Patent ID: 7229193

Claim:
A backlight unit comprising: a case defining a size of said backlight unit, said size having a length and a width; a plurality of lamps housed in said case, wherein said case is divided into at least a first area and a second area, a first portion of said plurality of lamps being provided in said first area and extending partially into said second area, a second portion of said plurality of lamps being provided in said second area and extending partially into said first area, such that ends of said second portion of said plurality of lamps in said second area overlap with ends of said first portion of said plurality of lamps in said first area; a reflective member provided below said plurality of lamps; and a first surface of said reflective member, underlying said overlapped portions of said plurality of lamps, at a juncture of said first and second areas, having a reflection characteristic which is different than surfaces of said reflective member underlying said first and second areas.