Abstract:
A display device is disclosed that can prevent pressing of a substrate and exposure of D-IC to the outside. The display includes a display panel, a driving circuit on one side of a rear surface of the display panel, the driving circuit driving the display panel, and a case receiving the display panel and the driving circuit. The case includes a slit having a predetermined space to expose the driving circuit, and both ends of the slit include a spacer supporting a lower portion of the display panel.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 and 35 U.S.C. 365 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2007-0020749 (filed on Mar. 2, 2007), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a display device, and more particularly, to a display device that can prevent pressing of a substrate and exposure of a driver-integrated circuit (D-IC) to the outside. 
         [0003]    The OLED includes an OLED panel displaying an image, a driving circuit (e.g., D-IC) driving the OLED panel, and a structure protecting the OLED panel and the driving circuit. The driving circuit, which is disposed on a rear surface of the OLED panel, includes a plurality of circuit elements which are mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). The driving circuit is installed on a lower portion of the rear surface of the OLED panel. 
         [0004]    The OLED panel and the driving circuit installed on the rear surface of the OLED panel are protected by a structure, which includes a panel guide supporting the OLED panel and a case covering the OLED panel and the driving circuit. 
         [0005]    In a related art OLED, a slit is formed in a position corresponding to the driving circuit in the case covering the OLED panel and the driving circuit to expose the driving circuit to the outside, thereby making the OLED slim. 
         [0006]    The driving circuit is exposed to the outside without being covered by the case to make the OLED slim. However, a vacant space is formed between the slit exposing the driving circuit and the OLED panel due to structural characteristics of the case. As a result, when an external force or pressing is applied to the OLED, the lower portion of the OLED panel corresponding to the slit is pressed due to the vacant space. When the lower portion of the OLED panel is pressed, the driving circuit disposed on the lower portion of the rear surface of the OLED panel is exposed outside the slit of the case. Therefore, a malfunction of the driving circuit may occur. In addition, the lower portion of the OLED panel may be broken when the external force or pressing is applied to the OLED. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    Accordingly, the present disclosure is directed to a liquid crystal display device that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
         [0008]    Embodiments provide a display device that can prevent pressing of a substrate. 
         [0009]    Embodiments also provide a display device that can prevent exposure of a D-IC from the outside. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment, a display device includes: a display panel; a driving circuit on one side of a rear surface of the display panel, the driving circuit driving the display panel; and a case receiving the display panel and the driving circuit, the case including a slit having a predetermined space to expose the driving circuit, wherein both ends of the slit includes a spacer supporting a lower portion of the display panel. 
         [0011]    Additional advantages, objects, and features of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the disclosure. The objectives and other advantages of the disclosure may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. 
         [0012]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present disclosure are exemplary and explanatory, and are intended to provide further explanation of the disclosure as claimed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the disclosure and together with the description servo to explain the principle of the disclosure. 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a display device according to the present disclosure. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a detailed view illustrating the case of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 3A  is a detailed view illustrating the first bent portion of  FIG. 1  according to an embodiment. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3B  is a detailed view illustrating the first bent portion of  FIG. 2  according to another embodiment. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3C  is a perspective view illustrating the coupled display device of  FIG. 3A . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a display device according to the present disclosure. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a display device includes a display panel  102 , a flexible printed circuit board (FPC)  112 , a guide panel  108 , a case  110 , and a double-sided tape  106 . The display panel  102  displays an image. The driving circuit  104  is disposed on a rear surface of the display panel  102  to drive the display panel  102 . The FPC  112  is connected to one side of the display panel  102  to transfer various control signals and image signals received from an external system to the driving circuit  104 . The guide panel  108  supports the display panel  102 . The case covers the display panel  102  and the guide panel  108 . The double-sided tape  106  fixes the display panel  102  to the case  110 . 
         [0022]    An OLED panel is used as the display panel  102 . The display panel  102  includes an insulating substrate, a light emitting unit disposed on the insulating substrate, a protective layer covering the light emitting unit, and a protective substrate attached to the protective layer. The light emitting unit emits light using recombination of an electron and a hole, and is formed of a low-molecular organic material or a high-molecular organic material. The protective layer and the protective substrate protect the light emitting unit against external impact, humidity, and air. 
         [0023]    In embodiments, the display panel  102  employs a bottom emission method in which light is emitted in a direction of the insulating substrate. 
         [0024]    The driving circuit  104  is installed on one side of the rear surface of the display panel  102 , e.g., a glass substrate, and includes a plurality of circuit elements, which are mounted on a PCB. The driving circuit  104  is connected to the FPC  112  to drive the display panel  102  using various control signals and image signals received from the FPC  112 . 
         [0025]    The guide panel  108  surrounds side surfaces of the display panel  102  and is received within the case  110  to support the display panel  102  to the case  110 . The display panel  102  is received within the case  110  using the double-sided tape  106 . The double-sided tape  106  is formed of a transparent material. 
         [0026]    A detailed description of the case  110  will be described below with reference to  FIG. 2 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is a detailed view illustrating the case of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the case  100  of the display device includes a receiving space whose front surface is opened to define a display region. On the other hand, a rear surface, which is the interior of the case, is defined as a shield region shielding a display panel (refer to reference number  102  of  FIG. 1 ). As described above, the case  110  includes the receiving space such that the display panel  102  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is stably received in the receiving space. The case  110  further includes a guide that can prevent the display panel  102  from separating from the case  110 . 
         [0029]    In the shield region, a portion inside the case  110  is removed to define a predetermined vacant space. A slit  114  having the predetermined vacant space is formed in the portion inside the case  110 . The slit  114  is formed in a position corresponding to the driving circuit  104  installed on the rear surface of the display panel  102  inside the case  110 . When the display panel  102  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is received within the case  110 , the driving circuit  104  is inserted into the slit  114  such that the driving circuit  104  is not exposed to the outside. 
         [0030]    A first and a second bent portion  116  and  118  having a U-shape are formed at both ends of the slit  114 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 3A  is a detailed view illustrating the first bent portion of  FIG. 1  according to an embodiment. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , a first bent portion  116  has a U-shape. The first bent portion  116  includes an extension  116   c,  a support  116   a,  and a connection  116   b.  The extension  116   c  inwardly extends from a case  110 . The support  116   a  is opposite to the extension  116   c  to support a portion of the display panel  102  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The connection  116   b  connects the support  116   a  to the extension  116   b.  The connection  116   b  of the first bent portion  116  is curved to follow the U-shape of the first bent portion  116 . 
         [0033]    The second bent portion  118  has the same structure as the first bent portion  116 . The first and second bent portions  116  and  118  are disposed in bilateral symmetry at both ends of the slit  114 . 
         [0034]    When the display panel  102  is received within the case  110 , a driving circuit  104  disposed on one side of the display panel  102  is inserted into the slit  114  of the case  110 , and a portion of the display panel  102  is supported on the support  116   a  of the first and second bent portions  116  and  118 . Accordingly, a vacant space does not exist because no gap exists between the first and second bent portions  116  and  118  and the display panel  102 . 
         [0035]    As described above, the driving circuit  104  is inserted into the slit  114  of the case  110  such that the driving circuit  104  is not exposed to the outside. The portion of the display panel  102  on which the driving circuit  104  is installed is supported on the first and second bent portions  116  and  118  formed at both ends of the slit  114 . 
         [0036]    Although an external force or pressing is applied to the display panel  102  received within the case  110 , pressing occurring in a related art does not occur because the display panel  102  is supported on the first and second bent portions  116  and  118  of the case  110  without the vacant space. In addition, the driving circuit  104  installed on a rear surface of the display panel  102  is not exposed outside the slit  114  of the case  110  because the display panel  102  is not pressed. 
         [0037]    If the first and second bent portions  116  and  118  include the support that can support the portion of the display panel  102 , the first and second bent portions  116  and  118  can be designed into various shapes. The first and second bent portions  116  and  118  may include a supporting surface supporting the portion where the driving circuit  104  is disposed on the display panel  102  and at least one support capable of supporting the supporting surface. For example, the first and second bent portions  116  and  118  may have the U-shape described above and a trapezoid shape. 
         [0038]      FIG. 3B  is a detailed view illustrating the first bent portion of  FIG. 2  according to another embodiment. 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3B , a first bent portion  216  according to another embodiment may have a □-shape. As described above, the first bent portion  216  includes an extension  216   c,  a support  216   a,  and a connection  216   b.  The extension  216   c  inwardly extends from a case  110 . The support  216   a  is opposite to the extension  216   c  to support a portion of the display panel  102  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The connection  216   b  connects the support  216   a  to the extension  216   b.  The connection  216   b  may include at least one of a convex shape or a concave shape. 
         [0040]      FIG. 3C  is a perspective view illustrating the coupled display device of  FIG. 3A  is coupled. 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIG. 3C , a display panel  102  is received within a case  110 . A driving circuit  104  installed on a rear surface of the display panel  102  is inserted into a slit  114  of the case  110  such that the driving circuit  104  is not exposed to the outside. A FPC  112  is connected to one side of the display panel  102 . The FPC  112  receives various control signals and image signals from an external system. Thus, the driving circuit  104  receives the various control signals and image signals through the FPC  112  to drive the display panel  102 . 
         [0042]    One side of the rear surface of the display panel  102  is supported on first and second bent portions  116  and  118  formed at both ends of the slit  114 . Thus, a vacant space does not exist between the display panel  102  and the first and second bent portions  116  and  118  of the case  110 . 
         [0043]    Although an external force or pressing is applied to the display panel  102  received within the case  110 , pressing occurring in a related art does not occur because the display panel  102  is supported on the first and second bent portions  116  and  118  of the case  110  without the vacant space. In addition, the driving circuit  104  installed on a rear surface of the display panel  102  is not exposed outside the slit  114  of the case  110  because the display panel  102  is not pressed. Therefore, deterioration of image quality can be prevented. 
         [0044]    As described above, the display device according to the present disclosure includes a slit where the driving circuit can be inserted such that the driving circuit is not exposed to the outside and the case including the bent portions where the portion of the display panel is supported at the both ends of the slit. Therefore, the pressing of the display panel is prevented even when the external force or pressing is applied to the display panel. 
         [0045]    In addition, the driving circuit installed on the one side of the display panel is not exposed outside the slit of the case because the display panel is not pressed. 
         [0046]    Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.