1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a liquid crystal nodule. More specifically, the present invention relates to a liquid crystal module having a light guide plate.
2. Background Information
With a typical conventional edge-lit liquid crystal module, a light guide plate is provided inside a rear frame. An LED bar having LEDs arranged in a row on a wiring board is attached along one end face of the light guide plate so as to maintain a clearance between the LEDs and the one end face of the light guide plate. A liquid crystal panel is disposed on a front face side of the light guide plate with an optical sheet in between.
With this liquid crystal module, concave components are formed on both sides of the light guide plate. Positioning-use bent tabs formed on the rear frame are fitted into the concave components of the light guide plate, which positions the light guide plate in the up and down direction and in the left and right direction.
Meanwhile, with a conventional edge-lit backlight device, four corners of a light guide plate are supported by four support members to position the light guide plate, and LEDs are provided along both end faces of the light guide plate (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2010-251027, for example). With a conventional edge-lit planar illumination device, both sides of a light guide plate are supported by concave members to position the light guide plate, and LEDs are provided along the end faces on both sides of the light guide plate (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No, 2010-135297, for example). With a conventional edge-lit backlight, the distal end of an LED housing having a U-shaped cross section abuts one end face of a light guide plate so that the spacing between the LEDs and the one end face of the light guide plate is kept constant (see Japanese Patent No. 4489423, for example). With a conventional edge-lit planar illumination device, an incident prism is formed on a side end face of a light guide plate, and a transparent spacer with an elastic layer and a non-elastic layer is interposed between the LEDs and the incident prism of the light guide plate (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2008-97877, for example).
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds