Display apparatus

Provided is a display apparatus. The display apparatus includes a display panel, a guide member supporting a peripheral area of a back surface of the display panel, an adhesion member fixing the guide member to the display panel, and a bottom cover supporting a lower portion of the guide member.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 and 35 U.S.C. 365 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0137750 (filed on Dec. 19, 2011), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a display apparatus.

As an information-oriented society develops, needs for diverse forms of display apparatuses are increasing. Accordingly, research has been carried out on various display apparatuses such as liquid crystal display devices (LCDs), plasma display panels (PDPs), electro luminescent displays (ELDs), vacuum fluorescent displays (VFDs), and the like, which have been commercialized.

Among these, a liquid crystal panel of a liquid crystal display (LCD) includes a liquid crystal layer, TFT substrates facing each other with the liquid crystal layer therebetween, and a color filter substrate. The liquid crystal panel may use light supplied from a backlight unit to display an image because it does not emit light.

SUMMARY

Embodiments provide a display apparatus having an improved structure.

In one embodiment, the display apparatus includes: a display panel; a guide member supporting a peripheral area of a back surface of the display panel; an adhesion member fixing the guide member to the display panel; and a bottom cover supporting a lower portion of the guide member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the thicknesses of layers and regions are exaggerated for clarity.

In description of a display apparatus according to an embodiment, a front direction represents a panel assembly10side, and a rear direction represents a backlight unit assembly20side inFIG. 1.

Thus, it should be understood that a front side represents an upper side, and a rear side represents a lower side.

FIG. 1is a perspective view of a display apparatus according to an embodiment. The display apparatus may include a display panel assembly10and a backlight unit assembly20.

Referring toFIG. 1, the display panel assembly10is disposed on a front side of the display apparatus. The display panel assembly10may include a display panel and a plurality of frames which support the display panel and define outer appearances of front and side surfaces of the display apparatus.

Particularly, as shown inFIG. 2, the display panel assembly10may include a display panel10, a guide member110, and a top case120.

The display panel100may include front and rear substrates facing each other and attached to each other to maintain a uniform gap therebetween. A liquid crystal layer may be disposed between the front substrate and the rear substrate.

Also, a color filter for realizing R, G, and B colors is disposed on a front substrate. The color filer includes a plurality of pixels constituted by a red (R) sub-pixel, a green (G) sub-pixel, and a blue (B) sub-pixel. When light is applied to the color filter, the color filter may generate an image corresponding to each of the R, G, and B colors.

A predetermined transistor for turning on/off a liquid crystal for each pixel, e.g., a thin film transistor (TFT) may be disposed on the rear substrate. Thus, the front substrate may be called a color filter substrate, and the rear substrate may be called a TFT substrate.

Also, a front polarizer film for polarizing light passing through the display panel100may be disposed on a front surface of the front substrate. A rear polarizer film for polarizing light emitted from the backlight unit200may be disposed on a back surface of the rear substrate.

At least one portion of the guide member110may contact a peripheral area of a back surface of the display panel100to support the display panel110. Thus, the guide member110may be called a panel guide. Also, to reinforce strength of the guide member110, a top case120may be disposed to contact an outer surface of the guide member110.

The backlight unit assembly20may be disposed on a rear side of the display apparatus. The backlight unit assembly20may include a backlight unit and a plurality of frames which support the backlight unit and define an outer appearance of a rear surface of the display apparatus.

The backlight unit200may include at least one light source. For example, the light source may be one of a light emitting diode (LED) chip or a light emitting diode package including at least one LED chip. In this case, the light source may include a color LED emitting light having at least one color of red, blue, and green colors or a white LED.

Also, an optical layer (not shown) may be disposed between the display panel100and the backlight unit200. The optical layer may be constituted by a plurality of sheets including a prism sheet and a diffusion sheet.

A bottom cover210may be disposed on a rear side of the backlight unit200. The bottom cover210may be disposed on a lower portion of the guide member110to support the guide member110.

Also, another frame, e.g., a back cover (not shown) may be further disposed on a rear side of the bottom cover210. The back cover may protect the backlight unit against an impact and pressure applied from the outside.

According to an embodiment, an adhesion member for fixing the guide member110to the display panel100may be disposed on a non-contact area of the guide member110which does not contact the display panel100. Thus, the display panel100and the guide member110may be shaken together with each other as one assembly.

Thus, light leakage of the display apparatus and introduction of foreign substances may be reduced. Also, stress may be uniformly distributed on each of adhesion surfaces to minimize deformation of the display panel100. In addition, a process for manufacturing the display panel may be simplified.

FIG. 3is a partial enlarged perspective view of the display panel assembly.FIG. 4is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of the display panel assembly ofFIG. 1.FIG. 5is a view of only the guide member110ofFIG. 4.

Referring toFIGS. 3 to 5, the guide member110includes a contact part114contacting the back surface of the display panel100and a non-contact part115which does not contact the back surface of the display panel100. The guide member110may have a stepped top surface. Here, a portion relatively protruding upward may be the contact part114, and a relatively recessed portion may be the non-contact part115.

The adhesion member may be provided on the non-contact part115of the top surface of the guide member110, which does not contact the display panel100so that the guide member110is fixed in a state where the guide member110is attached to the display panel100.

For example, after an adhesive is applied on the non-contact part115of the guide member110, the guide member110may be attached to the back surface of the display panel100to constitute the display panel assembly10.

As described above, to prevent foreign substances such as dust from being introduced into the display apparatus, the contact part114of the guide member110may be disposed outside the non-contact part115.

As shown inFIGS. 4 and 5, the guide member110may be bent in an ‘L’ shape. Thus, the guide member110may include a top surface part fixed to the display panel100or supporting the display panel100and a side surface part bent downward from the top surface part.

Also, a top case120may be disposed to contact an outer surface of the side surface part of the guide member110to reinforce strength of the guide member110. For this, a case coupling part118for locating the top case120may be coupled to the outer surface of the guide member110. The top case coupling part118may be provided on the stepped area of the outer surface of the guide member110. In more detail, a portion of the outer surface of the guide member110is recessed inward in a stepped shape to define the top case coupling part118.

Hereinafter, configurations of the display apparatus according to embodiments will be described in more detail with reference toFIGS. 6 to 9.

Referring toFIG. 6, the display panel100may be attached to the guide member110by an adhesion member300disposed on the non-contact part115of the top surface of the guide member110. Thus, the display panel100together with the guide member110and the top case120may constitute the display panel assembly10.

A groove116on which an upper end of the bottom cover210is seated may be defined in a bottom surface of the guide member110.

Referring toFIG. 7, since the upper end of the bottom cover210is seated on the groove116defined in the bottom surface of the guide member110, the bottom cover210may support the guide member110, more particularly, the display panel assembly10including the guide member110.

The upper end of the bottom cover210may have a shape bent in one direction by a predetermined width along the groove116defined in the bottom surface of the guide member110to prevent the display panel assembly10including the display panel100, the guide member110, and the top case120from being largely shaken in left and right directions.

Referring toFIGS. 6 and 7, the display panel assembly10may be shaken within a preset tolerance in a left/right or front/rear direction. For this, the groove116defined in the bottom surface of the guide member110may have a width greater than that of an upper end216of the bottom cover210. Thus, an end of the upper end216of the bottom cover210may be spaced a predetermined distance d3from an end of the groove116of the guide member110.

A middle frame220defining an outer appearance of a side surface of the display apparatus may be provided in the display apparatus according to an embodiment. The middle frame220may be disposed to laterally cover the display panel100, the guide member110, and the top case120.

The middle frame220may be bent in an ‘L’ shape to cover lower sides of the guide member110, the top case120, and a portion of the bottom cover210.

To prevent the end of the display panel100from being damaged due to collision with the middle frame220when the display panel assembly10is shaken, each of the display panel100, the guide member120, and the top case120may be spaced a predetermined distance from the middle frame220.

For example, a position at which the guide member110is fixed to the back surface of the display panel100using the adhesion member300may be a position at which the end of the side surface of the guide member110further protrudes outward by a predetermined distance than the end of the display panel100. Thus, a distance d2between the display panel100and the middle frame220may be greater than that d1between the guide member110and the middle frame220.

Thus, even though the guide member110or the top case120contacts the middle frame220, the end of the display panel100does not collide with the middle frame220.

Also, a distance d3between the end of the bottom cover210and the end of the groove116defined in the bottom surface of the guide member110may be similar to that d1between the guide member110and the middle frame220. Thus, it may prevent the display panel assembly10from being shaken by a degree in which the guide member110collides with the middle frame220.

As described above, the distances d1, d2, and d3for shake of the display panel assembly10may be relatively adjusted to prevent cracks from occurring in the end of the display panel100due to the collision. Thus, a coating layer disposed on the end of the display panel100to prevent the cracks from occurring may be omitted.

Referring toFIG. 8, a protrusion217protruding laterally is disposed on the bottom cover210. The protrusion217disposed on the bottom cover210may be inserted into and coupled to the groove117defined in an inner surface of the guide member110. Thus, the display panel assembly10and the backlight unit assembly20may be fixed to each other without a separate coupling unit such as a screw.

Referring toFIG. 9, the protrusion217of the bottom cover210and the groove117defined in the inner surface of the guide member110may have a predetermined distance d4or d5therebetween in a vertical or horizontal direction. Thus, the display panel assembly10may be shaken within the preset tolerance in the front/rear or left/right direction.

The vertical or horizontal distance d4or d5between the protrusion217of the bottom cover210and the groove117defined in the inner surface of the guide member110may be similar to that d1between the guide member110and the middle frame220. Thus, it may prevent the display panel assembly10from being shaken by a degree in which the guide member110collides with the middle frame220.

FIG. 10is a partial schematic perspective view of a display apparatus according to another embodiment.

The display apparatus according to the current embodiment is equal to the display apparatus according to the foregoing embodiment in that the display apparatus includes a backlight unit200and a bottom cover210.

Also, the display apparatus according to the current embodiment is equal to the display apparatus according to the foregoing embodiment in that the display apparatus includes a display panel100, a guide member110, and a top case120.

The guide member110according to the current embodiment may be bent in an ‘L’ shape. Thus, the guide member110may include a top surface part supporting the display panel100and a side surface part bent downward.

A buffer member400is coupled to an upper portion of the top surface part of the guide part110. The guide member110extends along four edges of the display panel100having an approximately square plane. Thus, the buffer member400may have an approximately square shape along the outer edges of the display panel100.

The buffer member400may be formed of a material which is capable of absorbing impacts, such as a sponge to absorb an impact applied into the display panel100.

An adhesion member may be attached to each of both side surfaces of the buffer member400, i.e., each of a side surface contacting the display panel100and a side surface contacting the guide member110.

For example, a double-sided tape may be used as the adhesion member. In more detail, the double-sided tape may be attached to each of both upper and lower side surfaces of the buffer member400. Thus, one side surface of the buffer member400may contact the display panel100, and an opposite side surface of the buffer member400may contact the top surface part of the guide member110.

Due to the above-described structure, light leakage of the display apparatus and introduction of foreign substances may be reduced. In addition, the display apparatus may be improved in durability.

A latch coupling part119may be disposed on the side surface part of the guide member110. Also, a latch219couplable to the latch coupling part119may be disposed on the bottom cover210.

Thus, when the guide member110is coupled to the bottom cover210, the latch219may be elastically deformed and then elastically restored at a position corresponding to the latch coupling part119. Thus, the latch219may be fitted into the latch coupling part119to couple the guide member110to the bottom cover119.

The bottom cover210according to the current embodiment may be equal to the bottom cover according to the foregoing embodiment except that the latch219is disposed on a side surface of the bottom cover210. Thus, duplicated descriptions with the bottom cover210will be omitted.

FIG. 11is an exploded perspective view of a display apparatus according to another embodiment and illustrates an example of a backlight unit assembly20. In configurations of the display apparatus ofFIG. 11, descriptions with respect to configurations equal to those ofFIGS. 1 to 10will be omitted below.

Referring toFIG. 11, a backlight unit assembly20may include a plurality of layers201including a light guide plate and an optical sheet201, a circuit board202disposed on a rear side of the plurality of layers201, an LED assembly230, and a back cover204.

In this case, the bottom cover210described with reference toFIGS. 1 to 10may be removed. Also, the LED assembly230may be coupled to an inner surface of a lower end of the back cover204. Then, the circuit board202is coupled, and the light guide plate and the optical sheet201may be seated.

Thus, the display apparatus may be simply assembled and reduced in weight.

An LVDS cable and a speaker cable may be connected to the inside of the display apparatus through a stepped portion disposed on one area of the back cover204. As shown inFIG. 11, since the inside of the backlight unit is hidden, heat generated from LEDs and circuit board may be conducted into the back cover204. Therefore, the display apparatus having a ventless structure may be realized.

According to the embodiments, since the adhesion layer for fixing the display panel to the guide member is disposed on the non-contact area of the guide member for supporting the display panel, the light leakage of the display apparatus and the introduction of the foreign substances may be reduced. In addition, the process of manufacturing the display apparatus may be simplified.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. Therefore, contents with respect to various variations and modifications will be construed as being included in the scope of the present disclosure.