Patent Publication Number: US-2012039088-A1

Title: Display device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is related to one co-pending U.S. patent application, which is: application serial no. [to be determined], with Attorney Docket No. US35047 entitled “DISPLAY DEVICE”. Such application has the same assignee as the instant application and is concurrently filed herewith. The disclosure of the above-identified application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to display devices, and more particularly, to a display device having a reflective element. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A display device includes a housing and a display module fixed in the housing. The display module includes a light source, a light guide plate, a diffusion sheet, a display panel, a reflecting sheet, and a fixing frame to fix the above-mentioned components. The diffusion sheet and the display panel are stacked on the light guide plate in that order. The reflecting sheet is placed below the light guide plate, and sandwiched between the bottom surface of the fixing frame and the light guide plate, such that the reflecting sheet can reflect the light emitting from the bottom surface of the light guide plate to improve the efficiency of utilization of light energy. However, the assembly process of the display device is complicated, and the display device is relatively thick because too many components are stacked together. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an embodiment of a display device including a top housing, a bottom housing, and a display module. 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the display device of  FIG. 1  in which the top housing is omitted. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded, isometric view of the display device of  FIG. 1  in which the top housing is omitted. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a display device  100  used, for example, in a portable computer or a mobile phone, includes a housing  20  and a display module  30  fixed in the housing  20 . 
     The housing  20  includes a top housing  21  and a bottom housing  23 . The top housing  21  and the bottom housing  23  are fixed together and cooperatively define a receiving space for the display module  30 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the display module  30  includes a light source  11 , a light guide plate  12 , a prism sheet  13 , a diffusion sheet  14 , a display panel  15 , and a fixing frame  16 . 
     The light guide plate  12  includes a light input surface  122 , a light output surface  123 , and a bottom surface  124 . The light input surface  122  is adjacent to the light output surface  123 , and connects the light output surface  123  to the bottom surface  124 . The light output surface  123  is opposite to the bottom surface  124 . The light source  11  is one or more light emitting diodes (LED) in this embodiment, and placed beside the light input surface  122  of the light guide plate  12 . The light emitting from the light source  11  passes through the light input surface  122  and enters the light guide plate  12 , and then one part of the light emits from the light output surface  123  to the display panel  15 , and the other part of the light emits from the bottom surface  124 . The prism sheet  13 , the diffusion sheet  14 , and the display panel  15  are stacked on the light guide plate  12  in that order. The fixing frame  16  fixes the light source  11 , the light guide plate  12 , the prism sheet  13 , the diffusion sheet  14 , and the display panel  15  together, and is securely connected to the bottom housing  23 . In the illustrated embodiment, the fixing frame  16  is adhered to the bottom housing  23  with glue. In an alternative embodiment, other fixing methods can be employed to fix the display module  30  to the bottom housing  23 , such as using screws. 
     The bottom housing  23  includes a base  231  and a sidewall  232 . The base  231  includes an inner surface  2311  opposite to the bottom surface  124  of the light guide plate  12 . The sidewall  232  extends from a periphery of the base  231 . A reflective element  2312  is formed on the inner surface  2311 . The reflective element  2312  is configured to reflect the light emitting from the bottom surface  124  into the light guide plate  12 , such that the efficiency of utilization of light energy is improved. 
     In one embodiment, the reflective element  2312  is a reflective coating coated on the inner surface  2311 . The reflective coating is a metal coating with high reflectivity. It should be appreciated that the reflective coating can be made of gold, silver, aluminum, or copper. In an alternative embodiment, the reflective coating may also be made of non-metal material, such as titanium dioxide. 
     In another embodiment, the reflective element  2312  is a reflective film adhered to the inner surface  2311 . The reflective film may be a metal film with high reflectivity. It should be appreciated that the reflective film can be made of gold, silver, aluminum, or copper. In an alternative embodiment, the reflective film may also be made of non-metal material, such as titanium dioxide. 
     The reflective element  2312  can be attached to the bottom surface  124 , or be spaced from the bottom surface  124 . 
     Since the reflective element  2312  is formed on the inner surface  2311 , a special reflecting sheet located opposite to the bottom surface  124  of the light guide plate  12  can be omitted, such that the display device  100  has relatively fewer components, thereby reducing manufacturing costs of the display device  100  and having a simpler assembly process. Additionally, the reflective element  2312  is formed in the bottom housing  23  directly, and does not occupy much space, thus the display device  100  may easily employ a thinner structure. 
     It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its material advantages.