PLANAR LIGHT SOURCE USING A LIGHT PIPE, BACK LIGHT UNIT AND LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY HAVING THE SAME

摘要

A planar light source using a light pipe, a backlight unit and an LCD(Liquid Crystal Display) having the same are provided to facilitate a fabrication method of a planar light source by combining a point light source or a line light source with a light pipe so as to realize a planar light source. A planar light source(110) emits a planar light for illuminating a liquid crystal panel(200). At least one optical sheet(180) is disposed at one side of the planar light source. The optical sheet receives the light emitted from the planar light source, concentrates or uniformizes the light to provide it to the liquid crystal panel. The planar light source includes a light source unit(120) and at least one light pipe(140). The light source unit provides the light to be inputted to the liquid crystal panel and includes a plurality of LEDs(Light Emitting Diodes)(122) arranged such that optical axes of at least some of the LEDs. The light pipe includes an inner surface having a shape of a plurality of micro-prisms and a flat outer surface. The light provided from the light source unit enters the inner surface and then is emitted through the outer surface. The outer surface includes a light emitting surface that emits the light to be inputted to the liquid crystal panel and is disposed substantially parallel to the liquid crystal panel.