Flat fluorescent lamp and liquid crystal display apparatus having the same

Abstract

A flat fluorescent lamp includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a first exhausting pipe and a second exhausting pipe. The second substrate is combined with the first substrate and forms a plurality of discharge spaces. The first exhausting pipe is disposed at a first longitudinal end portion of the discharge spaces between the first and second substrates such that the first exhausting pipe crosses the discharge spaces. The first exhausting pipe has first exhausting holes. The second exhausting pipe is disposed at a second longitudinal end portion of the discharge spaces between the first and second substrates such that the second exhausting pipe crosses the discharge spaces. The second exhausting pipe has second exhausting holes.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detailed exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

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

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the flat fluorescent lamp in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I′ in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II′ in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a first exhausting pipe in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a position of first and second exhausting pipe in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating another exemplary embodiment of a position of the first and second exhausting pipe;

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating another exemplary embodiment of a position of the first and second exhausting pipe; and

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a liquid crystal display apparatus according to the present invention.

Claims

1. A flat fluorescent lamp comprising: a first substrate;a second substrate combined with the first substrate and forming a plurality of discharge spaces; anda first exhausting pipe disposed at a first longitudinal end portion of the discharge spaces between the first and second substrates such that the first exhausting pipe crosses the discharge spaces.

2. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 1, wherein the exhausting pipe comprises first exhausting holes through which air of the discharge space is exhausted and discharge gas is injected into the discharge space.

3. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 2, further comprising a second exhausting pipe disposed at a second longitudinal end portion of the discharge spaces between the first and second substrates such that the second exhausting pipe crosses the discharge spaces.

4. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 3, wherein the second exhausting pipe comprises second exhausting holes through which air of the discharge space is exhausted and discharge gas is injected into the discharge space.

5. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 4, wherein the first exhausting holes correspond to odd-numbered discharge spaces, respectively, and the second exhausting holes correspond to even-numbered discharge spaces, respectively.

6. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 4, wherein each of the discharge spaces corresponds to one of the first exhausting holes or the second exhausting holes.

7. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 4, wherein the first exhausting holes correspond to each of the discharge spaces, respectively, and the second exhausting holes correspond to each of the discharge spaces, respectively.

8. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 2, wherein each of the first exhausting holes has a diameter of about 10 micrometers (μm) to about 100 micrometers (μm).

9. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 2, wherein the first exhausting pipe has a cylindrical pipe shape.

10. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 9, wherein the first exhausting pipe has a diameter of about 1.0 millimeter (mm) to about 1.5 millimeters (mm).

11. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 1, wherein the second substrate comprises: a plurality of discharge portions spaced apart from the first substrate and forming the discharge spaces;a plurality of non-discharge portions contacting the first substrate, each of the non-discharge portions being disposed between the discharge portions;a receiving portion formed at the non-discharge portions and receiving the first exhausting pipe; anda sealing portion corresponding to edge portions of the second substrate, the sealing portion contacting the first substrate.

12. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 11, further comprising an adhesive combining the sealing portion and the non-discharge portion to the first substrate and sealing individual discharge spaces from each other.

13. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 12, wherein the adhesive comprises frit.

14. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 1, wherein the first substrate comprises an exhausting pipe hole and a first end portion of the first exhausting pipe passes through the exhausting pipe hole.

15. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 14, wherein the first end portion of the first exhausting pipe comprises a getter-receiving portion receiving a getter.

16. The flat fluorescent lamp of claim 1, further comprising: a first fluorescent layer formed on a first surface of the first substrate, the first surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate;a second fluorescent layer formed on a first surface of the second substrate, the first surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate; anda reflecting layer formed between the first fluorescent layer and the first substrate.

17. A liquid crystal display apparatus comprising: a flat fluorescent lamp generating light;a receiving container receiving the flat fluorescent lamp; anda liquid crystal display panel displaying images using the light generated of the flat fluorescent lamp, wherein the flat fluorescent lamp comprises; a first substrate;a second substrate combined with the first substrate and forming a plurality of discharge spaces;a first exhausting pipe disposed at a first longitudinal end portion of the discharge spaces and between the first and second substrates such that the first exhausting pipe crosses the discharge spaces, the first exhausting pipe comprising first exhausting holes; anda second exhausting pipe disposed at a second longitudinal end portion of the discharge spaces and between the first and second substrates such that the second exhausting pipe crosses the discharge spaces, the second exhausting pipe comprising second exhausting holes.

18. The liquid crystal display apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first exhausting holes correspond to odd-numbered discharge spaces, respectively, and the second exhausting holes correspond to even-numbered discharge spaces, respectively.

19. The liquid crystal display of claim 18, wherein the first and second exhausting pipes have a cylindrical pipe shape having a diameter of about 1.0 mm to about 1.5 mm, and the first and second exhausting holes have a diameter of about 10 μm to about 100 μm.

20. The liquid crystal display of claim 18, wherein the second substrate comprises: a plurality of discharge portions spaced apart from the first substrate and forming the discharge spaces;a plurality of non-discharge portions contacting the first substrate, each of the non-discharge portions being disposed between the discharge portions;a receiving portion formed at the non-discharge portions and receiving the first exhausting pipe; anda sealing portion corresponding to edge portions of the second substrate, the sealing portion contacting the first substrate.

21. The liquid crystal display of claim 20, further comprising an adhesive combining the sealing portion and the non-discharge portion to the first substrate.

22. A method of forming a flat fluorescent lamp, the method comprising: combining a first substrate and a second substrate to form a plurality of discharge spaces, the second substrate comprising receiving portions at longitudinal ends of the discharge spaces; anddisposing a first exhausting pipe and a second exhausting pipe in the receiving portions, in a transverse direction of the discharge spaces and between the first and the second substrates;wherein each of the first exhausting pipe and the second exhausting pipe comprises a plurality of exhausting holes corresponding to the plurality of discharge spaces.