance and reducing manufacturing costs.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing the above-described backlight assembly.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display having the backlight assembly as described above.

The backlight assembly for achieving the object of the present invention includes a container, lamps, optical member and fixing member. The storage container includes a bottom portion and a side portion extending from the bottom portion to provide a storage space. The lamps are housed in a container and have an electrode portion at the distal end. The optical member is disposed above the lamps. The fixing member slides along the longitudinal direction of the lamps to be coupled to the storage container, and has a groove into which the side of the optical member is inserted by sliding.

The fixing member includes a first fixing part supporting the side of the optical member, a second fixing part spaced apart from the first fixing part to form a groove, and a reflecting part extending from the first fixing part toward the bottom part.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a backlight assembly, comprising: preparing a storage container including a bottom part and a side part extending from the bottom part to provide a storage space, and lamps having an electrode part at an end thereof in the storage container. Mounting, disposing an optical member on top of the lamps and sliding the fixing member having a groove into which the side of the optical member is inserted along the longitudinal direction of the lamps to engage with the storage container.

A liquid crystal display device for achieving another object of the present invention includes a backlight assembly, a liquid crystal display panel and a top chassis. The backlight assembly includes a storage container, lamps having an electrode portion at the distal end, an optical member disposed above the lamps, and a sliding member sliding along the length direction of the lamps to be combined with the storage container, and having a groove inserted into the side of the optical member by sliding. It includes a fixing member. The liquid crystal display panel is disposed above the fixing member and displays an image using light supplied from the backlight assembly. The top chassis fixes the liquid crystal display panel.

According to such a backlight assembly, a method of manufacturing the same, and a liquid crystal display device having the same, the number of parts can be reduced to improve assembly performance and a manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing a backlight assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view partially cut away the fixing member shown in FIG.

1 and 2, the backlight assembly 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a storage container 100, lamps 200, an optical member 300, and a fixing member 400.

The storage container 100 includes a bottom portion 110 and a side portion 120 extending from the bottom portion 110 to provide a storage space. The side portion 120 includes a first sidewall 122, a second sidewall 124, and sidewall connectors 126. The first side wall 122 and the second side wall 124 are disposed opposite to each other. The sidewall connectors 126 are disposed between the first sidewall 122 and the second sidewall 124. Hooks 130 are formed on outer surfaces of the first sidewall 122 and the second sidewall 124 for coupling with the fixing member 400. For example, the hooks 130 protrude from the first sidewall 122 and the second sidewall 124. Unlike the present embodiment, the hook 130 may also be formed on the sidewall connectors 126. The sidewall connectors 126 may be disposed parallel to the longitudinal direction of the lamp 200. The sidewall connectors 126 are formed with a guide part 140 for guiding the storage position of the optical member 300.

The lamp 200 is accommodated in the storage container 100 and generates light. The lamp 200 includes an electrode portion 210 at the distal end. For example, the lamp 200 may be formed of a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) having a long and thin cylindrical shape. Unlike the present embodiment, the lamp 200 may be formed in a 'U' shape. The lamps 200 are preferably arranged at equal intervals for uniformity of brightness of the backlight assembly 1000, and the number of lamps 200 may be variously changed according to the required brightness.

The optical member 300 is disposed above the lamps 200. The optical member 300 improves luminance characteristics of light emitted from the lamps 200. The optical member 300 includes a diffusion plate 310 and an optical sheet 320 disposed on the diffusion plate 310. The diffusion plate 310 is disposed above the lamps 200 to diffuse light incident from the lamps 200 to improve luminance uniformity of the emitted light. The diffusion plate 310 has a flat plate shape. For example, the diffusion plate 310 is formed of a poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) material. The optical sheet 320 is disposed above the diffuser plate 310. The optical sheet 320 changes the path of the light emitted through the diffusion plate 310 to improve luminance uniformity or to improve front luminance. For example, the optical sheet 320 is made of a light collecting sheet for condensing the light diffused through the diffuser plate 310 to improve the front brightness, or diffuse the light diffused through the diffuser plate once again. It is made of a diffusion sheet to make. The backlight assembly 100 may add or remove a separate optical sheet having various characteristics according to required luminance characteristics.

The fixing member 400 is disposed corresponding to the distal ends of the lamps 200 to cover the electrode part 210. The fixing member 400 slides along the longitudinal direction of the lamps 200 to be coupled with the storage container 100 and has a groove 414 into which the side of the optical member 300 is inserted by sliding. The fixing member 400 includes a first fixing part 411, a second fixing part 412, and a reflecting part 413. The first fixing part 411 supports the side of the optical member 300. The second fixing part 412 is spaced apart from the first fixing part 411 to form the groove 414. The reflective part 413 extends from the first fixing part 411 toward the bottom part 110 of the storage container 100. The reflector 413 has an opening 415 corresponding to the shape of the lamp 200 to insert the lamp 200.

The fixing member 400 further includes a third fixing part 416, a fourth fixing part 417, and an outer wall 418. The third fixing part 416 extends in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the lamp 200 from one end of the second fixing part 412. The fourth fixing part 417 extends in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the lamp 200 from the other end of the second fixing part 412. The outer wall 418 connects the first fixing part 411, the second fixing part 412, the third fixing part 416, and the fourth fixing part 417 to form an outer surface of the fixing member 400. . The outer wall 418 is formed with an opening 419 for fastening with the hook 130 formed on the side portion 120 of the storage container 100.

The fixing member 400 is preferably formed of various materials that effectively diffuse and reflect light. For example, the fixing member 400 is formed of polycarbonate (PC) material. In addition, the fixing member 400 may be formed by various methods. For example, the fixing member 400 is formed by injection molding.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fixing member 400 consists of two pieces. Each fixing member 400 has the same shape. Each fixing member 400 is disposed to correspond to each other, it is coupled on the side wall connecting portion 126 of the storage container 100. Each fixing member 400 is slid along the longitudinal direction of the lamp 200 and coupled. At this time, the fastening method may be various, for example, there is a method of tightening with a screw (Screw) after engaging the adjacent end of each fixing member (400). As a result, the two fixing members 400 may be coupled to completely support and fix the optical member 300. Alternatively, the fixing member 400 may be made of three or more pieces.

The backlight assembly 1000 further includes a lamp fixing member 220, a reflector 250, and an inverter 500. The lamp fixing member 220 covers the electrode unit 210 and fixes the lamp 200 to the storage container 100. The reflecting plate 250 is disposed on the bottom 110 of the storage container 100. The reflector 250 reflects the light toward the bottom 110 from the light generated from the lamps 200 toward the optical member 300 to improve light utilization efficiency. The inverter 500 is disposed outside the storage container 100. The inverter 500 outputs a driving voltage for emitting light of the lamps 200. The inverter 200 outputs an AC voltage having a low voltage applied from the outside as an AC voltage having a high voltage for driving the lamp 200.

3 is a cross-sectional view showing in detail the coupling relationship of the backlight assembly shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 3, a reflecting plate 250 is disposed at the bottom 110 of the storage container 100. Lamps 200 are disposed on the reflection plate 250 in parallel with the side wall connecting portion 126 of the storage container 100. At this time, the distal end including the electrode portion 210 of the lamp 200 is fixed by the lamp fixing member 220. The lamp fixing member 220 is formed with a protrusion 222. The protrusion 222 is inserted into a hole 128 formed in the bottom portion 110 adjacent to the first sidewall 122 and the second sidewall 124 of the storage container 100 to fix the lamp 200. The power supply line 510 is connected to the electrode unit 210 of the lamp 200. The power supply line 510 penetrates through the lamp fixing member 220 and is connected to the inverter 500 disposed outside. The optical member 300 including the diffusion plate 310 and the optical sheet 320 is disposed on the lamp 200. The optical member 300 is first fixed to the guide part 140 formed on the side wall connection part 126 of the storage container 100. The fixing member 400 is slid along the longitudinal direction of the lamps 200 to be coupled with the storage container 100. The optical member 400 is a groove 414 of the fixing member 400 by sliding of the fixing member 400. Is inserted and fixed).

In more detail, the fixing member 400 surrounds a portion of the first side wall 122 and the side wall connecting portion 126 of the storage container 100. The first fixing part 411 supports the side of the optical member 300. The second fixing part 412 is spaced apart from the first fixing part 411 to form the groove 414. When the fixing member 400 is slid along the longitudinal direction of the lamp 200, the optical member 300 is inserted into the groove 414 and fixed. The reflector 413 covers the lamp fixing member 220. The opening 415 formed in the reflecting portion 413 meshes with the cylinder of the lamp 200. At this time, the reflecting portion 413 minimizes the dark portion that the brightness is lowered by the lamp fixing member 220. The third fixing part 416 and the fourth fixing part 417 are slidably arranged along the side wall connection part 126 of the storage container 100. The third fixing part 416 and the fourth fixing part 417 fix the remaining side of the optical member 300 which the second fixing part 412 cannot fix. In this case, the third fixing part 416 and the fourth fixing part 417 are engaged with the guide part 140 of the storage container 100 to fix the optical member 300. The outer wall 418 corresponds to the side portion 120 of the storage container 100, surrounds the side portion 120 and is coupled. When the fixing member 400 is slid along the longitudinal direction of the lamp 200, the opening 419 formed in the outer wall 418 is engaged with the hook 130 formed in the side portion 120 of the storage container 100.

4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coupling relationship of the liquid crystal display shown in FIG. 4. In the present embodiment, the backlight assembly has the same components as those shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, and the same reference numerals are used for the same components, and thus detailed description thereof will be omitted.

4 and 5, the liquid crystal display 2000 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a backlight assembly 1000 for supplying light, a display unit 600 for displaying an image, and a display unit 600. A top chassis 700 for fixing).

The display unit 600 includes a liquid crystal display panel 610 for displaying an image, data for providing driving signals for driving the liquid crystal display panel 610, and gate printed circuit boards 620 and 630. The driving signals provided from the data and the gate printed circuit boards 620 and 630 are applied to the liquid crystal display panel 610 through the data flexible circuit film 640 and the gate flexible circuit film 650. The data and gate flexible circuit films 640 and 650 may include, for example, a tape carrier package (TCP) or a chip on film (COF). In addition, each of the data and gate flexible circuit films 640 and 650 controls driving signals to apply the driving signals provided from the data and gate printed circuit boards 620 and 630 to the liquid crystal display panel 610 at an appropriate timing. It further includes data and gate driving chips 642 and 652. The data printed circuit board 620 is disposed on the rear surface of the storage container 100 by bending the data flexible circuit film 640, and the gate printed circuit board 630 is received by bending the gate flexible circuit film 650. It is disposed on the side or back of the container 100. Meanwhile, the gate printed circuit board 630 may be removed by integrating a function into the data printed circuit board 620.

The liquid crystal display panel 610 includes a thin film transistor (hereinafter, referred to as TFT) substrate 612, a color filter substrate 614 coupled to the TFT substrate 612, and the two substrates 612 and 614. And a liquid crystal 616 interposed therebetween. The TFT substrate 612 is a transparent glass substrate on which a switching element TFT (not shown) is formed in a matrix form. Data and gate lines are respectively connected to the source and gate terminals of the TFTs, and a pixel electrode (not shown) made of a transparent conductive material is connected to the drain terminal. The color filter substrate 614 is a substrate in which RGB pixels (not shown) which are color pixels are formed by a thin film process. A common electrode (not shown) made of a transparent conductive material is formed on the color filter substrate 614. In the liquid crystal display panel 610 having such a configuration, when power is applied to the gate terminal of the TFT and the TFT is turned on, an electric field is formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode. The electric field changes the arrangement of the liquid crystals 616 interposed between the TFT substrate 612 and the color filter substrate 614, and the light supplied from the backlight assembly 1000 is changed according to the arrangement change of the liquid crystals 616. The transmittance is changed to obtain an image of a desired gradation.

The liquid crystal display panel 610 is disposed above the fixing member 400. In this case, a step 450 is formed in the second fixing part 412 of the fixing member 400 to guide the storage position of the liquid crystal display panel 610. In addition, the stepped 450 is also formed in the third fixing part 416 and the fourth fixing part 417. Therefore, the liquid crystal display panel 610 is stably supported by the step 450.

The top chassis 700 surrounds the stepped 450 formed by the fixing member 400 and at the same time surrounds the edge of the liquid crystal display panel 610. In this case, the top chassis 700 is combined with the storage container 100 and the fixing member 400 to prevent breakage of the liquid crystal display panel 610 due to external impact, and the liquid crystal display panel 610 is the backlight assembly 1000. Prevent deviations from

According to such a backlight assembly, a method of manufacturing the same, and a liquid crystal display device having the same, the fixing member replaces a side mold supporting the optical member while covering the electrode portion of the lamps, thereby preventing unevenness of luminance due to the electrode portion of the lamp. It can be prevented to improve the optical properties, and to stably support the optical member to improve the mechanical properties. In addition, the fixing member replaces a middle mold supporting the liquid crystal display panel while fixing the optical member, thereby stably fixing and supporting the optical member and the liquid crystal display panel, thereby improving mechanical properties of the backlight assembly. The fixing member performs the role of the side mold and the middle mold at the same time, thereby reducing the number of parts can reduce the manufacturing cost. Furthermore, the fixing member may be fastened to the storage container in a sliding manner, thereby improving assembly of the backlight assembly.

Although the above has been described with reference to preferred embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art will be variously modified and changed within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention described in the claims below. I can understand that you can.

Claims (11)

A storage container including a bottom part and a side part extending from the bottom part to provide an accommodation space; Lamps housed in the storage container and having electrode portions at ends; An optical member disposed above the lamps; And And a fixing member sliding along the longitudinal direction of the lamps to be coupled to the housing and having a groove into which the side of the optical member is inserted by sliding. The method of claim 1, wherein the fixing member A first fixing part supporting a side of the optical member; A second fixing part spaced apart from the first fixing part to form the groove; And a reflector extending from the first fixing part toward the bottom part. The backlight assembly of claim 1, wherein the container includes a hook protruding from the side, and the fixing member has an opening for engaging with the hook. The backlight assembly of claim 1, wherein the storage container has a guide part for guiding a storage position of the optical member on a side parallel to the lamps. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical member A diffuser plate for diffusing light generated from the lamps; And And an optical sheet disposed on the diffusion plate. The method of claim 1, A lamp fixing member which fixes the electrode part and is covered by the fixing member; A reflector disposed below the lamps; And And an inverter for outputting a driving voltage for emitting the lamps. Preparing a storage container including a bottom portion and a side portion extending from the bottom portion to provide a storage space; Mounting lamps having electrode portions at their distal ends in the housing; Disposing an optical member on top of the lamps; And And sliding the fixing member having a groove into which the side of the optical member is inserted along the longitudinal direction of the lamps to engage with the storage container. The method of claim 7, wherein the fixing member A first fixing part supporting a side of the optical member; A second fixing part spaced apart from the first fixing part to form the groove; And And a reflecting part extending from the first fixing part toward the bottom part. Receiving vessel, lamps having an electrode portion at the distal end, an optical member disposed on the upper portion of the lamps, and sliding along the longitudinal direction of the lamps coupled to the storage container, the groove is inserted into the side of the optical member by sliding A backlight assembly comprising a fixing member having a; A liquid crystal display panel disposed on the fixing member and configured to display an image by using light supplied from the backlight assembly; And And a top chassis for fixing the liquid crystal display panel. The method of claim 9, wherein the fixing member A first fixing part supporting a side of the optical member; A second fixing part spaced apart from the first fixing part to form the groove; And a reflecting portion extending from the first fixing portion toward the bottom portion. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 10, wherein the second fixing part has a step for guiding a storage position of the liquid crystal display panel.

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