Patent Publication Number: US-2007115268-A1

Title: Display with window assembly and mobile phone having the same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2005-112591, filed on Nov. 23, 2005, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
     BACKGROUND  
      Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have been used as the displays in various electronic apparatuses including portable communication apparatuses such as cellular phones or PDA. A window is installed on a case of an electronic apparatus for protecting an LCD by isolating it from the outside. An opening is also formed on the case for exposing the LCD to the outside. In this case, the window is coupled with the opening to form a window assembly for a display, and therefore the LCD is protected while images can be viewed from the outside.  
      Hereinafter, a conventional window assembly in a display of a mobile phone will be described in detail, with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  
       FIG. 1  is an external perspective view showing a conventional mobile phone, and  FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing a portion of the display shown in  FIG. 1 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 1 , a conventional mobile phone  1  essentially includes a display unit  100  displayed so that users can recognize certain signals; an input unit  200  for inputting display signals to the display unit  100 , and a control unit (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) for controlling the input signals of the input unit  200  and the display signals of the display unit  100 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 2 , the display unit  100  of such a conventional mobile phone  1  includes a case  110 ; a window  130  installed in the case  110 ; a display unit  150  mounted between the window  130  and the case  110  to be installed inside of the mobile phone  1 ; and backlight unit  170  (so-called “BLU”).  
      The case  110  represents the bulk of the appearance of the mobile phone  1 , wherein a predetermined opening is formed for showing images from the display unit  150  installed inside of the case  110  to the outside, and a stepped part  112  is formed along edges of the opening.  
      The window  130  is installed in the stepped part  112  of the case  110 , and is designed to protect the display unit  150 , installed inside of the case  110 , from the outer environment.  
      The display unit  150  emits display signals by driving of the mobile phone  1  so that users can recognize the signals, and is arranged inside to correspond to a window  130  in the inside of the mobile phone  1 , namely the inside of the case  110 .  
      If the display unit  150  is installed inside of the case  110 , the display unit  150  in this embodiment is received into a backlight unit  170  for projecting the light to the display unit  150 , and the backlight unit  170  is adhered to an inner surface of the case  110  by, for example, a tape  190 , to fix the display unit  150  which is received into the backlight unit  170 .  
      A gap g 1  is generated between the window  130  and the display unit  150 , which are both installed in the stepped part  112  of the case  110 . The gap g 1  is an important factor in determinaing a thickness t 1  of the display unit  100  in the mobile phone  1 .  
      However, there has been a demand that the gap g 1  of the display unit  100  should be reduced to meet an increasing demand for thin mobile phone  1 . Also, the mobile phone  1  with such a structure has a poor impact resistance against impacts applied from the outside and allows the backlight unit  170  to be in direct contact with the inside of the case  110 . An adhesion space, therefore, may not be sufficiently secured and its yield may be lowered due to its complicated process.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A display with a window assembly includes a case unit formed with an opening and having a stepped part in at least one side of an edge of the opening; a window member having a first surface coupled with the stepped part; a display unit closely adhered on a first side to a second surface of the window member different from the first surface of the window member; a backlight unit provided on a second side of the display unit that is different from the first side of the display unit, so as to project light to the display unit, the backlight unit having a housing unit for enclosing the display unit, and closely adhered to at least one portion of the window member that is not closely adhered to the display unit; and an adhesion unit arranged between the backlight unit and the window member to adhere the backlight unit and the window member to each other.  
      An outer circumference of the window member may correspond to an inner circumference of the backlight unit that closely adheres to a peripheral surface of the window member. The adhesion unit may also be arranged to surround at least one side of the backlight unit that is closely provided to the window member. In one embodiment, the adhesion unit is further arranged between the display unit and the window member. In another embodiment, the adhesion unit is arranged in the closely adhered sides between the display unit and the window member, and between the backlight unit and the window member so that an opening can be formed from the display unit to the window member, wherein the opening is smaller than or substantially identical to outer dimensions of the backlight unit or the window member.  
      Facing surfaces of the window member, the display unit, and the backlight unit have a rectangular shape, in some embodiments, and the adhesion unit is formed along an outermost side on each closely adhered surface between the backlight unit and the window member so that a circumference of the adhesion unit can be substantially identical to or smaller than outer dimensions of the backlight unit or the window member, and the adhesion unit is arranged to correspond to the facing surfaces of the display unit or the window member.  
      The adhesion unit may also be formed along an outermost side on each closely adhered surface between the backlight unit and the window member so that a circumference of the adhesion unit can be substantially identical to or smaller than outer dimensions of the backlight unit or the window member, and the adhesion unit has an inner portion to which at least a portion of the display unit is exposed.  
      The window member may have a stepped part formed to correspond to the opening of the case unit in which the stepped part of the case is formed, and may be formed so that it can transmit light at least over a visible light wavelength.  
      The display unit may be a liquid crystal display.  
      An embodiment of a mobile phone includes the display with a window assembly as discussed above; an input unit for transmitting input signals to input display signals into the display; and a control unit for controlling the input signal of the input unit and the display signals of the display.  
      Another embodiment of the display with a window assembly includes a case unit formed with an opening and having a stepped part in at least one side of an edge of the opening; a window member having a first surface coupled with the stepped part; a display unit closely adhered on a first side to a second surface of the window member different from the first surface of the window member; a backlight unit provided on a second side of the display unit that is different from the first side of the display unit, so as to project light to the display unit, the backlight unit having a housing unit for enclosing the display unit, and closely adhered to at least one portion of the window member that is not closely adhered to the display unit; and an adhesion unit arranged between the backlight unit and the case unit to adhere the backlight unit and the case unit to each other.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      These and/or other aspects and features of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of examples of embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:  
       FIG. 1  is an external perspective view showing a conventional mobile phone;  
       FIG. 2  is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a portion of a display shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIGS. 3A  to  3 C are partial schematic views showing various embodiments of a display with a window assembly according to the present invention;  
       FIGS. 4A  to  4 H are partial plane views schematically showing various embodiments of an adhesion unit provided on a display unit and a backlight unit in a display with a window assembly according to the present invention;  
       FIGS. 5A  to  5 D are partial cross-sectional views schematically showing various embodiments of a display with a window assembly according to the, present invention;  
       FIGS. 6A  to  6 C are partial cross-sectional views schematically showing various embodiments of an adhesion unit in a display with a window assembly according to the present invention; and  
       FIG. 7  is an external perspective view showing an embodiment of a mobile phone having a display with a window assembly according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      Hereinafter, a display with a window assembly according to examples of embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
       FIGS. 3A  to  3 C are partial schematic views showing various embodiments of a display with a window assembly according to the present invention,  FIGS. 4A  to  4 H are partial plane views schematically showing various embodiments of an adhesion unit provided on a display unit and a backlight unit in a display with a window assembly according to the present invention,  FIGS. 5A  to  5 D are partial cross-sectional views schematically showing various embodiments of a display with a window assembly according to the present invention, and  FIGS. 6A  to  6 C are partial cross-sectional views schematically showing various embodiments of an adhesion unit in a display with a window assembly according to the present invention.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 3A-6C , a display with a window assembly  500  to  509  according to various embodiments of the present invention includes a case unit  510  to  510 ″ having a predetermined opening formed thereon and a stepped part  512  to  512 ′ formed in one surface of the opening edges. A first surface of a window member  530 ,  1530 ,  2530 ,  3530 ,  4530 ,  5530  is coupled with the stepped part  512  to  512 ′ and a second surface of the window member is closely adhered to a display unit  550  . A backlight unit  570  to  570 ′″ (BLU) is provided on another surface of the display unit  550  than is the window member so as to project light toward the display unit  550 . The backlight unit  570  to  570 ′″ has a housing unit for enclosing the display unit  550 . The backlight unit  570  is closely adhered to at least one portion of the window member other than the portion on which the display unit  550  is closely adhered. An adhesion unit  591  to  598  is arranged between the backlight unit  570  to  570 ′″ and the window member to adhere them to each other. In one embodiment, the adhesion unit  590  is arranged between the backlight unit  570  and the case unit  510  to adhere them to each other.  
      A predetermined opening is formed in the case unit  510  to  510 ″, and the opening is formed to display pictures to users. In the case in which the opening is formed, a predetermined stepped part  512  to  512 ′ is formed along edges of the opening formed thereof, and the stepped part is formed entirely along the opening edge. The invention, however, is not limited thereto, and the stepped part may be formed at least in a portion of the opening edge. The stepped part is formed in one side of opening of the case  510  to  510 ″, and a window is then coupled with the stepped part. Although not shown in  FIGS. 3A  to  3 C, different shapes other than the stepped part  512  to  512 ′ shown may be realized according to desired characteristics. For example, windows may be installed in both sides of the case, or grooves may be formed in an inner surface of the opening edge formed in the case to fix the window member to the grooves. It is also possible for the window member to be closely coupled with the grooves, and the stepped part may be entirely or partially formed on the edge of the opening formed in the case. This arrangement may be modified depending on the desired characteristics.  
      The window is made of materials capable of transmitting light at least over the visible light wavelength, and display signals emitted from the display unit  550  are transmitted through the window so that users can recognize the display signals.  
      The display unit  550  is installed inside of the case, and formed to correspond to the opening of the case and the window so that it can emit display signals for users to recognize. The display unit  550  may be a liquid crystal display (LCD) composed of liquid crystals, but may also be any suitable display devices, such as are used for other applications.  
      One side of the display unit  550  is closely provided with one side of the window. The display unit  550 , more specifically a circumference of the display unit  550 , is smaller than or identical to a circumference of the window which closely adheres to the display unit  550 . In the display unit  550  and the window  530 ,  1530 ,  4530 ,  5530  which are closely adhered to each other, circumferences of each of the closely adhered surfaces precisely correspond to each other upon closely adhering to each other if they have the same circumferences, as seen in  FIGS. 3A, 3B ,  5 B, and  5 C. Alternatively, center points of the display unit  550  and the window  530 ,  2530 ,  3530 ,  5530  are in agreement with each other for each circumference upon closely adhering to each other if a circumference of the display unit  550  is smaller than that of the window, as shown in  FIGS. 3C, 5A ,  5 D, and  6 A- 6 C.  
      In order to display the display signals from the display unit  550 , a backlight unit  570  to  570 ″ is provided next to the display unit  550 , more specifically on a different side of the display unit  550  from the window. Therefore, the light at least over the visible light wavelength may be projected into the display unit  550 . Here, the different side is a side opposite to the surface of the window to which the display unit  550  is closely adhered.  
      The backlight unit  570  to  570 ″ has a housing unit and, in some embodiments, the display unit  550  is shaped as a rectangular hexahedron with outer surfaces. One outer surface is closely adhered to the window, and another outer surface is adjacent to the backlight unit  570  to  570 ″.  
      The housing unit provided in the backlight unit  570  to  570 ″ is closely adhered to at least one of the surfaces of the window, except for the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3A , where it is closely adhered to the case unit  510 . The side of the window that adheres to the display unit  550  also closely adheres to the backlight unit  570  to  570 ″ if a circumference of the adhering surface of the display unit  550  is smaller than a circumference of the window, as shown in  FIGS. 3A, 3C ,  5 A,  5 D,  6 A,  6 B, and  6 C.  
      A circumference of the window in  FIGS. 3B, 5B , and  5 C, in contrast, is substantially identical to that of the surface closely adhered to the display unit  550  of the window, and the peripheral surfaces of the window that are adjacent to the surface closely adhering to the display unit  550  are enclosed by the housing unit.  
      When a circumference of the window surface closely adhered to the display unit  550  is substantially identical to that of the closely adhered surface of the display unit  550 , four peripheral surfaces of the window are enclosed by the housing unit of the backlight unit  570  to  570 ″, rather than the one surface closely adhered to the window, to which the four peripheral surfaces of the window are adjacent.  
      The housing unit provided in the backlight unit  570  to  570 ″ may be variously modified according to desired rigidity and functions, and therefore it is shown in the accompanying drawings of this specification without distinction of the backlight unit  570  to  570 ″.  
      When the display unit  550  and the window enclosed by the housing unit of the backlight unit  570  to  570 ″ are closely adhered to each other, an adhesion unit  590 ′,  591  to  598  is provided between the window and the housing unit of the backlight unit  570  to  570 ″ so that the window and the housing unit of the backlight unit  570  to  570 ″ can be closely adhered to each other, wherein the adhesion unit is a tape, and may be other adhesion units having the same functions.  
      The tape provided between the window and the housing unit of the backlight unit  570  may be formed on a surface wherein the housing unit of the backlight unit  570  is closely adhered to the window ( FIGS. 4E  to  4 H) so that its outer dimension can be smaller than ( FIG. 4F ,  FIG. 4G ) or identical to ( FIG. 4E ,  FIG. 4H ) that of the housing unit of the backlight unit  570  to  570 ″. The display unit  550  forms a predetermined open or closed opening so that display signals displayed by the display unit  550  can be recognized by the users by means of the window and the opening of the case, as shown in  FIGS. 4A  to  4 H.  
      In this case, a gap g 5  is formed between the window and the display unit, and the gap g 5  may have a smaller value than a gap g 1  in a conventional display  100  shown in  FIG. 2 .  
      As shown in  FIGS. 6A-6C , the tape  598  provided between the window and the housing unit of the backlight unit  570  may be formed over the surface where the housing unit of the backlight unit  570  is closely adhered to the window, and also the surface where the display unit  550  is closely adhered to the window ( FIGS. 4A  to  4 D) so that its outer dimension can be smaller than ( FIG. 4A ,  FIG. 4B ), or identical to ( FIG. 4C ,  FIG. 4D ) that of the housing unit of the backlight unit  570 , and the display unit  550  forms a predetermined open or closed opening so that display signals displayed by the display unit  550  can be recognized by the users by means of the window and the opening of the case  510 .  
      In this case, a gap g 5 ′ is formed between the window and the display unit  550 , and the gap g 5 ′ may have a smaller value than a gap g 1  in a conventional display  100  shown in  FIG. 2 . At this time, the gap g 5 ′ may have a higher value than the above gap g 5  according to thickness of the tape  598  inserted between the display unit  550  and the window, or may have a structure having the gap g′ considering rigidity of the display  507  to  509 .  
      Referring again to  FIGS. 3A  to  6 C, for surfaces of the window, the display unit  550  and the housing unit of the backlight unit  570  to  570 ″, each having a rectangular shape, the tape is formed so that it can correspond to the most outer side ( FIG. 4C ,  FIG. 4D ,  FIG. 4E  and  FIG. 4H ) on the surfaces wherein the housing unit of the backlight unit  570  to  570 ″ is closely adhered to the window, or the housing unit of the backlight unit  570  to  570 ″ and the display unit  550  are closely adhered to the window  530 , namely a circumference of the tape is formed so that its outer dimension can be identical to that of the housing unit of the backlight unit  570  to  570 ″ and/or the window, and it may also be formed to correspond to facing sides of the display unit  550  having a rectangular shape, as shown in  FIG. 4C and 4H . The tape may also be formed to have a predetermined inner space within the circumference of the housing unit of the backlight unit having a rectangular shape, as shown in  FIG. 4D ,  FIG. 4E  and  FIG. 4H . An alternate arrangement of the tape may be realized if the tape has a smaller outer dimension than that of the housing unit of the backlight unit, as shown in  FIG. 4B  and  FIG. 4G .  
      In addition to such an arrangement, the aforementioned window may have a stepped part  532  so as to correspond to the stepped part  512  to  512 ′ formed in the case, and therefore it may be designed to fill the opening of the case, as shown in  FIG. 5A  to  FIG. 5D  and  FIG. 6B  to  FIG. 6C .  
      The case may have an inward stepped part  512 , as shown in  FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B  or an outward stepped part  512 ′, as shown in  FIG. 5C  and  FIG. 5D . The window provided in the stepped part  512 ,  512 ′ according to each modified embodiment also has a stepped part  532  so that it can fill the opening of the case with a shape corresponding to the window, and the stepped part  512 ,  512 ′ of the case may be a more complicated stepped part in addition to the stepped part as shown in the figures. The stepped part  532  of the window may be also modified to correspond to the window.  
      The tape may be further provided between the display unit  550  and the window, as shown in  FIGS. 4A  to  4 D and  FIGS. 6A  to  6 C. In this case, the tape may be integrally or separately formed so that the tape provided between the backlight unit  570  to  570 ″ and the window can be further extended between the display unit  550  and the window.  
      In the modified embodiments of each display  500  to  509  as described above, the display has gaps g 5 , g 5 ′ between the window  530  and the display unit  550 , and the gaps g 5 , g 5 ′ have a smaller value than the gap g 1  in the conventional display  100  as shown in  FIG. 2 , and therefore it is possible to make the display thinner, and the display may be easily assembled by closely adhering the window and the housing unit of the backlight unit to each other, or adhering the housing unit of the backlight unit and the display unit  550  to each other using an adhesion unit. Accordingly, the display may be more easily assembled when compared to the conventional display  100  since an adhesion space is easily secured, and therefore its entire cost may be reduced.  
      Hereinafter, a mobile phone having the display with a window assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing.  
       FIG. 7  is an external perspective view showing a mobile phone having the display with a window assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
      The mobile phone  5  having the display with a window assembly according to this embodiment of the present invention includes the display with a window assembly  500 ; an input unit  600  formed to input display signals into the display  500 ; and a control unit (not shown) for controlling the input signals of the input unit  600  and the display signals of the display.  
      The display  500  is formed as a display  500  having gaps g 5  or g 5 ′ between the window  530  and the display unit  550 , and an input unit  600  is formed to input display signals into the display  500 . The input unit  600  is a conventional input unit  800 , and includes a keypad for manual works of users, a sound-recognition unit for sound, a receiving unit for communication signals, an incident light-recognition unit for a camera attached to a phone  5 , and other members for generating input signals in general.  
      A conventional control unit is formed in the phone  5  so that it can control the input signals of the input unit  600  and the display signals of the display  500 .  
      The phone  5  arranged thus may have a shape as shown in  FIG. 7 , and have other shapes having the display  500 , the input unit  600  and the control unit. The thickness t 5  of the phone  5 , more specifically the thickness t 5  formed as the display  500  in the phone  5  may be thinner than the thickness t 1  in the conventional phone  1  as shown in  FIG. 1  due to the gaps g 5  or g 5 ′ between the window  530  and the display unit  550  in the display  500 .  
      Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the descriptions proposed herein are just examples for the purpose of illustrations only, not intended to limit the scope of the invention. It should be also understood that other equivalents and modifications could be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.  
      As described above, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the display with a window assembly and the mobile phone having the same may reduce the manufacturing cost since the final products becomes thinner, and are also easily assembled.  
      Various embodiments of the display with a window assembly and the mobile phone having the same may improve an impact resistance against impacts applied from the outside, and smoothly carry out its manufacturing process to increase its yield by securing the space of the adhesion.