Abstract:
An LCD device with a touch panel includes an LCD panel displaying images; a backlight unit provided below the LCD panel; an electronic graphic input panel (EGIP) film provided on the LCD panel; and a case extending toward a lower side of the LCD panel. The case extends toward the lower side of the LCD panel, without overlapping the EGIP film, to encase the LCD panel and the backlight unit. The EGIP film has planar dimensions which are greater than planar dimensions of the LCD panel.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This application claims the benefit of the Korean Application No. P2003-76758 filed on Oct. 31, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present application relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, and more particularly, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device with a touch panel, which may be suitable for a notebook computer requiring mechanical compactness or other display applications. 
     2. Related Art 
     A liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes an LCD panel having lower and upper glass substrates and a liquid crystal layer formed between the substrates. A polarizing plate polarizes light at both sides of the LCD panel. A light source provides uniform light to the LCD panel. A light-guiding plate guides light into the LCD panel. The LCD device displays video signals inputted from an external source. 
     The lower glass substrate includes a plurality of gate lines arranged along a first direction at fixed intervals, a plurality of data lines arranged along a second direction at fixed intervals perpendicular to the first direction, a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix-type configuration within pixel regions P defined by crossing of the gate and data lines, and a plurality of thin film transistors T enabled according to gate pulse signals supplied to the gate lines for transmitting data signals from the data lines to the pixel electrodes. The upper glass substrate includes a black matrix layer that prevents light from reaching portions of the lower substrate except the pixel regions P, an R/G/B color filter layer for displaying various colors, and a common electrode for applying an electric field to the liquid crystal layer in conjunction with the pixel electrodes. In this LCD device, the lower and upper substrates are bonded to each other at a predetermined interval, and the liquid crystal layer is formed between the lower and upper substrates. 
     An EGIP (electric graphic input panel) may be mounted to the LCD device. The EGIP permits viewing of the images on a screen through the EGIP, and simultaneously permits operator input to a related electronic device. In the LCD device provided with the EGIP touch panel, it is possible to display video signals on the LCD device and to input data on a screen of the LCD device simultaneously without an additional keyboard or mouse. 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a typical liquid crystal module (LCM) and  FIG. 2  is a partial cross sectional view of the LCM taken along lines A-A in  FIG. 1 . The LCM includes an LCD panel  10  displaying images, a polarizer (POL)  40 , a backlight unit  19  formed at the rear of the LCD panel  10  to provide light, light-scattering means  20  provided between the backlight unit  19  and the LCD panel  10  to scatter light emitted from the backlight unit  19  and to provide uniform light to an entire surface of the LCD panel, and a top case  30  to connect the LCD panel  10  with the backlight unit  19 . The light-scattering means  20  is comprised of lower and upper light-diffusion sheets  26  and  29 , and lower and upper prism sheets  27  and  28 . 
     The backlight unit  19  includes a fluorescent lamp  22  emitting light, a light-guiding plate  24  to guide the light emitted from the fluorescent lamp  22  to the LCD panel  10 , a metal reflective plate  23  surrounding the fluorescent lamp  22  to condense the light emitted from the fluorescent lamp  20  on the light-guiding plate  24 , a reflective sheet  25  provided below the light-guiding plate  24  to condense the emitted light on the LCD panel  10 , and a synthetic resin molded frame  21  having a rectangular shape for supporting respective components. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of an EGIP film. The EGIP film includes upper and lower PET (polyethylene terephtalate) films  1  and  2 , transparent electrodes  3  and  4 , an adhesive  8 , a PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) film  5 , a TAC (triacetyl cellulose) film  6 , and a silver layer  7 . The silver layer  7  may comprise, for example, silver, (Ag), gold (Au) and/or any other conductive material(s). The transparent electrodes  3  and  4  are formed on opposing surfaces of the two PET films  1  and  2 , and the two PET films  1  and  2  are bonded to each other in a non-display area which is provided in the circumference of the lower and upper PET films  1  and  2 , at a predetermined intervals therebetween by the adhesive  8 . The PVA film  5  is formed below the lower PET film  2  for polarizing light, and the TAC film  6  is formed below the PVA film  5  for protecting the PVA film  5  from humidity. The silver layer  7  is formed on the upper PET film  1 . The PVA film  5  and the TAC film  6  are referred to as a polarizer (POL), and the silver layer  7  and the upper and lower PET films  1  and  2  are referred to as an EGIP film. 
       FIG. 4  is a partial cross-sectional view of an LCD device taken along lines B-B of  FIG. 1 . The example LCD device illustrated in  FIG. 4  includes a related art EGIP film  70 . The LCD device includes an LCD panel  50 , a backlight unit  59 , light-scattering means  60 , the EGIP film  70 , and a top case  80 . The LCD panel  50  includes lower and upper substrates, and a liquid crystal layer formed between the two substrates. Also, the backlight unit  59  is provided below the LCD panel  50  to emit light, and the light-scattering means  60  is provided between the LCD panel  50  and the backlight unit  59  to scatter the light emitted from the backlight unit  59 . The EGIP film  70  is provided on the LCD panel  50  and the top case  80  is partially overlapped with both ends of the EGIP film  70 . The top case  80  is provided to enclose the LCD panel  50  and the backlight unit  59 . 
     The light-scattering means  60  is comprised of lower and upper light-diffusion sheets  61  and  62 , and lower and upper prism sheets  63  and  64 . The backlight unit  59  is comprised of a light-guiding plate  65 , a reflective sheet  66 , and a synthetic resin molded frame  67  of a rectilinear shape for supporting the respective components. 
     Except for the EGIP film  70 , the LCD device has the same structure as that of a typical LCD display device. The EGIP film  70  is the same size as the upper substrate of the LCD panel  50  and is adhered to the LCD panel  50  by an adhesive layer  71 . 
     The top case  80  is curved at a right angle so that the top case  80  is formed as a rectangular band shape having a flat side and a lateral side covering the edge of the EGIP film  70 . The lateral side of the top case  80  has a screw hole for penetration of a screw  90 . The screw  90  serves to fasten the backlight unit  59  to the top case  80 . 
       FIG. 5  is a partial cross sectional view of the EGIP film  70  mounted on the LCD panel  50  in  FIG. 4 . The LCD panel  50  has a display area (active area) and a non-display area (non-active area), and an upper polarizing plate  72  is formed on the LCD panel  50 . Then, transparent electrodes (not shown in  FIG. 5 , and referred to as ‘ 3 ’ and ‘ 4 ’ in  FIG. 3 ) are formed on opposing surfaces of lower and upper PET films  73  and  74 . The lower and upper PET films  73  and  74  are bonded to each other at their perimeter in the non-display area, by double-sided adhesive tapes  76  and  77 . Also, an FPC  75  is provided to apply voltages VDD and GND to the transparent electrodes, and to output voltages which vary according to the contact point of the transparent electrodes when an external force is applied. 
     Reference ‘A’ is an in active area or non-touch area, and ‘B’ is an active area or a touch display area. Near the boundary between ‘A’ and ‘B’, there may be a failure to respond to a touch, whereas this problem does not arise in the portion of ‘B’ which is distant from ‘A’. 
     However, the LCD device having the touch panel according to the related art has the following disadvantages: 
     In the LCD device having the touch panel according to the related art, the top case covers the edge of the EGIP film, which serves as the touch panel. Thus, the LCD device has no problem in itself. However, it is difficult to repair the EGIP film if the EGIP film fails. That is, if the EGIP film fails, the EGIP film is repaired after separation of the top case, thereby complicating the repairing process. 
     Also, the edge of the EGIP film is designed in correspondence to the case and the outer size of the LCD panel, so that it is impossible to design the EGIP electrode adjacent to the touch display area. Accordingly, the edge of the EGIP film may fail in various ways. 
     SUMMARY 
     By way of introduction only, in one embodiment, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device with a touch panel includes an LCD panel displaying images, the LCD panel having a front surface facing the viewer and a rear side facing in the opposing direction; a backlight unit provided below the LCD panel, to emit light; an EGIP film provided on the LCD panel; and a case extending toward a lower side of the LCD panel, without being overlapped with the EGIP film, to encase the LCD panel and the backlight unit. The case is overlapped with the rear of the backlight unit, fastened to the backlight unit by a screw, and may be formed of a metal material. The EGIP film is larger than the LCD panel and is adhered to the LCD panel with an adhesive. 
     The backlight unit may include a light-guiding plate provided at the rear of the LCD panel; a light source provided at one side of the light-guiding plate, to emit light; a lamp housing fixing the light source, and condensing the light emitted from the light source on the light-guiding plate; a reflective plate provided at a lower side of the light-guiding plate, to reflect the light leaking at a side opposite the LCD panel; and a frame supporting the respective components and the LCD panel. The EGIP film may be larger than the LCD panel, so that the edge of the EGIP film is disposed on the molded frame and may be adhered to the LCD panel and the molded frame by an adhesive. 
     The LCD device may include light-scattering means provided between the LCD panel and the backlight unit, to scatter the light emitted from the backlight unit, and to provide uniform light to the LCD panel. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a module of a typical LCD device. 
         FIG. 2  is a partial cross-sectional view of a typical LCD device taken along lines A-A in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a partial cross-sectional view of a typical EGIP. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial cross-sectional view of a typical LCD device provided with a touch panel taken along lines B-B in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a partial cross-sectional view of an EGIP film provided on an LCD panel. 
         FIG. 6  is a partial cross-sectional view taken along lines A-A of  FIG. 1  depicting an embodiment that includes an LCD provided with an a EGIP film. 
         FIG. 7  is a partial cross-sectional view taken along lines B-B of  FIG. 1  depicting an embodiment that includes an LCD provided with an EGIP film. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Other features of the present apparatus will appear in the following description of an embodiment given by way of a non-limiting example, with reference to the drawings, in which the same elements or parts throughout the figures of the drawings are designated by the same reference characters 
       FIG. 6  is a partial cross-sectional partial view taken along lines A-A in  FIG. 1  of an embodiment of an LCD device provided with a touch panel. The LCD device may include an LCD panel  100 , a backlight unit  150 , light-scattering means  200 , an EGIP film  300 , and a case  400 . The LCD panel  100  may include a rear surface that is a lower substrate  101  and a front surface that is an upper substrate  102 . A liquid crystal layer may be formed between the two substrates  101  and  102 , to display images. Also, the backlight unit  150  may be provided below the LCD panel  100 , to emit light to the rear of the LCD panel  100 . The light-scattering means  200  may be provided between the LCD panel  100  and the backlight unit  150 , to scatter the light emitted from the backlight unit  150 , and to provide uniform luminosity to the LCD panel  100 . The EGIP film  300  may be provided on a front surface of the LCD panel  100 . The case  400  extends toward a lower side of the LCD panel  100  and is partially overlapped with the edge of the backlight unit  150 , to encase or surround the LCD panel  100  and the backlight unit  150 . Accordingly, the LCD panel  100  and the backlight unit  150  are conterminously disposed within the case  400 . 
     The backlight unit  150  may include a molded frame  201 , a lamp  202 , a metal reflective plate  203 , a light-guiding plate  204 , and a reflective sheet  205 . The molded frame  201  may be formed of synthetic resin or some other rigid material capable of being formed in the desired shape, such as a rectangle or square. The lamp  202  may be provided at one end of the molded frame  201 , to emit light. Alternatively, multiple lamps  202  may be positioned on the molded frame  201  at predetermined locations. The reflective plate  203 , surrounding a portion of the lamp  202  at the end of the molded frame  201  having the lamp  202  may form a lamp housing. The lamp housing may reflect the light emitted from the lamp  202 . The light-guiding plate  204  may be provided in the molded frame  201  in parallel with the lamp  202 . The light-guiding plate  204  may guide the light emitted from the lamp  202  to the rear of the LCD panel  100 . The reflective sheet  205  may be positioned below the light-guiding plate  204 . The light-scattering means  200  may be comprised of lower and upper light-diffusion sheets  206  and  207  and lower and upper prism sheets  208  and  209  deposited on the light-guiding plate  204 . 
     The case  400  may be a flange formed in a polygonal shape, such as a square or a rectangle. The case  400  includes a first member  402  that is a flat side or lip portion and a second member  404  that is a lateral side or base portion. The first member  402  may be disposed at a right angle (orthogonally) to the second member  404 . The first and second members  402  and  404  of the case  400  may surround an edge of the backlight unit  150  and at least a portion of the rear side of the LCD panel  100 . The case  400  may be formed of a metal material such as stainless steel. 
     In the example illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the first and second members  402  and  404  may be of single piece construction. Alternatively, two or more separate members may be coupled to form the case  400 . The first member  402  may be a longitudinally extending wall formed in a first plane. The second member  404  may also be a longitudinally extending wall formed in a second plane. The first and second planes may orthogonally intersect to form an “L-shaped” carriage or flange in which the LCD panel  100 , the backlight unit  150  and the light scattering means  200  may be disposed. Accordingly, the LCD panel  100 , the backlight unit  150  and the light scattering means  200  may be positioned in respective planes that are substantially perpendicular with respect to the first member  402  and substantially parallel with respect to the second member  404 . 
     The case  400  may include a first end  406  proximate a planar periphery of the EGIP film  300  and a second end  408  proximate the backlight unit  150 . The first end  406  may be a flat planar surface that is coplanar with the upper substrate  102  of the LCD panel  100 . Alternatively the first end  406  may be coplanar with a plane formed by the EGIP film  300 . In other words, in different embodiments, the first member  402  may extend to end adjacent a planar edge of the LCD panel  100 , a planar edge of the EGIP film  300  or any other location to support the LCD device. In addition, the first member  402  may extend to a rear side of the LCD panel  100  to orthogonally meet the second member  404 . 
     Since the first member  402  remains in a plane substantially perpendicular to the EGIP film  300 , the case  400  does not overlap or otherwise cover portions of the EGIP film  300 . In other words, an edge  304  of the EGIP film  300  may be positioned adjacent an edge of the first end  406  of the case  400 . Accordingly, no part of the case  400  overlies the EGIP film  300  and access to the EGIP film  300  is completely unobscured. Thus, the EGIP film  300  may be readily replaced, and failures of the EGIP film  300  may be minimized. 
       FIG. 7  is a partial cross-sectional partial view taken along lines B-B in  FIG. 1  of an embodiment of an LCD device provided with a touch panel. The LCD device illustrates many components similar to those depicted in  FIG. 6  and therefore, for purpose of brevity, discussion of these components will not be repeated. As further illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the case  400  is fastened to surround the edge of the molded frame  201  of the backlight unit  150 . There is a screw hole in the lateral side of the case  400  for penetration of a screw  500  to fasten the case  400  to the molded frame  201 . In other examples, any other fastening mechanism, such as a rivet, glue, welding, etc. may be used to couple the molded frame  201  and the case  400 . 
     In LCD panel  100 , liquid crystal is injected between the two glass substrates  101  and  102 . Furthermore, the LCD panel  100  is comprised of liquid crystal cells arranged in a matrix having switching devices for switching signals provided to the liquid crystal cells. 
     Referring to both  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the EGIP film  300  is larger in planar dimension than the planar dimension of the LCD panel  100 . This permits the EGIP film  300  to overlay onto the molded frame  201  of the backlight unit  150 . The EGIP film  300  may be adhered to the upper substrate  102  of the LCD panel  100  and to the molded frame  201  by an adhesive  301 . An electrode  600  may be included with the EGIP film  300 . The electrode  600  may be separate from the active area or touch display area ‘B’, and may be included in the in-active area or non-touch area ‘A’. 
     In this aspect, the case  400  is assembled to the rear of the LCD panel  100 . Accordingly, the LCD device has a non-touch area ‘A’ of the EGIP film  300 , which may include the electrode  600 . The planar dimensions of the EGIP film  300  are larger than the planar dimensions of the LCD panel  100 , such that the touch display area ‘B’ covers the LCD panel  100 . 
     In another aspect, the backlight unit  150  may be comprised of a reflector and the molded frame  201 , such that the backlight unit  150  reflects ambient light to illuminate the display. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.