Abstract:
A tension member to support a Plasma Display Panel (PDP) and a PDP including the tension member include: a rim portion extending to surround an edge of the PDP, the rim portion having a zigzag or serpentine shape; and portions included in the rim portion, the portions included in the rim portion including substrate insertion holes adapted to receive portions of edges of substrates included in the PDP. The portions included in the rim portion are adapted to isolate the PDP with respect to vibration. A heat conductive sheet is arranged between a back substrate of the PDP and a chassis base, the heat conductive sheet covering an entire area of the back substrate.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY  
       [0001]     This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from an application for SUPPORTING MEMBER OF PLASMA DISPLAY PANEL AND PLASMA DISPLAY DEVICE THEREWITH earlier filled in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on 10 Nov. 2004 and there duly assigned Serial No. 10-2004-0091526.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a Plasma Display Panel (PDP) supporting member and a PDP including the supporting member, and more particularly, a tension member for supporting a PDP and a PDP including the tension member.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     A PDP is a flat panel display that displays images using a gas discharge phenomenon, and is highlighted as a next generation flat panel display that can substitute for a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) since it has excellent display characteristics such as display capacity, brightness, contrast, residual image, and viewing angle. The PDP is formed of a glass substrate, and a chassis base supports the PDP.  
         [0006]     A structure for supporting a PDP includes a front substrate and a back substrate. The back substrate includes a heat conductive sheet attached to a back surface thereof. The PDP is supported by a chassis base generally formed of a metal such as aluminum. The PDP is attached to a front surface of the chassis base using double-sided tape. The double-sided tape extends in both transverse and longitudinal directions while avoiding portions corresponding to the heat conductive sheet. That is, the double-sided tape and the heat conductive sheet are disposed so as not to overlap each other. Fixing portions are formed on corners of the chassis base. The fixing portions fix the chassis base when attached to another member such as a case.  
         [0007]     The PDP is attached to the front surface of the chassis base via the double-sided tape. The heat conductive sheet is arranged between the back surface of the PDP and the front surface of the chassis base and transmits the heat generated by the PDP to the chassis base.  
         [0008]     However, the structure for supporting the PDP described above has the following problems.  
         [0009]     First, the adhesive force for attaching the PDP to the chassis base using the double-sided tape is not strong enough to firmly attach the PDP to the chassis base. In order to improve the adhesive force using the double-sided tape, the attached area of the double-sided tape must be increased. However, since the double-sided tape cannot overlap the heat conductive sheet, when the attached area of the double-sided tape is increased, the area of the heat conductive sheet must be reduced. Therefore, the heat conductive efficiency is reduced.  
         [0010]     In addition, the adhesive force of the double-sided tape can change according to the temperature of the PDP, and especially, when the temperature of the PDP rises due to the surrounding environment and long-time usage, the adhesive force of the double-sided tape is reduced. Thus, the PDP can separate from the chassis base.  
         [0011]     In addition, it is difficult to increase the heat conductive efficiency since the area of the heat conductive sheet cannot be increased due to the double-sided tape.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     The object of the present invention is to provide a PDP supporting member ensuring a supporting structure of a PDP and a chassis base, and a PDP including the supporting member.  
         [0013]     According to one aspect of the present invention, a tension member to support a Plasma Display Panel (PDP) is provided, the tension member including: a rim portion extending to surround an edge of the PDP; and curved portions included in the rim portion, the curved portions including substrate insertion holes adapted to receive portions of edges of substrates included in the PDP.  
         [0014]     The substrate insertion holes preferably include front substrate insertion holes, and back substrate insertion holes, the front and back substrate insertion holes being arranged at different positions from each other in a width direction of the rim portion.  
         [0015]     The curved portions are preferably adapted to isolate the PDP with respect to vibration.  
         [0016]     According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided including: a front case including a window, and a back case adapted to be attached to the front case to define an inner space; a PDP arranged in the inner space and including a front substrate and a back substrate; a tension member including a rim portion extending to surround an edge of the PDP; and curved portions included in the rim portion, the curved portions including substrate insertion holes adapted to receive portions of edges of substrates included in the PDP; a chassis base adapted to receive the tension member; and a printed circuit board adapted to have a plurality of electronic elements mounted thereon, the printed circuit board arranged on a back surface of the chassis base.  
         [0017]     The substrate insertion holes preferably include front substrate insertion holes, and back substrate insertion holes, the front and back substrate insertion holes being arranged at different positions from each other in a width direction of the rim portion.  
         [0018]     The curved portions are preferably adapted to isolate the PDP with respect to vibration.  
         [0019]     The apparatus preferably further includes a heat conductive sheet arranged between the back substrate of the PDP and the chassis base, the heat conductive sheet covering an entire area of the back substrate.  
         [0020]     The tension member is preferably arranged in an inner space provided by a bent portion of an edge of the chassis base, the tension member being attached to the bent portion.  
         [0021]     Through holes are preferably arranged on the rim portion of the tension member, and screws inserted into the through holes are adapted to be received by screw recesses arranged in the bent portion of the chassis base to attach the tension member to the chassis base.  
         [0022]     According to still another aspect of the present invention, a tension member to support a Plasma Display Panel (PDP) is provided, the tension member including: a rim portion extending to surround an edge of the PDP, the rim portion having a zigzag or serpentine shape; and portions included in the rim portion, the portions included in the rim portion including substrate insertion holes adapted to receive portions of edges of substrates included in the PDP.  
         [0023]     The substrate insertion holes preferably include front substrate insertion holes, and back substrate insertion holes, the front and back substrate insertion holes being arranged at different positions from each other in a width direction of the rim portion.  
         [0024]     The portions included in the rim portion are preferably adapted to isolate the PDP with respect to vibration.  
         [0025]     According to yet another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided including: a front case including a window, and a back case adapted to be attached to the front case to define an inner space; a PDP arranged in the inner space and including a front substrate and a back substrate; a tension member including a rim portion extending to surround an edge of the PDP, the rim portion having a zigzag or serpentine shape; and portions included in the rim portion, the portions included in the rim portion including substrate insertion holes adapted to receive portions of edges of substrates included in the PDP; a chassis base adapted to receive the tension member; and a printed circuit board adapted to have a plurality of electronic elements mounted thereon, the printed circuit board arranged on a back surface of the chassis base.  
         [0026]     The substrate insertion holes preferably include front substrate insertion holes, and back substrate insertion holes, the front and back substrate insertion holes being arranged at different positions from each other in a width direction of the rim portion.  
         [0027]     The portions included in the rim portion are preferably adapted to isolate the PDP with respect to vibration.  
         [0028]     The apparatus preferably further includes a heat conductive sheet arranged between the back substrate of the PDP and the chassis base, the heat conductive sheet covering an entire area of the back substrate.  
         [0029]     The tension member is preferably arranged in an inner space provided by a bent portion of an edge of the chassis base, the tension member being attached to the bent portion.  
         [0030]     Through holes are preferably arranged on the rim portion of the tension member, and screws inserted into the through holes are adapted to be received by screw recesses arranged in the bent portion of the chassis base to attach the tension member to the chassis base. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0031]     A more complete appreciation of the present invention, and many of the attendant advantages thereof, will be readily apparent as the present invention becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar components, wherein:  
         [0032]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a structure for supporting a PDP;  
         [0033]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of an assembled structure for supporting the PDP of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0034]      FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view of a structure for supporting a PDP according to the present invention;  
         [0035]      FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view of a part of the structure shown in  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0036]      FIG. 5  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the structure for supporting the PDP of  FIG. 4 ; and  
         [0037]      FIG. 6  is a schematic perspective view of a PDP including the PDP supporting structure according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0038]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a structure for supporting PDP.  
         [0039]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a PDP  11  includes a front substrate  12 , and a back substrate  13 . The back substrate  13  includes a heat conductive sheet  14  attached to a back surface thereof. The PDP  11  is supported by a chassis base  15  generally formed of a metal such as aluminum. The PDP  11  is attached to a front surface of the chassis base  15  using double-sided tape  16 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the double-sided tape  16  extends in both transverse and longitudinal directions while avoiding portions corresponding to the heat conductive sheet  14 . That is, the double-sided tape  16  and the heat conductive sheet  14  are disposed so as not to overlap each other. Fixing portions  15   a  are formed on corners of the chassis base  15 . The fixing portions  15   a  fix the chassis base  15  when attached to another member such as a case (not shown).  
         [0040]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of an assembled status of the PDP supporting structure of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0041]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the PDP  11  is attached to the front surface of the chassis base  15  via the double-sided tape  16 . The heat conductive sheet  14  is arranged between the back surface of the PDP  11  and the front surface of the chassis base  15  and transmits the heat generated by the PDP  11  to the chassis base  15 .  
         [0042]     However, the structure for supporting the PDP described above has the following problems.  
         [0043]     First, the adhesive force for attaching the PDP  11  to the chassis base  15  using the double-sided tape  16  is not strong enough to firmly attach the PDP  11  to the chassis base  15 . In order to improve the adhesive force using the double-sided tape  16 , the attached area of the double-sided tape  16  must be increased. However, since the double-sided tape  16  cannot overlap the heat conductive sheet  14 , when the attached area of the double-sided tape  16  is increased, the area of the heat conductive sheet  14  must be reduced. Therefore, the heat conductive efficiency is reduced.  
         [0044]     In addition, the adhesive force of the double-sided tape  16  can change according to the temperature of the PDP  11 , and especially, when the temperature of the PDP  11  rises due to the surrounding environment and long-time usage, the adhesive force of the double-sided tape  16  is reduced. Thus, the PDP  11  can separate from the chassis base  15 .  
         [0045]     In addition, it is difficult to increase the heat conductive efficiency since the area of the heat conductive sheet  14  cannot be increased due to the double-sided tape  16 .  
         [0046]      FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view of a structure for supporting a PDP according to the present invention.  
         [0047]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a PDP  31  including a front substrate  32  and a back substrate  33  is supported by a tension member  40  for supporting a PDP according to the present invention. The tension member  40  can be mounted in an inner space  35   c  formed in a chassis base  35  with the PDP  31 .  
         [0048]     The tension member  40  includes a rim portion  41  extending along an edge of the PDP  31 , and curved portions  42  formed on the rim  41 . The rim  41  is expanded so as to surround edge of the front substrate  32  and the back substrate  33 . The curved portions  42  are formed by curving the rim  41  toward the inside of the tension member  40 , and the curved portions  42  include back substrate insertion holes  43  and front substrate insertion holes  45 . The substrate insertion holes  43  and  45  formed on the curved portion  42  are formed so that some parts of the substrates  32  and  33  can be inserted therein. Therefore, since the substrates  32  and  33  are inserted into the substrate insertion holes  43  and  45  formed on the curved portions  42  of the tension member  40  at four sides of the panel  31 , the panel  31  does not separate from the tension member  40  and can be maintained. In addition, since the tension member  40  is formed of a material having elasticity, weight or vibration of the panel  31  can be maintained/buffered by the movement of the curved portions  42 .  
         [0049]     Through holes  46  can be formed on flat portions of the rim  41  of the tension member. Screws  47  inserted in the through holes  46  can be arranged in screw recesses  35   d  formed on the chassis base  35 , and the tension member  40  can be fixed onto the chassis base  35  by the screws  47 . Otherwise, the tension member  40  can be fixed onto the chassis base  35  by a welding process or double-sided tape.  
         [0050]     The panel  31  is continuously supported with respect to the chassis base  35  by the tension member  40 . As described above, both side portions of the front glass substrate  32  of the panel  31  are inserted into the front substrate insertion holes  45  formed in the tension member  40 , and the back glass substrate  33  is inserted into the back substrate insertion holes  43  formed in the tension member  40 . In addition, since the tension member  40  is attached to the chassis base  35  by the screws  47  fastened to the screw recesses  35   d  formed on bent portion  35   b  of the chassis base  35 , the panel  31 , the tension member  40 , and the chassis base  35  are assembled and fixed to each other. Fixing portions  35   a  are formed on four corners of the chassis base  35 , and the fixing portions  35   a  are for fixing the chassis base  35  with respect to a case (not shown). An inner space  35   c  of the chassis base  35  is formed by the bent portion  35   b  on the edge of the chassis base  35 , and the tension member  40  and the PDP  31  can be mounted in the inner space  35   c.    
         [0051]      FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view of a portion of the supporting member of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0052]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a width of the rim  41  of the tension member  40  is designated W 1 , and a thickness of the PDP  31  is designated W 2 . A thickness of the back substrate insertion hole  43  of the curved portion  42  is designated t 1 , and a thickness of the back substrate  33  of the PDP  31  is designated t 2 .  
         [0053]     The thickness t 1  of the back substrate insertion hole  43  is the equal to or greater than the thickness t 2  of the back substrate  33 , and thus, the back substrate  33  can be inserted into the hole  43 . In addition, the thickness W 1  of the rim  41  is greater than W 2  of the PDP  31 . Meanwhile, the back substrate insertion hole  43  is biased toward the back portion in the thickness W 1  direction of the rim  41 . The front substrate insertion hole  45  (refer to  FIG. 3 ) that is not shown in  FIG. 4  is biased toward the front portion. The insertion holes  43  and  45  are biased in different directions from each other in order to correspond to the glass substrates  32  and  33 .  
         [0054]      FIG. 5  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the structure for supporting the PDP of  FIG. 4 .  
         [0055]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the tension member  40  maintains the PDP  35  and is fixed with respect to the chassis base  35 . A heat conductive sheet  34  is disposed between the PDP  31  and the chassis base  35 , and the heat conductive sheet  34  can be formed on the entire back substrate  33  as shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0056]      FIG. 6  is a schematic perspective view of a plasma display apparatus including the PDP supporting structure described with reference to  FIGS. 3 through 5 .  
         [0057]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the plasma display apparatus includes a front case  61  including a window, a back case  65  attached to the front case  61  to form an inner space, a filter holder  63  installed in the inner space between the front case  61  and the back case  65 , a filter  62  maintained by the filter holder  63  and exposed through the window of the front case  61 , the PDP  31  located at a back surface of the filter  62 , the tension member  40  supporting the PDP  31 , and the chassis base  35 , on which the tension member  40  is fixed. Printed circuit boards  67  are installed on the back surface of the chassis base  35  by a printed circuit board supporting portion  36 , and electronic elements  68  are mounted on the printed circuit boards  67 . The fixing portions  35   a  of the chassis base  35  can be attached to either the front case  61  or the back case  65 . Signal transmission cables  66  and  69  electrically connect electrodes formed on the front and back substrates  32  and  33  to the electronic elements  68  on the printed circuit boards  67 .  
         [0058]     With the tension member for supporting the PDP and the plasma display apparatus including the tension member of the present invention, the PDP can be supported stably, and the heat generated by the PDP can be transmitted effectively to the chassis base. In addition, external shock or vibration applied to the PDP can be absorbed by the tension member.  
         [0059]     While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims. For example, the rim could have a zigzag shape or a serpentine shape rather than including the curved portions discussed above.