Patent ID: 7258462

Claim:
A backlight unit for providing illumination brightness at a constant temperature comprising: an outer container having an operative upper vertical frame portion and an operative lower vertical frame portion; a curved fluorescent lamp that is contained in the outer container and includes two electrodes and a glass bulb that has (1) a folded portion and (ii) two straight portions that extend in parallel with each other from the folded portion, and the two electrodes being respectively attached to two ends of the glass bulb; and an inverter operable to supply power for lighting to the curved fluorescent lamp, wherein the inverter is disposed outside the outer container, and the curved fluorescent lamp is arranged so that the electrodes are at low positions adjacent the lower frame portion and the folded portion is at a high position in the outer container adjacent the upper frame portion for operation of the backlight unit wherein heat generated by the electrodes rises within the outer container towards the folded portion to maintain a substantially constant temperature along the folded portion and the two straight portions.