# US 2017/0285253 A1 · Backlight apparatus and liquid crystal display device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0285253 A1 - Document ID: US20170285253A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/085,725 - Filed: 2016-03-30 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-30 - Assignees: Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Takenori YAGUCHI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170285253A1 ## CPC - G02B 6/0088: {of the light guide or other optical sheets in the package} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A backlight apparatus is provided that may have: a backlight having a light guide plate; and a frame supporting the backlight and having a fitted portion. The light guide plate has a light guide main body, and a protruding portion extending outward from one of side edges of the light guide main body. The protruding portion is fitted into the fitted portion. The light guide plate is provided with a gap formed at least partially in the protruding portion. The gap defines a first wall extending from one of a top surface and a bottom surface of the light guide plate toward the other of the top surface and the bottom surface. The first wall provides a reflection surface for light waves carried by the light guide plate that approach the protruding portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 (canceled) ### Claim 2 (depends on 6) The backlight apparatus of claim 6, wherein the gap defines a second wall extending from the one of the top surface and the bottom surface, the second wall being spaced apart from the first wall in the first direction, and the first wall and the second wall extend in parallel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The backlight apparatus of claim 2, wherein each end of the gap is spaced from an edge of the protruding portion by a distance of 5 to 10 mm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The backlight apparatus of claim 2, wherein an angle of the first wall to the thickness direction is from 0° to 20°, and an angle of the second wall to the thickness direction is from 0° to 20°. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The backlight apparatus of claim 2, wherein an angle of the first wall to a second direction orthogonal to the thickness direction and the first direction is from 0° to 20°, and an angle of the second wall to the second direction is from 0° to 20°. ### Claim 6 A backlight apparatus, comprising: a backlight comprising a light guide plate; and a frame supporting the backlight and comprising a fitted portion, wherein the light guide plate comprises a light guide main body with linear side edges, and a protruding portion extending outward from one of the side edges of the light guide main body in a first direction orthogonal to a thickness direction of the light guide plate, the protruding portion being fitted into the fitted portion, the light guide plate is provided with a gap formed at least partially in the protruding portion, the gap defines a first wall extending from one of a top surface and a bottom surface of the light guide plate toward the other of the top surface and the bottom surface, the first wall provides a reflection surface for light waves carried by the light guide plate that approach the protruding portion, and the gap extends longitudinally by a length of 40 to 80% of a width of the protruding portion as viewed in the thickness direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The backlight apparatus of claim 6, wherein the gap passes through the light guide plate in the thickness direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The backlight apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first wall is spaced from the second wall by a distance of 1 to 3 mm. ### Claim 9 A backlight apparatus, comprising: a backlight comprising a light guide plate; and a frame supporting the backlight and comprising a fitted portion, wherein the light guide plate comprises a light guide main body with linear side edges, and a protruding portion extending outward from one of the side edges of the light guide main body in a first direction orthogonal to a thickness direction of the light guide plate, the protruding portion being fitted into the fitted portion, the light guide plate is provided with a gap formed at least partially in the protruding portion, the gap defines a first wall extending from one of a top surface and a bottom surface of the light guide plate toward the other of the top surface and the bottom surface, the first wall provides a reflection surface for light waves carried by the light guide plate that approach the protruding portion, and the first wall is within 1 mm from an extension line of the one of the side edges across the protruding portion. ### Claim 10 A backlight apparatus, comprising: a backlight comprising a light guide plate; and a frame supporting the backlight and comprising a fitted portion, wherein the light guide plate comprises a light guide main body with linear side edges, and a protruding portion extending outward from one of the side edges of the light guide main body in a first direction orthogonal to a thickness direction of the light guide plate, the protruding portion being fitted into the fitted portion, the light guide plate is provided with a gap formed at least partially in the protruding portion, the gap defines a first wall extending from one of a top surface and a bottom surface of the light guide plate toward the other of the top surface and the bottom surface, the first wall provides a reflection surface for light waves carried by the light guide plate that approach the protruding portion, and the first wall has an end portion extending outward away from the light guide main body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The backlight apparatus of claim 6, wherein the frame includes a base portion supporting the bottom surface of the light guide plate, and an upright portion extending upward from the base portion into the gap of the light guide plate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The backlight apparatus of claim 11, wherein the base portion is provided with a hole adjacent to the upright portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) The backlight apparatus of claim 6, wherein the fitted portion has a shape corresponding to a shape of the protruding portion, and the fitted portion of the frame comprises two side walls, at least a part of the gap being disposed between the two side walls. ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) A liquid crystal display device, comprising: the backlight apparatus of claim 6; and a liquid crystal panel mounted on a light emitting side of the backlight apparatus, wherein at least a part of the gap of the light guide plate is disposed outside the liquid crystal panel as viewed in the thickness direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The liquid crystal display device of claim 14, wherein a diagonal dimension of the liquid crystal panel is from 250 to 1500 mm. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The backlight apparatus of claim 9, wherein the gap defines a second wall extending from the one of the top surface and the bottom surface, the second wall being spaced apart from the first wall in the first direction, and the first wall and the second wall extend in parallel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The backlight apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first wall is spaced from the second wall by a distance of 1 to 3 mm. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The backlight apparatus of claim 10, wherein the gap defines a second wall extending from the one of the top surface and the bottom surface, the second wall being spaced apart from the first wall in the first direction, and the first wall and the second wall extend in parallel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The backlight apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first wall is spaced from the second wall by a distance of 1 to 3 mm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 9) A liquid crystal display device, comprising: the backlight apparatus of claim 9; and a liquid crystal panel mounted on a light emitting side of the backlight apparatus, wherein at least a part of the gap of the light guide plate is disposed outside the liquid crystal panel as viewed in the thickness direction. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The liquid crystal display device of claim 20, wherein a diagonal dimension of the liquid crystal panel is from 250 to 1500 mm. ### Claim 22 (depends on 10) A liquid crystal display device, comprising: the backlight apparatus of claim 10; and a liquid crystal panel mounted on a light emitting side of the backlight apparatus, wherein at least a part of the gap of the light guide plate is disposed outside the liquid crystal panel as viewed in the thickness direction. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The liquid crystal display device of claim 22, wherein a diagonal dimension of the liquid crystal panel is from 250 to 1500 mm.