Abstract:
An exemplary flat panel display ( 200 ) includes a display module ( 210 ), a printed circuit board ( 220 ), and a shield member ( 230 ). The display module includes a rear surface ( 212 ) and a side surface  214  adjacent to the rear surface. The printed circuit board is electrically coupled to the display module. The shield member is configured to protect the printed circuit board from electromagnetic interference, and includes a shield cover ( 236 ) and a fixing member ( 232 ). The shield cover and the fixing member are separate parts. The printed circuit board is received in the shield cover, the fixing member is fixed onto the side surface of the display module, and the shield cover is fixed onto the rear surface of the display module via the fixing member.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to flat panel displays, and more particularly to a flat panel display having a shield cover for protecting the flat panel display from electromagnetic interference (EMI). 
   GENERAL BACKGROUND 
   Flat panel displays are widely used in modern display devices due to their advantages such as portability, low power consumption, and low radiation. A typical flat panel display usually includes control circuits disposed inside for providing control signals. However, ambient electromagnetic waves are liable to interfere with the control circuits, and cause the control circuits to provide erroneous signals. To overcome the above-described problem, a shielding member is usually disposed in the flat panel display for EMI protection. 
     FIG. 5  is an exploded, isometric view of a conventional flat panel display. The flat panel display  100  includes a display module  110 , a printed circuit board (PCB)  120 , a shield member  130 , and a back shell  140 . 
   The display module  110  includes a display surface  111 , a rear surface  112  opposite to the display surface  111 , and four side surfaces  114  adjacent to both the display surface  111  and the rear surface  112 . The PCB  120  includes a plurality of control circuits (not labeled) thereon, which are electrically coupled to the display module  110 . The back shell  140  includes a main body  142  and an extending portion  146 , and is configured to receive the display module  110 , the PCB  120 , and the shield member  130 . The main body  142  and the extending portion  146  are integrally formed, and the extending portion  146  extends outwards from the central section of the main body  142 . 
   The shield member  130  is typically made of metal, and includes a rear plate  131 , four sidewalls  134 , and a shield cover  136 . The rear plate  131 , the sidewalls  134 , and the shield cover  136  are integrally formed. Each of the sidewalls  134  extends in a same direction perpendicularly from a respective edge of the rear plate  131 , so as to form a container structure (not labeled) for receiving the display module  110 . The shield cover  136  is disposed on the central section of the rear plate  131 , and is configured as a box-like structure for receiving the PCB  120 . Moreover, the shield cover  136  is in a position corresponding to the extending portion  146  of the back shell  140 . 
   In assembly, firstly, the PCB  120  is engaged into the shield cover  136  of the shield member  130 . Secondly, the display module  110  is engaged and received in the container structure of the shield member  130 , so that the rear plate  131  faces the rear surface  112  of the display module  110 , and each sidewall  134  faces a respective side surface  114  of the display module  110 . Thirdly, the assembled display module  110 , PCB  120 , and shield member  130  is engaged into the back shell  140 , with the shield cover  136  contained in the extending portion  146  of the back shell  140 . Finally, a front frame (not shown) is provided and fixed to the back shell  140 , so as to contain the assembled display module  110 , PCB  120 , and shield member  130  tightly. 
   When the flat panel display  100  is in operation, the shield member  130 , particularly the shield cover  136  thereof, prevents ambient electromagnetic waves from interfering with the control circuits on the PCB  120 . Thereby, outputting of erroneous signals by the control circuits to the display module  110  is avoided. However, with the above-described configuration, in order to fix the shield cover  136  to the display module  110 , a rear plate  131  and four sidewalls  134  are necessary in the shield member  130 . In fact, the rear plate  131  and the sidewalls  134  are incidental to or even unneeded for the EMI protection of the flat panel display  100 . The rear plate  131  and the sidewalls  134  constitute extra material that is needed to make the shield member  130 . This adds to the cost of manufacturing the flat panel display  100 . 
   It is, therefore, desired to provide a flat panel display which overcomes the above-described deficiencies. 
   SUMMARY 
   In one aspect, a flat panel display includes a display module, a printed circuit board, and a shield member. The display module includes a rear surface and a side surface adjacent to the rear surface. The printed circuit board is electrically coupled to the display module. The shield member is configured to protect the printed circuit board from electromagnetic interference, and includes a shield cover and a fixing member. The shield cover and the fixing member are separate parts. The printed circuit board is received in the shield cover, the fixing member is fixed onto the side surface of the display module, and the shield cover is fixed onto the rear surface of the display module via the fixing member. 
   In another aspect, a flat panel display includes a display module, a printed circuit board, and a shield member. The display module includes a rear surface and a side surface adjacent to the rear surface. The printed circuit board is electrically coupled to the display module. The shield member is configured to protect the printed circuit board from electromagnetic interference, and includes a shield cover and a fixing member. The fixing member includes a plurality of fixing fingers. The printed circuit board is received in the shield cover, the fixing member is fixed to the side surface of the display module, and the shield cover is fixed onto a desired position of the rear surface via a selected one of the fixing fingers of the fixing member. 
   Other novel features and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a flat panel display according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the flat panel display including a shield member. 
       FIG. 2  is a rear, exploded, isometric view of the shield member of the flat panel display of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a rear, exploded, isometric view of a shield member of a flat panel display according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a rear, exploded, isometric view of a shield member of a flat panel display according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded, isometric view of a conventional flat panel display. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe preferred and exemplary embodiments of the present invention in detail. 
     FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a flat panel display according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The flat panel display  200  includes a display module  210 , a PCB  220 , a shield member  230 , and a back shell  240 . 
   The display module  210  includes a display surface  211 , a rear surface  212  opposite to the display surface  211 , two first side surfaces  213 , and two second side surfaces  214 . The rear surface  212  has a rectangular shape, which includes a pair of long borders  2121  in parallel, and a pair of short borders  2122  perpendicular to the long borders  2121 . Each of the first side surfaces  213  is disposed adjacent to a respective long border  2121  of the rear surface  212 . Each of the second side surfaces  214  is disposed adjacent to a respective short border  2122  of the rear surface  212 , and includes two first screw holes  2142 . The first screw holes  2142  are respectively disposed at each end of the second side surface  214  adjacent to the first side surface  213 . The display module  210  can for example be one of a liquid crystal display panel, a plasma display panel, and an organic light emitting display panel. 
   The PCB  220  includes a plurality of control circuits (not labeled) thereon. The control circuits are electrically coupled to the display module  210 , and are configured to provide control signals for controlling the display module  210  to display images. 
   The back shell  240  includes a main body  242  and an extending portion  246 , and is configured to receive the display module  210 , the PCB  220 , and the shield member  230 . The main body  242  and the extending portion  246  are integrally formed. The extending portion  246  extends outwards from the central section of the main body  242 , so as to form an accommodating space. 
     FIG. 2  is an rear, exploded, isometric view of the shield member  230 . The shield member  230  includes a pair of first fixing members  232 , a pair of second fixing members  234 , and a shield cover  236 . The first fixing members  232  and the second fixing members  234  are configured to fix the shield cover  236  to the display module  210 . 
   The shield cover  236  has a box-like structure for receiving the PCB  220 . Thus the size of the shield cover  236  is determined according to the size of the PCB  220 . The shield cover  236  includes a rectangular bottom plate  2361 , two first sidewalls  2362 , and two second sidewalls  2363  formed integrally. Each of the first sidewalls  2362  extends from a respective short edge of the rectangular bottom plate  2361  perpendicularly, and each of the second sidewalls  2363  perpendicularly extends from a respective long edge of the rectangular bottom plate  2361 . Moreover, each of the first sidewalls  2362  includes a respective first supporting portion  2634  extending outwards from an edge thereof. Both of the first supporting portions  2634  are coplanar, and parallel to the bottom plate  2361 . Each of the second sidewalls  2363  includes a respective second supporting portion  2365  extending outwards from an edge thereof. Both of the second supporting portions  2635  are also coplanar, and parallel to the bottom plate  2361 . A distance between the bottom plate  2361  and the first supporting portion  2364  is a little greater than a distance between the bottom plate  2361  and the second supporting portion  2365 . Furthermore, each of the second supporting portions  2365  includes three first fixing structures, and each of the first fixing structures includes a first positioning hole  2367  and a second screw hole  2366 . A first one of the three fixing structures is disposed in the middle of the second supporting portion  2365 , and the other two first fixing structures are disposed at respective ends of the second supporting portion  2365 . 
   Each of the first fixing members  232  is elongate, and includes a main plate  2321 , a flange  2322 , and a plurality of fixing fingers  2323  formed integrally. A length of the main plate  2321  is the same as a length of the short border  2122  of the rear surface  212  of the display module  210 . The main plate  2321  includes a pair of third screw holes  2324 , each of which is disposed at a respective end thereof and corresponds to a respective first screw hole  2141  in the second side surface  214  of the display module  210 . The flange  2322  extends perpendicularly from the middle of an edge of the main plate  2321 . The fixing fingers  2323  extend from the same edge of the main plate  2321 , and are disposed at both sides of the flange  2322 , so as to form two comb-like structures of the first fixing member  232 . Each of the fixing fingers  2323  has a shape and a size the same as the others, and includes a fourth screw hole  2326  and a first positioning protrusion  2325 . The fourth screw hole  2326  and the first position protrusion  2325  are arranged in a line perpendicular to the main plate  2321 . 
   The second fixing members  234  are also elongate. Each second fixing member  234  includes two second fixing structures and three third fixing structures. Each second fixing structure includes a fifth screw hole  2341  and a second positioning hole  2342 , and is disposed at a respective end of the second fixing member  234 . The fifth screw hole  2341  and the second positioning hole  2342  respectively correspond to the fourth screw hole  2326  and the first positioning protrusion  2325  of a selected one of the fixing fingers  2323  of the corresponding first fixing member  232 . Each third fixing structure includes a sixth screw hole  2343  and a second positioning protrusion  2344 , and corresponds to a respective first fixing structure of the second supporting portion  2365 . In detail, the sixth screw hole  2343  and the second positioning protrusion  2344  thereof respectively correspond to the second screw hole  2366  and the first positioning hole  2367  of the corresponding first fixing structure of the second supporting portion  2365 . 
   In assembly, firstly, the two first fixing members  232  are respectively engaged to the respective second side surfaces  214 , so that each third screw hole  2324  of the first fixing member  232  is aligned with the corresponding first screw hole  2142  of the second side surface  214 . The main plate  2321  of each first fixing member  232  is adjacent to the second side surface  214  of the display module  210 , and the flange  2322  and fixing fingers  2323  are all adjacent to the rear surface  212  of the display module  210 . A plurality of fasteners such as screw bolts are provided and screwed into the screw holes  2142  and  2324 , so that the first fixing members  232  are fixed to the display module  210  tightly. 
   Secondly, the two second fixing members  234  are respectively engaged onto the rear surface  212  of the display module  210 , so that the second fixing structures are adjacent to corresponding the fixing fingers  2323  of the first fixing members  232 . The first positioning protrusion  2325  of the first fixing member  232  is then received in the second positioning hole  2342 . A plurality of fasteners such as screw bolts are provided and screwed into the fifth screw holes  2341  and the fourth screw holes  2326 , so that the second fixing members  234  are fixed to the display module  210  via the first fixing members  232 . In this step, a distance between the two second fixing members  234  is controlled to be the same as a distance between the two second supporting portions  2365  in the shield cover  236 . 
   Thirdly, the PCB  220  is inserted into the shield cover  236 . The combined shield cover  236  with the PCB  220  inside is then engaged onto the rear surface  212  of the display module  210 , so that the first supporting portions  2634  are adjacent to the rear surface  212 , and each second supporting portion  2365  is adjacent to a respective second fixing member  234 . The second screw holes  2366  of the second supporting portions  2365  are aligned with the corresponding sixth screw holes  2343  of the second fixing members  243 , and the second positioning protrusions  2365  are received in the corresponding first positioning holes  2367 . Thereafter, a plurality of fasteners such as screw bolts are provided and respectively screwed into the second screw holes  2366  and the corresponding sixth screw holes  2343 , so that the shield cover  236  is fixed to the display module  210  via the first and second fixing members  232  and  234 , with the PCB  220  received inside. 
   Finally, the assembled display module  210 , PCB  220 , and shield member  230  is engaged to the back shell  240 , with the shield cover  236  contained in the extending portion  246  of the back shell  240 . Moreover, a front frame (not shown) is provided and fixed to the back shell  240 , so as to contain the assembled display module  210 , PCB  220 , and shield member  230  tightly. 
   With this configuration, when the flat panel display  200  is in operation, the shield cover  236  prevents the ambient electromagnetic waves from interfering with the control circuits on the PCB  220 , so as to avoid the control circuits outputting erroneous signals to the display module  110 . In the flat panel display  200 , as described above, the size of the shield cover  236  is determined according to the size of the PCB  220 . Because the size of the PCB  220  is usually much smaller than that of the display module  210 , and the fixing members  232  and  234  are all thin, elongate structures needing only a little material, the material used in manufacturing the shield member  230  is minimal. That is, material is saved in manufacturing the flat panel display  200 , which enables the flat panel display  200  to have a low cost. 
   Furthermore, because less material is used in making the shield member  230 , the weight of the flat panel display  200  is reduced. Therefore, the flat panel display  200  is more convenient for the user. 
   Moreover, because a plurality of fixing fingers  2323  are disposed in each first fixing member  232 , the second fixing member  234  can be fixed to a selected, suitable fixing finger  2323 . That is, the shield cover  236  can be fixed to other positions, and the assembly of the shield member  230  is very flexible. Thus, a different back shell  240  having a different structure can still be employed in the flat panel display  200 . 
     FIG. 3  is a rear, exploded, isometric view of a shield member of a flat panel display according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The shield member  330  is similar to the above-described shield member  230 . However, the shield member  330  includes two first fixing members  332 , a second fixing member  334 , a third fixing member  335 , and a shield cover  336 . The first fixing members  332  have the same structure as the above-described first fixing members  232 , and include a plurality of first screw holes  3325 . The second fixing member  334  has the same structure as the above-described second fixing member  234 . 
   The third fixing member  335  includes a rectangular fixing plate  3352  and a through hole  3355 . The fixing plate  3352  includes two short borders and two long borders. The through hole  3355  is disposed adjacent to a long border of the fixing plate  3352 . A plurality of second screw holes  3356  are disposed at the fixing plate  3352  adjacent to the short borders, and correspond to the first screw holes  3325  of the first fixing members  332 . The shield cover  336  includes four supporting portions  3365 . One of the supporting portions  3365  corresponds to the third fixing member  335 , and includes an elastic clip  3368  configured to engaged in the through hole  3355  of the third fixing member  335 . 
   In assembly, firstly, the third fixing member  335  is engaged and fixed to a display module (not shown), with the fixing plate  3352  adjacent to the surface of the display module. Secondly, the first fixing members  332  are fixed to the display module, with the corresponding first and second screw holes  3325  and  3356  providing fixing via screw bolts. Thirdly, the second fixing member  334  is engaged to the first fixing members  332 . Fourthly, the shield cover  336  with a PCB (not shown) inside is engaged to the second and third fixing members  334  and  335 , with the clip  3368  clipping to the third fixing member  335  via the through hole  3355 . Therefore, the shield cover  336  is fixed to the display module tightly. 
     FIG. 4  is a rear, exploded, isometric view of a shield member of a flat panel display according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The shield member  430  is similar to the above-described shield member  230 . However, the shield member  430  includes a pair of fixing member  432  and a shield cover  436 . Each fixing member  432  has a structure the same as the above-described first fixing member  232 , and includes a plurality of first screw holes  4325 . The shield cover  436  has a length the same as that of a display module (not shown) of the flat panel display, and includes two supporting portions  4364 . Each of the supporting portions  4364  includes a plurality of second screw holes  4366 . 
   In assembly, the first fixing members  432  are engaged to the display module. Then the shield cover  336  with a PCB (not shown) inside is engaged to the first fixing member  432  via screw bolts screwing into both of the screw holes  4325  and  4366 . 
   It is to be further understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of preferred and exemplary embodiments have been set out in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only; and that changes may be made in detail within the principles of present invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.