U.S. patent application number 12/318456 was filed with the patent office on 2009-05-14 for display device and method of assembling the display device.
This patent application is currently assigned to Hitachi Displays, Ltd.. Invention is credited to Shiro Ueda.
Application Number | 20090122224 12/318456 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37597367 |
Filed Date | 2009-05-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090122224 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ueda; Shiro |
May 14, 2009 |
Display device and method of assembling the display device
Abstract
A display device includes: a reflection plate; plural light
sources disposed above the reflection plate; an optical member
disposed above the plural light sources; a support member disposed
standing on a bottom surface of the reflection plate; a frame
member that houses the reflection plate and the light sources; and
a display panel disposed above the optical member. The support
member includes: a standing support portion that is disposed
standing on and supports the reflection plate; an optical member
support portion that supports the optical member; and a leg portion
that protrudes downward of the reflection plate and the frame
member and is bent in a direction along the standing support
member.
Inventors: |
Ueda; Shiro; (Chiba,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Stanley P. Fisher;Reed Smith LLP
3110 Fairview Park Drive, Suite 1400
Falls Church
VA
22042-4503
US
|
Assignee: |
Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
|
Family ID: |
37597367 |
Appl. No.: |
12/318456 |
Filed: |
December 30, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11480519 |
Jul 5, 2006 |
7489372 |
|
|
12318456 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
349/58 ;
362/97.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02F 1/133604 20130101;
G02F 1/133608 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
349/58 ;
362/97.2 |
International
Class: |
G02F 1/13357 20060101
G02F001/13357 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 8, 2005 |
JP |
2005-199860 |
Claims
1. A display device comprising: a display panel; a backlight unit;
the backlight unit including; a frame member, a reflection plate
disposed in the frame member, a plurality of light sources disposed
between the reflection plate and the display panel, an optical
member disposed between the light sources and the display panel, a
support member disposed on the reflection plate, wherein the
support member includes; a standing support portion that is
arranged in parallel to the reflection plate, an optical member
support portion that supports the optical member and is arranged in
the perpendicular direction to the reflection plate, a leg portion
that penetrated the reflection plate and the frame member, and has
bend portion which is bent in the direction parallel to the
standing support portion, a light source support portion which
supports the light source is formed in the optical member support
portion.
2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the reflection plate has
a through hole for the leg portion to penetrate, and the through
hole in the reflection plate has a first side in parallel to the
direction in which the leg portion of the support member is bent
and a second curved side.
3. The display device of claim 1, wherein the frame member has a
first hole for the leg portion to penetrate and a second hole
formed in the adjoining position to the first hole, and the leg
portion has a protrusion that protrudes into the second hole.
4. The display device of claim 3, wherein two of protrusions are
formed in one of the support member, two of the second hole are
formed one of the support member.
5. The display device of claim 4, wherein the leg portion has a
first leg portion and a second leg portion.
6. The display device of claim 3, wherein two of protrusions are
formed in one of the support member, one of the second hole is
formed one of the support member, and two protrusions are inserted
in the one of second hole.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Continuation application of U.S.
application Ser. No. 11/480,519 filed on Jul. 5, 2006. Priority is
claimed based on U.S. application Ser. No. 11/480,519 filed on Jul.
5, 2006, which claims priority to Japanese application 2005-199860
filed on Jul. 8, 2005, all of which is hereby incorporated by
reference into this application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a display device and a
method of assembling the display device, and more particularly to
technology effectively applied to a display device which includes
support members that are disposed standing on a reflection plate
and support an optical member disposed above the reflection
plate.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Conventionally, among display devices, there is a display
device where light sources (a backlight unit) are disposed under
(behind) a display panel, such as in a liquid crystal display
device, for example.
[0006] The backlight unit is one where, for example, light sources
such as cold-cathode fluorescent tubes are disposed above (in front
of) a reflection plate, and where an optical member such as a light
diffusion plate or an optical sheet is disposed above the light
sources. A display panel is disposed above (in front of) the
optical member.
[0007] Further, at this time, support members that support the
optical member are disposed standing on the bottom surface of the
reflection plate (e.g., see JP-A-7-64084).
[0008] In the backlight (lighting device) disclosed in
JP-A-7-64084, an auxiliary reflection portion that protrudes inward
in a chevron-like shape is integrally coupled at a width-direction
intermediate portion of the bottom surface of the reflection plate
and between a pair of fluorescent lamps. Part of the auxiliary
reflective portion is formed as a planar surface, and the support
member is disposed standing on this planar surface.
[0009] However, when the chevron-shaped auxiliary reflection
portion and the planar surface are disposed on the bottom surface
of the reflection portion, as in the reflection portion of the
backlight disclosed in JP-A-7-64084, it is conceivable for there to
be the problem that it becomes easy for the reflection portion to
twist and bend such that the uniformity ratio of reflection light
drops.
[0010] Thus, in recent years, a method has been proposed where, as
shown in FIG. 17 for example, the bottom surface of a reflection
plate 202 is made planar, holes through which a leg portion 205b of
a support member 205 passes are disposed in the reflection plate
202 and in a frame member 201, and a pawl 205f of the leg portion
205b of the support member 205 catches on the frame member 201.
[0011] However, in the case of the method shown in FIG. 17, there
has been the problem that when the support member 205 is to be
attached, it is difficult to align the hole in the reflection plate
202 and the leg portion 205b of the support member 205, and the
workability has been poor.
[0012] Further, in the case of the method shown in FIG. 17, it is
easy for the problem of the pawl 205f of the support member 205
breaking and becoming extraneous, or that the support member 205
cannot be fixed, to arise.
[0013] Further, in the case of the method shown in FIG. 17, a
protruding height x2 of the leg portion 205b of the support member
205 becomes large. For this reason, there is the problem that the
attachment height becomes high when a circuit board including a
circuit such as a timing controller is attached in the region where
the leg portion 205b of the support member 205 protrudes, for
example.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] It is an object of the present invention to provide
technology capable of improving workability when support members
are to be attached to a reflection plate.
[0015] It is another object of the present invention to provide
technology capable of reducing damage to the support members when
the support members are to be attached to the reflection plate.
[0016] It is still another object of the present invention to
provide technology capable of reducing the protruding height of leg
portions of the support members when the support members are to be
attached to the reflection plate.
[0017] These and other objects and novel characteristics of the
present invention will become apparent from the description of this
specification and the attached drawings.
[0018] The invention disclosed in this application can be described
as follows.
[0019] A first aspect of the present invention provides a display
device comprising: a reflection plate; plural light sources
disposed above the reflection plate; an optical member disposed
above the plural light sources; a support member disposed standing
on a bottom surface of the reflection plate; a frame member that
houses the reflection plate and the light sources; and a display
panel disposed above the optical member, wherein the support member
includes a standing support portion that is disposed standing on
and supported by the reflection plate, an optical member support
portion that supports the optical member, and a leg portion that
protrudes downward of the reflection plate and the frame member and
is bent in a direction along the standing support member.
[0020] In the first aspect, the reflection plate may include a hole
through which the leg portion of the support member passes, and the
hole in the reflection plate may include two sides parallel to the
direction in which the leg portion of the support member is
bent.
[0021] Further, in the first aspect, the frame member may include a
second hole in the vicinity of a first hole through which the leg
portion of the support member passes, and the leg portion of the
support member may include a protrusion that protrudes into the
second hole.
[0022] Moreover, in the first aspect, the leg portion of the
support member may protrude outward of the standing support
portion.
[0023] Further still, in the first aspect, the support member may
include, on a side surface of the optical member support portion, a
light source support portion that supports the light sources.
[0024] A second aspect of the present invention provides a method
of assembling a display device where a reflection plate is disposed
on a frame member, a support member is disposed standing on and
supported by the reflection plate, and then a light source and an
optical member are disposed above the reflection plate, the method
comprising: inserting, into holes disposed in the frame member and
the reflection plate, a leg portion of the support member that
protrudes downward of a standing support portion disposed standing
on and supported by the reflection plate and is bent in a direction
along the standing support portion; and sliding the support member
in the direction in which the leg portion is bent such that the
frame member and the reflection plate are fitted between and
supported by the standing support portion and the leg portion.
[0025] In the second aspect, the method may further comprise
disposing a second hole in the vicinity of a first hole in the
frame member through which the leg portion of the support member
passes, and fitting a protrusion of the leg portion of the support
member into the second hole to fix the support member.
[0026] As described above, in the display device of the present
invention, the leg portion of the support member is bent in the
direction along the standing support portion. At this time, the
support member is disposed standing on and supported by the
reflection plate by the method of the second aspect, and the
reflection plate and the frame member are fitted between and fixed
by the standing support portion and the leg portion. For this
reason, damage to the leg portion can be reduced in comparison to a
support member that fixes with the pawl shown in FIG. 17. Further,
the protruding height of the leg portion can also be reduced.
[0027] Further, when the hole including parallel two sides is
disposed in the reflection plate, not only is the support member
slid along the parallel two sides when the display device is
assembled by the method of the second aspect, but the workability
of the assembly is improved.
[0028] Further, when the second hole is disposed in the frame
member and the display device is assembled, the support member can
be easily fixed.
[0029] Further, when the leg portion of the support member
protrudes outward of the standing support portion, it becomes
easier to align the direction of the support member with the hole
in the reflection plate when the support member is to be attached
to the reflection plate, and the workability is improved.
[0030] Further, at this time, the support member may also include
the light source support portion that supports the light
source.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] An embodiment of the present invention will be described
below based on the following figures, wherein:
[0032] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the general
configuration of a display device of the embodiment according to
the invention, and is a perspective view showing the schematic
configuration of the display device;
[0033] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the general
configuration of the display device of the embodiment according to
the invention, and is a front view showing a configural example of
a backlight unit;
[0034] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the general
configuration of the display device of the embodiment according to
the invention, and is a bottom view of a region L shown in FIG.
2;
[0035] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the general
configuration of the display device of the embodiment according to
the invention, and is a cross-sectional view along line A-A' shown
in FIG. 3;
[0036] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the general
configuration of the display device of the embodiment according to
the invention, and is a cross-sectional view along line B-B' shown
in FIG. 3;
[0037] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for describing a method of
assembling the display device of the embodiment, and is a diagram
describing a method of inserting a leg portion of a support
member;
[0038] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram for describing the method of
assembling the display device of the embodiment, and is a side
sectional view of FIG. 6;
[0039] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for describing the method of
assembling the display device of the embodiment, and is a diagram
describing a method of fixing the support member;
[0040] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram for describing the method of
assembling the display device of the embodiment, and is a side
sectional view of FIG. 8;
[0041] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for describing a modification
of the embodiment;
[0042] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram for describing a modification
of the embodiment;
[0043] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram for describing a modification
of the embodiment;
[0044] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram for describing a modification
of the embodiment;
[0045] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram for describing a modification
of the embodiment;
[0046] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram for describing a modification
of the embodiment;
[0047] FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram for describing a modification
of the embodiment; and
[0048] FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram for describing a conventional
method of fixing a support member.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0049] The present invention will be described in detail below
together with an embodiment with reference to the drawings.
[0050] It will be noted that, in all of the drawings for describing
the embodiment, the same reference numerals will be given to
members having the same functions, and redundant description
thereof will be omitted.
[0051] In the display device of the invention, by making a shape
that the leg portion of the support member which is disposed
standing on the reflection plate is bent in a direction along the
standing support of the support member, the damage upon attachment
is prevented and further the protruding height is reduced. Also, by
sliding and fixing the support member, the workability upon
attachment is improved.
[0052] FIGS. 1 to 5 are schematic diagrams showing the general
configuration of a display device of an embodiment according to the
present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the general
configuration of the display device, FIG. 2 is a front view showing
a configural example of a backlight unit, FIG. 3 is a bottom view
of a region L shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view
along line A-A' shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional
view along line B-B' shown in FIG. 3. It will be noted that FIGS. 4
and 5 are diagrams where up and down have been reversed.
[0053] In FIG. 1, 1 is a display panel, 2 is a backlight unit, 3 is
a frame member (upper frame), 4 is a printed circuit board, and 5
are semiconductor packages. Further, in FIGS. 2 to 5, 201 is a
frame member (lower frame), 201a are holes through which leg
portions of support members pass, 201b are holes into which
protrusions of the leg portions fit, 202 is a reflection plate,
202a are holes through which the leg portions of the support
members pass, 203 are light sources, 204 is an optical member, 205
are the support members, 205a are standing support portions of the
support members 205, 205b are the leg portions of the support
members 205, and 205c are the protrusions of the leg portions
205b.
[0054] As shown in FIG. 1, the display device of the present
embodiment includes the display panel 1, the backlight unit 2
disposed under (behind) the display panel 1, and the frame member
(upper frame) 3 that integrally supports the display panel 1 and
the backlight unit 2. Further, the printed circuit board 4 is
disposed on the outer peripheral portion of the display panel 1,
and wires of the display panel 1 and wires of the printed circuit
board 4 are electrically connected via the semiconductor packages
5, which comprise a tape carrier package (TCP) on which a driver IC
is mounted or a chip on film (COF), for example. Further, although
it is not shown, the printed circuit board 4 is electrically
connected to another circuit board including a circuit such as a
timing controller, for example.
[0055] The display panel 1 is a transmissive display panel, such as
a liquid crystal display panel, and presents images and video by
transmitting the light from the backlight unit 2.
[0056] Further, the backlight unit 2 is a sub-unit where the light
sources are disposed behind the display panel 1. For example, as
shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the reflection plate 202 is housed in the
frame member (lower frame) 201, and the light sources 203, which
comprise cold-cathode fluorescent tubes, for example, are plurally
disposed above (in front of) the reflection plate 202. Further, an
optical member 204 such as a light diffusion plate or an optical
sheet is disposed above the light sources 203.
[0057] Further, at this time, the support members 205 that support
the optical member 204 are disposed standing on the reflection
plate 202. The support members 205 are for preventing the optical
member 204 from bending or warping. For example, as shown in FIG.
2, the support members 205 are disposed standing on plural places
on the reflection plate 202.
[0058] Further, in the display device of the present embodiment,
the support members 205 include the leg portions 205b that are
disposed on the rear sides of the standing support portions 205a
contacting the reflection plate 202, pass through the holes 202a
and 201a in the reflection plate 202 and the lower frame 201, and
have shapes that are bent in the direction along the standing
support portions 205a. Additionally, the support members 205 are
disposed standing on and supported by the reflection plate 202 as a
result of the reflection plate 202 and the lower frame 201 being
fitted between the standing support portions 205a and the leg
portions 205b.
[0059] Further, at this time, the second holes 201b are disposed in
the lower frame 201 in the vicinity of the first holes 201a through
which the leg portions 205b of the support members 205 pass.
Additionally, the protrusions 205c that fit into the second holes
201b are disposed on the leg portions 205b of the support members
205.
[0060] FIGS. 6 to 9 are schematic diagrams for describing a method
of assembling the display device of the present embodiment. FIG. 6
is a diagram describing a method of inserting the leg portions 205b
of the support members 205, FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of FIG.
6, FIG. 8 is a diagram describing a method of fixing the support
members 205, and FIG. 9 is a side sectional view of FIG. 8.
[0061] When the display device of the present embodiment is to be
assembled, first, the reflection plate 202 is disposed on the lower
frame 201, and the support members 205 are disposed standing. At
this time, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the holes 201a and 202a,
which are larger than the outer shapes of the leg portions 205b of
the support members 205 and are smaller than the outer shapes of
the standing support portions 205a, are formed in the lower frame
201 and the reflection plate 202. Further, at this time, the holes
(second holes) 201b, into which the protrusions 205c of the leg
portions 205b fit, are formed in the lower frame 201. Additionally,
the leg portions 205b of the support members 205 are inserted into
the holes 201a and 202a in the lower frame 201 and the reflection
plate 202.
[0062] Further, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, the holes formed
in the lower frame 201 and the reflection plate 202--that is, the
holes 201a and 202a into which the leg portions 205b of the support
members 205 are inserted--are rectangular holes having two sides H1
and H2 that are parallel to the direction facing the second holes
201b in the lower frame 201.
[0063] Further, at this time, it is preferable for the leg portions
205b of the support members 205 to have a length that protrudes
outward of the standing support portions 205a. By configuring the
leg portions 205b in this manner, the leg portions 205b can be
easily aligned with and inserted into the holes 201a and 202a in
the lower frame 201 and the reflection plate 202 using the
protruding portions of the leg portions 205b. Further, when the
rectangular holes 201a and 202a are disposed in the lower frame 201
and the reflection plate 202, the direction of the support members
205 can also be easily aligned by changing the lengths of the two
sides H1 and H2 parallel to the direction facing the second holes
201b and the lengths of the remaining two sides connected to the
parallel two sides H1 and H2.
[0064] Additionally, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, when the leg
portions 205b of the support members 205 are inserted into the
holes 201a and 202a in the lower frame 201 and the reflection plate
202, the support members 205 are slid such that the lower frame 201
and the reflection plate 202 are fitted between and fixed by the
standing support portions 205a and the leg portions 205b of the
support members 205. At this time, the support members 205 are
fixed as a result of the protrusions 205c of the leg portions 205b
being fitted into the second holes 201b in the lower frame 201.
Further, at this time, the support members 205 are merely slid
along the parallel two sides H1 and H2 of the holes 201a and 202a
in the lower frame 201 and the reflection plate 202, thereby they
can also be easily fixed.
[0065] When the support members 205 are attached to the reflection
plate 202 by the sequence shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, then the light
sources 203 are disposed and the optical member 204 is disposed in
the same manner as in conventional assembly methods. Then, the
display panel 1 and the printed circuit board 4 are superposed and
the upper frame 3 and the lower frame 201 are fixed.
[0066] Further, after the upper frame 3 and the lower frame 201
have been fixed, a circuit board including a circuit such as a
timing controller is attached to the underside of the lower frame
201, for example. In the display device of the present embodiment,
a protruding height x1 of the leg portions 205b of the support
members 205 shown in FIG. 5, for example, is about 1 mm. On the
other hand, the protruding height x2 of the conventional leg
portions 205b of the support members 205 shown in FIG. 17, for
example, is about 5 mm. That is, in the display device of the
present embodiment, the protruding height x1 of the support members
205 can be reduced in comparison to what has conventionally been
the case. For this reason, when the circuit board is attached to
the region where the leg portions 205b of the support members 205
protrude, the attachment height of the circuit board can be reduced
and the display device can be made thinner as a result.
[0067] As described above, according to the display device of the
present embodiment, the leg portions 205b of the support members
205 are inserted into the holes 201a and 202a in the lower frame
201 and the reflection plate 202, and then the support members 205
are slid, whereby the support members 205 can be easily fixed and
the workability of attaching the support members 205 is
improved.
[0068] Further, because the leg portions 205b of the support
members 205 protrude outward of the standing support portions 205a,
the directions and positions of the support members 205 can be
easily aligned when the support members 205 are to be attached.
[0069] Further, because the protruding height x1 of the leg
portions 205b of the support members 205 can be reduced in
comparison to what has conventionally been the case, the attachment
height of the circuit board can be reduced when the circuit board
is attached to the region where the leg portions 205b of the
support portions 205 protrude.
[0070] Further, in the support members 205 of the present
embodiment, the pawls 205f of the conventional support members 205
shown in FIG. 17 are unnecessary, and problems such as the leg
portions 205b of the support members 205 becoming chipped and
extraneous or the fixing becoming insufficient are prevented.
[0071] FIGS. 10 to 16 are schematic diagrams for describing
modifications of the preceding embodiment.
[0072] In the display device of the preceding embodiment, the holes
201a and 202a into which the leg portions 205b of the support
members 205 are inserted had rectangular shapes as shown in FIG. 6,
for example. However, in the present invention, it suffices for the
holes 201a and 202a into which the leg portions 205b of the support
members 205 are inserted to be holes having the two sides H1 and H2
parallel to the direction facing the second holes 201b in the lower
frame 201. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 10, for example, one
of the sides connected to the parallel two sides H1 and H2 may also
be curved. In this case, by making the side closest to the second
hole 201b a straight line and making the side farthest from the
second hole 201b a curved line, the direction of the support
members 205 can be easily aligned even when the second holes 201b
in the lower frame 201 are hidden by the reflection plate 202 and
cannot be seen, as shown in FIG. 10, for example.
[0073] Further, in the preceding embodiment, each of the leg
portions 205b of the support members 205 included just one
protrusion 205c, and a single hole 201b was disposed in the lower
frame 201 in correspondence to each of the protrusions 205c, but
the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown
in FIG. 11, each of the leg portions 205b may include a pair of
protrusions 205c, and a pair of second holes 201b may be disposed
in the lower frame 201 in correspondence to each of the pairs of
protrusions 205c. Further, at this time, the leg portions 205b of
the support members 205 may be divided into two, as shown in FIG.
12. Further, when the leg portions 205b of the support members 205
are divided into two, the holes 201a and 202a in the lower frame
201 and the reflection plate 202 may also be divided into two, as
shown in FIG. 13, for example. Further, although FIGS. 11 to 13
illustrate examples where there are pairs of the protrusions 205c
of the leg portions 205b of the support members 205 and of the
second holes 201b, the present invention is not limited to this.
There may also be three or more of each of the protrusions 205c and
the second holes 201b.
[0074] Further, when two protrusions 205c are disposed on each of
the leg portions 205b of the support members 205, each of the
second holes 201b in the lower frame 201 may also comprise a single
large hole 201b that can house the two protrusions 205b, as shown
in FIG. 14, for example.
[0075] Further, although it is not shown, the protrusions 205c of
the leg portions 205b of the support members 205 are not limited to
the hemispherical shape shown in FIG. 6 but may also be rectangular
parallelepiped protrusions, for example.
[0076] Further, the support members 205 are not limited to simply
supporting the optical member 204, for example, but may also be
supports that also support the light sources 203. In this case, as
shown in FIG. 15, for example, light source support portions 205e
that support the light sources 203 may be disposed on the side
surfaces of optical member support portions 205d on the standing
support portions 205a of the support members 205.
[0077] Further, in the preceding embodiment, the holes 201a and
202a in the lower frame 201 and the reflection plate 202 were
formed such that the parallel two sides H1 and H2--or in other
words, the sliding direction of the support members 205--were
parallel to the extension direction of the light sources 203.
However, the holes 201a and 202a are not limited to this. For
example, as shown in FIG. 16, the holes 201a and 202a may also be
holes where the sliding direction of the support members 205 is
slanted .theta. degrees with respect to the extension direction of
the light sources 203.
[0078] The present invention has been specifically described on the
basis of the preceding embodiment, but the present invention is not
limited to the preceding embodiment and can be variously altered in
a range that does not depart from the spirit thereof.
* * * * *