Abstract:
An illuminating apparatus for improving brightness of light, a backlight assembly and an LCD device having the same are provided. The LCD device includes a backlight unit having a lamp for emitting a first light, a light guiding plate for guiding the first light, and a lamp reflector disposed adjacent to the lamp to partially cover the lamp and receiving the first light exited from the lamp, the lamp reflector having a plurality of protrusion portions for diffusing and reflecting the received first light to generate a second light; and a display unit for displaying images in response to the second light, the display unit having a lower substrate, an upper substrate opposite to the lower substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the lower and the upper substrates.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This disclosure relates to an illuminating apparatus, a backlight assembly and a liquid crystal display device having the same, more particularly, to an illuminating apparatus providing an enhanced brightness, a backlight assembly and a liquid crystal display device having the same.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Electronic display devices have been important as information transmission medias, and various electronic display devices are widely applied in industrial devices and home appliances. Such electronic display devices have been continuously improved to have new functions appropriate for various demands of users.  
           [0005]    In general, electronic display devices display and transmit various information to users. That is, the electronic display devices convert electric information signals into light information signals capable of being recognized by users.  
           [0006]    Electronic display devices may be categorized into emissive type display devices and non-emissive type display devices. The emissive type display devices may include a cathode ray tube (“CRT”), a plasma display panel (“PDP”), a light emitting diode (“LED”) and/or an electro luminescent display (“ELD”), for example. The emissive display type devices are also called active display devices. The non-emissive display devices, which are also called passive display devices, may include a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) device, an electrochemical display (“ECD”) and/or an electrophoretic image display (“EPID”), for example.  
           [0007]    Flat plate type display devices have lighter weight and smaller size, in comparison with the CRT, and various flat plate type display devices have been developed to provide full-color, high resolution and the like.  
           [0008]    In LCD devices, as a representative of the flat plate type display devices, an electric field is applied to liquid crystal molecules, and an alignment of the liquid crystal molecule is changed depending on the electric field, to thereby change optical properties of the liquid crystal, such as double refraction, optical rotatory power, dichroism, light scattering, etc. The LCD devices display images by using the changes of the optical properties of the liquid crystal.  
           [0009]    As mentioned above, the LCD devices are non-emissive type display devices, so that the LCD devices display images by reflecting the external light transmitted through an LCD panel or by using the light emitted from a light source, e.g. a backlight assembly, disposed below the LCD panel.  
           [0010]    This backlight assembly includes a lamp unit for emitting light, a light guiding plate (“LGP”) for guiding the light emitted from the lamp unit toward the LCD panel, a reflecting plate (or a reflector) disposed under the light guiding plate so as to reflect the lights leaked from the light guiding plate toward the light guiding plate, and optical sheets for enhancing brightness of the light exited from the light guiding plate.  
           [0011]    In general, the backlight assembly may be categorized into a flat type backlight assembly having lamp units at both sides of the light guiding plate and a wedge type backlight assembly having a lamp unit (lamp units) at one side of the light guiding plate, depending upon locations of the lamp units with respect to the light guiding plate.  
           [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a conventional flat type backlight assembly.  
           [0013]    Referring to FIG. 1, the flat type backlight assembly includes lamp reflectors  12   a  and  12   b , lamp units  14   a  and  14   b , and a reflection plate  18 . The lamp reflectors  12   a  and  12   b  are disposed on both sides of a light guiding plate  10 , and the lamp units  14   a  and  14   b  are received in the lamp reflectors  12   a  and  12   b . The light guiding plate  10  guides the light emitted from the lamp units  14   a  and  14   b  toward a diffusion sheet  16 , and the lamp reflectors  12   a  and  12   b  prevent the light emitted from the lamp units  14   a  and  14   b  from being leaked from the backlight assembly. The reflection plate  18  reflects the light leaked from the light guiding plate  10  toward the light guiding plate  10 .  
           [0014]    The light guiding plate  10  installed in the backlight assembly is comprised of a high polymer, e.g. polymethyl methacrylate (“PMMA”) or cyclic olefin polymer (“COP”), so that the light guiding plate  10  is the heaviest element of the elements in an LCD module. Accordingly, the wedge type backlight assembly may be proper for an LCD device of a lap top computer, in which a lighter weight and a slimmer size are important factors, rather than the flat type backlight assembly.  
           [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a conventional wedge type backlight assembly.  
           [0016]    Referring to FIG. 2, the wedge type backlight assembly includes a lamp reflector  22  and a lamp unit  24 . A light guiding plate  20  guides the light emitted from the lamp unit  24  toward a diffusion sheet  26 . The lamp reflector  22  is disposed on one side of the light guiding plate  20 , and prevents the light emitted from the lamp unit  24  from being leaked from the lamp unit  24 . The lamp unit  24  is disposed in the lamp reflector  22 . The backlight assembly further includes a reflecting plate  28  disposed under the light guiding plate  20  for reflecting the light leaked from a lower surface of the light guiding plate  20 .  
           [0017]    However, there is a limit in enhancing brightness of the backlight assembly when the backlight assembly employs a lamp reflector that provides specular reflection property.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0018]    The present invention provides an illuminating apparatus that can provide an enhanced brightness.  
           [0019]    Further, the present invention provides a backlight assembly including the illuminating apparatus.  
           [0020]    Furthermore, the present invention provides a liquid crystal display device including the illuminating apparatus.  
           [0021]    According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an illuminating apparatus comprising: a lamp for receiving an electric power signal to emit light; and a lamp reflector for partially covering the lamp and for receiving the light exited from the lamp, the lamp reflector having a plurality of protrusion portions to reflect and diffuse the received light.  
           [0022]    According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a backlight assembly comprising: a lamp for emitting light; a light guiding plate for guiding the light; and a lamp reflector, disposed adjacent to the lamp to partially cover the lamp and receiving the light exited from the lamp, the lamp reflector having a plurality of protrusion portions for reflecting and diffusing the receive light.  
           [0023]    According to further aspect of the invention, there is provided a liquid crystal display device comprising: a backlight unit, including a lamp for emitting a first light; a light guiding plate for guiding the first light; and a lamp reflector disposed adjacent to the lamp to partially cover the lamp and receiving the light exited from the lamp, the lamp reflector having a plurality of protrusion portions for reflecting and diffusing the received first light to generate a second light; and a display unit for displaying an image in response to the second light exit from the backlight unit, including a lower substrate; an upper substrate opposite to the lower substrate; and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the lower and the upper substrates.  
           [0024]    According to the illuminating apparatus, the backlight assembly and the LCD device having the same, the lamp reflector covering the lamp has protrusion portions. Preferably, the protrusion portions have a pointed end or a round end. A ‘diffuse reflection’ phenomenon (in which light is reflected and diffused) occurs at the protrusion portions of the reflecting surface, so that the brightness of the LCD device is enhanced.  
           [0025]    Also, a material having high reflectivity may be coated on the reflecting surface of the lamp reflector to provide enhanced brightness. Also, the lamp reflector that has protrusion portions for inducing the ‘diffuse reflection’ may be also applied to a lamp for home-use or a lamp for industrial purpose to enhance the brightness of the lamp. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0026]    The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing embodiments thereof in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a conventional flat type backlight assembly;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a conventional wedge type backlight assembly;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view showing a backlight assembly according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged sectional view showing a backlight assembly according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIGS. 5 a ,  5   b ,  5   c  and  5   d  are partially enlarged perspective views showing a lamp reflector according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an illuminating apparatus according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing a liquid crystal display device according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0034]    Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings. Also, descriptions related to elements, which are already described in a previous embodiment, may serve as a reference to descriptions of other elements, which are identical or similar to the elements of the previous embodiments, in following embodiments.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view showing a backlight assembly according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0036]    Referring to FIG. 3, a backlight assembly  50  according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a light guiding plate  52 , a lamp  53 , a lamp reflector  54 , a reflecting plate  55 , and an optical sheet  56 .  
         [0037]    The lamp  53  is disposed on one side of the light guiding plate  52 , and emits light. The lamp reflector  54  reflects the light emitted from the lamp  53  toward the light guiding plate  52 . The reflecting plate  55  is disposed under the light guiding plate  52 , and reflects the light exited from a lower surface of the light guiding plate  52  toward the light guiding plate  52 . The optical sheet  56  is disposed on the light guiding plate  52 , and controls brightness of the light guided by the light guiding plate  52  to output the light with enhanced brightness.  
         [0038]    The lamp reflector  54  is made of material comprising stainless steel or brass, and partially covers the lamp  53 . The lamp reflector  54  includes protrusion portions formed on an inner surface of the lamp reflector  54 , and a “diffuse reflection” phenomenon occurs on the inner surface of the lamp reflector  54 . For instance, the light emitted from the lamp  53  is incident into the inner surface of the lamp reflector  54  at an incident angle with respect to an incident plane, and is reflected and dispersed from the inner surface of the lamp reflector  54  at various angles regardless of the incident angle.  
         [0039]    As shown in FIG. 3, each protrusion portion on the inner surface (or reflecting surface) of the lamp reflector  54  may have a round end portion to reflect the light emitted from the lamp  53 . The protrusion portions having the round end portions may be made through a pressing process from the outer surface to the inner surface (‘A’ direction of FIGS. 3 and 4) of the lamp reflector  54 .  
         [0040]    The protrusion portions having the round end portions may have identical diameter and height, and be regularly arrayed on the inner surface of the lamp reflector  54 . Here, the diameter and height of each of the protrusion portions is measured with respect to a reference-reflecting surface (R-R′) of the inner surface of the lamp reflector  54 . Also, the protrusion portions having the round end portions may have different diameter and height, and be irregularly arrayed on the inner surface of the lamp reflector  54 .  
         [0041]    Preferably, each protrusion portion of the lamp reflector  54  may have a tapered shape. For instance, an area of the cross section of one of the protrusion portions may decrease according to approaching to an end of the protrusion portion from the reference reflection surface (R-R′). Hereinafter, the reference reflection surface (R-R′) is defined as a reflection surface of the lamp reflector  54  before the protrusion portions are formed by the pressing process.  
         [0042]    The protrusion portions may have various cross sections such as a circle shape, an ellipse shape, a triangle shape, a quadrangle shape, a pentagon shape and the like.  
         [0043]    In addition, material having high reflectivity, e.g. silver (Ag) and titanium (Ti) may be coated on the reflecting surface of the lamp reflector  54  to improve the enhanced brightness of the light. The material may be coated on the reflection surface of the lamp reflector  54  after the pressing process for producing the protrusion portions, or before the pressing process.  
         [0044]    The reflecting plate  55  is disposed under the light guiding plate  52  to reflect the light leaked from the light guiding plate  52  toward the light guiding plate  52 . Preferably, the reflecting plate  55  is comprised of the material having high reflectivity. The reflecting plate  55  may be a flexible type, such as a sheet. Also, the reflecting plate  55  may be a rigid type, such as a plate.  
         [0045]    The optical sheet  56  may include a diffusion sheet, prism sheets and a protective sheet, etc., and control the brightness of the light exited from the light guiding plate  52  to provide the light having the enhanced brightness to an LCD panel (not shown).  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged sectional view showing a backlight assembly according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0047]    Referring to FIG. 4, a backlight assembly  60  according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a light guiding plate  62 , a lamp  63 , a lamp reflector  64 , a reflecting plate  65  and an optical sheet  66 . The lamp  63  is disposed on one side of the light guiding plate  62  to emit light, and the lamp reflector  64  reflects the light emitted from the lamp  63  toward the light guiding plate  62 . The reflecting plate  65  is disposed under the light guiding plate  62 , and reflects the light emitted from the light guiding plate  62  to the light guiding plate  62 . The optical sheet  66  is disposed on the light guiding plate  62 , and controls the light exited from the light guiding plate  62 .  
         [0048]    The lamp reflector  64  has protrusion portions having a pointed end on an inner surface thereof, and the ‘diffuse reflection’ of the light emitted from the lamp  63  occurs at the protrusion portions. The protrusion portions having the pointed ends may be made through the pressing process in which a physical force is applied to the lamp reflector  64  from the inner surface to the outer surface (‘A’ direction of FIG. 4) of the lamp reflector  54 .  
         [0049]    The protrusion portions having the pointed ends may have identical diameter and height, and be regularly arrayed on the lamp reflector  64 . The sizes of the protrusion portions, such as the diameter and the height of the protrusion portions, are measured with respect to a reference-reflecting surface (R-R′) of the inner surface of the lamp reflector  64 . Also, each protrusion portion having the pointed end may have different diameter and height, and may be irregularly arrayed on the lamp reflector  64 .  
         [0050]    Preferably, each protrusion portion on the lamp reflector  64  may have a tapered shape. An area of the cross section of each protrusion portion may decrease according to approaching to an end of the protrusion portion from the reference reflection surface (R-R′). The protrusion portions may have various cross sections such as a circle shape, an ellipse shape, a triangle shape, a quadrangle shape, a pentagon shape and the like.  
         [0051]    In addition, the material having high reflectivity, e.g. silver (Ag) and titanium (Ti) may be coated on the reflecting surface of the lamp reflector  64  to improve the enhanced brightness of the light. The material may be coated on the reflection surface of the lamp reflector  64  after the pressing process for producing the protrusion portions, or before the pressing process.  
         [0052]    The reflecting plate  65  is disposed under the light guiding plate  62  to reflect the light leaked from the light guiding plate  62  toward the light guiding plate  62 . Preferably, the reflecting plate  65  is comprised of the material having high reflectivity. The reflecting plate  65  may be a flexible type, such as a sheet. Also, the reflecting plate  65  may be a rigid type, such as a plate.  
         [0053]    The optical sheet  66  may include a diffusion sheet, prism sheets and a protective sheet, etc., and control the brightness of the light exited from the light guiding plate  62  to provide the light having the enhanced brightness to an LCD panel (not shown).  
         [0054]    [0054]FIGS. 5A, 5B,  5 C and  5 D are partially enlarged perspective views showing a lamp reflector according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0055]    Referring to FIG. 5A, a lamp reflector  54   a  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a side section  54   a - 1 , a first coupling section  54   a - 2  and a second coupling section  54   a - 3 . The side section  54   a - 1  has an approximately curved face, and protrusion portions formed on the curved face. The first coupling section  54   a - 2  is extended from a first end of the side section  54   a - 1  toward an upper surface of a light guiding plate, which is received in the lamp reflector  54   a , by a first length (L4) to contact with the upper surface of the light guiding plate. The first coupling section  54   a - 2  has protrusion portions. The second coupling section  54   a - 3  is extended from a second end of the side section  54   a - 1  toward a lower surface of the light guiding plate by a second length (L5), which is longer than the first length (L4), to directly contact with the lower surface of the light guiding plate or to contact with a lower surface of a reflecting plate, under which the lamp reflector  54   a  is disposed. The second coupling section  54   a - 3  also has the protrusion portions. The first coupling section  54   a - 2  is shorter than the second coupling section  54   a - 3  such that the light guiding plate may be easily slid into the lamp reflector  54 - a.    
         [0056]    The protrusion portions are located on an entire surface of the lamp reflector  54   a  of FIG. 5A. Preferably, the light guiding plate may have recesses corresponding to the protrusion portions of the lamp reflector  54   a  on the upper and lower surface of the light guiding plate. When the light guiding plate has flat surfaces, the first and the second coupling sections  54   a - 2  and  54   a - 3  of the lamp reflector  54   a , which are contact with the light guiding plate, may not have the protrusion portions to have flat surfaces.  
         [0057]    Also, referring to FIG. 5B, a lamp reflector  54   b  according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a side section  54   b - 1 , a first coupling section  54   b - 2  and a second coupling section  54   b - 3 . The side section  54   b - 1  has an approximately flat face. The first coupling section  54   b - 2  is extended from a first end of the side section  54   b - 1  toward an upper surface of a light guiding plate, which is received in the lamp reflector  54   b , by a first length (L4) to contact with the upper surface of the light guiding plate. The second coupling section  54   b - 3  is extended from a second end of the side section  54   b - 1  toward a lower surface of the light guiding plate by a second length (L5), which is longer than the first length (L4), to directly contact with the lower surface of the light guiding plate or to contact with a lower surface of a reflecting plate, under which the lamp reflector  54   b  is disposed. The side section  54   b - 1 , first coupling section  54   b - 2  and second coupling section  54   b - 3  each have protrusion portions, and the ‘diffuse reflection’ of the light emitted from a lamp occurs at the protrusion portions.  
         [0058]    Referring to FIG. 5C, a lamp reflector  54   c , according to still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, has a wrinkled sheet shape on which protrusion portions are arranged parallel to a longitudinal axis of a lamp. The ‘diffuse reflection’ of the light emitted from the lamp occurs at the protrusion portions. The protrusion portions may be produced through a pressing process from an outer surface to an inner surface of the lamp reflector  54   c  or from the inner surface to the outer surface of the lamp reflector  54   c . The lamp reflector  54   c  further includes a side section  54   c - 1 , a first coupling section  54   c - 2  and a second coupling section  54   c - 3   
         [0059]    When the lamp reflector  54   c  is coupled with the upper and the lower surfaces of a light guiding plate (which is received in the lamp reflector  54   c ), the first and the second coupling sections  54   c - 2  and  54   c - 3 , which contact with the upper or lower surfaces of the light guiding plate, may not have the protrusion portions. Alternatively, when the protrusion portions are formed on the entire surface of the lamp reflector  54   c , the edge portions of the light guiding plate, which contact with the first and the second coupling sections  54   d - 2  and  54   d - 3 , may have protrusion portions corresponding to the protrusion portions of the lamp reflector  54   c.    
         [0060]    Referring to FIG. 5D, a lamp reflector  54   d , according to further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, has a wrinkled sheet shape on which protrusion portions are arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of a lamp. The ‘diffuse reflection’ of the light emitted from a lamp occurs at the protrusion portions. The protrusion portions may be produced through a pressing process from an outer surface to an inner surface of the lamp reflector  54   d  or from the inner surface to the outer surface of the lamp reflector  54   d . The lamp reflector  54   d  further includes a side section  54   d - 1 , a first coupling section  54   d - 2  and a second coupling section  54   d - 3 .  
         [0061]    When the lamp reflector  54   d  is coupled with the upper and the lower surfaces of a light guiding plate (which is received in the lamp reflector  54   d ),the first and the second coupling sections  54   d - 2  and  54   d - 3 , which contact with the upper or lower surface of the light guiding plate, may not have the protrusion portions. However, when the protrusion portions are formed on the entire surface of the lamp reflector  54   d , the edge portions of the light guiding plate, which contact with the first and the second coupling sections  54   d - 2  and  54   d - 3 , may have protrusion portions corresponding to the protrusion portions of the lamp reflector  54   d.    
         [0062]    Although not shown in FIGS. 5C and 5D, the protrusion portions of the lamp reflector  54   c  or  54   d  may be arranged to form a predetermined angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of a lamp. The ‘diffuse reflection’ of the light emitted from the lamp occurs at the protrusion portions.  
         [0063]    As mentioned above, the side section  54   a - 1 ,  54   b - 1 ,  54   c - 1  or  54   d - 1  of the lamp reflector  54   a ,  54   b ,  54   c  or  54   d  may have various shapes, and the first coupling section  54   a - 2 ,  54   b - 2 ,  54   c - 2  or  54   d - 2  may have a length identical to or different from a length of the second coupling section  54   a - 3 ,  54   b - 3 ,  54   c - 3  or  54   d - 3 .  
         [0064]    In addition, the protrusion portions of the lamp reflector  54   a ,  54   b ,  54   c  or  54   d  may have various shapes, e.g. a round shape, a pointed end shape and the like. Further, the cross sections of the protrusion portions of the lamp reflector  54   a ,  54   b ,  54   c  or  54   d  may have various faces, e.g. a circle, an ellipse, a triangle, a quadrangle, a pentagon and the like.  
         [0065]    [0065]FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an illuminating apparatus according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0066]    Referring to FIG. 6, an illuminating apparatus  70  according to an exemplary embodiment includes a lamp  71 , first and second lamp holders  72   a  and  72   b , first and second power supply lines  73   a  and  73   b , a connector  74  and a lamp reflector  75 .  
         [0067]    The lamp  71  emits light in response to the electric power supplied through the first and second power supply lines  73   a  and  73   b . The lamp  71  may be an EEFL (External Electrode Fluorescent Lamp) in which an external electrode (electrodes) is (are) formed on a glass tube of the EEFL. Also, the lamp  71  may be an IEFL (Inner Electrode Fluorescent Lamp). Also, the lamp  71  has a hot electrode (a first electrode) disposed at a first end portion of the lamp  71  to receive a (+) power voltage and a cold electrode (a second electrode) disposed at a second end portion of the lamp  71  to receive a (−) power voltage.  
         [0068]    The first lamp holder  72   a  receives the first end portion of the lamp  71  (or the first electrode), and the second lamp holder  72   b  receives the second end portion of the lamp  71  (or the second electrode). The first and second electrodes may be lead wires withdrawn toward an external surface of a lamp tube in an inner electrode fluorescent lamp, and may be lamp sockets covering a portion of the lamp tube in an external electrode fluorescent lamp.  
         [0069]    The first power supply line  73   a  supplies a first power signal to the first electrode of the lamp  71  through a first hole formed on the first lamp holder  72   a , and the second power supply line  73   b  supplies a second power signal to the second electrode of the lamp  71  through a second hole formed the second lamp holder  72   b.    
         [0070]    As shown in FIG. 6, the first power supply line  73   a  for supplying a high voltage power signal is shorter than the second power supply line  73   b  for supplying a low voltage power signal, since the first power supply line  73   a  may generate heat to damage surrounding electric devices when the first power supply line  73   a  is longer than the second power supply line  73   b.    
         [0071]    Preferably, the first power supply line  73   a  may be distinguished from the second power supply line  73   b  by a color. The second power supply line  73   b  is installed along an outer surface of the lamp reflector  75 , and the second power supply line  73   b  may be bonded on the outer surface of the lamp reflector  75  with an adhesion and the like.  
         [0072]    The connector  74  has a first connector  74   a  electrically connected to the first power supply line  73   a , and a second connector  74   b  electrically connected to the second power supply line  73   b . The connector  74  is connected with an inverter (not shown in FIG. 6) and supplies the first power signal and the second power signal to the first power supply line  73   a  and the second power supply line  73   b , respectively, thereby supplying the electric power to the lamp  71 . A plug type connector is employed in the illuminating apparatus of FIG. 6, but a socket type connector may be employed as the connector  74  of the present invention.  
         [0073]    The lamp reflector  75  partially covers the lamp  71 , the first lamp holder  72   a  and the second lamp holder  72   b . The lamp reflector  75  includes embossments on the inner surface thereof, and the ‘diffuse reflection’ of the light emitted from the lamp occurs at the embossments.  
         [0074]    The lamp reflector  75  of the present invention is applied to a backlight assembly installed in an LCD device, but may be also applied to other devices, apparatus and appliances including an illuminating apparatus. For example, the lamp reflector  75 , which has protrusion portions for inducing the ‘diffuse reflection’ instead of inducing ‘specular reflection’, may be also applied to a lamp for home-use or a lamp for industrial purpose to enhance the brightness of the lamp.  
         [0075]    [0075]FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing a liquid crystal display device according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0076]    Referring to FIG. 7, an LCD device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a backlight assembly  100 , a mold frame (or receiving container)  200 , a display unit  300 , a rear case  400 , a top chassis  500  and a front case  600 .  
         [0077]    The backlight assembly  100  includes a lamp  71  for emitting light, a lamp reflector  75  for partially covering the lamp  71  to reflect the light emitted from the lamp  71  toward a light guiding plate  110 , the light guiding plate  110  for guiding the light toward the display unit  300  to change the path of the light, optical sheets  150  for controlling the brightness of the light exited from the light guiding plate  110 , and a reflecting plate  140  disposed under the light guiding plate  110  to reflect the light leaked from the light guiding plate  110  toward the light guiding plate  110 .  
         [0078]    The mold frame  200  has four sidewalls and a rib, and receives the backlight assembly  100 . The four sidewalls seal the backlight assembly  100 , and the rib is formed at the bottom of the mold frame  200 . An edge of one of the sidewalls adjacent to one end of the lamp  71  may has a guiding portion in order that the lamp  71  and the lamp reflector  75  are easily attached and detached from the mold frame  200 . The lamp  71  and the lamp reflector  75  are slid through the guiding portion, to thereby be installed in the mold frame  200 .  
         [0079]    The display unit  300  is disposed on the backlight assembly  100 , and receives the light emitted from the backlight assembly  100  to display images. The display unit  300  includes an LCD panel  311 , gate-side and data-side printed circuit boards (“PCB”)  312  and  313 , and gate and data tape carrier packages  314  and  315 .  
         [0080]    The rear case  400  is coupled with the front case  600  to receive the mold frame  200 , which receives the backlight assembly  100  and the display unit  300 . The top chassis  500  is disposed between the front case  600  and the display unit  300 .  
         [0081]    Although exemplary preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, it is to be understood that the present invention should not be limited to these preferred embodiments, but that various changes and modifications can be made by one skilled in the art while remaining within the spirit and scope of the present invention as hereinafter claimed.