Patent ID: 8801210

Claim:
A backlight device comprising: a light source element extending linearly along a central zone of the backlight device, the light source element comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes and a plurality of lenses that spread out light from the light emitting diodes; a housing configured to contain the light source element; a diffuser plate provided so as to cover an opening in the housing; and a reflection sheet configured to reflect light emitted from the light source element, toward the diffuser plate, wherein each of the plurality of lenses of the light source element has an incident surface which light from the light emitting diodes enters, and an exit surface from which the light goes out having been spread, and in the light source element, the plurality of lenses are arrayed in a plurality of rows extending linearly along the central zone, the plurality of lenses being arrayed such that linear inter-lens intervals between lenses in row-longitudinal center and edge regions are narrower than between lenses in row-longitudinal regions intervening between the center and edge regions.