Flat fluorescent lamp and display device including the same

Abstract

A flat fluorescent lamp and a display device including the same. The flat fluorescent lamp includes a lamp body that has a plurality of discharge spaces and generates light, electrodes that are formed at the both ends of the lamp body, and a plurality of cold spots that are formed on the rear surface of the lamp body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be understood in more detail from the following descriptions with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flat fluorescent lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the flat fluorescent lamp of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a flat fluorescent lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a flat fluorescent lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a flat fluorescent lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a display device including the flat fluorescent lamp of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a display panel of the display device of FIG. 6 and elements for driving the display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a pixel of the display panel of FIG. 7 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A flat fluorescent lamp comprising: a lamp body including a plurality of discharge spaces;electrodes formed at ends of the lamp body; anda plurality of cold spots formed on a rear surface of the lamp body.

2. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 1, wherein: the lamp body comprises a front light source substrate and a rear light source substrate, wherein the front and rear light source substrates face each other;the front light source substrate includes a plurality of channel parts forming the discharge spaces and a plurality of partition parts partitioning the plurality of channel parts; andthe plurality of cold spots are formed on the rear light source substrate corresponding to the plurality of channel parts.

3. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 2, wherein the lamp body includes a first side and a second side, on which the electrodes are formed, and a third side and a fourth side, which are parallel to the plurality of channel parts and perpendicular to the first side and the second side.

4. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 2, wherein the plurality of cold spots are arranged at the same intervals.

5. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 3, wherein an interval between the cold spots is narrower as the cold spots are closer to the first side and the second side.

6. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 3, wherein: the plurality of cold spots are arranged in a range from the third side to a predetermined position, andthe predetermined position is about ½ to about 11/12 of a distance from the third side to the fourth side.

7. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 3, wherein: a channel part positioned at a predetermined distance from the third side includes the largest number of the plurality of cold spots arranged in correspondence therewith; andas a channel part is positioned farther from the channel part positioned at the predetermined distance, the number of cold spots arranged in correspondence with the farther positioned channel part decreases.

8. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 7, wherein the predetermined distance is about ¼ to about ⅖ of a distance from the third side to the fourth side.

9. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 1, wherein the electrodes are external electrodes.

10. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 1, wherein the cold spots include carbon black or metal.

11. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 1, wherein the cold spots are formed by a spray method using a patterning mask.

12. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 1, wherein the cold spots are formed by a screen printing method.

13. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 1, wherein a thickness of each of the cold spots is in a range from about 0.1 mm to about 1 mm.

14. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 1, wherein each of the cold spots has a circular shape and a diameter of about 1 mm to about 5 mm.

15. A display device comprising: a display panel for displaying an image;a flat fluorescent lamp for supplying light to the display panel; andreceiving members for receiving the display panel and the flat fluorescent lamp,wherein the flat fluorescent lamp comprises: a lamp body including a plurality of discharge spaces,electrodes formed at ends of the lamp body, anda plurality of cold spots formed on a rear surface of the lamp body.

16. The display device of claim 15, wherein: the lamp body comprises a front light source substrate and a rear light source substrate, wherein the front and rear light source substrates face each other;the front light source substrate includes a plurality of channel parts forming the discharge spaces and a plurality of partition parts partitioning the plurality of channel parts; andthe plurality of cold spots are formed on the rear light source substrate corresponding to the plurality of channel parts.

17. The display device of claim 16, wherein the lamp body includes a first side and a second side, on which the electrodes are formed, and a third side and a fourth side, which are parallel to the plurality of channel parts and perpendicular to the first side and the second side.

18. The display device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of cold spots are arranged at the same intervals.

19. The display device of claim 17, wherein an interval between the cold spots is narrower as the cold spots are closer to the first side and the second side.

20. The display device of claim 17, wherein: the plurality of cold spots are arranged in a range from the third side to a predetermined position, andthe predetermined position is about ½ to about 11/12 of a distance from the third side to the fourth side.

21. The display device of claim 17, wherein: a channel part positioned at a predetermined distance from the third side includes the largest number of the plurality of cold spots arranged in correspondence therewith; andas a channel part is positioned farther from the channel part positioned at the predetermined distance, the number of cold spots arranged in correspondence with the farther positioned channel part decreases.

22. The display device of claim 21, wherein the predetermined distance is about ¼ to about ⅖ of a distance from the third side to the fourth side.

23. The display device of claim 16, wherein the flat fluorescent lamp has a substantially uniform temperature in the channel parts during operation thereof.

24. The display device of claim 15, wherein the cold spots have a circular shape, a diameter of about 1 mm to about 5 mm, and a thickness of about 0.1 mm to about 1 mm.