Patent Publication Number: US-2012033364-A1

Title: Display apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-176653, filed Aug. 5, 2010; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     An embodiment described herein relates generally to a display apparatus comprising a front cover. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In recent years, a number of large flat displays, such as liquid-crystal displays, plasma displays, etc., have been provided. These displays comprise a display panel, front cover, decorative frame, and back cover. The front cover covers at least the peripheral edge portion of the front surface of the display panel. The decorative frame is mounted on the peripheral edge portion of the panel. The back cover covers the back side of the display panel. Normally, the front cover and decorative frame are mounted on the display panel or front cover by separate mounting fittings or screws. 
     If the separate components are used to secure the decorative frame, as described above, the number of components increases, thus hindering reduction in the manufacturing cost of the display and improvement in productivity. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A general architecture that implements the various features of the embodiments will now be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate the embodiments and not to limit the scope of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is an exemplary perspective view showing a flat-panel television according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is an exemplary exploded perspective view showing the back side of the flat-panel television; 
         FIG. 3  is an exemplary perspective view showing the back side of the flat-panel television with its back cover removed; 
         FIG. 4  is an exemplary exploded perspective view showing a corner portion of a decorative frame, front panel, and mounting fittings; 
         FIG. 5  is an exemplary plan view showing the back side of the decorative frame; 
         FIG. 6  is an exemplary enlarged perspective view showing a part, e.g., a corner portion, of the decorative frame; 
         FIG. 7  is an exemplary sectional view of the decorative frame taken along line B-B of  FIG. 6 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is an exemplary sectional view of the flat-panel television taken along line A-A of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Various embodiments will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     In general, according to one embodiment, a display apparatus comprises: a rectangular front glass panel; a mounting fitting bonded to an inner surface of the front glass panel, arranged along a peripheral edge portion of the front glass panel, and comprising engaging pieces; a display panel superposed on the inner surface of the front glass panel and having a peripheral edge portion thereof held by the mounting fitting; and a decorative frame fitted to the mounting fitting to be mounted on the inner surface of the front glass panel and enclose the display panel and comprising an engagement groove in engagement with the engaging pieces of the mounting fittings, an engaging protrusion configured to engage with the mounting fitting, and a slit formed at a bottom of the engagement groove so as to adjoin the engaging protrusion. 
     An embodiment will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 
       FIGS. 1 to 8  show a flat-panel television as a display apparatus according to the embodiment. The display apparatus to which the present invention is applicable is not limited to this type, and the invention is widely applicable to various display apparatuses. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , a flat-panel television  10  comprises, for example, a rectangular front panel  12 , display panel  14 , rectangular decorative frame  16 , back cover  18 , and stand  20 . The display panel  14  is superposed on the inner surface of the front panel  12 . The decorative frame  16  encloses the display panel  14 . The back cover  18  covers the back side of the display panel  14 . The stand  20  supports the display panel  14  substantially vertically. 
     The front panel  12 , which serves as a front cover, is formed of a transparent plate material, such as a transparent glass panel. The material of the front panel  12  is not limited to glass and may be a transparent resin plate or the like. 
     The display panel  14  may be, for example, a liquid-crystal display (LCD), plasma display, organic electroluminescent (EL) display, or the like. The display panel  14  comprises, for example, a liquid-crystal display panel and an optical sheet, backlight, etc. (not shown), on the back side of the liquid-crystal display panel. The peripheral edge portion of the front surface of the display panel  14 , that is, a display surface, is held by a bezel (not shown), and the back side is covered by a metal frame  22 . The display panel  14  is in the form of a flat, rectangular plate as a whole. The planar dimensions of the display panel  14  are slightly less than those of the front panel  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the display panel  14  is located so that its surface overlaps the inner surface of the front panel  12 , which forms a rectangular display surface  12   a.  The peripheral edge portion of the inner or outer surface of the front panel  12  is, for example, shade-printed with black mesh lines in a narrow width. Alternatively, a light-shielding film is affixed to the peripheral edge portion to form a picture-frame portion  12   b,  a rectangular frame. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 to 4  and  8 , a plurality of mounting fittings  24   a  to  24   h  that individually function as mounting members are bonded to the peripheral edge portion of the inner surface of the front panel  12 . Each mounting fitting is affixed to the inner surface of the front panel with, for example, a double-sided tape  15 . The mounting fittings  24   a  to  24   h  are arranged intermittently or at appropriate intervals along a top side  13   a  and left and right lateral sides  13   b  of the front panel  12 . The mounting fittings  24   c,    24   e,    24   f  and  24   h  are bent individually at right angles along the two upper corner portions and two lower corner portions of the front panel  12 . The mounting fittings  24   a  to  24   h  are affixed to the inner surface of the picture-frame portion  12   b  of the front panel  12 , that is, a shaded region, and are arranged so as not to be externally seeable through the display surface of the front panel  12 . Although the mounting fitting means is formed of a plurality of divisions according to the present embodiment, it may alternatively be in the form of a continuous frame. 
     Each of the mounting fittings  24   a  to  24   h  is formed by bending an elongated flat metal plate into a substantially L-shaped cross-section, and comprises a bottom wall  26   a  and rising wall  26   b.  The bottom wall  26   a  is opposed parallel to the front panel  12  and affixed to the inner surface of the front panel with the double-sided tape  15 . The rising wall  26   b  rises substantially at right angles to the inner surface of the front panel  12 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 8 , each of the mounting fittings  24   a  to  24   h  comprises at least one raised piece (engaging piece in this case)  28   a  and at least one engagement hole  28   b.  The engaging piece  28   a  is formed by cutting and raising a part of the bottom wall  26   a  at right angles and is opposed to the rising wall  26   b  with a gap therebetween. The engagement hole  28   b  is formed at the boundary between the bottom wall  26   a  and rising wall  26   b,  in a position slightly deviated from the engaging piece  28   a.  In the present embodiment, the engaging pieces  28   a  and engagement holes  28   b  are formed at longitudinally spaced positions in each of the relatively long mounting fittings  24   a,    24   d  and  24   g.  The engaging pieces  28   a  and engagement holes  28   b  are formed at both sides of each corner portion and at extended end portions of each of the right-angled mounting fittings  24   c  and  24   f  at the corner portions. 
     Each of the two mounting fittings  24   c  and  24   f  at the two upper corner portions of the front panel  12  integrally comprises a bridge portion or retaining portion  30 , which extends across its corresponding right-angled corner portion and is opposed substantially parallel to the front panel with a predetermined space therebetween. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the mounting fitting  24   a  on the top side  13   a  of the front panel  12  integrally comprises a plurality of hook portions  32 , which extend from the upper end of the rising wall  26   b  toward the display panel  14 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , each of the mounting fittings  24   d  and  24   g  on the lateral sides  13   b  of the front panel  12  integrally comprises a plurality of fixed brackets  34 , each of which extends from the upper end of the rising wall  26   b  on the opposite side to the display panel  14  and is formed with a threaded hole. The fixed brackets  34  are arranged at predetermined intervals along the side edges of the front panel  12 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , each of the mounting fittings  24   e  and  24   h  disposed at the opposite corner portions on a lower side  13   c  of the front panel  12  integrally comprises the L-shaped bottom wall  26   a  and rising wall  26   b.  The rising wall  26   b  rises at right angles from the bottom wall  26   b  on the lateral side of the front panel  12 . Each of the mounting fittings  24   e  and  24   h  integrally comprises an engaging bracket  36 , which extends from the upper end of the rising wall  26   b  on the opposite side to the display panel  14  and is formed with the an engagement hole  36   a.  The engagement hole  36   a  is a slot extending parallel to each lateral side  13   b  of the front panel  12 . A columnar engaging pin  38  and boss  40  are set up on that part of the bottom wall  26   a  which extends along the lower side  13   c  of the front panel  12 . A threaded hole is formed in the boss  40 . Further, a locking bracket  41  is set up on the bottom wall  26   a  so as to extend at right angles to the front panel  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a plurality (e.g., four) of metal fixtures  42   a  to  42   d  in the form of rectangular plates are bonded to a peripheral edge portion on the lower side of the inner surface of the front panel  12  and are arranged at intervals along the lower side  13   c  of the front panel  12 . A columnar boss  44  is set up on each of the metal fixtures  42   a  to  42   d  and extends at right angles to the front panel  12 . A threaded hole is formed in each boss  44 . 
     The front panel  12 , display panel  14 , and decorative frame  16  are secured together by the mounting fittings  24   a  to  24   h.  As shown in  FIGS. 2 to 8 , the decorative frame  16  comprises a rectangular frame body  16   a  and fixed frame portions  16   b.  The fixed frame portions  16   b  are arranged continuously or intermittently along the opposite lateral sides and top side of the frame body on the inner peripheral side of the frame body. The decorative frame  16  is integrally formed of an elastic material, such as a synthetic resin. The frame body  16   a  has an external size and shape substantially equal to those of the front panel  12 . 
     The frame body  16   a  comprises a projection  16   c,  which projects toward the front panel  12  so as to be able to contact the inner surface of the front panel. The projection  16   c  is continuous throughout the circumference of the frame body. A slope  16   d  is formed on the back side of the frame body  16   a,  that is, on the opposite side to the front panel  12 , so as to cover the entire circumference. A retaining groove  46  that opens to the back side of the frame body  16   a  is defined between the frame body  16   a  and the fixed frame portions  16   b.  The retaining groove  46  continuously extends along the opposite lateral sides and top side of the frame body  16   a.  The peripheral edge portion of the back cover  18  (described later) is configured to be fitted in the retaining groove  46 . 
     The fixed frame portions  16   b  of the decorative frame  16  have a substantially U-shaped cross-section and each integrally comprise a pair of peripheral walls extending along each side of the front panel  12  and a bottom wall extending parallel to the front panel with a gap therebetween. Each fixed frame portion  16   b  defines an engagement groove  48  that opens to the front panel  12 . At each of the opposite corner portions of the frame body  16   a  on the top side  13   a,  each fixed frame portion  16   b  is continuously bent at right angles along the corner portion. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 to 8 , engaging protrusions or lugs  50 , e.g., eight at the top side portion of the decorative frame  16  and four at each lateral side portion, are integrally disposed on the fixed frame portion  16   b.  The engaging protrusions  50  are arranged at predetermined intervals along each side of the decorative frame  16 . At each top-side corner portion of the decorative frame  16 , the engaging protrusions  50  are disposed on the opposite sides of each corner. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 5  to  8 , each engaging protrusion  50  projects inwardly relative to the decorative frame  16 , that is, toward the display panel  14 , from the front-panel side end of the inner peripheral wall of each fixed frame portion  16   b.  As described later, each engaging protrusion  50  is configured to be able to engage with the engagement hole  28   b  of its corresponding mounting fitting. 
     A slit  52  is formed penetrating the bottom wall of that part of each fixed frame portion  16   b  on which each engaging protrusion  50  is disposed and communicates with the engagement groove  48 . The slit  52  extends parallel to a side of the decorative frame  16  and overlaps the engaging protrusion  50 . The slit  52  facilitates that part of the fixed frame portion  16   b  on which the engaging protrusion  50  is disposed to be relatively easily elastically deformed. Thus, the engaging protrusion  50  can be easily caught by the engagement hole  28   b  of its corresponding mounting fitting. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 5 , the lower side portion of the frame body  16   a  comprises a plurality (e.g., two) of engaging pieces  56 . These engaging pieces  56  protrude from the frame body  16   a  toward the display panel  14  and opposed parallel to the front panel. A through-hole  56   a  is formed in each engaging piece  56 . 
     The decorative frame  16  constructed in this manner is attached to the mounting fittings  24   a  to  24   h  and secured to the front panel  12  so as to enclose the display panel  14 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  6  and  8 , the entire decorative frame  16  is put on the mounting fittings  24   a  to  24   h  from above. The fixed frame portions  16   b  of the decorative frame  16  are placed individually on the bottom walls  26   a  outside the rising walls  26   b  of the mounting fittings  24   a  to  24   h.  When this is done, the engaging pieces  28   a  of the mounting fittings  24   a  to  24   h  are caused individually to engage with the engagement grooves  48  of the fixed frame portions  16   b  so that the peripheral walls of the frame portions  16   b  are interposed between the engaging pieces  28   a  and rising walls  26   b.  Further, the engaging protrusions  50  on the fixed frame portions  16   b  are anchored individually to the engagement holes  28   b  of the mounting fittings  24   a  to  24   h.  As this is done, the engaging protrusions  50  can be easily caused to engage with the engagement holes  28   b  of the mounting fittings by deforming the fixed frame portions  16   b  in the positions of the slits  52 . Since those parts of the fixed frame portions  16   b  of the decorative frame  16  which correspond individually to the fixed brackets  34  of the mounting fittings  24   d  and  24   g  and the engaging brackets  36  are removed, the decorative frame  16  can be attached to the mounting fittings  24   a  to  24   h  without being caught by the fixed brackets or locking brackets  41 . Thus, the decorative frame  16  is secured to the mounting fittings and front panel  12  and encloses the mounting fittings  24   a  to  24   h  and display panel  14  in such a manner that the fixed frame portions  16   b  cover the bottom walls  26   a  of the mounting fittings and that the projection  16   c  is in contact with the inner surface of the front panel  12 . 
     The lower side portion of the frame body  16   a  is located in contact with the inner surface of the front panel  12 , and the bosses  44  of the metal fixtures  42   b  and  42   c  are passed individually through the through-holes  56   a  of the engaging pieces  56 . As the engaging pieces  56  engage with the bosses  44 , the lower side portion of the frame body  16   a  is positioned relative to the front panel  12 . 
     On the lower side of the front panel  12 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , an elongated bottom plate  60  is placed on the decorative frame  16 . The bottom plate  60  comprises three members, e.g., a central member and two side members, which are connected to one another. The bottom plate  60  comprises engagement portions that engage with the bosses  44  on the metal fixtures  42   a  to  42   d  and engagement portions that engage with the engaging pins  38  and bosses  40  on the mounting fittings  24   e  and  24   h.  Thus, the bottom plate  60  is mounted on the front panel  12  so as to be set up along the lower side of the front panel. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  8 , the display panel  14  is superposed on the front panel  12  with its display surface opposed to the inner surface of the front panel. As the display panel  14  is slid to the upper side of the front panel, its periphery contacts the rising walls  26   b  of the mounting fittings  24   a  to  24   h.  Consequently, the display panel  14  is prevented from moving along the plane of the front panel  12  and held in position. The opposite upper corner portions of the display panel  14  are individually fitted between the front panel  12  and the retaining portions  30  of the mounting fittings  24   c  and  24   f.  Further, the opposite lower corner portions of the display panel  14  are individually pressed from above by the engaging pins  38  of the mounting fittings  24   e  and  24   h  and metal fixtures  62  attached to the engaging brackets  36 . Thus, the display panel  14  is prevented from moving at right angles to the inner surface of the front panel  12  and held in a position where it contacts the front panel. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 8 , band-like gaskets  66  formed of, for example, rubber sheets are affixed to those parts of the inner surface of the front panel  12  which face the outer peripheral portion of the display panel  14 . The display panel  14  contacts the inner surface of the front panel  12  with the gaskets  66  therebetween. 
     A liquid-crystal driver circuit board, controller board, power circuit board, etc. (not shown), are mounted on the back surface of the display panel  14 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , a rectangular baseplate  64  is secured to a lower central portion of the back surface of the display panel  14  by screws. A leg portion  20   a  ( FIG. 1 ) of the stand  20  is secured to the baseplate  64 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 8 , the respective back surfaces of the front panel  12  and display panel  14  are covered by the back cover  18 . The back cover  18  is formed of a substantially rectangular metal plate, and its upper side portion and opposite lateral side portions are curved toward the front panel  12  with their end edge portions bent at right angles. The back cover  18  is attached to the decorative frame  16  in such a manner that the end edge portions of the top and lateral side portions are fitted in the retaining groove  46  of the decorative frame  16  and covers the back surface of the display panel  14  and the mounting fittings. The lower side portion of the back cover  18  is superposed on the bottom plate  60 . Further, the back cover  18  is externally attached by screws to the fixed brackets  34  of the mounting fittings, bosses  40  and  44 , and screw retaining portions (not shown) on the back surface of the display panel  14 . 
     According to the flat-panel television  10  constructed in this manner, the display panel  14 , decorative frame  16 , and front panel  12  are fixedly mounted together by the mounting fittings  24   a  to  24   h  bonded to the front panel. Specifically, the decorative frame  16  is secured to the front panel  12  so as to enclose the display panel  14  by being attached to the mounting fittings  24   a  to  24   h.  Thus, it is unnecessary to use independent fixing members, screws, etc., to mount the decorative frame  16 , so that the number of components can be reduced, the structure of the flat-panel television simplified, and the manufacturing cost reduced. Further, the decorative frame  16  can be secured to the front panel  12  simply by being fitted to the engaging pieces  28   a  and engagement holes  28   b  of the mounting fittings, so that the assemblability can be improved. At the same time, the display panel  14  can be more easily mounted on the front panel  12  by means of the mounting fittings  24   a  to  24   h  and metal fixtures  62  without using screws, so that the manufacturing cost can be reduced and the assembly efficiency improved. 
     The decorative frame  16  may have an outside diameter less than that of the front panel  12  so that it can be superposed within the range of the inner surface of the front panel. Thus, the decorative frame  16  does not project outward from the outer periphery of the front panel  12 , so that the picture-frame part of the display surface can be made narrow. 
     Although the divided mounting fittings are configured to be secured to the front panel, they may be replaced with a single metal fitting in the form of a continuous frame. In the case where the divided mounting fittings are used as in the present embodiment, they may be adapted to televisions and display panels of various sizes by changing the intervals between the mounting fittings according to the television size. 
     While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions. 
     The display apparatus of the present invention is not limited to a flat-panel television and is also applicable to, for example, a display for a personal computer. In addition, the display apparatus may be embodied in modified forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. Although the front cover has been described as the front panel in the form of a rectangular plate, it may alternatively be, for example, a panel in the form of a rectangular frame that allows the display surface of the display panel to be externally exposed.