Illumination unit and liquid crystal display apparatus comprising same

A liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a lighting unit comprising:
• a light source;
• a light guiding component for guiding light emitted from the light source and emanating the light from a light emanating surface to an object to be illuminated;
• a reflecting component covering at least a bottom surface of the light guiding component;
• a light correction component disposed on the light emanating surface of the light guiding component;
• and
• a casing for holding the light source, the light guiding component covered with the reflecting component, and the light correction component, wherein
• the casing has an opening portion in a region corresponding to a light emanating region of the light correction component, and
• the object to be illuminated is disposed in direct contact with an upper surface of the light correction component within the opening portion;
• and
• a liquid crystal panel as an object to be illuminated disposed on a light emanating surface side of the lighting unit, the liquid crystal panel having a liquid crystal cell comprising a pair of transparent substrates with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, wherein
• the liquid crystal panel is disposed in direct contact with a front surface of the light correction component within the opening portion of the casing of the lighting unit,
• the liquid crystal panel comprises a pair of polarizers with the liquid crystal cell interposed therebetween,
• a polarizer on the lighting unit side of the pair of polarizers has an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the opening portion of the casing, and directly contacts a front surface of the light correction component within the opening portion,
• the casing has a frame-shaped edge portion protruding toward the opening portion so as to enclose the opening portion,
• the liquid crystal cell is disposed on an upper surface of the edge portion, and
• a thickness of the edge portion of the casing is substantially equal to a thickness of the polarizer on the lighting unit side.

A liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a lighting unit comprising:
• a light source;
• a light guiding component for guiding light emitted from the light source and emanating the light from a light emanating surface to an object to be illuminated;
• a reflecting component covering at least a bottom surface of the light guiding component;
• a light correction component disposed on the light emanating surface of the light guiding component;
• and
• a casing for holding the light source, the light guiding component covered with the reflecting component, and the light correction component, wherein
• the casing has an opening portion in a region corresponding to a light emanating region of the light correction component, and
• the object to be illuminated is disposed in direct contact with an upper surface of the light correction component within the opening portion;
• and
• a liquid crystal panel as an object to be illuminated disposed on a light emanating surface side of the lighting unit, the liquid crystal panel having a liquid crystal cell comprising a pair of transparent substrates with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, wherein
• the liquid crystal panel is disposed in direct contact with a front surface of the light correction component within the opening portion of the casing of the lighting unit, and
• the casing is made of an electrically conductive material.

A liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a lighting unit comprising:
• a light source;
• a light guiding component for guiding light emitted from the light source and emanating the light from a light emanating surface to an object to be illuminated;
• a reflecting component covering at least a bottom surface of the light guiding component;
• a light correction component disposed on the light emanating surface of the light guiding component;
• and
• a casing for holding the light source, the light guiding component covered with the reflecting component, and the light correction component, wherein
• the casing has an opening portion in a region corresponding to a light emanating region of the light correction component, and
• the object to be illuminated is disposed in direct contact with an upper surface of the light correction component within the opening portion;
• and
• a liquid crystal panel as an object to be illuminated disposed on a light emanating surface side of the lighting unit, the liquid crystal panel having a liquid crystal cell comprising a pair of transparent substrates with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, wherein
• the liquid crystal panel is disposed in direct contact with a front surface of the light correction component within the opening portion of the casing of the lighting unit, and
• a spacing of a space formed between the light guiding component and the light correction component in the lighting unit is not larger than a dimension of each of pixels composing the liquid crystal cell.

A liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a lighting unit comprising:
• a light source;
• a light guiding component for guiding light emitted from the light source and emanating the light from a light emanating surface to an object to be illuminated;
• a reflecting component covering at least a bottom surface of the light guiding component;
• a light correction component disposed on the light emanating surface of the light guiding component;
• and
• a casing for holding the light source, the light guiding component covered with the reflecting component, and the light correction component, wherein
• the casing has an opening portion in a region corresponding to a light emanating region of the light correction component, and
• the object to be illuminated is disposed in direct contact with an upper surface of the light correction component within the opening portion;
• and
• a liquid crystal panel as an object to be illuminated disposed on a light emanating surface side of the lighting unit, the liquid crystal panel having a liquid crystal cell comprising a pair of transparent substrates with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, wherein
• the liquid crystal panel is disposed in direct contact with a front surface of the light correction component within the opening portion of the casing of the lighting unit, and
• the light guiding component is a light guiding plate;
• the light source is disposed along a first end face of the light guiding plate;
• the reflecting component is a reflecting sheet;
• a bottom surface of the light guiding plate, the first end face of the light guiding plate and the light source, and a second end face of the light guiding plate on which the light source is not disposed are covered with the reflecting sheet;
• the light correction component comprises one or a plurality of light correction sheets;
• and
• the casing is frame-shaped and supports at least the bottom surface of the light guiding plate, the second end face of the light guiding plate, and the first end face of the light guiding plate and the light source, each of which is covered with the reflecting sheet.