Abstract:
A display device includes a frame defining an opening, a shell, and a display panel installed between the frame and the shell. The display panel is viewable via the opening of the frame. A latch is formed on the frame. A fixing portion is formed on the shell and slidably engaged with the latch of the frame for slidably fixing the shell to the frame. A plurality of fasteners extends through the frame to engage with the shell to thereby fasten the frame and the shell together.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly to a display device having a changeable shell. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Typically, a display device of a portable computer includes a frame with an opening, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel viewable via the opening of the frame, and a shell. The LCD panel is held in the shell with a plurality of screws, and the frame is typically fixed to the shell by engagement of a plurality of hooks formed on the shell and frame respectively. 
         [0005]    To detach the shell from the frame, the frame is typically deformed to disengage the hooks. However, the frame may be damaged due to excessive deformation. 
         [0006]    What is needed, therefore, is a display device which facilitates assembling and disassembling. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An exemplary display device includes a frame with an opening, a shell, and a display panel disposed between the frame and the shell. The display panel is viewable through the opening of the frame. A latch is formed on the frame. A fixing portion is formed on the shell and slidably engagable with the latch of the frame for slidably fixing the shell to the frame. A plurality of fasteners extends through the frame to engage with the shell to thereby fasten the frame and the shell together. 
         [0008]    Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a display device in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, the display device including a frame, a shell, and an LCD panel; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged assembled view of the frame and the LCD panel of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of circled portion II of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an inverted, enlarged view of the shell of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of circled portion V of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a preliminarily assembled view of  FIG. 1 , with a portion cut away showing a first state of a first latch mechanism; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a fully assembled view of  FIG. 1 , with a portion cut away showing a second state of the first latch mechanism; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  show a second latch mechanism used to attach the shell to the frame; 
           [0017]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  show a third latch mechanism used to attach the shell to the frame; and 
           [0018]      FIGS. 10A and 10B  show a fourth latch mechanism used to attach the shell to the frame. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a display device is provided in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention for a portable computer. The display device includes a frame  10  with an opening, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel  20  defining a plurality of locking holes  22  in opposite sides thereof, a shell  30 , and a plurality of fixing members  40 . In this embodiment, the fixing members  40  are screws. 
         [0020]    Referring also to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the frame  10  includes two opposite sidewalls  11 , a front wall  12 , and a rear wall  13 . A plurality of spaced first latches  14  is formed on each sidewall  11 , and a latching portion  142  extends from each first latch  14  toward the opposite sidewall  11 . A plurality of hooks  16  is formed on the frame  10  adjacent the front wall  12  and the rear wall  13  respectively, and a hooking portion  162  extends from each hook  16  toward the rear wall  13 . Four protrusions  18  are formed on four corners of the frame  10  respectively, and each protrusion  18  has a through hole defined therein. Two openings  132  are defined inward in the rear wall  13  adjacent the sidewalls  11  respectively, and two curved grooves  134  are defined in the rear wall  13  communicating with two sides of each opening  132  respectively. Two mounting plates  15  are installed in the frame  10  adjacent the sidewalls  11  respectively. The mounting plates  15  are parallel to the sidewalls  11  respectively, and each mounting plate  15  defines a plurality of mounting holes  152  corresponding to the locking holes  22  of the LCD panel  20 . A first mounting portion  153  and a second mounting portion  154  are formed on two free ends of each mounting plate  15  and suspended over the protrusions  18  respectively. Through holes  157 ,  158  are defined in the first mounting portion  153  and in the second mounting portion  154  of each mounting plate  15  respectively, corresponding to the protrusions  18 . A plurality of screws  155  extend through the first and second mounting portions  153 ,  154 , for fixing the mounting plates  15  to the frame  10 . A pivot  156  extends perpendicularly from the second mounting portion  154  of each mounting plate  15 , and is exposed in the corresponding opening  132  through the corresponding groove  134  of the rear wall  13 , for rotatably fixing the frame  10  to a base unit of the portable computer. 
         [0021]    Referring also to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the shell  30  includes two opposite sidewalls  31 , a front wall  32 , and a rear wall  33 . A plurality of first fixing portions  34  is formed on each sidewall  31 , corresponding to the first latches  14  of the frame  10 . A generally L-shaped slot  342  is defined in each first fixing portion  34 , and a receiving space  344  is defined in the first fixing portion  34  above the slot  342 . A wide section of the slot  342  is nearer to the front wall  32  of the shell  30  than a narrow section thereof. A plurality of hooks  36  are formed on the shell  30  adjacent the front wall  32  and the rear wall  33  respectively, and a hooking portion  362  extends from each hook  36  toward the front wall  32  of the shell  30 . Two openings  332  are defined inward in the rear wall  33  of the shell  30  corresponding to the openings  132  of the frame  10 , and two curved grooves  334  are defined in the rear wall  33  communicating with two sides of each opening  332  respectively. Four protrusions  38  are formed on four corners of the shell  30  respectively, and each protrusion  38  has a threaded hole  382  defined therein. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  6 , and  7 , in assembly, the LCD panel  20  is disposed on the frame  10  between the mounting plates  15 . A plurality of screws is extended through the mounting holes  152  of the mounting plates  15  and screwed in the corresponding locking holes  22  of the LCD panel  20 , to fix the LCD panel  20  to the mounting plates  15 . One side of the LCD panel  20  is exposed in the opening of the frame  10 . Then, the shell  30  is fixed to the frame  10  to cover the other side of the LCD panel  20 . The latching portions  142  of the first latches  14  of the frame  10  enter the slots  342  of the corresponding first fixing portions  34  of the shell  30  via the wide sections of the slots  342  respectively, and are received in the receiving spaces  344  of the shell  30  respectively. The shell  30  is pushed a distance toward the front wall  12  of the frame  10 . The first latches  14  of the frame  10  engage in the narrow sections of the slots  342  of the corresponding first fixing portions  34 , and the hooks  36  of the shell  30  engage with the corresponding hooks  16  of the frame  10 . After that, the fixing members  40  are extended through the through holes of the corresponding protrusions  18  of the frame  10  and the corresponding through holes  157 ,  158  of the mounting plates  15 , to engage in the holes  382  of the corresponding protrusions  38  of the shell  30 . The shell  30  is thus fixed to the frame  10 . 
         [0023]    To detach the shell  30  from the frame  10 , the fixing members  40  are unscrewed. The shell  30  is pushed away from the front wall  12  of the frame  10 , the first latches  14  of the frame  10  disengage from the narrow sections and then enter the wide sections of the slots  342  of the corresponding first fixing portions  34 . The hooks  36  of the shell  30  disengage from the corresponding hooks  16  of the frame  10 . The shell  30  is lifted, the first latches  14  exit the slots  342  of the corresponding first fixing portions  34  of the shell  30 , and the shell  30  can be removed. 
         [0024]    In the first embodiment, the first latches  14  and the corresponding first fixing portions  34  cooperatively form a first latching mechanism for movably attaching the shell  30  to the frame  10 . 
         [0025]    Referring further to  FIGS. 8A and 8B , a second latching mechanism is provided to attach the frame  10  to the shell  30 , which can be used alone or in combination with the first latching mechanism of the first embodiment. The second latching mechanism includes an L-shaped second latch  54 , and a second fixing portion  64 . The second latch  54  includes a base portion extending up from the frame  10 , and a cantilevered portion  542  extending perpendicularly from the base portion and generally parallel to the sidewall  11  of the frame  10 . The second fixing portion  64  is formed on the shell  30 , which includes a parallelepiped body having a generally U-shaped cross section, and a hole  645  is defined in the body for receiving the cantilevered portion  542  of the second latch  54 . 
         [0026]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  show a third latch mechanism, which includes a third latch  74  formed on the frame  10 , and a third fixing portion  84  formed on the shell  30 . The third latch  74  includes a first portion  749  extending up from the frame  10 , and a second portion  745  disposed on the first portion  749  for cooperatively defining a generally T-shaped configuration. The third fixing portion  84  includes a parallelepiped body defining a hole  845  for receiving the second portion  745  of the third latch  74 , and a slot  849  in communication with the hole  845  for receiving the first portion  749  of the third latch  74 . The slot  849  is configured to complement the T-shape of the third latch  74  preventing movement of the third latch  74  in unwanted directions. 
         [0027]      FIGS. 10A and 10B  show a fourth latch mechanism, which includes a fourth latch  95  formed on the frame  10 , and a fourth fixing portion  90  formed on the shell  30 . The fourth latch  95  defines a cutout  97  adjoining the frame  10 , and a latching portion  99  is formed on and cantilevered over the frame  10 . The fourth fixing portion  90  has a generally same construction with the fourth latch  95 , which includes a cutout  92  adjoining the shell  30 , and a fixing section  94  cantilevered over the shell  30 . In use, the latching portion  99  and the fixing section  94  enter corresponding cutouts  92 ,  97  and engage with each other to mount the shell  30  to the frame  10 . 
         [0028]    The first to fourth latching mechanisms can be used alone or in combination with others to movably attach the shell  30  to the frame  10 . 
         [0029]    It is believed that the present embodiments and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.