Abstract:
A Plasma Display Panel (PDP) apparatus, system and method, includes a circuit framework structure, chassis structure, panel structure, TCP structure, at least one thermal pad structure and an insulating structure. An integrated circuit is coupled to at least one thermal pad structure and the TCP structure, and the circuit framework structure is disposed external to the TCP structure. Therefore, efficient dissipation of heat that is generated during operation of the PDP structures may be obtained. In addition, the amount of accumulated heat in the PDP structure may be significantly reduced due the PDP apparatus and structure configuration, thereby increasing the PDP operational life.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to the field of flat-panel displays. More particularly, the present invention relates to plasma display panel (PDP) technology, along with associated methods of heat dissipation and thermal management.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Traditionally, various electronic devices have utilized heat sink devices, either integrally configured or attached thereto, to dissipate heat in thermally deleterious heat generating components of such electronic devices. The same is true for flat-panel display modules, such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and PDPs, which generate enormous quantities of heat. Various methods have been utilized that relatively inefficiently dissipate the heat generated in PDP structures including integrated circuits (ICs).  
         [0005]     Tape carrier packages (TCPs) are packages in which ICs are installed on thermally stable substrates and sealed with polymer. TCPs are widely used in liquid crystal drivers and less frequently in PDPs. However, there are several disadvantages associated with methods used for TCPs. In addition, the TCP structure itself increases device weight and dimensional thickness. These characteristics inevitably limit the PDP&#39;s ability to efficiently dissipate heat.  
         [0006]     Various ICs can operationally endure temperatures as high as 85°-100° C. However, high temperatures can adversely impact performance characteristics of a PDP. Therefore, there is a present need to reduce the operational working temperature of the PDP and associated ICs, without increasing costs, to reach the appropriate thermal balance in a display panel.  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates a conventional structure of a PDP  100 . An IC  101  is coupled to a conventional TCP  102  attached to the PDP  100 , and a printed circuit board (PCB)  103  is disposed partially within the TCP  102 . The PDP  100  is coupled to a chassis/base plate structure  104  by attachment fasteners  105 . The PDP  100  has a panel structure  106 , consisting of a front panel  106   a  and a rear panel  106   b . A thermal pad  107  is disposed between the rear panel  106   b  and the chassis/base plate  104 .  
         [0008]     Heat generated by the structures  FIG. 1 , including the PDP  100 , IC  101  and panel structures  106 , is dissipated by conventional means of thermal conduction and convection, which is relatively inefficient. This generated heat is inhibited from dissipation by the structural barrier of the TCP  102 . This source of heat in area “A” is a result of the natural inter-flow that comes from the panel structure  106  and its driving IC  101 . The heat generated accumulates in area A (direction as shown by the arrows if  FIG. 1 ), thus making it even more difficult to discharge heat generated by the driver IC  101 . Also, the linear width dimension (Δ1) of the TCP  102  affects the amount of heat that can be effectively dissipated from the PDP  100 .  
         [0009]     Clearly, conventional PDP structures associated with TCPs have several disadvantages regarding heat dissipation. There is no heat dissipation structure provided in the TCP&#39;s driver or in the overall mechanical packaging of the TCP module. Thus, when applied to a PDP, the TCP is not able to effectively dissipate heat generated by the IC. As a result, at least the operating life of the PDP is shortened, and worse, the excess heat may result in the destruction of the IC itself.  
         [0010]     One of the most significant threats to the operational performance and lifetime of a conventional PDP lies in deleterious thermal environments caused by generated heat. Thus, there is a present need for an apparatus and method that prevents the compromised or operational failure of a PDP panel by reducing heat accumulation while increasing the heat dissipation efficiency of the overall PDP structure. Moreover, the present need extends to a solution that reduces an operational working temperature of a PDP and associated ICs without increasing costs to reach an appropriate thermal balance in the operational display.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     The present invention is therefore directed to a plasma display panel thermal dissipation apparatus, system, and method, which substantially overcome one or more of the problems due to the limitations and disadvantages of the related art.  
         [0012]     It is a feature of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a robust, versatile and cost-effective solution to both generation and heat dissipation of associated PDP structures and assemblies.  
         [0013]     It is another feature of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a plasma display panel thermal dissipation apparatus, system, and method for enhancing the thermal management characteristics of a PDP by conducting heat away from ICs of the PDP and reducing heat accumulation within the PDP.  
         [0014]     It is another feature of an embodiment of the present invention to permit the efficient dissipation of deleterious heat that is generated during PDP operation of the ICs and associated TCP structures.  
         [0015]     It is another feature of an embodiment of the present invention to reduce accumulated heat generated within a PDP structure, thus preventing a reduction in the PDP operational life.  
         [0016]     It is another feature of an embodiment of the present invention to reduce thermal dissipation inefficiency of a PDP.  
         [0017]     It is another feature of an embodiment of the present invention to reduce operational temperature of an IC of a PDP without increasing costs or dimensional thinness.  
         [0018]     At least one of the above and other features and advantages of the present invention may be realized by providing a plasma display panel thermal dissipation apparatus, system, and/or method, in which a PDP structure is disposed external to a TCP structure, such that generated heat does not accumulate within the TCP structure and is conducted away from an integrated circuit (IC). Preferably, at least one thermal pad structure is provided as a thermal conduit for generated heat. The thermal pad structure may be attached to a panel structure and/or IC of the PDP.  
         [0019]     Preferably, at least one thermal pad structure is directly thermally coupled to the IC, irrespective of whether the IC is disposed internally or externally to the TCP structure.  
         [0020]     In addition, the IC location and TCP configuration relative to the associated PDP structures is preferably modified over that of the related art.  
         [0021]     As a result, the present invention provides more efficient plasma display panel thermal dissipation compared to that of the related art. 
     
    
     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  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a conventional PDP with conventional IC and TCP structures.  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a PDP structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a PDP structure according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]     The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as 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 scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.  
         [0027]     The following section describes various embodiments of the present invention based on drawings, while exemplifying the PDP thermal dissipation and equilibration apparatus, system and method of the present invention.  
         [0028]     Accordingly,  FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of a PDP  200  apparatus of the present invention. A circuit framework structure  201 , which may include a printed circuit board (PCB) and control circuit components, along with a chassis structure  202 , a panel structure  203  and a tape carrier package (TCP) structure  204  are provided. It should be noted that the panel structure  203  may include a single integrated unit or a plurality of units, e.g., front  203   a  and back  203   b  panels. The TCP structure  204  is coupled to the framework structure  201  and the panel structure  203 , along with at least one thermal pad structure  205 , wherein the at least one thermal pad structure  205  is disposed between the chassis structure  202  and the panel structure  203 . A PDP driver integrated circuit (IC)  206  is coupled to at least one thermal pad structure  205  and the TCP structure  204 , internal to the TCP structure  204 . An insulating structure  207  is coupled to and disposed between the framework structure  201  and chassis structure  202 . The insulating structure  207  electrically insulates the circuit framework structure  201  from the chassis structure  202 .  
         [0029]     In this embodiment of the present invention, the framework structure  201 , insulating structure  207 , chassis structure  202 , at least one thermal pad structure  205 , and the panel structure  203  are coupled together. It should also be noted that according to the present invention, the structures of the PDP  200  may be coupled by various means, e.g., securing screws, adhesive layers, etc.  
         [0030]     There are several aspects of the present invention that are to be noted. The IC  206  attached to the TCP structure  204  is coupled to the panel structure  203  using a thermal pad structure  205  that efficiently dispenses operationally generated heat. The PDP structure  200  of the present invention effectively separates the thermal inter-flow from the panel  203  and its driving integrated circuit IC  206 .  
         [0031]     According to the present invention, the positioning of the framework structure  201  external to the TCP structure  204  provides for the significant reduction of the accumulation of PDP  200  operationally generated heat. Thus, by the present invention, the thermal dissipation efficiency of the PDP may be significantly increased.  
         [0032]     More specifically, due to the natural inter-flow that comes from the panel  203  and its driving integrated circuit  206 , generated heat accumulates in area A. However, according to the present invention, the TCP structure  204  and panel structure  203  are configured such that the heat in area A from the driving IC  206  of the panel is reduced. Moreover, the linear width dimension (Δ2) is thinner than the conventional TCP dimension (Δ1), as referenced in  FIG. 1 , e.g., (Δ2&lt;Δ1, Δ2≦20 mm).  
         [0033]     In addition, the thermal pad structure  205  is attached to both the IC  206  and the chassis structure  202 . The circuit framework structure  201  is coupled to the insulating structure  207 , thus permitting the heat generated by the framework structure  201  to be dissipated more efficiently, without being inhibited by the TCP structure  204 .  
         [0034]     Further, in the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the chassis structure  202  does not extend into the TCP structure  204 , beyond where the TCP is coupled to the circuit framework structure  201 . The circuit framework structure  201  may include a PCB, along with several control circuit components that are attached to the PDP  200 . The chassis structure  202  is coupled to and disposed between the thermal pad structure  205  and the insulating structure  207 . It should be noted that the thermal pad structure  205  is disposed between the chassis structure  202  and the panel structure  203 . Therefore, in order to accomplish an advantage of the present invention, this embodiment permits the operationally generated heat from the panel  203  to be transferred through the thermal pad structure  205 , while reducing the amount of heat accumulated in area A of the TCP  204 . Thus, the PDP  200  will be less susceptible to thermally induced fractures and operational failures or degradations.  
         [0035]      FIG. 3  illustrates an alternate embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3  includes a PDP  300  having a circuit framework structure  301 , which may include a PCB, along with various control circuit parts, coupled to an insulating structure  302 . The insulating structure  302  is coupled to a chassis structure  303 , which is coupled to a thermal pad structure  304  attached to a back of a panel structure  305 . In this embodiment, a portion of the panel structure  305  extends into a TCP structure  306 . However, an IC  307  is disposed external to the TCP structure  306  permitting more efficient heat dissipation, given that the circuit framework structure  301  is similarly disposed external to the TCP structure  306 , in contradistinction to the conventional configurations. Further, the IC  307  is thermally coupled to at least one thermal pad structure  304 , which is, itself, coupled to the circuit framework structure  301 . Thus, the IC  307  attached to the TCP structure  306  can be connected to a PCB, for example, using the thermal pad structure  304 , which efficiently dispenses operationally generated heat and provides for mechanical dissipation of externally imposed stresses on the PDP structure  300  overall.  
         [0036]     Moreover, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , heat that accumulates in area A is a result of the natural inter-flow that comes only from the panel structure  305 , which includes a front  305   a  and rear panel  305   b . According to the present invention, the TCP structure  306  and panel structure  305  are configured such that the heat in area A from the panel&#39;s driving IC  307  is reduced even more, as compared to a conventional PDP. Moreover, the linear width dimension (Δ3) is thinner than the conventional TCP dimension (Δ1), as referenced in  FIG. 1 , e.g., (Δ3 &lt;Δ1, Δ3≦15 mm).  
         [0037]     According to the present invention, the thermal pad structure, utilizing resilient, low hardness, pliable materials, which are attached to the IC, prevent damage to the IC as a result of external mechanical forces being applied to the PDP structure. This is a significant advantage over a conventional attachment of the IC only to a PDP structure, such as the TCP alone.  
         [0038]     Those skilled in the art will recognize that the device and methods of the present invention has many applications, and that the present invention is not limited to the representative examples disclosed herein. Although illustrative, the embodiments disclosed herein have a wide range of modification, change and substitution that is intended and in some instances some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features.  
         [0039]     Moreover, the scope of the present invention covers conventionally known variations and modifications to the system components described herein, as would be known by those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.