Patent Publication Number: US-2012039068-A1

Title: Display device

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates generally to display devices, more particularly, to a display device including a bottom housing. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A display device includes a display panel that displays image information, and a backlight module that provides light to the display panel. The backlight module includes a light source, a light guide plate, a reflecting sheet, a prism sheet, a diffusion sheet, a fixing frame and a plastic frame. The light source is placed beside the light guide plate. The reflecting sheet is placed below the light guide plate. The prism sheet, the diffusion sheet and the display panel are stacked on the light guide plate in that order. The fixing frame is configured to fix those components. The plastic frame is configured to shield the light emitting from the sides of the backlight module. 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. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of the display device of  FIG. 1  including a bottom housing, a backlight module, a plurality of cushion blocks, and a display panel. 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the bottom housing of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a circled portion IV of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a partial, enlarged, cross-section of the display device of  FIG. 1 , taken along line V-V. 
         FIG. 6  is a partial, enlarged, cross-section of the display device of  FIG. 1 , taken along line VI-VI. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an embodiment of a display device  100  includes a bottom housing  10 , a backlight module  20 , a plurality of cushion blocks  30 , and a display panel  40 . The backlight module  20  is received in the bottom housing  10 . The cushion blocks  30  are sandwiched between the backlight module  20  and the display panel  40 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 through 6 , the bottom housing  10  includes a base  11  and a frame  12  integrally formed on the base  11 . The frame  12  is substantially a rectangular frame, and includes a first sidewall  121 , a second sidewall  122 , a third sidewall  123 , and a fourth sidewall  124 , which cooperatively define a receiving space  13  to receive the backlight module  20  and the display panel  40 . The first sidewall  121  is parallel to the third sidewall  123 . The second sidewall  122  is parallel to the fourth sidewall  124 . A plurality of fixing grooves  125  are defined on the first sidewall  121  and the third sidewall  123 . In the illustrated embodiment, two fixing grooves  125  are defined on each of the first sidewall  121  and the third sidewall  123 . The first sidewall  121  and the third sidewall  123  include a plurality of supporting walls  1251  and a plurality of supporting portions  126 . Two supporting portions  126  are symmetrically placed on opposite sides of each supporting wall  1251 , and define one fixing groove  125 . Each supporting portion  126  includes a first supporting portion  1261 , a second supporting portion  1262  and a third supporting portion  1263  stacked in that order. The first supporting portion  1261  includes a first supporting surface  1261   a  parallel to the supporting wall  1251 , and a first end surface  1261   b  perpendicular to the first supporting surface  1261   a.  The second supporting portion  1262  includes a second supporting surface  1262   a  parallel to the supporting wall  1251 , and a second end surface  1262   b  perpendicular to the second supporting surface  1262   a.  The third supporting portion  1263  includes a third supporting surface  1263   a  parallel to the supporting wall  1251 , and a third end surface  1263   b  perpendicular to the third supporting surface  1263   a.  The distance between the two third end surfaces  1263   b  is greater than the distance between the two second end surfaces  1262   b.  The distance between the two second end surfaces  1262   b  is greater than the distance between the two first end surfaces  1261   b.  The fourth sidewall  124  includes a main body  1241 , and an extending portion  1242  extending from the main body  1241  perpendicularly and toward the second sidewall  122 . The extending portion  1242 , the main body  1241 , and the base  11  cooperatively define a receiving groove  127 . 
     The backlight module  20  includes a flexible printed circuit board  21 , a light source  22  fixed on the flexible printed circuit board  21 , a reflecting sheet  23 , a light guide plate  24 , a prism sheet  25 , and a diffusion sheet  26 . The light source  22  includes an emitting surface. In the illustrated embodiment, the reflecting sheet  23  includes four first protrusions  231 , which are placed on the opposite sides of the reflecting sheet  23 , and correspond to the fixing grooves  125 . The light guide plate  24  includes an incident surface  241 . The prism sheet  25  includes four second protrusions  251 , which are placed on opposite sides of the prism sheet  25 , and correspond to the fixing grooves  125 . The diffusion sheet  26  includes four third protrusions  261 , which are placed on the two sides of the diffusion sheet  26 , and correspond to the fixing grooves  125 . The length of the first protrusion  231 , the second protrusion  251 , and the third protrusion  261  is equal to or smaller than the distance between the opposite first end surfaces  1261   b.    
     The cushion block  30  is made of elastic material. In the illustrated embodiment, four cushion blocks  30  are disposed corresponding to the fixing grooves  125 . The length of the cushion block  30  is equal to or smaller than the distance between the opposite second end surfaces  1262   b.    
     In the illustrated embodiment, four fourth protrusions  401  are placed on opposite sides of the display panel  40 , and correspond to the fixing grooves  125 . The length of the fourth protrusion  401  is equal to or smaller than a distance between the opposite third end surfaces  1263   b.    
     An assembly process of the display device  100  is described as follows. First, the light source  22  is fixed on the flexible printed circuit board  21 , and then the flexible printed circuit board  21  together with the light source  22  are inserted into the receiving groove  127  and thermally bonded with the base  11  or adhered to the base  11  with adhesive. The reflecting sheet  23  is received in the receiving space  13 , and the first protrusions  231  are correspondingly placed on the supporting walls  1251  of the fixing grooves  125 . Second, the light guide plate  24  is inserted in the receiving groove  127 , and positioned above on the flexible printed circuit board  21  and the reflecting sheet  23 , then the emitting surface  221  of the light source  22  is placed corresponding to the incident surface  241  of the light guide plate  24 , and the extending portion  1242  covers the light source  22  and the incident surface  241 . The prism sheet  25  is placed on the light guide plate  24 , and the second protrusions  251  are correspondingly positioned on the first protrusions  231 . The diffusion sheet  26  is placed on the prism sheet  25 , and the third protrusions  261  are correspondingly positioned on the second protrusion  251 . Third, each cushion block  30  is placed on one third protrusion  261  and is correspondingly supported by the opposite first supporting surfaces  1261   a.  Finally, the display panel  40  is placed in the receiving space  13  and is adhered to the frame  12  with adhesive, and each fourth protrusion  401  of the display panel  40  is positioned on the cushion block  30  and is correspondingly supported by the opposite second supporting surfaces  1262   a.    
     Because the display panel  40  is adhered to the frame  12  with adhesive and placed on the cushion blocks  30 , and the backlight module  20  is sandwiched between the cushion blocks  30  and the base  11 , the backlight module  20  is secured in the receiving space  13 . Since the length of the first protrusion  231 , the second protrusion  251 , and the third protrusion  261  is equal to or smaller than the distance between the opposite first end surfaces  1261   b,  the length of the cushion block  30  is equal to or smaller than the distance between the opposite second end surfaces  1262   b,  and the length of the fourth protrusions  401  is equal to or smaller than the distance between the opposite third end surfaces  1263   b,  there is no force exerted between the reflecting sheet  23 , the light guide plate  24 , the prism sheet  25 , the diffusion sheet  26 , the cushion blocks  30 , the display panel  40  and the end surfaces, and thereby the assembly process of the display device  100  is easier, and also the above-mentioned components cannot be easily damaged during assembly. Because the cushion blocks  30  are made of elastic material, and are sandwiched between the display panel  40  and the backlight module  20 , the cushion blocks  30  can fix or retain the backlight module  20  and protect the display panel  40  from being damaged by a force generated between the display panel  40  and the backlight module  20 . 
     In the alternative embodiments, one or more than two fixing grooves  125  may be defined in one sidewall of the frame  12 . One or more than two first protrusions  231 , second protrusions  251 , third protrusions  261 , cushion blocks  30  and fourth protrusions  401  may be correspondingly employed, respectively. The receiving groove  127  may be defined in the first sidewall  121 , the third sidewall  123  or the fourth sidewall  124 , and in addition, the receiving groove  127  may employ other structures. Furthermore, no fixing groove  125  or receiving groove  127  may be defined in the sidewalls of the frame  12 , while an elastic latching portion placed on the frame  12  may be used to fix or retain the backlight module  20 , and the display panel  40  may be positioned on the frame  12  and fixed to the bottom housing  10 . 
     Because the frame  12  which is integrally formed with the base  11  is used to fix the backlight module  20  and display panel  40  together, and the sidewalls of the frame  12  can enclose the backlight module  20 , therefore, the light from the sidewalls of the backlight module  20  is shielded, and thereby special fixing frame is not needed to fix the backlight module  20  and the display panel  40  together, and special plastic frame is not needed to shield the light from the sidewalls of the backlight module  20 , such that the display device  100  has less components, a thinner structure and an easier assembly process. 
     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.