Patent Application
20090184622
This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 2008-6734 filed on Jan. 22, 2008, and all the benefits accruing therefrom under 35 U.S.C. §119, the contents of which in its entirety are herein incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lamp and a display device having the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a lamp having improved color reproducibility and a display device having the lamp.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) includes a liquid crystal panel and a backlight unit in order to display an image. The LCD receives an external data signal to display an image according to electrical and optical characteristics of liquid crystals in the liquid crystal panel. The backlight unit generates light, which provides light to the liquid crystal panel. As a result, the light provided to the liquid crystal panel passes through the liquid crystals, so that an image is displayed on the liquid crystal panel.
The backlight unit typically includes light sources and optical sheets. The light source may include a light emitting diode (“LED”) or a lamp. For example, in the case of a conventional large-size LCD, a plurality of lamps is used as the light source and the lamps are aligned to emit light having increased brightness.
The conventional large-size LCD comprises 72% of color reproducibility in accordance with the National Television System Committee (“NTSC”). Typically, the color reproducibility varies depending on the type of fluorescent substance of a lamp used for the LCD. For example, if the lamp, which generates light having a wavelength corresponding to the type of fluorescent substance, generates light that is not suitable for a transmission spectrum of a color filter, the color reproducibility is lowered.
Thus, it is desired to develop a lamp capable of having improved color reproducibility for the LCD and a display device having the same.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a lamp having improved color reproducibility by using at least two different mixed red fluorescent substances.
Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a display device including the lamp having improved color reproducibility by using at least two different mixed red fluorescent substances.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a lamp, for a backlight unit of a display panel in a display device, includes a discharge tube, a discharge gas, a blue fluorescent substance, a green fluorescent substance and a red fluorescent substance. The discharge gas is disposed in the discharge tube. The blue, green and red fluorescent substances are disposed at an inner wall surface of the discharge tube to generate a blue light, a green light and a red light, respectively, by ultraviolet rays emitted by the discharge gas. The red fluorescent substance includes at least two different red fluorescent substances, which generate the red light having peak wavelengths different from each other.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a display device includes a display panel and a backlight unit. The backlight unit includes at least one lamp to emit light to the display panel. The lamp includes a discharge tube, a discharge gas, a blue fluorescent substance, a green fluorescent substance and a red fluorescent substance. The discharge gas is disposed in the discharge tube. The blue, green and red fluorescent substances are disposed at an inner wall surface of the discharge tube to generate a blue light, a green light and a red light by ultraviolet rays emitted by the discharge gas. The red fluorescent substance includes at least two different red fluorescent substances, which generate the red light having peak wavelengths different from each other.
The display panel includes first and second substrates, and a color filter disposed at the first substrate or the second substrate.
The color filter has a thickness of about 1.5 μm to about 2 μm and includes blue, green and red filters. The blue color filter allows light having a wavelength range of 400 nm to 530 nm to pass therethrough. The green color filter allows light having a wavelength range of about 460 nm to about 600 nm to pass therethrough. The red color filter allows light having a wavelength range of about 580 nm to about 800 nm to pass therethrough. The red fluorescent substance generates the red light having a wavelength range of about 600 nm to about 680 nm. The red fluorescent substance includes compounds Y2O:Eu3+ and 3.5MgO.0.5MgF2.GeO2:Mn4+. The red fluorescent substance includes the Y2O:Eu3+ having 60% composition weight to 90% composition weight and the 3.5MgO.0.5MgF2.GeO2:Mn4− having 10% composition weight to 40% composition weight. The blue fluorescent substance includes compound (Sr, Ca, Ba, Mg)5(PO4)3CL:Eu2+. The green fluorescent substance includes compound BaMaAl10O17:Eu2+,Mn2+.
The backlight unit includes a plurality of lamps. In an exemplary embodiment, the lamps are disposed below the display panel, but is not limited thereto. The display device further includes an optical sheet section and a reflective sheet. The optical sheet section is disposed between the lamps and the display panel. The reflective sheet is disposed below the lamps. The backlight unit further includes a light guide plate disposed below the display panel. In another exemplary embodiment, a single lamp may be disposed at a lateral side of the light guide plate. The display device further includes an optical sheet section and a reflective sheet. The optical sheet section is disposed between the display panel and the light guide plate, and the reflective sheet is disposed below the light guide plate.
In yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method for improving color reproducibility in a lamp of a display device is provided. The method includes emitting light from the lamp to a display panel of the display device; emitting a blue light and a green light from a blue fluorescent substance and a green fluorescent substance, respectively, by ultraviolet rays by an excited discharge gas; emitting a red light comprising peak wavelengths different from each other from two different red fluorescent substances; transmitting light comprising a wavelength range of about 400 nm to about 530 nm through a blue color filter; transmitting light comprising a wavelength range of about 460 nm to about 600 nm through a green color filter; and transmitting light comprising a wavelength range of about 580 nm to about 800 nm through a red color filter.
Accordingly, color reproducibility may be improved using two types of red fluorescent substances. Further, the lamp of the display device uses two types of red fluorescent substances, so that the red color of the display device may be clearly displayed.
The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent by describing in further detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.
It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on” another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may be present therebetween. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on” another element, there are no intervening elements present. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
It will be understood that, although the terms “first,” “second,” “third” etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another element, component, region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present invention.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” or “includes” and/or “including” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Furthermore, relative terms, such as “lower” or “bottom” and “upper” or “top,” may be used herein to describe one element's relationship to another elements as illustrated in the Figures. It will be understood that relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to the orientation depicted in the Figures. For example, if the device in one of the figures is turned over, elements described as being on the “lower” side of other elements would then be oriented on “upper” sides of the other elements. The exemplary term “lower”, can therefore, encompasses both an orientation of “lower” and “upper,” depending on the particular orientation of the figure. Similarly, if the device in one of the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements would then be oriented “above” the other elements. The exemplary terms “below” or “beneath” can, therefore, encompass both an orientation of above and below.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning which is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described herein with reference to cross section illustrations which are schematic illustrations of idealized embodiments of the present invention. As such, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, embodiments of the present invention should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of regions illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes which result, for example, from manufacturing. For example, a region illustrated or described as flat may, typically, have rough and/or nonlinear features. Moreover, sharp angles which are illustrated may be rounded. Thus, the regions illustrated in the figures are schematic in nature and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the precise shape of a region and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
Referring to
In further detail, the liquid crystal panel 10 includes a first substrate 11, a second substrate 12 and liquid crystals 13 which are interposed between the first substrate 11 and second substrate 12. The first substrate 11 comprises a thin film transistor array and, as illustrated in
Referring again to
Still referring the
The pixel electrodes 290 are connected with the drain electrode 242 through a contact hole 270 that passes through a protective layer 260. Thus, when the thin film transistor 250 is turned on, the pixel electrodes 290 form an electric field through data voltage applied from the data lines 280 together with a common electrode 330.
The liquid crystals 13 interposed between the first substrate 11 and second substrate 12 of the liquid crystal panel 10, as shown in
The second substrate 12 of the liquid crystal panel 10 includes black matrices 310 that are formed on a second insulating substrate 300 to prevent light leakage. The second substrate 12 further includes a color filter 320 that is formed corresponding to pixel areas divided by the black matrices 310 and the common electrode 330 formed on the color filter 320.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the black matrices 310 of the second substrate 12 include opaque metal or opaque organic/inorganic material. The black matrices 310 are formed corresponding to the gate lines 210, data lines 280 and thin film transistors 250, which are formed on the first substrate 11 of the liquid crystal panel 10. Accordingly, the black matrices 310 prevent light leakage.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the common electrode 330 of the second substrate 12 includes transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide (“ITO”), indium zinc oxide (“IZO”) or indium tin zinc oxide (“ITZO”). If data voltage is supplied to the pixel electrodes 290, the common electrode 330 forms the electric field to drive the liquid crystals 13.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the color filter 320 is formed by coating RGB color resins on sub-pixel areas divided by the black matrices 310. The color filter 320 comprises different transmission spectra corresponding to RGB color filters.
Referring to
The data TCP 32 has one side connected with the first substrate of the liquid crystal panel 10 and another side connected with the circuit substrate 33, also shown in
The gate driving circuit 21 and the data driving circuit 31 may be mounted on the first substrate 11 through a chip-on-glass (“COG”) method, or may be installed in the first substrate 11 in the process of forming the thin film transistor.
Referring to
The optical sheet section 90 of the backlight unit 100 includes a diffusion sheet, a prism sheet and a protective sheet (not shown).
The diffusion sheet widely diffuses light emitted from a light guide plate 82, as shown in
The plurality of lamps 80 may be aligned below the optical sheet section 90. Also, the plurality of lamps 80 is fixed to lamp sockets 60. The plurality of lamps receives tube current from inverters and provide light to the liquid crystal panel 10.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a reflective sheet 70, as shown in
The backlight unit 100 is received in a mold frame 110 and a bottom chassis 120. Further, the liquid crystal panel 10 is disposed in the mold frame 110 and then fixed by a top chassis 130.
The color filter 320 comprises a blue color filter G1, a green color filter G2 and a red color filter G3. The blue color filter GI has a transmission spectrum of 400 nm to 530 nm and allows light of a corresponding spectrum to pass therethrough, if white light is incident into the blue color filter. The green color filter G2 has a transmission spectrum of 460 nm to 600 nm and allows light of a corresponding spectrum to pass therethrough, if white light is incident into the green color filter. The red color filter G3 has a transmission spectrum of 580 nm to 800 nm and allows light of a corresponding spectrum to pass therethrough, if white light is incident into the red color filter.
The color filter 320 also comprises a thickness of about 17 μm to about 20 μm. Thus, when the color filter's 320 thickness is about 17 μm or less, or about 20 μm or more, the transmission spectrum according to colors shown in
Referring to
In further detail, the discharge tube 170 includes transparent material such as glass and maintains an internal vacuum state. The lamp electrodes 150 are inserted into opposite ends of the discharge tube 170 to provide external tube current to the discharge tube 170.
The discharge gas 160 includes a mixture of Hg, Ne and Ar gases and is filled in the discharge tube 170. The discharge gas 160 receives tube current from the lamp electrodes 150, so that the energy state of the discharge gas is changed from ground state to excited state. Then the discharge gas loses its energy by emitting ultraviolet rays while the energy state is changed from excited state to ground state.
The fluorescent substance layer 180 receives the ultraviolet rays emitted by exciting the discharge gas 160 to generate a visible ray. The fluorescent substance layer 180 includes blue, green and red fluorescent substances, which are disposed on an inner wall of the discharge tube 170.
The blue fluorescent substance may comprise a compound of (Sr, Ca, Ba, Mg)5(PO4)3CL:Eu2+ (hereinafter, referred to as SCA), and the green fluorescent substance may comprise a compound of BaMaAl10O17:Eu2+,Mn2+ (hereinafter, referred to as BAM:Mn). The red fluorescent substance may comprise a compound of Y2O:Eu3+ (hereinafter, referred to as YOX) and 3.5MgO.0.5MgF2.GeO2:Mn4+ (hereinafter, referred to as MFG).
The lamp 80, which contains the blue fluorescent substance, the green fluorescent substance and the red fluorescent substance, emits a blue light, green light and red light, respectively. The blue light emitted is output with a peak value at a wavelength of about 445 nm, and the green light is output with a peak value at a wavelength of about 515 nm. The red light is output with two peak values at wavelengths of about 610 nm and about 660 nm. Relative intensity of wavelengths having the two peak values may vary depending on the mixture ratio of (YOX and MFG).
Hereinafter, a relationship between wavelengths and brightness of the red light according to the mixture ratio of the red fluorescent substances will be described with reference to Tables 1 and 2 below.
Table 1 shows brightness and color reproducibility according to the mixture ratio of the blue, green and red fluorescent substances. The blue fluorescent substance uses SCA, the green fluorescent substance uses (BAM:Mn) and the red fluorescent substance uses (YOX and MFG).
Table 1 also shows the simulation results obtained by mixing the same amount of the blue, green and red fluorescent substances, in accordance with a percentage of composition weights, while changing the ratio of (YOX and MFG) used for the red fluorescent substance.
As shown in Table 1, referring to the second simulation result (2nd) obtained when the composition ratio of (YOX and MFG) is 9:1, the color reproducibility is increased by about 1.9% in accordance with the CIE1931, as compared with the first simulation result (1st) not having MFG. Further, the color reproducibility is increased by about 3.4% in accordance with the CIE1976 as compared with the first simulation result (1st) not having MFG.
Referring to the third simulation result (3rd) obtained when the composition ratio of (YOX and MFG) is 8:2, the color reproducibility is increased by about 3.9% in accordance with the CIE1931, as compared with the first simulation result (1st) not having MFG. Further, the color reproducibility is increased by about 6.2% in accordance with the CIE1976, as compared with the first simulation result (1st) not having MFG.
Referring to the fourth simulation result (4th) obtained when the composition ratio of (YOX and MFG) is 7:3, the color reproducibility is increased by about 5.7% in accordance with the CIE1931 as compared with the first simulation result (1st) not having MFG. Further, the color reproducibility is increased by about 8.8% in accordance with the CIE1976, as compared with the first simulation result (1st) not having MFG.
Referring to the fifth simulation result (5th) obtained when the composition ratio of (YOX and MFG) is 6:4, the color reproducibility is increased by about 7.5% in accordance with the CIE1931, as compared with the first simulation result (1st) not having MFG. Further, the color reproducibility is increased by about 11.3% in accordance with the CIE1976, as compared with the first simulation result (1st) not having MFG.
In Table 1, if the ratio of MFG is increased, the brightness of the red light may be reduced by about 2% to 3%. The brightness of the red light may be reduced because the average brightness of the red light emitted through (YOX and MFG) is reduced. However, it should be noted that the reduction rate is very low as compared with the increase in the color reproducibility.
Table 2 shows the first through fifth simulation results (1st) to (2nd) obtained when using SCA (blue fluorescent substance), (BAM:Mn) (green fluorescent substance) and (YOX and MFG) (red fluorescent substance) in accordance with 100 g of composition weight.
The weight of each fluorescent substance shown in Table 2 may be changed within the range of 5% based on the percentage shown in Table 1. In detail, the weight of the compound of each fluorescent substance may be changed in order to control valance of white light.
Referring to Table 2, SCA of 45 g to 47 g, (BAM:Mn) of 20 g to 21.5 g, YOX of 18 g to 29.5 g, and MFG of 3.5 g to 14.5 g may be mixed.
In
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
When the ratio of YOX is 60% or less and the ratio of MFG is 40% or more, an average value of relative intensity values of the two red lights is reduced so that brightness of the red light may be significantly reduced. Thus, the ratio between YOX and MFG should not exceed (6:4).
As shown in
Since the LCD shown in
Referring to
In further detail, the lamp 80 includes a mixture of the blue fluorescent substance, the green fluorescent substance, and the red fluorescent substance of (YOX and MFG) as described in
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, at least one or two lamps 80 may be aligned. Further, a lamp cover 81 may be provided to protect the lamp 80 by surrounding the lamp 80.
The light guide plate 82 provides the liquid crystal panel 10 with light incident from the lamp 80. The light guide plate 82 is provided below the liquid crystal panel 10. In order to improve light collection efficiency of the light guide plate 82 or reduce the number of optical sheets of the optical sheet section 90, prism lines may be formed on the bottom surface or the top surface of the liquid crystal panel 10.
The reflective sheet 70 is disposed below the light guide plate 82 and reflects light to the light guide plate 82, when the light is supplied to the reflective sheet 70 through the light guide plate 82. As a result, the light efficiency is improved.
A flat lamp may also be used, except for the tubular lamp shown in
According to the lamp and the display device having the lamp, the color reproducibility may be improved by using two types of red fluorescent substances. When the lamp uses two types of red fluorescent substances, the red color of the display device may be clearly displayed.
The present invention should not be construed as being limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the concept of the present invention to those skilled in the art.
While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and/or scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2008-006734 | Jan 2008 | KR | national |
