Abstract:
A display device includes a display panel, a chassis base for mounting the display panel, a printed circuit board assembly mounted on the chassis base and electrically connected to the display panel, and at least one bracket member disposed between the chassis base and the printed circuit board assembly such that the printed circuit board assembly is mounted thereto using a fastening member. The display panel may be a plasma display panel.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0008583 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Jan. 31, 2005, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a display device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a plasma display device having an improved structural configuration.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Recently, a number of various display devices have been developed. Among those devices is a plasma display device. Generally, a plasma display device is an apparatus that displays an image on a plasma display panel (PDP) using plasma generated by a gas discharge.  
         [0006]     Typically, a plasma display device includes the PDP, a chassis base supporting the PDP, and a plurality of printed circuit board assemblies (PBAs) mounted to the chassis base on a side opposite to the PDP. The PBA is connected to display electrodes or address electrodes, e.g., through a flexible printed circuit (FPC) and a connector.  
         [0007]     Since the PDP includes two glass substrates attached to each other at their surfaces with discharge spaces formed therebetween, such a PDP displays weak mechanical strength against an impact. Further, the PDP produces substantial heat during operation, and accordingly, a thermal conduction sheet is provided on one of its lateral surfaces. The thermal conduction sheet conducts heat produced by the PDP to spread it in planar directions.  
         [0008]     The chassis base is formed of a metallic material having sufficient mechanical strength to support the PDP, and is attached to the PDP by double-sided adhesive tape. In addition to reinforcing the strength of the PDP, the chassis base supports the PBAs, dissipates the heat of the PDP, and prevents electromagnetic interference (EMI).  
         [0009]     In addition, the chassis base is provided with a plurality of boss members for mounting the PBAs and/or reducing the EMI by grounding the PBAs. Accordingly, a PBA is fixedly mounted on the chassis base through the boss members by fastening members (e.g., screws).  
         [0010]     In addition, a PBA is provided with a grounding portion around a fastening hole so as to reduce EMI by grounding a circuit of the PBA to the chassis base. The grounding portion is typically formed as a circular penetration hole which may be used for fastening the PBA to the chassis base through the boss members.  
         [0011]     The chassis base is usually provided with a plurality of PBAs, and therefore, it is also provided with a sufficient number of boss members for mounting such PBAs.  
         [0012]     When the mounting positions of the PBAs are changed, a mold for the chassis base also must be changed to accommodate the new PBA position.  
         [0013]     The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and therefore, it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     The present invention provides a display device eliminating the need to change a mold for a chassis base in accordance with changing the mounting position of a printed circuit board assembly.  
         [0015]     An exemplary display device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a display panel, a chassis base for mounting the display panel, a PBA mounted on the chassis base and electrically connected to the display panel, and at least one bracket member disposed between the chassis base and the PBA such that the PBA is mounted to the bracket member using a fastening member.  
         [0016]     The chassis base and the bracket member may be integrally formed. The bracket member may include a plate and a plurality of fin members protruding from the plate. The plate and the fin members may be formed of a metallic material such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view showing a plasma display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view along a line A-A of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view along a line A-A of  FIG. 1  according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view showing a plasma display device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view showing a plasma display device according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a plasma display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a PDP  11 , a heat dissipation sheet  13 , printed circuit board assemblies (PBAs)  15 , and a chassis base  17 . The PDP  11  displays an image using a gas discharge. The heat dissipation sheet  13  dissipates heat generated by the PDP  11  in planar directions (refer to x-y direction in the drawings). The printed circuit board assemblies (PBAs)  15  are electrically connected to the PDP  11  in order to drive the PDP. The chassis base  17  is mounted to the PDP  11  at a first chassis base surface  
         [0023]     The heat dissipation sheet  13  may be made of a heat dissipation material showing sufficient thermal conductivity such as acryl, graphite, metal, or carbon nanotubes.  
         [0024]     The PBA  15  may be mounted to a surface of the chassis base  17  opposite to the surface mounting the PDP  11  through the bracket member  19  using fastening members, such as a plurality of screws  21 . The screw  21  penetrates the fastening hole  15 c of the PBA  15  and is engaged with a bracket member  19 .  
         [0025]     An image processing/controlling board among the PBAs  15  exteriorly receives a video signal, generates control signals for driving address electrodes and display electrodes (not shown), and applies the control signals to an address buffer board, a scan driving board, and a sustain driving board. A power supply board among the PBAs  15  supplies electric power required for driving the plasma display device. For driving the PDP  11 , the address buffer board, the scan driving board, and the sustain driving board are connected with the address electrodes, scan electrodes, and sustain electrodes, respectively, of the PDP  11  through FPCs, and they are connected with the power supply board through flexible flat cables (FFCs) (not shown).  
         [0026]     The PBAs  15  are electrically connected to the PDP  11 , and are provided with circuits for designed functions of the PBAs and grounding portions. The grounding portion is provided with a fastening hole  15   c  for mounting the PBA  15  by screw  21 .  
         [0027]     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the bracket member  19  includes a plate  19   a  and fin members  19   b  protruding from the plate  19   a . The plate  19   a  and the fin members  19   b  may be formed from a metallic material, and more specifically, they may be formed from aluminum (Al) or an aluminum alloy. Such a bracket member  19  may act as a heat sink having the plate  19   a  and heat dissipating fins of the fin member  19   b.    
         [0028]     According to another exemplary embodiment, a bracket member may be formed integral with the chassis base  17  so as to form a bracket member  29  as shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0029]     According to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 4 , a bracket member  39  is formed by combining a plate  39   a  and fin members  39   b  that are separately provided. The plate  39   a  and the fin members  39   b  may be combined with each other by various ways, for mere example, by welding, by an adhesive such as a glue and a double-sided adhesive tape. The plate  39   a  may be formed from metallic material such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and the fin members  39   b  may be formed from a non-metallic material. Alternatively, both the plate  39   a  and the fin members  39   b  may be formed from a non-metallic material, for example, plastic.  
         [0030]     The PBA  15  is fixedly mounted to the fin members  39   b  of the bracket member  39 . The plate  39   a  and the fin members  39   b  may be integrally formed to form the bracket member  39 , as described above with respect to  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  
         [0031]     According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 5 , individual bracket members  49  are provided in accordance with the number of PBAs  15  and their arrangement. That is, the number of bracket members  49  may be equal to the number of PBAs  15 , or, as shown in  FIG. 5 , may have multiple PBAs  15  mounted on an individual bracket member  19 .  
         [0032]     Hereinafter, an operation of a plasma display device according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.  
         [0033]     According to an exemplary plasma display device of the present invention as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , a bracket member  19  having the plate  19   a  and fin members  19   b  is combined with the chassis base  17 . The bracket member  19  may be combined with the chassis base  17  in various ways, for example, by welding, by a double-sided adhesive tape, by a fastener such as bolts, etc, either interposing a heat conducting medium therebetween or not. The PBAs  15  are fixedly mounted to fin members  19   b  of the bracket member  19  using screws  21 . In this case, the bracket member  19  is in the form of a heat sink in which the plate  19   a  and the fin members  19   b  are integrally formed. Therefore, the bracket member  19  may be mounted with the PBAs  15 , and it may also dissipate heat generated by the PDP  11  and/or the PBAs  15 .  
         [0034]     In addition, the bracket member  19  may be integrally formed with the chassis base  17 , as described in connection with reference to  FIG. 3 . That is, the fin members  19   a  may be combined with or formed on the chassis base  17  so as to be mounted with the PBAs  15 . Therefore, a unified bracket member  29  ( FIG. 3 ) may provide the same effect as the separately provided bracket member  19  as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 .  
         [0035]     In addition, the plate  39   a  and the fin members  39   b  may be separately fabricated and then unified to form the bracket member  39 , as described with reference to  FIG. 4 . According to such a configuration, a short circuit may be prevented by forming the plate  39   a  with a metallic material such as aluminum and the fin members  39   b  with a non-metallic material such as plastic.  
         [0036]     In addition, a plurality of bracket members  49  may be provided in accordance with the number of PBAs  15  as needed, as described in connection with reference to  FIG. 5 .  
         [0037]     In addition, fin members may be formed having a length adapted to prevent a short circuit as the PBA  15  is mounted to the fin members  19   a ,  29   a ,  39   a  of the bracket members  19 ,  29 ,  39 ,  49 . In order to prevent interference from foreign particles, the fastening member (i.e., the screw  21 ) may be formed of a non-metallic material, for example, plastic.  
         [0038]     According to embodiments of the present invention, a bracket member (e.g., a heat sink) having fin members is formed on the chassis base and the PBA is mounted to the fin members. Therefore, the mold for the chassis base does not necessarily have to be changed when the mounting position of a PBA is changed. This allows frequent design change of the mold for the chassis base to be prevented, and thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of a plasma display device.  
         [0039]     In addition, a fin member acting as a heat sink is formed on the chassis base, and therefore, heat generated by a PDP and PBAs may be effectively dissipated. In addition, the fin members where the PBA is mounted may be formed of a non-metallic material, thereby preventing a short circuit.  
         [0040]     While this invention has been described in connection with exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.