Patent ID: 8075150

Claim:
A backlight unit configured for illuminating a rear of a transmissive display panel with light, comprising: a chassis; a plurality of light source substrates, each having a light source configured to face the rear of the display panel; a base member made of sheet metal on one side of which the light source substrates are mounted and which is fixed to a rear of the chassis; and a plurality of heat pipes attached to an opposite side of the base member and configured to receive via the base member heat generated by the light sources, wherein, the heat pipes are located in registry with the light sources, the base member has a lengthwise direction and is corrugated to have (a) a plurality of groove portions extending in the lengthwise direction and (b) a plurality of alternating upper and lower planes, the light source substrates extend in the lengthwise direction and are mounted on top of respective upper planes of the base member, and the heat pipes extend in the lengthwise direction of the light source substrates under the respective upper planes.