U.S. patent application number 11/715908 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-07 for display module cabinet.
This patent application is currently assigned to LG Electronics, Inc.. Invention is credited to Ho Keun Jeon, Chang Sub Kim, Jae Ho Kim, Jong Hwa Kim, Moon Hee Lee, Jong Man Park, Kum Young Yun.
Application Number | 20080030112 11/715908 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37950915 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080030112 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee; Moon Hee ; et
al. |
February 7, 2008 |
Display module cabinet
Abstract
Provided is a display module cabinet having the slim front frame
width and improved design and keeping strength against breakage. In
addition, provided is the cabinet having the elegant rear cover,
which reduces costs and time in assembling the display device. The
cabinet includes a front cover and a rear cover. The front cover
includes a front frame portion defining an opening and a side frame
portion extended backward from the front frame portion and
including a thick portion and a thin portion that are sequentially
formed. The rear cover includes a rear portion and a peripheral
portion extended forward from the rear portion and including a
thick portion and a thin portion that are sequentially formed. A
protruding portion is extended backward from the thick portion of
the front cover so as to be interposed between the thin portion of
the rear cover and the display module. A protruding portion is
extended forward from the thick portion of the rear cover so as to
be interposed between the thin portion of the front cover and the
display module.
Inventors: |
Lee; Moon Hee; (Goomi-si,
KR) ; Kim; Jong Hwa; (Goomi-si, KR) ; Yun; Kum
Young; (Goomi-si, KR) ; Kim; Chang Sub;
(Oeiseong-koon, KR) ; Jeon; Ho Keun; (Goomi-si,
KR) ; Kim; Jae Ho; (Seoul, KR) ; Park; Jong
Man; (Daegoo-si, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Assignee: |
LG Electronics, Inc.
|
Family ID: |
37950915 |
Appl. No.: |
11/715908 |
Filed: |
March 9, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/223.1 ;
348/E5.128 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 1/1601 20130101;
H04N 5/64 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/223.1 |
International
Class: |
A47B 81/00 20060101
A47B081/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 3, 2006 |
KR |
10-2006-0073217 |
Claims
1. A display module cabinet comprising: a front cover including a
front frame portion defining an opening and a side frame portion
extended backward from the front frame portion, the side frame
portion including a thick portion and a thin portion that are
alternatively formed; and a rear cover including a rear portion and
a peripheral portion extended forward from the rear portion, the
peripheral portion including a thick portion and a thin portion
that are alternatively formed; wherein the front cover further
includes a protruding portion extending backward from the thick
portion of the front cover so as to be interposed between the thin
portion of the rear cover and a display module, and the rear cover
further includes a protruding portion extending forward from the
thick portion of the rear cover so as to be interposed between the
thin portion of the front cover and the display module.
2. The display module cabinet according to claim 1, wherein the
thin portion of the front cover is a portion where an inner surface
of the side frame portion is sunken, and the thin portion of the
rear cover is a portion where an inner surface of the peripheral
portion is sunken.
3. The display module cabinet according to claim 1, wherein a first
hooking portion is formed on an inner surface of the thin portion
of one of the front cover and the rear cover, and a second hooking
portion is formed in the protruding portion formed on the
corresponding thick portion of the other of the front cover and the
rear cover.
4. The display module cabinet according to claim 3, wherein the
first hooking portion comprises an inclined portion.
5. The display module cabinet according to any one of claims 1
through 4, wherein the thick and thin portions are connected
smoothly with each other.
6. The display module cabinet according to any one of claims 1
through 4, wherein the thick portions of the front and rear covers
has a thickness in a range of 2 mm to 4 mm.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a cabinet for accommodating
a display module such as an LCD module.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a
conventional display module cabinet. Referring to FIG. 1, a front
cover 2 and a rear cover 3 are assembled by screws 6 in order to
include a display module 1. Bosses 5 for the screws 6 are also
needed and thus a width (W1) of a front frame portion 2a in the
front cover 2 requires a predetermined minimum dimension (e.g.
minimum 3 cm). Therefore, ribs 4 having a predetermined dimension
are formed on an inner surface of the front cover 2. The ribs 4
guide the display module 1 to a position thereof.
[0005] However the wide width (W1) of the display device (e.g. a
computer monitor) above is not suitable for recent trends such as
miniaturization and slim design in display device design.
[0006] In addition, because of the screws 6 assembling the front
cover 2 and the rear cover 3 together, it costs more and takes more
time to assemble the display device. Although rear cover design may
be sometimes important (e.g. customers used to look at a rear cover
of a display device at a bank), the screws 4 also restrict the rear
cover design.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a display
device that substantially obviates one or more problems due to
limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a display
module cabinet having a slim front frame width and improved
design.
[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
display module cabinet having an elegant rear cover, which reduces
costs and time in assembling the display device.
[0010] Additional advantages, objects, and features of the
invention will be set forth in part in the description which
follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary
skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be
learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other
advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the
structure particularly pointed out in the written description and
claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
[0011] To achieve these objects and other advantages and in
accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and
broadly described herein, there is provided a display module
cabinet including a front cover including a front frame portion
defining an opening, and a side frame portion extended backward
from the front frame portion and including a thick portion and a
thin portion that are sequentially formed and a rear cover
including a rear portion, and a peripheral portion extended forward
from the rear portion and including a thick portion and a thin
portion that are sequentially formed, wherein the front cover
further includes a protruding portion extended backward from the
thick portion of the front cover so as to be interposed between the
thin portion of the rear cover and the display module, and the rear
cover further includes a protruding portion extended forward from
the thick portion of the rear cover so as to be interposed between
the thin portion of the front cover and the display module.
[0012] The thin portion of the front cover may be an inner surface
of the side frame portion having a sunken portion, and the thin
portion of the rear cover may be an inner surface of the peripheral
portion having a sunken portion.
[0013] A first hooking portion may be formed on an inner surface of
the thin portion of at least one of the front cover and the rear
cover, and a second hooking portion may be formed in the protruding
portion formed on the thick portion of the other of the front cover
and the rear cover.
[0014] The first hooking portion may include an inclined
portion.
[0015] Corners of the sequentially formed thick and thin portions
may be rounded.
[0016] The thick portions of the front and rear covers may have
thicknesses in a range of 2 to 4 mm.
[0017] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description of the present
invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide
further explanation of the invention as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a
further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of
the invention and together with the description serve to explain
the principle of the invention. In the drawings:
[0019] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a
conventional display module cabinet;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a rear cover
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a front cover according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of
FIG. 3; and
[0023] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of portion V of FIG. 3
illustrating assembling a front and second covers according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0024] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the
same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to
refer to the same or like parts.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 3, a front cover 10 includes a front frame
portion 11 and a side frame portion 12. The front frame portion 11
defines an opening 11a. The side frame portion 12 is extended
backward (X-axis direction) from the front frame portion 11 and
includes a thick portion 13 and a thin portion 14 that are
alternatively formed. In a display module, the opening 11a is a
display portion displaying images. That is, the opening 11a is a
hole or a transparent member in order to display images for users.
The thin portion 14 of the front cover 10 is a portion where an
inner surface 12a of the side frame portion 12 is sunken.
[0026] Referring to FIG. 2, a rear cover 20 includes a rear portion
21 and a peripheral portion 22. The peripheral portion 22 is
extended forward (-X-axis direction) from the rear portion 21 and
includes a thick portion 23 and a thin portion 24 that are
alternatively formed. The thin portion 24 of the rear cover 20 is a
portion where an inner surface 22a of the peripheral portion 22 is
sunken.
[0027] The thicknesses of the thick portion 13 of the front cover
10 and the thick portion 23 of the rear cover 20 are in a range of
2 to 4 mm. The thickness of the thick portion 23 of the rear cover
10 is 4 mm. The thicknesses of the covers 10 and 20 may vary on
specific plastic materials used for a molding.
[0028] In the front cover 10 and the rear cover 20, borders between
thick portions 13 and 23 and the thin portions 14 and 24 are
preferably rounded, because of a method of manufacturing the front
cover 10 and the rear cover 20. That is, the front cover 10 and the
rear cover 20 are formed by a plastic injection molding. When an
edge feature is between the thick portions 13 and 23 and the thin
portions 14 and 24, cracks may appear between the thick portions 13
and 23 and the thin portions 14 and 24 due to the thermal
contraction difference during cooling. Because of the cracks, the
front cover 10 and/or the rear cover 20 may be broken when the
front cover 10 and the rear cover 20 are assembled and/or detached
from each other. Therefore, the thick portions 13 and 23 are
smoothly connected with the thin portions 14 and 24 without an edge
feature, respectively.
[0029] Protruding portions 15 are formed at the thick portion 13 of
the front cover 10. The protruding portions 15 are protruded
backward and extended to be interposed between the thin portion 24
of the rear cover 20 and a display module 30. Protruding portions
25 and 26 are formed at the thick portion 23 of the rear cover 20.
The protruding portions 25 and 26 are protruded forward and
extended to be interposed between the thin portion 14 of the front
cover 10 and the display module 30. These protrusions 15, 25, and
26 prevent the front cover 10 and the rear cover 20 from being
separated from each other in an arbitrary direction in the
YZ-plane.
[0030] A first hooking portion 16 is formed on the inner surface
12a of the thin portion 14 of at least one of the front cover 10
and the rear cover 20 and a second hooking portion 25a is formed in
the corresponding protruding portion 25 on the thick portion 23 of
the other of the front cover 10 and the rear cover 20 (although the
present embodiment is described from the premise that the first
hooking portion 16 is formed in the front cover 10 and the second
hooking portion 25a is formed in the rear cover 20, the opposite is
possible, too).
[0031] When the front and rear cover 10 and 20 are pushed against
each other in parallel with the X-axis, the first and second
hooking portions 16 and 25a hook to each other. Therefore, the
first and second hooking portions 16 and 25a are not detached from
each other in parallel with the X-axis. When an inclined portion
16a illustrated in FIG. 4 is formed on the first hooking portion
16, the first and second hooking portions 16 and 25a easily hook to
each other using small push strength.
[0032] Under the structure of the front and rear cover 10 and 20,
although irregular strength is generally applied on a display
device, the front and rear cover 10 and 20 are not detached from
each other in any direction. The irregular strength is caused by
the use and move of the display device. Therefore, unlike a
conventional cabinet, a cabinet 9 according to the current
embodiment does not require the screws 6 and bosses 5 illustrated
in FIG. 1. The ribs 4 illustrated in FIG. 1 are not required,
either. As a result, a width (W2) of the front frame portion 11 of
the cabinet 9 according to the present invention is remarkably
smaller than the width (W1) of the front frame portion 2a of the
conventional front cover 2 illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0033] In detail, a diameter of the bosses 5 illustrated in FIG. 1
is at least 1 cm. Therefore, the front frame portion 11 according
to the present invention is smaller than the front frame portion 2a
illustrated in FIG. 1 by 1 cm in Y, -Y, Z, and -Z-axis directions,
respectively. Therefore, the size of a display device becomes
small, which improves total design of the display device. Although
ribs 19 and 29 with a length of about 5 mm illustrated in FIGS. 2
and 3 are formed to make a lower portion of the front frame portion
11 thick, which gives a user visual stability, they are not
essential.
[0034] As described above, the front and rear cover 10 and 20 are
pushed against each other to be assembled according to the present
invention, which reduces costs and time in assembling the cabinet
9. In addition, the cabinet 9 has the elegant rear cover 20 without
the screws 6.
[0035] Meanwhile, one of the side frame portion 12 of the front
cover 10 and the peripheral portion 22 of the rear cover 20 could
be designed to have a thick portion with a thickness from 2 to 4 mm
all around and the other may have a thin portion all around.
However, under this construction, positioning the display module 30
is inconvenient, and the other having the thin portion all around
is excessively weak.
[0036] According to the present invention, the display module
cabinet having the slim front frame width and improved design is
provided. In addition, the display module cabinet having the
elegant rear cover is provided, which reduces costs and time in
assembling the display device. Furthermore, the display module
cabinet having the strong front and rear covers is provided.
[0037] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and variations can be made in the present invention.
Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the
modifications and variations of this invention provided they come
within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *