Display module having support structure for display panel

A display module includes a display panel and a backlight module. The display panel has overlapped first and second substrates, wherein the first substrate extends beyond the second substrate at a first side. The backlight module is disposed on one side of the display module opposite to the display surface and includes a support unit disposed along the first side. The support unit has a first tier portion and a second tier portion, which is lifted toward the display panel with respect to the first tier portion and supports the display panel. A projection region of the display panel supported by the second tier portion on the first substrate covers or overlaps the edge of the second substrate at the first side and extends to an overlapping area of the first substrate and the second substrate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a display module. Particularly, the present invention relates to a display module having a special support structure.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In recent years, flat display modules have been widely applied to various fields as independent monitor, such as television, or embedded into electronic devices as information display device. There are various types of flat display modules; among them, liquid crystal display panel is the most common flat display module.

As shown inFIG. 1, the conventional liquid crystal display module mainly includes a display panel10and a backlight module30. The display panel10generally includes a lower substrate11and an upper substrate12, wherein the upper substrate12covers the lower substrate11while the lower substrate11extends beyond the upper substrate12. Driving circuit13and layout circuits are generally disposed on the lower substrate11that extends beyond the upper substrate12and is provided for connection to the external signal circuit15. The backlight module30includes a bracket31, a light guide plate33, and a light bar35, wherein the bracket31is bent to form a top platform50; the light bar35and one end of the light guide plate33are located under the top platform50. During assembly, the display panel10is disposed on the backlight module30with the extending portion of the lower substrate11disposed and supported on the top platform50. A double sided tap70is generally disposed between the bottom of the lower substrate11and the top platform50to fix the relative position thereof.

In such a design, the overlapping portion of the lower substrate11and the upper substrate12is a dual-layer glass, which has stronger strength; however, the extending portion of the lower substrate11is a single layer glass, which is weaker in strength. When the display module is subjected to external impact, the extending portion of the lower substrate11that is not supported by the top platform50is susceptible to damage, impairing the production yield of products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a display module capable of reducing the damage possibility of display panel.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a display module having a better support structure for display panel contained therein.

The display module of the present invention includes a display panel and a backlight module. The display panel has a first substrate and a second substrate, wherein the second substrate and the first substrate overlap with each other. The first substrate extends beyond an edge of the second substrate at a first side. The backlight module is disposed under the display panel, i.e. on one side of the display panel opposite to a display surface. The backlight module has a support unit disposed along the first side to support a portion of a bottom surface of the display panel along the first side.

The support unit has a first tier portion and a second tier portion. The first tier portion and the second tier portion respectively extend along the first side in a longer side direction. One side of the second tier portion is connected to the first tier portion. The second tier portion is lifted toward the display panel with respect to the first tier portion and supports the bottom surface of the display panel. A projection region of a portion of the display panel, which is substantially supported by the second tier portion, on the first substrate covers or overlaps an edge of the second substrate at the first side and extends to an overlapping area of the first substrate and the second substrate. With such a design, the breakage or damage possibility at the boundary between the first substrate and the second substrate and at the first substrate not covered by the second substrate can be reduced.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention provides a display module. In a preferred embodiment, the display module of the present invention is a liquid crystal display module and also can be other types of products.

As shown inFIG. 2andFIG. 3, the display module includes a display panel100and a backlight module300. The display panel100is preferably a liquid crystal display panel and has a first substrate110and a second substrate120, wherein a liquid crystal layer (not shown) is sealed between the first substrate110and the second substrate120. The first substrate110and the second substrate120are preferably made of glass, but not limited thereto. For example, the first substrate110and the second substrate120can be made of plastic materials. In the embodiment, the first substrate110is the lower substrate of the display panel100and located on one side of the display panel100that is closer to the backlight module300. The second substrate120is the upper substrate of the display panel100and located on one side of the display panel100that displays images. The first substrate110and the second substrate120overlap with each other, wherein the first substrate110extends beyond an edge of the second substrate120at a first side101. The liquid crystal layer is preferably sealed between the first substrate110and the second substrate120. The rotation of liquid crystal molecules is controlled by the transistor circuit on the first substrate110or the second substrate120. In addition, electronic components, such as the driving circuit130, are preferably disposed on the extending portion of the first substrate110that is exposed outside the second substrate120.

As shown inFIG. 2andFIG. 3, the backlight module300is disposed under the display panel100, i.e. is located on one side of the display panel100that is opposite to the display surface. In the embodiment, the backlight module300is disposed on one side of the first substrate110opposite to the second substrate120. The backlight module300includes a support unit310that is disposed along the first side101, so as to support a portion of the bottom surface of the display panel100along the first side101. In the preferred embodiment, the backlight module300has an edge type lighting design and includes a light guide plate330that is parallel to the bottom surface of the display panel100, i.e. the bottom surface of the first substrate110in the embodiment. However, in other embodiments, the backlight module300can have a direct type lighting design, which also includes the support unit310.

As shown inFIG. 3, the support unit310has a first tier portion311and a second tier portion312. The first tier portion311and the second tier portion312preferably extend along the first side101in a longer side direction and parallel to the display panel100. One side of the second tier portion312is connected to the first tier portion311. The second tier portion312is lifted toward the display panel100with respect to the first tier portion311and supports the bottom surface of the display panel100. In the embodiment, the bottom surface of the display panel100is the surface of the first substrate110that is exposed to the backlight module300. In the embodiment, a connection piece391is connected between the second tier portion312and the display panel100. The connection piece391is preferably a double-sided tape to connect the second tier portion312and the display panel100. The connection piece391can be made of rubbers or polymers that have shock absorption ability to absorb the impact and reduce the damage possibility. However, in different embodiments, the connection piece391can be omitted and other types of connection or position mechanisms can be employed.

As shown inFIG. 3andFIG. 4, the portion of the display panel100substantially supported by the second tier portion312, i.e. the portion of the first substrate110actually contacting the second tier portion312, has a projection region on the first substrate110covering or overlapping the edge121of the second substrate120at the first side101and extending to the overlapping area of the first substrate110and the second substrate120. Since the first substrate110extends beyond the edge121of the second substrate120at the first side101, when viewing the projection region of the second substrate120on the first substrate110, the edge121of the second substrate120at the first side101will form a projection line on the first substrate110, and the portion of the second tier portion312that contacts the first substrate110will overlap this projection line. In the embodiment, the portion of the second tier portion312that contacts the first substrate110traverses across two sides of the projection line and supports the overlapping area and the non-overlapping area of the first substrate110and the second substrate120that are adjacent to the projection line. With such a design, the breakage or damage possibility at the boundary between the first substrate110and the second substrate120as well as at the first substrate110that is not covered by the second substrate120can be reduced.

In the embodiment shown inFIG. 2andFIG. 3, the support unit310is preferably a metal frame formed on the entire backlight module300and includes a base plate510disposed on the bottom of the backlight module300. The edge of the base plate510that is parallel to the first side101is bent toward the display panel100to form a side wall530, which extends toward the display panel100. The top end of the side wall530is again bent over the base plate510to form the first tier portion311. The first tier portion311is preferably parallel to the base plate510and an accommodation space550is formed between the first tier portion311and the base plate510. One end of the light guide plate330extends into the accommodation space550and clamped by the first tier portion311and the base plate510from top and bottom. In the embodiment, the backlight module300includes a light source module350, which is preferably a light bar consisting of light emitting diodes. The light source module350is also accommodated in the accommodation space550and protected by the first tier portion311and the base plate510. The light source module350emits light corresponding to the end of the light guide plate330that is clamped.

In addition, one side of the first tier portion311that is opposite to the side wall530is bent a certain length toward the display panel100to form a connection portion313. Another side of the connection portion313is bent back to the original direction to form a second tier portion312. Therefore, a step height exists between the second tier portion312and the first tier portion311. With such a design, the light guide plate330will maintain a gap with the display panel100while the light guide plate330is clamped and the display panel1000is supported.

From another point of view, the second tier portion312is formed as a free end of the support unit310and is closer to the center of the display panel100than the first tier portion311. When the display panel100supported by the second tier portion312is subjected to external force, the suspension arm structure formed by the second tier portion312can provide shock absorption effect to reduce the damage possibility.

As described above, one side of the first substrate110that faces the second substrate120is preferably disposed with the driving circuit130on the exposed portion not covered by the second substrate120. In the embodiment ofFIG. 5, a projection region of a portion of the display panel100, which is supported by the second tier portion312, on the first substrate110covers the first substrate110and the edge121of the second substrate120at the first side101. Since the overlapping portion of the first substrate110and the second substrate120has stronger structure strength, an area of the first substrate110outside the projection region of the edge121of the second substrate120relatively has weaker structure strength. With such a design, the support of this area can be enhanced to reduce the damage possibility. In different embodiments, the location where the driving circuit130is disposed can have other electronic components or merely electrical contacts deposed thereon to achieve external electrical connection.

In the embodiment ofFIG. 6, the backlight module300further includes at least one optical film370disposed on the light guide plate330. As described above, the second tier portion312is lifted from the first tier portion311so that a gap371is formed between the light guide plate330and the second tier portion312. One end of the optical film370extends into the gap371, so that the second tier portion312can restrict displacement of the end portion of the optical film370to increase the structure stability of the entire assembly. In addition, with such a design, light leakage occurred between the optical film370and the support unit310can be prevented to promote the optical performance.

As shown inFIG. 7, the backlight module300further includes a pad block390disposed on one side of the first tier portion311that faces the display panel100. The height of the pad block390is preferably not lower than the height of the top face of the second tier portion312. The pad block390together with the second tier portion312supports the display panel100. As shown inFIG. 7, when assembling the display panel100, the pad block390and the second tier portion312together support the display panel100on the same side, i.e. on one side of the first substrate110in this embodiment. In addition, the pad block390is preferably made of rubbers, polymer materials, or other compressible or shock-absorbing materials to absorb impact on the display panel100, but not limited thereto. Preferably, the pad block390is connected to the first tier portion311and the display panel100by a double-sided tape, but other types of connection mechanisms are also possible.

In the embodiment ofFIG. 8, in addition to the pad block390, the backlight module300further includes a connection piece391. The connection piece391extends between the pad block390and the display panel100to a location between the second tier portion312and the display panel100. One side of the connection piece391is attached to the surface of the display panel100; another side of the connection piece391is attached to surfaces of the pad block390and the second tier portion312. With such a design, the connection piece391can enhance the strength of the display panel100because of its adhesion onto the display panel100and can further enhance the entire structure strength due to the connection relation between the pad block390and the second tier portion312. The connection piece391is preferably a double sided tape; however, in other embodiments, the connection piece391can be made of rubbers or polymer materials, which have shock-absorbing ability to provide shock-absorbing effect and reduce the damage possibility, but not limited thereto.

FIG. 9shows another embodiment of the display module. In comparison with the previous embodiments, the display panel100of this embodiment is designed to have a longer upper substrate and a shorter lower substrate. That is, the second substrate120is closer to the backlight module300, and the first substrate110overlaps the second substrate120opposite to the backlight module300and has a display surface. In this embodiment, the second tier portion312supports the bottom surface of the second substrate120and a projection region of the supported portion on the first substrate110also covers the edge121of the second substrate120at the first side101and extends to the overlapping area of the first substrate110and the second substrate120.

Although the preferred embodiments of present invention have been described herein, the above description is merely illustrative. The preferred embodiments disclosed will not limit the scope of the present invention. Further modification of the invention herein disclosed will occur to those skilled in the respective arts and all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.