PATENT ABSTRACT
A chassis structure for a plasma display module, and a plasma display module including the chassis structure effectively dissipate heat generated by a plasma display panel and improve assembly of the plasma display module. The chassis base includes: a front plate; a back plate separated from the front plate; and a heat dissipation member disposed between the front plate and the back plate, and having a bent cross-section arranged so that some surfaces of the heat dissipation member contact the front plate and some surfaces of the heat dissipation member contact the back plate to allow air flow between the front and back plate.

PATENT DESCRIPTION
CLAIM OF PRIORITY  
       [0001]     This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from an application for CHASSIS STRUCTURE FOR PLASMA DISPLAY MODULE, AND PLASMA DISPLAY MODULE COMPRISING THE SAME, earlier filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Dec. 10, 2004 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 10-2004-0104035.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a chassis structure for a plasma display module and a plasma display module including the plasma display module, and more particularly, to a chassis structure for a plasma display panel that effectively dissipates heat generated by a plasma display panel and improves assembly of the plasma display module, and a plasma display module including the chassis structure.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     In general, a plasma display panel is a flat panel display apparatus displaying images using a gas discharge phenomenon. Some of the advantages of the plasma display panel are a large screen with large viewing angle, small thickness, and high image quality. In the plasma display apparatus, a discharge occurs between electrodes due to a Direct Current (DC) or Alternating Current (AC) voltage supplied to the electrodes, and ultraviolet rays generated due to the gas discharge excite a phosphor material to emit visible light.  
         [0006]     A plasma display module the plasma display module includes a plasma display panel, a plurality of circuit boards, on which circuits for driving the plasma display panel are mounted, and a chassis supporting the plasma display panel and the circuit boards.  
         [0007]     The plasma display panel and the chassis are attached to each other via a dual-adhesive unit attached on a back surface of the plasma display panel, and the dual-adhesive unit is generally a dual-adhesive tape.  
         [0008]     A heat dissipation sheet having excellent thermal conductivity is disposed between the plasma display panel and the chassis to dissipate the heat generated during driving the plasma display panel to the chassis.  
         [0009]     The chassis is generally formed of metal such as aluminum, and is fabricated in a casting or a press process.  
         [0010]     A circuit device is mounted on the circuit board, and the circuit board is mounted on the chassis using a boss and a screw bolt.  
         [0011]     However, the chassis of such a plasma display module does not include a heat dissipation structure, and thus, it is difficult to effectively dissipate the heat transmitted to the chassis from the plasma display panel.  
         [0012]     In addition, since the base portion of the chassis is formed as a single plate, processes for fabricating the boss having a female screw unit and pressing the boss  0  into the chassis to install the boss are required so as to fix the circuit boards onto the chassis. Therefore, the number of processes for assembling such a plasma display module is increased, and thus, fabrication of the plasma display module is expensive and time-consuming.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     The present invention provides a chassis structure for plasma display module, which is capable of effectively dissipating heat generated by a plasma display panel and improving assembly of the plasma display module, and a plasma display module including the chassis structure.  
         [0014]     According to one aspect of the present invention, a chassis structure for a plasma display module is provided, the chassis comprising: a front plate; a back plate separated from the front plate; and a heat dissipation member arranged between the front plate and the back plate, and having a bent cross-section arranged so that some surfaces of the heat dissipation member contact the front plate and some surfaces of the heat dissipation member contact the back plate to allow air flow between the front and back plates.  
         [0015]     The heat dissipation member preferably comprises a serpentine cross-section. The heat dissipation member alternatively preferably comprises a convex-concave cross-section. The heat dissipation member preferably comprises a heat conductive material.  
         [0016]     According to another aspect of the present invention, a plasma display module is provided comprising: a plasma display panel; at least one circuit board adapted to drive the plasma display panel; a front plate adapted to support the plasma display panel; a back plate adapted to support the at least one circuit board and separated from the front plate; and a heat dissipation member arranged between the front plate and the back plate, and having a bent cross-section arranged so that some surfaces of the heat dissipation member contact the front plate and some surfaces of the heat dissipation member contact the back plate to allow air flow between the front and back plate.  
         [0017]     The plasma display module preferably further comprises a heat dissipation sheet arranged between the plasma display panel and the front plate.  
         [0018]     The heat dissipation member preferably comprises a serpentine cross-section. The heat dissipation member alternatively preferably comprises a convex-concave cross-section. The heat dissipation member preferably comprises a heat conductive material.  
         [0019]     The back plate preferably comprises an aperture adapted to fix the circuit board thereon.  
         [0020]     The plasma display module preferably further comprise a connection unit adapted to fix the at least one circuit board on the back plate, wherein a first end of the connection unit is arranged on the at least one circuit board, and wherein a second end of the connection unit passes through the aperture to be arranged in a space between the front and back plates.  
         [0021]     The second end of the connection unit preferably comprises a tapered wing. The connection unit preferably comprises a synthetic resin. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]     The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:  
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a plasma display module;  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the plasma display module taken along line II-II of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of a chassis structure of a plasma display module according to a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a heat dissipation member according to the first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a modified example of chassis structure of the plasma display module according to the first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a modified example of the heat dissipation member according to the first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0029]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another modified example of the heat dissipation member according to the first embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0030]      FIG. 8  is a partial cross-sectional view of a chassis structure of a plasma display module according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0031]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a plasma display module in a plasma display apparatus, and  FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the plasma display module taken along line II-II of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0032]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the plasma display module  100  includes a plasma display panel  100 , a plurality of circuit boards  120 , on which circuits for driving the plasma display panel  110  are mounted, and a chassis  130  supporting the plasma display panel  110  and the circuit boards  120 .  
         [0033]     The plasma display panel  110  and the chassis  130  are attached to each other via a dual-adhesive unit  140  affixed to a back surface of the plasma display panel  110 , and the dual-adhesive unit  140  is generally a dual-adhesive tape.  
         [0034]     A heat dissipation sheet  150  having excellent thermal conductivity is disposed between the plasma display panel  110  and the chassis  130  to transmit the heat generated during the driving of the plasma display panel  110  to the chassis  130 .  
         [0035]     The chassis  130  is generally formed of metal such as aluminum, and is fabricated by casting or pressing.  
         [0036]     A circuit device is mounted on the circuit board  120 , and the circuit board  120  is mounted on the chassis  130  using a boss  160  and a screw bolt  170 .  
         [0037]     However, the chassis  130  of the plasma display module  100  does not include a heat dissipation structure, and thus, it is difficult to effectively dissipate the heat transmitted to the chassis  130  from the plasma display panel  110 .  
         [0038]     In addition, since the base portion of the chassis  130  is formed as a single plate, processes for fabricating the boss  160  having a female screw unit and pressing the boss  160  into the chassis  130  to install the boss  160  are required so as to fix the circuit boards  120  onto the chassis  130 . Therefore, the number of processes for assembling the plasma display module is increased, and thus, fabrication of this plasma display module is expensive and time-consuming.  
         [0039]     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a plasma display module  200  according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes a plasma display panel  210 , a plurality of circuit boards  220 , on which circuits for driving the plasma display panel  210  are mounted, and a chassis  230  supporting the plasma display panel  210  and the circuit boards  220 .  
         [0040]     The chassis  230  includes a front plate  231 , a back plate  232 , and a heat dissipation member  233 .  
         [0041]     The plasma display panel  210  and the front plate  231  are attached to each other by a dual-adhesive unit  240  affixed to a back surface of the plasma display panel  210 , and a circuit device  221  is disposed on the circuit board  220 .  
         [0042]     A heat dissipation sheet  250  is disposed between the plasma display panel  210  and the front plate  231  to transmit heat generated by the plasma display panel  210  to the front plate  231 .  
         [0043]     The back plate  232  is separated a predetermined distance from the front plate  231 , and the predetermined distance can be determined by a designer of the module in consideration of the heat dissipating performance and thickness of the plasma display module  200 .  
         [0044]     In  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the heat dissipation member  233  is located between the front plate  231  and the back plate  232 , and has a serpentine cross-section. In addition, the heat dissipation member  233  is formed of a thermally conductive material, that is, generally metal.  
         [0045]     Ridge portions  234  of the heat dissipation member  233  contact the front plate  231  and the back plate  232 . In addition, valley portions  235  at the opposing side of the ridge portions  234 , the front plate  231 , and the back plate  232  form air flow paths  280 . Therefore, some of the heat transmitted to the heat dissipation member  233  is transmitted to the air flowing in the air flow paths  280  to be dissipated, and the residual heat transmitted to the heat dissipation member  233  is transmitted to the back plate  232  and dissipated.  
         [0046]     It is desirable that the heat dissipation member  233  bent with a constant curvature is disposed between the front plate  231  and the back plate  232 , and then, these elements are brazed together.  
         [0047]     The circuit board  220  is mounted on the back plate  232  using a boss  260  and a screw bolt  270 .  
         [0048]     The operation of the chassis structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention is as follows.  
         [0049]     When the plasma display module  200  is driven, a lot of heat is generated by the plasma display panel  210 . The generated heat is transmitted to the front plate  231  after passing through the heat dissipation sheet  250 .  
         [0050]     The heat transmitted to the front plate  231  is transmitted to the heat dissipation member  233 . Since the heat dissipation member  233  has a serpentine cross-section, a surface area of the heat dissipation member  233  is large, and a plurality of air flow paths  280  are formed, and thus, a large amount of the heat transmitted to the heat dissipation sheet  233  is dissipated out of the chassis  230 .  
         [0051]     That is, since the edges of the chassis  230  are open, external air can be induced and discharged into/out of the chassis  230 . The air induced in the chassis  230  absorbs the heat while contacting the heat dissipation member  233 , and then, is exhausted out of the chassis  230 . Thus, a large amount of the heat transmitted to the heat dissipation member  233  can be exhausted effectively out of the chassis  230  by the air induced in the chassis  230 .  
         [0052]     In addition, the residual heat transmitted to the heat dissipation member  233  is transmitted to the back plate  232  and dissipated.  
         [0053]     That is, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the chassis  230  includes the front plate  231 , the back plate  232 , and the heat dissipation member  233 , and the heat generated by the plasma display panel  210  is effectively dissipated by the heat dissipation member  233 .  
         [0054]     Hereinafter, a modified example of the above chassis structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to  FIGS. 5-7 , and different elements from those of the above example are described.  
         [0055]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a modified example of chassis structure of the plasma display module according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a modified example of the heat dissipation member according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0056]     The plasma display module  300  includes a plasma display panel  310 , circuit boards  320 , and a chassis  330 .  
         [0057]     The chassis  330  includes a front plate  331 , aback plate  332 , and a heat dissipation member  333 , and the plasma display panel  310  is supported at the front plate  331  using a dual-adhesive unit  340 .  
         [0058]     Compared to the above first embodiment, the modified example of the first embodiment has a heat dissipation member  333  of a different shape than that of the heat dissipation member  233  of  FIGS. 3-4 .  
         [0059]     That is, unlike the heat dissipation member  233  having the serpentine cross-section, the modified heat dissipation member  333  has a convex-concave cross-section.  
         [0060]     The heat dissipation member  333  is formed of a thermally conductive material. Ridge portions  334  of the heat dissipation member  333  contact the front plate  331  and the back plate  332 . Valley portions  335  at the opposing side of the ridge portions  334 , the front plate  331 , and the back plate  332  form air flow paths  380 .  
         [0061]     Therefore, the heat generated by the plasma display panel  310  is transmitted to the front plate  331  through the heat dissipation sheet  350 . A large amount of the heat transmitted to the front plate  331  is transmitted to the heat dissipation member  333 , and some of the heat transmitted to the heat dissipation member  333  is absorbed by the air flowing in the air flow paths  380  to be dissipated, and the residual heat transmitted to the heat dissipation member  333  is transmitted to the back plate  332  and dissipated.  
         [0062]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another modified example of the heat dissipation member according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The heat dissipation member  433  is formed by slightly changing the shape of the heat dissipation member  333  of  FIG. 6 . That is, connections between ridge portions  434  and valley portions  435  are slanted.  
         [0063]     The elements of the modified examples of the heat dissipation member perform the same functions as those of the elements in the dissipation member of the first embodiment. However, the heat dissipation members  333  and  433  of  FIGS. 5-7  have larger ridge portions  334  and  434  contacting the front and back plates  231  and  232  than those of the heat dissipation member  233  of the first embodiment. Therefore, the heat dissipation members  333  and  433  have some different characteristics from those of the heat dissipation member  233  in that the heat from the plasma display panel can be easily transmitted to the heat dissipation members  333  and  433  and that the heat dissipation members  333  and  433  have relatively smaller heat dissipation surface area.  
         [0064]     Hereinafter, a plasma display module according to a second embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to  FIG. 8 .  
         [0065]     The plasma display module  500  according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a plasma display panel  510 , a plurality of circuit boards  520 , on which circuits driving the plasma display panel  510  are mounted, and a chassis  530  supporting the plasma display panel  510  and the circuit boards  520 .  
         [0066]     The chassis  530  includes a front plate  531 , a back plate  532 , and a heat dissipation member  533 .  
         [0067]     The plasma display panel  510  and the front plate  531  of the chassis  530  are attached to each other by a dual-adhesive unit  540  affixed to a back surface of the plasma display panel  510 .  
         [0068]     A heat dissipation sheet  550  is disposed between the front plate  531  and the plasma display panel  510  to transmit the heat generated by the plasma display panel  510  to the front plate  531 .  
         [0069]     The back plate  532  is separated a predetermined distance from the front plate  531 , and a heat dissipation member  533  is located between the front plate  531  and the back plate  532 . In addition, air flow paths  580  are formed by the front plate  531 , the back plate  532 , and the heat dissipation member  533 .  
         [0070]     The heat dissipation member  533  has the same structure and function as those of the heat dissipation member  433  of the previous embodiment.  
         [0071]     That is, the heat generated when the plasma display panel  510  is driven is transmitted to the heat dissipation member  533  after passing through the heat dissipation sheet  550 , and some of the heat transmitted to the heat dissipation member  533  is absorbed by the air flowing in the air flow paths  580  and dissipated, and the residual heat is transmitted to the back plate  532  and dissipated.  
         [0072]     In addition, the back plate  532  includes holes  590  for fixing the circuit boards  520 , and the circuit boards  520  are fixed on the back plate  532  by connection units  570 .  
         [0073]     The connection unit  570  is formed of synthetic resin. In addition, a first end  571  of the connection unit  570  is mounted on the circuit board  520 , and a second end  572  of the connection unit  570  passes through the hole  590  formed on the back plate  532  and is located in the space between the front plate  531  and the back plate  532 .  
         [0074]     The second end  572  of the connection unit  570  includes a wing part  573  having tapered shape, and thus, it can be only inserted into the hole  590  formed on the back plate  532  in one direction, and when the second end  572  of the connection unit  570  is inserted into the hole  590 , the wing part  573  is bent inward.  
         [0075]     After the wing part  573  of the connection unit  570  passes through the hole  590 , the wing part  573  is recovered to the original status by an elastic force, and thus, the second end  572  of the connection unit  570  is located between the front plate  531  and the back plate  532 . Therefore, the second end  572  of the connection unit  570  and a suspending step  574  can fix the circuit board  520  onto the back plate  532 .  
         [0076]     In addition, referring to  FIG. 8 , it is desirable that the end  572  of the connection unit  570  is located toward the valley portion of the heat dissipation member  533  avoiding from the ridge portion of the heat dissipation member  533 .  
         [0077]     Therefore, in order to assemble the plasma display module  500  according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the circuit board  520  can be firmly fixed on the back plate  532  simply by mounting the first end  571  of the connection unit  570  on the circuit board  520  and pushing the second end  572  of the connection unit  570  into the hole  590  of the back plate  532 . Therefore, a process of forming the boss on the chassis for fixing the circuit board on the chassis is not necessary.  
         [0078]     The assembling way of the plasma display module  500  according to the second embodiment of the present invention cannot be applied to a conventional plasma display module, in which the chassis is formed as a single plate, since the second end  572  of the connection unit  570  collides with the plasma display panel in the conventional plasma display module even if the connection unit  570  is inserted after forming the hole on the chassis. Therefore, the connection unit  570  cannot be fixed on the chassis of the conventional plasma display module. That is, since the chassis of the conventional plasma display module is formed as a single plate, there is no space to receive the second end  572  of the connection unit  570 , and thus, the connection unit  570  cannot be fixed on the chassis in the conventional plasma display module.  
         [0079]     According to the plasma display module of the second embodiment of the present invention, since the chassis  530  includes the front plate  531 , the back plate  532 , and the heat dissipation member  533 , the heat dissipation member  533  can effectively dissipate the heat transmitted to the front plate  531 . In addition, the circuit boards  520  can be mounted on the back plate  532  in easy and effective way by using the space between the front plate  531  and the back plate  532  and the connection unit  570 .  
         [0080]     As described above, according to the present invention, the chassis includes the front plate, the back plate, and the heat dissipation member, and thus, the heat generated by the plasma display panel can be dissipated using the heat dissipation member.  
         [0081]     In addition, since the front plate and the back plate are separated a predetermined distance from each other, the circuit board can be mounted on the back plate in easy and effective way using the connection unit, and the assembling convenience of the plasma display module can be improved. Therefore, the production time and manufacturing costs can be reduced.  
         [0082]     While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.