Lamp assembly, back light assembly having the same, display device having the same, and method of driving lamps

A backlight assembly comprising:

• a lamp assembly including a body and first and second electrodes, the body converting an invisible ray generated by a discharge into a visible ray, the first and second electrodes being disposed on the body;
• a lamp driving device includes a control part and a lamp driver, the control part controlling an output of an AC voltage based on a dimming signal, the lamp driver providing the first and second electrodes with first driving voltage and second driving voltage, respectively, to prevent a corona discharge from occurring at the first and second electrodes, the first driving voltage being less than a first critical voltage at which the corona discharge occurs at the first and second electrodes;
• and
• an optical member configured to change an optical distribution of light generated from the lamp assembly.

A backlight assembly comprising:

• a lamp driving device configured to convert a first power voltage supplied from an external source into a second power voltage;
• and
• a light emitting part configured to generate light in response to the second power voltage, the light emitting part including a lamp unit, the lamp unit having a plurality of external electrode fluorescent lamps (EEFLs) coupled in parallel to each other, first ends of the respective external electrode fluorescent lamps being coupled to a ground,
• wherein
• the lamp driving device includes:
• a control part configured to output a switching signal based on a dimming signal;
• a switching device configured to perform an on/off control for the first power voltage based on the switching signal;
• and
• a lamp driver configured to convert a third power voltage output from the switching device into an AC voltage, configured to raise a voltage level of the AC voltage to generate the second power voltage, and configured to provide the lamp unit with the second power voltage to prevent an ozone gas from being generated from the lamp unit, the second power voltage being less than a critical voltage at which the ozone gas is generated from the lamp unit.

A backlight assembly comprising:

• a lamp driving device configured to convert a first power voltage supplied from an external source into a second power voltage;
• and
• a light emitting part configured to generate light in response to the second power voltage, the light emitting part including a lamp unit, the lamp unit having a plurality of external electrode fluorescent lamps (EEFLs) coupled in parallel to each other,
• wherein
• the lamp driving device includes:
• a control part configured to output a switching signal based on a dimming signal;
• a switching device configured to perform an on/off control for the first power voltage based on the switching signal;
• and
• a lamp driver configured to convert a third power voltage output from the switching device into an AC voltage, configured to raise a voltage level of the AC voltage to generate the second power voltage, and configured to provide both ends of the lamp unit with the second power voltage to prevent an ozone gas from being generated from the lamp unit, the second power voltage being less than a critical voltage at which the ozone gas is generated from the lamp unit.

A display apparatus comprising:

• a backlight assembly including:
• a lamp driving device configured to convert a first power voltage supplied from an external source into a second power voltage;
• a light emitting part configured to generate first light in response to the second power voltage;
• an optical member configured to change an optical distribution of the first light generated from the light emitting part to generate second light;
• and
• a display assembly, disposed on the optical member, configured to display an image based on the second light,
• wherein
• the lamp driving device includes:
• a control part configured to output a switching signal based on a dimming signal;
• a switching device configured to perform an on/off control for the first power voltage based on the switching signal;
• and
• a lamp driver configured to convert a third power voltage into an AC voltage, configured to raise a voltage level of the AC voltage to generate the second power voltage, and configured to provide the light emitting part with the second power voltage to prevent an ozone gas from being generated from the light emitting part, the second power voltage being less than a critical voltage at which the ozone gas is generated from the light emitting part.

A method of driving a plurality of lamps used for a display apparatus comprising:

• providing first external electrodes of the lamps with a first driving voltage to prevent a corona discharge from occurring at the lamps, the first driving voltage being less than a first critical voltage at which the corona discharge occurs at the lamps;
• providing second external electrodes of the lamps with a second driving voltage;
• discharging a discharge gas contained in the respective lamps in response to the first and second driving voltages;
• converting an invisible ray generated from the discharge into a visible ray using a fluorescent layer formed on inner surface of the respective lamps to provide the invisible ray to the display apparatus;
• controlling a switching signal based on a dimming signal;
• and
• switching an on/off control for the first power voltage based on the switching signal.