Abstract:
A jig for manufacturing a display device is provided. In one embodiment, the jig includes a first hinge part for rotating a working plate to which a backlight assembly is fixed, and a second hinge part for rotating a cover to fix the backlight assembly to the working plate. A method of manufacturing a display device using the jig includes loading the backlight assembly on the working plate of the jig, installing a main panel on a main part of the backlight assembly, rotating the cover to fix the backlight assembly to the working plate, rotating the working plate, and installing a sub panel on a sub part of the backlight assembly. In various embodiments, use of the jig can provide improvements in assembly efficiency, reduced numbers of product defects, and improved production in the manufacture of display devices.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to corresponding Korean Patent Application No. 2004-84529 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, Republic of Korea, on Oct. 21, 2004, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a jig, and a method of using the jig. More particularly, the present invention relates to a jig for use in manufacturing a display device, and a method of manufacturing a display device using the jig.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     As is generally known, display devices are used in connection with a variety of electronic devices such as cellular phones, digital cameras, notebook computers, monitors, and other devices. In particular, flat panel display devices such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have been widely used in various fields.  
         [0006]     Recently, display devices capable of displaying images in two directions have been developed for use with various electronic devices. Such display devices include: a main panel for displaying a main image; a sub panel for displaying a time, a date, a receiving sensitivity, or other information; and a backlight assembly providing the main and sub panels with light.  
         [0007]     These display devices can be assembled through the following process. The backlight assembly is joined to a jig, and then the main panel is installed on a main part of the backlight assembly. The backlight assembly on which the main panel is installed is disjoined from the jig. Then, the backlight assembly is joined again to the jig after turning the backlight assembly upside-down. The sub panel is then installed on a sub part of the backlight assembly. Before the main and sub panels are installed on the backlight assembly, the main and sub parts of the backlight assembly are inspected for proper on-off states and to determine whether impurities are present.  
         [0008]     Typically, the assembly process is performed using a stationary jig. Unfortunately, the use of the stationary jig requires workers to handle the unfinished backlight assembly many times which can reduce production efficiency and lead to deterioration of a flexible circuit film or other parts of the backlight assembly.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     In one embodiment, the present invention provides a jig for improving assembly efficiency and reducing devective products, thereby improving production.  
         [0010]     In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a display device using the above-mentioned jig.  
         [0011]     In another embodiment of the present invention, a jig for manufacturing a display device includes a stage, a first hinge part, a working plate, a second hinge part and a cover. The first hinge part is disposed over the stage and is substantially parallel with the stage. The working plate is joined to the first hinge part and includes a receiving part to receive an object. The second hinge part is at a side of the working plate. The second hinge part is substantially parallel with the working plate. The cover is joined to the second hinge part. The working plate may further include a third hinge part, and a supporting member joined to the third hinge part to be rotated with respect to the third hinge part. The working plate may further include a power applying part for applying power to the object.  
         [0012]     In another embodiment of the present invention, a method of manufacturing a display device using a jig includes loading a backlight assembly onto a working plate of the jig, installing a main panel on a main part of the backlight assembly, rotating a cover joined to the working plate to fix the backlight assembly to the working plate, rotating the working plate, and installing a sub panel on a sub part of the backlight assembly. The method may further include inspecting the backlight assembly loaded onto the working plate. The backlight assembly is inspected by rotating the cover to fix the backlight assembly, applying power to the backlight assembly, inspecting a first on-off state of the main part of the backlight assembly, rotating the working plate, and inspecting a second on-off state of the sub part of the backlight assembly.  
         [0013]     According to various embodiments of the present invention, display devices can be manufactured using a rotatable jig, thereby improving assembly efficiency, reducing defective products, and improving production. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     The above and other features and advantage points of the present invention, including exemplary embodiments thereof, will become apparent by referring to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a jig in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing a display device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view illustrating a display device manufactured by the method of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating a step of installing a main panel in the method of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating a step of rotating a working plate in the method of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing a display device using a jig in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating a step of inspecting an on-off state in the method of  FIG. 6 ; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view illustrating the step of inspecting the on-off state in the method of  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
       [0023]     The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The embodiments are provided for purposes of example only, and not for purposes of limitation. Like reference numerals refer to similar or identical elements throughout.  
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a jig in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a jig  100  includes a stage  110 , a first hinge part  120 , a working plate  130 , a second hinge part  140 , and a cover  150 .  
         [0026]     The stage  110  may, for example, have a circular plate shape. Alternatively, the stage  110  may have various shapes, such as a rectangular plate shape. The stage  110  may be slanted at a predetermined angle for workers&#39; convenience. The stage  110  may be rotated along a circumferential direction thereof by a rotating means such as a bearing. For example, in one embodiment, the stage  110  can be rotated by about 45°. Thus, the stage  110  may be rotated during an assembly process. A first support  112  and a second support  114  are disposed over the stage  110  to support the working plate  130  and the cover  150 , respectively.  
         [0027]     The first hinge part  120  is installed across a central portion of the stage  110 . The first hinge part  120  is disposed over the stage  110 , and a first hinged axis of the first hinge part  120  is disposed parallel with an upper face of the stage  110 .  
         [0028]     The working plate  130  is joined to the first hinge part  120  to be rotated with respect to the first hinge part  120 . The working plate  130  includes a receiving part  131  for receiving an object at a central portion of the working plate  130 . A first opening  132  is formed on the working plate  130  to expose the object received by the receiving part  131 . A second opening  133  is formed on the working plate  130 . The object may be loaded onto the working plate  130  and unloaded from the working plate  130  through the second opening  133 . The assembly process may be easily performed using the second opening  133  when the object is loaded onto the working plate  130  or unloaded from the working plate  130 .  
         [0029]     The working plate  130  further includes a third hinge part  134  at a side of the first opening  132  and a supporting member  135  joined to the third hinge part  134 . The supporting member  135  is rotated within the first opening  132  at a predetermined angle with respect to the third hinge part  134 .  
         [0030]     The working plate  130  further includes a power applying part  136  for applying power to the object received by the receiving part  131 . The power applying part  136  includes a power contacting part  137 . The power contacting part  137  is electrically connected with a power terminal of the object when the object is received by the working plate  130  to be fixed by the cover  150 .  
         [0031]     The second hinge part  140  is installed at a side of the working plate  130  corresponding to the receiving part  131 . A second hinged axis of the second hinge part  140  is substantially parallel with an upper face of the working plate  130 .  
         [0032]     The cover  150  is joined to the second hinge part  140  to be rotated with respect to the second hinge part  140 . The cover  150  is rotated with respect to the second hinge part  140  and then joined to the working plate  130  so as to fix the object received by the working plate  130 . A third opening  152  is formed on the cover  150  to expose the object received by the working plate  130 .  
         [0033]     The cover  150  further includes a joining member  154  to join the cover  150  to the working plate  130 . The joining member  154  may, for example, include a first magnetic material so that the cover  150  and the working plate  130  may be joined to each other by a magnetic force. The working plate  130  further includes a joining part  138  to join to the joining member  154 . The joining part  138  may include a second magnetic material corresponding to the first magnetic material. Alternatively, the cover  150  and the working plate  130  may be joined to each other through a mechanical structure.  
         [0034]     The cover  150  further includes a buffing member  156  formed on a surface making contact with the working plate  130 . The buffing member  156  prevents the object from being damaged when the cover  150  is joined to the working plate  130 . The buffing member  156  may include a flexible and/or elastic material. For example, in one embodiment the buffing member  156  includes silicon.  
         [0035]     The cover  150  further includes a power fixing part  158  formed thereon. The power fixing part  158  corresponds to the power contacting part  137  of the working plate  130 . By the power fixing part  158 , the power terminal of the object makes safe contact with the power contacting part  137  when the cover  150  is joined to the working plate  130 . Thus, the power fixing part  158  may preferably include a flexible and/or elastic material. For example, in one embodiment the power fixing part  158  includes silicon.  
         [0036]     Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing a display device using the jig  100  will be described in detail.  
         [0037]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing a display device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view illustrating a display device manufactured by the method of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0038]     Referring to FIGS.  1  to  3 , a method of manufacturing a display device  200  using the jig  100  includes loading a backlight assembly  300  on the working plate  130  of the jig  100  in step S 100 , installing a main panel  400  on a main part  310  of the backlight assembly  300  in step S 200 , rotating the cover  150  to fix the backlight assembly  300  to the working plate  130  in step S 300 , rotating the working plate  130  in step S 400 , and installing a sub panel  500  on a sub part  320  of the backlight assembly  300  in step S 500 .  
         [0039]     The display device  200  includes the backlight assembly  300  which emits a light in two directions, the main panel  400  installed on the main part  310  of the backlight assembly  300 , and the sub panel  500  installed on the sub part  320  of the backlight assembly  300 .  
         [0040]     The backlight assembly  300  emits a first light from the main part  310  and a second light from the sub part  320  opposite to the main part  310 . Amounts of the first and second lights may be variable. For example, in one embodiment, 70% of the total light emitted from the backlight assembly  300  is emitted from the main part  310  and 30% is emitted from the sub part  320 . As a result, the majority of the light emitted from the backlight assembly  300  is provided to the main panel  400 ,  
         [0041]     The main panel  400  is disposed on the main part  310  of the backlight assembly  300  and displays a main image using the first light provided from the main part  310 . The main panel  400  includes a first lower substrate  410 , a first upper lo substrate  420  corresponding to the first lower substrate  410 , and a first liquid crystal layer (not shown) between the first lower substrate  410  and the first upper substrate  420 .  
         [0042]     The sub panel  500  is disposed on the sub part  320  of the backlight assembly  300 , and displays a sub image using the second light provided from the sub part  320 . The sub panel  500  includes a second lower substrate  510 , a second upper substrate  520  corresponding to the second lower substrate  510 , and a second liquid crystal layer (not shown) between the second lower substrate  510  and the second upper substrate  520 . The sub panel  500  has a size smaller than the main panel  400 .  
         [0043]     The display device  200  further includes a flexible circuit film  600  connecting the main and sub panels  400  and  500  with each other. The sub panel  500  may be disposed on the sub part  320  of the backlight assembly  300  by bending the flexible circuit film  600 .  
         [0044]     The display device  2   0  further includes a flexible printed circuit (FPC)  700  driving the main and sub panels  400  and  500 , and a driver chip  800 .  
         [0045]     The FPC  700  is connected with an end portion of the first lower substrate  410 . The FPC  700  outputs an initial image signal and an initial control signal. The initial image signal and the initial control signal drive the main panel  400  and the sub panel  500 . The FPC  700  is bent to be disposed on the sub part  320  of the backlight assembly  300 . A fourth opening  710  is formed on the FPC  700  to expose the sub panel  500 .  
         [0046]     The driver chip  800  is disposed adjacent to the end portion of the first lower substrate  410  with which the FPC  700  is connected. The driver chip  800  outputs various signals driving the main and sub panels  400  and  500  in response to the initial image signal and the initial control signal. The signals outputted from the driver chip  800  include a main image signal, a sub image signal, a main gate signal, a sub gate signal, and other signals as may be appropriate. The main panel  400  displays the main image using the main image signal and the main gate signal outputted from the driver chip  800 . The sub panel  500  displays the sub image using the sub image signal and the sub gate signal outputted from the driver chip  800 . The sub image signal and the sub gate signal are applied to the sub panel  500  by the flexible circuit film  600 .  
         [0047]     In step S 100 , the backlight assembly  300  is loaded onto the receiving part  131  of the working plate  130 , so that the main part  310  is facing upward.  
         [0048]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating the step of installing a main panel in the method of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0049]     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , in step S 200 , main panel  400  is installed on the main part  310  of the backlight assembly  300 . The main panel  400  is fixed to the main part  310  using an adhesive such as a double-sided adhesive tape formed on a peripheral portion of the main part  310 . The sub panel  500  and the FPC  700  are connected with both sides of the main panel  400 , respectively. The sub panel  500  is disposed under the supporting member  135  by bending the flexible circuit film  600 .  
         [0050]     In step S 300 , the cover  150  is rotated with respect to the second hinge part  140  to be fixed to the working plate  130 . The joining member  154  of the cover  150  is joined to the joining part  138  of the working plate  130  by a magnetic force. The buffing member  156  of the cover  150  smoothly pushes both end portions of the main panel  400 . The backlight assembly  300  is safely fixed to main panel  400  by joining the cover  150  to the working plate  130 .  
         [0051]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating a step of rotating a working plate in the method of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0052]     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 5 , in step S 400 , the working plate  130  is rotated with respect to the first hinge part  120 . The rotated working plate  130  is supported by the second support  114 . After rotating the working plate  130 , the sub part  320  of the backlight assembly  300  is exposed through the first opening  132 . The sub panel  500  is disposed on and supported by the supporting member  135 .  
         [0053]     In step S 500 , the sub panel  500  is installed on the sub part  320  of the backlight assembly  300  by bending the flexible circuit film  600 . The sub panel  500  is fixed to the sub part  320  using an adhesive such as a double-sided adhesive tape formed on a peripheral portion of the sub part  320 . Following step S 500 , the method of  FIG. 2  ends.  
         [0054]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing a display device using a jig in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating a step of inspecting an on-off state in the method of  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 8  is a perspective view illustrating the step of inspecting the on-off state in the method of  FIG. 7 .  
         [0055]     Referring to FIGS.  6  to  8 , a method of manufacturing a display device further includes inspecting an on-off state of the backlight assembly  300  in step S 600 . Step S 600  is performed between loading the backlight assembly  300  in step S 100  and installing the main panel  400  in step S 200 .  
         [0056]     The on-off state of the backlight assembly in step S 600  is inspected by fixing the cover  150  in step S 610 , applying a power to the backlight assembly  300  in step S 620 , inspecting a first on-off state of the main part  310  in step S 630 , rotating the working plate  130  in step S 640 , and inspecting a second on-off state of the sub part  320  in step S 650 .  
         [0057]     In step S 610 , the cover  150  is rotated with respect to the second hinge part  140  to be joined to the working plate  130  so as to fix the backlight assembly  300  loaded on the working plate  130 . The joining member  154  of the cover  150  is connected with the joining part  138  of the working plate  130  by a magnetic force. The buffing member  156  of the cover  150  smoothly pushes both end portions of the backlight assembly  300 . The power fixing part  158  pushes a power terminal  330  of the backlight assembly  300  so that the power contacting part  137  may safely contact the power terminal  330  when the cover  150  is joined to the working plate  130 .  
         [0058]     In step S 620 , power is applied to the backlight assembly  300  to drive the backlight assembly  300 . The power generated from an external power generating part (not shown) is applied to the backlight assembly  300  through the power applying part  136  of the working plate  130 . The backlight assembly  300  generates light in response to the applied power.  
         [0059]     In step S 630 , the first on-off state of the main part  310  of the backlight assembly  300  is inspected to determine whether it is regularly turned on and whether impurities are present.  
         [0060]     In step S 640 , the working plate  130  is rotated with respect to the first hinge part  120  to expose the sub part  320  of the backlight assembly  300 .  
         [0061]     In step S 650 , the second on-off state of the sub part  320  of the backlight assembly  300  is inspected to determine whether it is regularly turned on and whether impurities are present.  
         [0062]     It will be appreciated that steps S 200  through S 500  of the method of  FIG. 6 , are substantially identical to like-identified steps of the method shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0063]     The method of  FIG. 6  further includes rotating the working plate  130  in step S 700 , disjoining the cover  150  from the working plate  130  in step S 800 , and unloading the display device  200  from the working plate  130  in step S 900 .  
         [0064]     In step S 700 , the working plate  130  previously rotated toward a first side for installing the sub panel  500  is rotated toward a second side with respect to the first hinge part  120  so that the cover  150  may be exposed.  
         [0065]     In step S 800 , the cover  150  is disjoined from the working plate  130  so that the completely assembled display device  200  may be unloaded from the jig  100 . The cover  150  is rotated from the second side toward the first side with respect to the second hinge part  140  to be disjoined from the working plate  130 . The cover  150  is joined to the working plate  130  by a magnetic force, so that the cover  150  may be easily disjoined from the working plate  130  with little force.  
         [0066]     In step S 900 , the completely assembled display device  200  is unloaded from the working plate  130 . The unloading may be easily performed using the second opening  133  of the working plate  130 . Following step S 900 , the method of  FIG. 6  ends.  
         [0067]     It will be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention can permit a main panel and a sub panel to be installed on a display device using only one rotatable jig thereby reducing assembly time of the display device, increasing assembly efficiency, and improving production.  
         [0068]     In addition, a backlight assembly of the display device need not be disjoined from the jig when assembling the main panel and the sub panel, or when inspecting on-off states thereof. As a result, deterioration of a flexible circuit film due to workers&#39; frequent handling of the backlight assembly can be prevented, thereby improving display device production.  
         [0069]     Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be understood that the present invention is not be limited to these exemplary embodiments. Various changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the present invention as hereinafter claimed.