Patent · US Expired

Serpentine fluorescent lamp with shaped corners providing uniform backlight illumination for displays

US7042147B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
20References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 30, 2003
Grant dateMay 9, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 30, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02F1/133604
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A bent fluorescent lamp for backlighting a display providing uniform illumination. A fluorescent lamp is made from a tubular glass envelope having right angles formed therein with shaped corners. The right angles provide improved illumination of a plane surface for backlighting a liquid crystal display. The right angles and shaped corners eliminate dark regions in the illuminated surface. A right-angled bend is also formed at the ends of the fluorescent lamp. An electrode is positioned sufficiently far from a central portion of the lamp so that any dark spaces in the gas discharge of the fluorescent lamp, such as the Faraday dark space associated with a cathode of a lamp are not formed within the central portion.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.