Display panel arrangement having a detachable fastening element

A detachable fastening element to fasten a panel on a front side of a display panel includes a pressing portion, a locating plate, two elastic pressing members, and two hooks. The pressing portion presses the panel on the front side of the display panel. The display panel is mounted onto a bracing seat. The locating plate is coupled with the pressing portion. The elastic pressing members and the hooks are located on the locating plate. Through the elastic pressing members, hooks and locating plate, the fastening element is clipped the bracing seat. Thereby the panel is fastened on the front side of the display panel. The elasticity provided from the elastic pressing members and hooks make installation and removing of the fastening element easier.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a fastening element, particularly to a detachable fastening element for fastening a panel on a front side of a display panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The conventional display panel generally is covered by a panel on a front side thereof to protect the display panel from being damaged and extend the lifetime of the display panel. Or the conventional display panel generally is covered by a touch panel on a front side thereof for inputting instructions by touching. Refer toFIG. 1showing a conventional method for fastening a panel on a display panel, a display panel100is mounted onto a bracing seat110. A panel120is fastened to the front side of the display panel100through adhesive130. Thereby protection or instruction input by touching is achieved. However, the adhesive130cannot be used repeatedly. If errors occur and repairs are necessary, the adhesive130has to be removed by destructive approach. It is difficult to clear up the adhesive130thoroughly. The display panel100easily tends to be damaged and the display quality is affected.

FIG. 2shows another conventional fastening method. Referring toFIG. 2, an edge member150is extended from an edge of the bracing seat110, when the panel120is fastened on the front side of the display panel100through that a pressing plate140is fastened to the edge member150through a fixing element160(such as a bolt or rivet). U.S. Pat. No. 6,600,526, for example, discloses such fastening method which adopts the bolt. However, the conventional method inFIG. 2takes a lot of time to install and remove the fixing element160. Moreover, the edge member150occupies more space. It is against a prevailing trend that demands thin and small size and increases cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a detachable fastening element to fasten a panel on a front side of a display panel. To achieve the foregoing object, the detachable fastening element according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a pressing portion, a locating plate, two elastic pressing members and two hooks. The display panel is mounted onto a bracing seat. The pressing portion and the locating plate are coupled and formed in an L-shaped structure. The pressing portion presses an upper side of the panel. The locating plate is located on an edge of the bracing seat. The elastic pressing member and the hooks are located symmetrically on the locating plate. According to the embodiment, the fastening element clips the bracing seat through the elastic pressing members, hooks and locating plate so that the panel, display panel and bracing seat are sandwiched firmly between the pressing portion and a hook portion. The elastic pressing members and the hooks provide elasticity to make installation and removing of the locating plate easier. The structure is simple. No additional elements are needed. The cost is lower. It is also made modular easily.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fastening element to achieve precise positioning. To achieve this object, the bracing seat forms a containing portion, such as a cavity or opening, and the locating plate has locating flanges to be latched in the cavity or opening so that the fastening element is precisely fastened on a selected position of the bracing seat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer toFIG. 3, a detachable fastening element according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a pressing portion10, a locating plate20, two elastic pressing members30and two hooks40.

Also referring toFIG. 4, the detachable fastening element is used for fastening a panel1on a front side of a display panel2. The display panel2is mounted onto a bracing seat3. In the embodiment, the panel1is a protective panel made from a transparent material such as glass, acrylic or the like to protect the front side of the display panel2. The panel1may also be a touch panel for inputting instructions from users. Furthermore, the panel1may also be a polarizing plate.

The pressing portion10is coupled with one end of the locating plate20to press an upper side of the panel1. The locating plate20is located on a side surface of the bracing seat3. In the embodiment, the pressing portion10and the locating plate20are formed in an L-shaped structure.

The elastic pressing members30are symmetrically located at two sides of the locating plate20. Each of the elastic pressing members30includes an extension portion31extended from the locating plate20and a coupling portion32connecting to the extension portion31. The extension portion31provides elasticity for the movement of the coupling portion32. The coupling portion32of the elastic pressing member30is spaced from the locating plate20to form a gap4for clipping the bracing seat3within the gap4. In the embodiment, the size of the gap4is slightly smaller than the thickness of the bracing seat3. Hence the elastic pressing member30can clip the bracing seat3in the gap4. And the coupling portion32is pressed against the bracing seat3and maintains an elasticity for returning, which is quite helpful during removing of the detachable fastening element.

The hooks40are symmetrically is coupling with one end of the locating plate20opposite to the end of the locating plate20coupling with the pressing portion10, and each of the hooks forms a hook portion41on the bottom end thereof. The hook portion41is formed by bending to clip a lower edge of the bracing seat3. Thereby, the fastening element clips the bracing seat3through the locating plate20, elastic pressing members30, and hooks portion41so that the panel1, display panel2, and bracing seat3are sandwiched firmly between the pressing portion10and a hook portion41. The panel1is fastened to the front side of the display panel2. As the bracing seat3is clipped by the elastic pressing member30within the gap4, the fastening element is held securely without loosening off.

In addition, a slit42is formed on the juncture of the hooks40and the locating plate20. When the detachable fastening element is removed from a lower side of the locating plate20, the slit42provides a deformable elasticity for the hooks40. The hook portion41is not deformed easily by a force, thus the locating effect of the fastening element is not affected.

The fastening element further provides a containing potion5. The bracing seat3forms the contain portion5such as a cavity or an opening. The number and location of the cavity or opening vary according to requirements. The locating plate20has two locating flanges21to be latched in the containing portion5correspondingly formed on the bracing seat3. Thereby the fastening element is precisely fastened on a selected position of the bracing seat3.

In the embodiment, the detachable fastening element clips the bracing seat3through the locating plate20, the elastic pressing members30and the hook portions41. The pressing portion10presses the panel1on the front side of the display panel2. The structure of the embodiment is simple and no additional elements or changes are needed for the original design of the display panel2or the bracing seat3. Therefore, the structure is a modular assembly. Moreover, as the elastic pressing members30and the hooks40have elasticity, the fastening element is installed and removed easily and repeatable for use to save cost.

Refer toFIG. 5according to another embodiment of the present invention. The locating plate20further has an elastic bending portion22in a middle portion to provide deformation elasticity while removing the detachable fastening element. When the detachable fastening element is removed from the lower side of the locating plate20, the bending portion22provides as a buffer by absorbing the deformation of the locating plate20. Therefore the pressing portion10is not easy to be deformed and the lifetime of the detachable fastening element is extended. When the thickness of the bracing seat3increases, the width of the pressing portion10is shrunk to make a distance between the pressing portion10and the display panel2is shorted through the bending portion22.

In summary, the detachable fastening element is used for fastening the panel1on the front side of the display panel2through the pressing member10, the locating plate20, the elastic pressing members30, and hooks40. The detachable fastening element is installed and removed easily.