U.S. patent application number 12/912808 was filed with the patent office on 2011-09-01 for image display device.
This patent application is currently assigned to HITACHI CONSUMER ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Chiaki KINNO.
Application Number | 20110209376 12/912808 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44490801 |
Filed Date | 2011-09-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110209376 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KINNO; Chiaki |
September 1, 2011 |
IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE
Abstract
In an image display device, the number of parts is reduced
through simplification of fixing members for use in fitting a
display panel to a front frame. Design of the device is improved by
thinning the front upper side of the front frame and by getting
fixing members out of sight on the back upper side thereof. The
front frame has hooks, which are produced integrally with the front
frame, on its upper back so as to position the display panel. The
upper side of the front frame is not screwed. Instead, the hooks so
act as to prevent the display panel from falling off the front
frame. A back cover has ribs, which are produced integrally with
the back cover, in its portion facing the hook. The ribs so act as
to prevent the hook from moving beyond predetermined distance,
thereby ensuring the positioning of the display panel.
Inventors: |
KINNO; Chiaki; (Chigasaki,
JP) |
Assignee: |
HITACHI CONSUMER ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
|
Family ID: |
44490801 |
Appl. No.: |
12/912808 |
Filed: |
October 27, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
40/790 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 1/1601 20130101;
G06F 2200/1612 20130101; G02F 2201/465 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
40/790 |
International
Class: |
A47G 1/06 20060101
A47G001/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 26, 2010 |
JP |
2010-042151 |
Claims
1. An image display device comprising a display panel for
displaying images, a front frame to which the display panel is to
be fitted, and a back cover fitted to the front frame so as to
cover the back of the display panel, wherein the front frame has a
hook for positioning the display panel on the upper side of the
display panel.
2. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the hook
faces a part of the upper side of the display panel in the
thicknesswise direction of the display panel, the front end of the
hook facing a part of the back of the display panel so as to
position the display panel.
3. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the hook
is formed integrally with the front frame.
4. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the back
cover has a rib facing the hook on its side opposite to the one
facing the display panel in its thicknesswise direction.
5. The image display device according to claim 4, wherein the rib
is formed integrally with the back cover.
Description
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
[0001] This application relates to and claims priority from
Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-042151 filed on Feb. 26, 2010,
the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] (1) Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to image display devices and more
particularly to an image display device in which the number of
parts is reduced.
[0004] (2) Description of the Related Art
[0005] An image display device adopting a liquid crystal display
panel or a plasma display panel for its display part is being made
larger and thinner. In parallel with them, the device is being made
to have less number of parts and to become simpler in its
production method to meet strong market demands for a lower
price.
[0006] In order to reduce the number of parts and simplify the
production method of a thin display device, Japanese Patent
Application Laid-Open No. 2007-333911 discloses an assembling
method in which the device has fitting tabs formed integrally with
an optical display system unit including a display panel and the
fitting tabs are held between a front cabinet and a rear cabinet so
as to be screwed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In the latest image display device, its exterior frame,
which surrounds a display part when viewed from the front of the
device, is desired to be thin. This requires that components for
fitting the display part to the exterior from its inside should be
simple. This is effective in reducing the number of parts as well.
A thin (low in height) front frame on its upper side in particular
is important from the viewpoint of design as well, and hence it is
desirable for things like screwing members not to be placed in this
portion.
[0008] From the viewpoint of design, it is also desired that, on
the upper side of the exterior, such fixing members as fitting
screws should be out of sight from outside on the back of the image
display device as well as on its front.
[0009] The method for fixing a display part and an exterior by
screwing, disclosed in aforementioned Japanese Patent Application
Laid-Open No. 2007-333911, does not take such demands into
consideration.
[0010] In view of foregoing problems, it is an object of the
present invention to provide an art favorable for reducing the
number of parts, thereby reducing the cost of an image display
device and improving its design.
[0011] The invention provides an image display device comprising a
display panel for displaying images, a front frame to which the
display panel is to be fitted, and a back cover fitted to the front
frame so as to cover the back of the display panel, wherein the
front frame has a hook for positioning the display panel on the
upper side of the display panel.
[0012] The invention also provides the image display device,
wherein the hook faces a part of the upper side of the display
panel in the thicknesswise direction of the display panel, the
front end of the hook facing a part of the back of the display
panel so as to position the display panel.
[0013] The invention further provides the image display device,
wherein the hook is formed integrally with the front frame.
[0014] The invention furthermore provides the image display device,
wherein the back cover has a rib facing the hook on its side
opposite to the one facing the display panel in its thicknesswise
direction.
[0015] The invention moreover provides the image display device,
wherein the rib is formed integrally with the back cover.
[0016] The present invention can provide an image display device in
which the number of parts is reduced, thereby contributing to cost
reduction and design improvement of the device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] These and other features, objects and advantages of the
present invention will become more apparent from the following
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings wherein:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a front view in perspective of an image display
device in one embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a rear view in perspective of an image display
device in one embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 3 is another rear view in perspective of an image
display device in one embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 4 is a partially sectional view of an image display
device in one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT
[0022] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0023] FIG. 1 is a front view in perspective of an image display
device in one embodiment of the present invention. A display panel
1 is equipped with a liquid crystal panel or a plasma panel, the
image display side of which is shown here. The exterior of the
image display device has a front frame 2 and a back cover 3. When
the device is assembled, the display panel 1 is firstly fitted to
the front frame 2, and the back cover 3 is then fitted to the front
frame 2.
[0024] FIG. 2 is a rear view in perspective of an image display
device in one embodiment of the present invention, drawn from the
left side of FIG. 1.
[0025] In this embodiment, when the back cover 3 is fitted to the
front frame 2, fitting screws 311, 312, and 313 are used to fix
them on the right side in FIG. 2 of the back cover 3. While the
same fitting screws may exist on the left side or the lower side of
the back cover 3 as a matter of course, it is a feature of this
embodiment that they do not exist on the upper side thereof. This
arrangement helps to eliminate fixing members like fitting screws
from the upper side of the exterior, thereby meeting aforementioned
demands on design. No need for screwing members on the upper side
of the front frame 2 also leads to a reduction in the number of
parts, and makes it possible to thin (lower in height) the upper
side of the front frame 2, thereby meeting aforementioned demands
on design as well. Note that, while there are shown three fitting
screws 311, 312, and 313 on the right side of the back cover 3,
they are just an example and, as a matter of course, do not
constitute a limiting condition for this invention.
[0026] FIG. 3 is another rear view in perspective of an image
display device in one embodiment of the present invention. In
contrast with the rear perspective view in FIG. 2, the drawing
illustrates a state in which fixing elements for the back cover 3,
which include the fitting screws 311, 312, and 313, are removed and
the back cover 3 is moved obliquely leftward on this side.
[0027] The back of the display panel 1 is illustrated with the
panel fitted to the front frame 2. As is seen in FIG. 3, this
embodiment does not specify a method for fixing the display panel 1
to the front frame 2 on its lower, left, or right side. One example
of the method may be to provide the front frame 2 with positioning
members for supporting the lower side of the display panel 1 and,
upon mounting the panel 1 thereon, to fix the panel 1 to bosses
provided on the front frame 2 through such means as screwing at
predetermined positions on the lower, left, or right side of the
panel 1. As is described above, fixing by screwing is not adopted
on the upper side of the display panel 1.
[0028] Even on the upper side of the display panel 1, however, it
is necessary to position the panel 1 using a method that does not
cause the problem of thickness on the upper side of the front frame
2. Without this positioning, the display panel 1, which is not
screwed to front frame 2, will fall off the frame 2, causing
inconvenience during the time of assembly or after-sale service.
This embodiment makes it a feature to carry out positioning of the
display panel 1 on its upper side through the method as
follows:
[0029] FIG. 3 illustrates elements on larger scale of the encircled
part in addition. In case of producing the front frame 2 through a
mold forming for example, a hook 201 is produced integrally with
the front frame 2. When the display panel 1 is fitted to the front
frame 2, the hook 201 is firstly pushed up by the display panel 1
and its front end then gets into the back of the display panel 1 by
resilient force. Thus the display panel 1 is approximately
positioned so as not to fall off the front frame 2. The hook 201
faces a part of the upper side of the display panel 1 in the
thicknesswise direction of the display panel 1 and its front end
faces a part of the back of the display panel 1. Note that, while
FIG. 3 illustrates two hooks 201, this is not a limiting condition
either.
[0030] In conventional case, there was a case in which, with the
aim of fixing the display panel 1 to the front frame 2 on four
sides of the panel, separate fixing members were screwed to the
front frame 2. The method of using screws, however, has the problem
of making the four sides of the front frame 2 thick as mentioned
before. By contrast, this embodiment produces the hooks 201, which
take the place of these fixing members, integrally with the front
frame 2, and hence it has an effect of cost reduction by reducing
the number of parts and, at the same time, an effect of design
improvement by thinning the front frame (on its upper side in
particular).
[0031] FIG. 4 is a partially sectional view of an image display
device in one embodiment of the present invention, showing the
section around the hook 201 viewed from the right side of the image
display device, here with the back cover 3 fitted to the front
frame 2.
[0032] The display panel 1 is held in position by means of a hook
201 possessed by the front frame 2. Note that the panel 1 and the
hook 201 do not necessarily have to be in direct contact with each
other. The front end of the hook 201 only has to get into the back
of the display panel 1. As one of the features of this embodiment,
the back cover 3 has a rib 301 in the position facing the hook 201,
that is to say, the hook 201 faces the rib 301 on the side opposite
to the one facing the display panel 1 in its thicknesswise
direction. It is needless to say that, since the rib 301 can be
produced integrally with the back cover 3, the arrangement does not
constitute an element of increasing the number of parts. The rib
301, after the back cover 3 has been fitted to the front frame 2,
so acts as to prevent the hook 201 from moving upward beyond
predetermined distance. This arrangement helps to prevent vibration
or shock from causing the display panel 1 to come off the hook 201
with the result of causing the panel 1 to fall off the frame 2.
This arrangement further helps to ensure the setting of the display
panel 1 into a prescribed position. Note that the hook 201 and the
rib 301 do not necessarily have to be in direct contact with each
other. The front end of the hook 201 only has to be controlled so
as not to move upward beyond predetermined distance.
[0033] The embodiment so far described is an example, not
restricting the present invention. Every different embodiment
worked out on the basis of the spirit of the invention falls
therewithin.
[0034] While we have shown and described several embodiments in
accordance with our invention, it should be understood that
disclosed embodiments are susceptible of changes and modifications
without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, we do
not intend to be bound by the details shown and described herein
but intend to cover all such changes and modifications that fall
within the ambit of the appended claims.
* * * * *