Patent ID: 8264633

Claim:
A backlight unit comprising: a plurality of lamps including a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes, respectively; a first substrate including a first common electrode pattern formed thereon and commonly connected to the plurality of first electrodes; a second substrate including a second common electrode pattern formed thereon and commonly connected to the plurality of second electrodes; a bottom case for receiving the first and second substrates and the plurality of lamps; a first inverter unit disposed on a rear surface of the bottom case at a position corresponding to the first substrate; a second inverter unit disposed on the rear surface of the bottom case at a position corresponding to the second substrate; a first wire electrically connecting the first common electrode pattern and the first inverter unit to each other via a first upper through hole in the first substrate and a first lower through hole in the bottom case; a second wire electrically connecting the second common electrode pattern and the second inverter unit to each other via a second upper through hole in the second substrate and a second lower through hole in the bottom case; a plurality of first sockets fixing the plurality of first electrodes thereto such that the plurality of first electrodes is connected to the first common electrode pattern, wherein the first sockets are integrated with the first common electrode pattern; and a plurality of second sockets fixing the plurality of second electrodes thereto such that the plurality of second electrodes is connected to the second common electrode pattern, wherein the second sockets are integrated with the second common electrode pattern.