Abstract:
A Plasma Display Panel (PDP) assembly includes: a panel assembly including a front panel and a rear panel disposed to face the front panel; a chassis base adapted to support the panel assembly; driving circuit units adapted to be attached to the chassis base; flexible printed cables adapted to have both ends electrically connected to terminals of electrodes of the panel assembly and connectors of the driving circuit units, to transmit an electrical signal; a filter assembly adapted to be attached to an exterior surface of the filter assembly; protection units adapted to be attached to the filter assembly, to ground the filter assembly, and to dissipate heat generated during an operation of the panel assembly; and a case adapted to accommodate the panel assembly, the chassis base, the driving circuit units, the flexible printed cables, the filter assembly, and the protection unit.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY  
       [0001]     This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from an application for PLASMA DISPLAY PANEL ASSEMBLY earlier filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on the 17 of Dec., 2004 and there duly assigned Serial No. 10-2004-0108074.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a Plasma Display Panel (PDP) assembly, and more particularly, to a PDP assembly in which a filter assembly is attached directly to a front surface of a panel assembly and a unit supporting the filter assembly performs both a grounding function and a heat dissipating function.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Typically, a PDP assembly denotes a flat display device in which a plurality of discharge electrodes are arranged on facing surfaces of a plurality of substrates. A discharge gas is injected into an enclosed discharge space defined by the substrates. A phosphor material of a phosphor layer is excited by ultraviolet rays produced in the discharge space due to the application of a voltage to each of the discharge electrodes, and an image is displayed using light emitted from the excited phosphor material.  
         [0006]     Such a PDP assembly is manufactured by fabricating a front panel and a rear panel, combining them together, arranging a chassis base on the rear surface of the rear panel, installing base driving circuit units on a side of the chassis, the base driving circuit units transferring electrical signals with the panel assembly, and mounting these elements within a case.  
         [0007]     A PDP assembly includes a panel assembly, a chassis base attached to the rear surface of the panel assembly by an adhesive member, chassis reinforcing members attached to upper and lower edges of the chassis base, driving circuit units attached to the chassis base, circuits mounted on the driving circuit units, cover plates attached to upper and lower edges of the chassis base, a flexible printed cable interposed between the chassis base and the cover plate, a filter assembly attached to a front side of the panel assembly, and a case for accommodating the panel assembly, the chassis base, the driving circuit unit, and the filter assembly. The panel assembly includes a front panel and a rear panel that are combined together.  
         [0008]     The filter assembly is installed to block electromagnetic waves produced during operation, to prevent emission of light within an infrared wavelength band or neon light, or to prevent visibility degradation caused by reflection of external light. To achieve this, the filter assembly is formed by attaching an electromagnetic wave baffle filter, a selected wavelength absorbing film, a reflection prevention film, etc. onto a transparent substrate, such as, a glass substrate or a plastic substrate. The filter assembly is grounded to the chassis base.  
         [0009]     A filter holder is interposed between the filter assembly and the panel assembly  101 . The filter holder includes a press portion which presses the filter assembly against the case, and a fixing portion which is bent with respect to the press portion in a direction where the front and rear panels are arranged.  
         [0010]     A filter fixing part is installed on a rear edge of the case so as to face the fixing portion of the filter holder. The filter fixing part is attached to the filter holder by screws, so that the filter assembly is fixed to the case.  
         [0011]     However, the PDP assembly has the following problems. First, the filter assembly having a plurality of films on a centimeter-sized transparent substrate is interposed between the case and the filter holder, and the filter holder, which supports the filter assembly is then screwed to the filter fixing part attached to the case. If excessive external forces are applied during the attaching of the filter holder to the filter fixing part, the transparent substrate for the filter assembly can be damaged.  
         [0012]     Second, because the filter assembly is formed by attaching a plurality of films to a transparent substrate, a transparent substrate for supporting the films is needed, and manufacturing costs increase.  
         [0013]     Third, because the filter assembly needs a thick substrate, it runs counter to a trend toward developments of light, thin, short, and compact PDP assemblies.  
         [0014]     Fourth, there is a need to block vibrations or noises generated from the inside of the PDP assembly.  
         [0015]     Fifth, more stable grounding in which electromagnetic waves generated by the panel assembly pass into the ground is needed.  
         [0016]     Sixth, the chassis base must be reinforced, resulting in a large PDP assembly.  
         [0017]     Seventh, heat generated during an operation of the PDP assembly needs to be dissipated.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]     The present invention provides a Plasma Display Panel (PDP) assembly in which a filter assembly is attached directly to a front surface of a panel assembly.  
         [0019]     The present invention also provides a Plasma Display Panel (PDP) assembly including a protecting unit supporting a filter assembly, thereby ensuring stable electrical grounding and performing heat dissipating.  
         [0020]     According to an aspect of the present invention, a Plasma Display Panel (PDP) assembly is provided comprising: a panel assembly including a front panel and a rear panel disposed to face the front panel; a chassis base adapted to support the panel assembly; driving circuit units adapted to be attached to the chassis base; flexible printed cables adapted to have both ends electrically connected to terminals of electrodes of the panel assembly and connectors of the driving circuit units, to transmit an electrical signal; a filter assembly adapted to be attached to an exterior surface of the filter assembly; protection units adapted to be attached to the filter assembly, to ground the filter assembly, and to dissipate heat generated during an operation of the panel assembly; and a case adapted to accommodate the panel assembly, the chassis base, the driving circuit units, the flexible printed cables, the filter assembly, and the protection unit.  
         [0021]     The filter assembly preferably comprises a stack of films adapted to prevent reflection of electromagnetic waves generated by the panel assembly, infrared rays, neon light, or external light and adapted to be attached directly to a surface of the front panel.  
         [0022]     The protection units are preferably adapted to be attached to upper and lower edges of the filter assembly and to include brackets electrically connected to the filter assembly and cover plates disposed a predetermined distance away from upper and lower edges of the chassis base and attached to the brackets.  
         [0023]     Each of the brackets is preferably adapted to have one end parallel to the filter assembly and another end bent with respect to the one end at least once in a direction towards the chassis base.  
         [0024]     Each of the cover plates is preferably adapted to have one end parallel to the chassis base and another end bent with respect to the one end in a direction towards the filter assembly.  
         [0025]     The one end of each of the brackets is preferably adapted to be attached to the front surface of the filter assembly, and the another end is adapted to be attached to an end of each of the cover plates by a coupling unit.  
         [0026]     The coupling unit preferably comprises a first coupling hole arranged in each of the brackets, a second coupling hole arranged in a part of each of the cover plates, the second coupling hole being in line with the first coupling hole, and a screw adapted to be inserted into the first and second coupling holes.  
         [0027]     The PDP assembly preferably further comprises reinforcing members arranged in the cover plates or the brackets and adapted to reinforce the strengths of the cover plates or the brackets.  
         [0028]     Each of the reinforcing members preferably comprises a bead or embossing through which the first or second coupling hole is adapted to penetrate.  
         [0029]     The PDP assembly preferably further comprises guide units arranged in the cover plates or the brackets and adapted to serve as a guide during attachment of the cover plates and the brackets.  
         [0030]     Each of the guide units preferably comprises one of a burring unit, a press fitted boss, and a protruding pin arranged on a bracket or a cover plate, and wherein the bracket and the cover plate are adapted to be attached together by inserting a screw into the guide unit.  
         [0031]     The PDP assembly preferably further comprises a conductive material adapted to be interposed between the bracket and the filter assembly.  
         [0032]     The conductive material preferably comprises one of an electromagnetic wave shield sponge and a finger strip.  
         [0033]     Each of the cover plates is preferably adapted to have one end attached to the chassis base or a chassis reinforcing member installed in the rear of the chassis base to reinforce the strength of the chassis base and the another end attached to each of the brackets by a coupling unit.  
         [0034]     The PDP assembly preferably further comprises flexible printed cables adapted to be interposed between the cover plates and the chassis bases or chassis reinforcing members.  
         [0035]     The PDP assembly preferably further comprises a sound absorbing material adapted to be interposed between the protection unit and the flexible printed cables.  
         [0036]     The PDP assembly preferably further comprises a vibration reductive material adapted to be interposed between the protection unit and the flexible printed cables.  
         [0037]     The PDP assembly preferably further comprises at least one heat sink adapted to be arranged on an exterior surface of the protection unit.  
         [0038]     The protection unit preferably comprises brackets adapted to be attached to upper and lower edges of the filter assembly in a length direction of the filter assembly and electrically connected to the filter assembly.  
         [0039]     The brackets are preferably adapted to be attached to one of the chassis base, the chassis reinforcing member, and the case. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0040]     A more complete appreciation of the present invention, and many of the attendant advantages thereof, will be readily apparent as the present invention becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar components, wherein:  
         [0041]      FIG. 1  is a cross-section of a part of a PDP assembly;  
         [0042]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a plasma display device assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0043]      FIG. 3  is a cross-section of a part of the PDP assembly of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0044]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the part shown in  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0045]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of a plasma display device assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0046]      FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of a plasma display device assembly according to still another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0047]      FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of a plasma display device assembly according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0048]      FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of a plasma display device assembly according to a further embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0049]      FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view of a plasma display device assembly according to still a further embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0050]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a PDP assembly  100  includes a panel assembly  101 , a chassis base  107  attached to the rear surface of the panel assembly  101  by an adhesive member  104 , chassis reinforcing members  108  attached to upper and lower edges of the chassis base  107 , driving circuit units  113  attached to the chassis base  107 , circuits  114  mounted on the driving circuit units  113 , cover plates  112  attached to upper and lower edges of the chassis base  107 , a flexible printed cable  109  interposed between the chassis base  107  and the cover plate  112 , a filter assembly  119  attached to a front side of the panel assembly  101 , and a case  117  for accommodating the panel assembly  101 , the chassis base  107 , the driving circuit unit  113 , and the filter assembly  119 . The panel assembly  101  includes a front panel  102  and a rear panel  103  that are combined together.  
         [0051]     The filter assembly  119  is installed to block electromagnetic waves produced during operation, to prevent emission of light within an infrared wavelength band or neon light, or to prevent visibility degradation caused by reflection of external light. To achieve this, the filter assembly  119  is formed by attaching an electromagnetic wave baffle filter, a selected wavelength absorbing film, a reflection prevention film, etc. onto a transparent substrate, such as, a glass substrate or a plastic substrate. The filter assembly  119  is grounded to the chassis base  107 .  
         [0052]     A filter holder  115  is interposed between the filter assembly  119  and the panel assembly  101 . The filter holder  115  includes a press portion  115   a , which presses the filter assembly  119  against the case  117 , and a fixing portion  115   b , which is bent with respect to the press portion  115   a  in a direction where the front and rear panels  102  and  103  are arranged.  
         [0053]     A filter fixing part  116  is installed on a rear edge of the case  117  so as to face the fixing portion  115   b  of the filter holder  115 . The filter fixing part  116  is attached to the filter holder  115  by screws, so that the filter assembly  119  is fixed to the case  117 .  
         [0054]     However, the PDP assembly  100  has the following problems. First, the filter assembly  119  having a plurality of films on a centimeter-sized transparent substrate is interposed between the case  117  and the filter holder  115 , and the filter holder  115 , which supports the filter assembly  119 , is then screwed to the filter fixing part  116  attached to the case  117 . If excessive external forces are applied during the attaching of the filter holder  115  to the filter fixing part  116 , the transparent substrate for the filter assembly  119  can be damaged.  
         [0055]     Second, because the filter assembly  119  is formed by attaching a plurality of films to a transparent substrate, a transparent substrate for supporting the films is needed, and manufacturing costs increase.  
         [0056]     Third, because the filter assembly  119  needs a thick substrate, it runs counter to a trend toward developments of light, thin, short, and compact PDP assemblies.  
         [0057]     Fourth, there is a need to block vibrations or noises generated from the inside of the PDP assembly  100 .  
         [0058]     Fifth, more stable grounding in which electromagnetic waves generated by the panel assembly  101  pass into the ground is needed.  
         [0059]     Sixth, the chassis base  107  must be reinforced, resulting in a large PDP assembly  100 .  
         [0060]     Seventh, heat generated during an operation of the PDP assembly  100  needs to be dissipated.  
         [0061]      FIG. 2  illustrates a plasma display device assembly  200  according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the plasma display device assembly  200  includes a panel assembly  210 , which includes a front panel  211  and a rear panel  212  combined with the front panel  211 .  
         [0062]     When the panel assembly  210  is a three-electrode Alternating Current (AC) PDP, discharge sustain electrode pairs, each including an X electrode and a Y electrode, a front dielectric layer in which the discharge sustain electrode pairs are buried, and a protective layer with which a surface of the front dielectric layer is coated are formed on the inner surface of the front panel  211 .  
         [0063]     Address electrodes arranged to be orthogonal to the discharge sustain electrode pairs and a rear dielectric layer in which the address electrodes are buried are formed on the rear panel  212 . Barrier ribs that define discharge cells are arranged between the front and rear panels  211  and  212 . Sidewalls of the barrier ribs are coated with red, green, and blue phosphor layers.  
         [0064]     A chassis base  220  is disposed at the rear of the panel assembly  210  and attached to the panel assembly  210  by an adhesive  260 . The chassis base  220  is a highly thermal-conductive aluminum plate. The adhesive  260  includes dissipation sheets  261  and double-sided tapes  262 . Chassis reinforcing members  250  are attached to rear sides of the upper and lower edges of the chassis base  220  to reinforce the chassis base  220 .  
         [0065]     A plurality of driving circuit units  230  are attached to the rear surface of the chassis base  220 . A plurality of circuit elements  231  are attached to each of the driving circuit units  230 . Flexible printed cables  240  are installed between the driving circuit units  230  and the panel assembly  210 . The flexible printed cables  240  electrically connect the terminals of the electrodes of the panel assembly  210  with connectors of the driving circuit units  230 .  
         [0066]     A filter assembly  280  is attached to the front side of the panel assembly  210 . The filter assembly  280  prevents reflection of electromagnetic waves generated by the panel assembly  210 , infrared rays, neon light, or external light.  
         [0067]     The panel assembly  210 , the chassis base  220 , the driving circuit units  230 , and the filter assembly  280  are contained within a case  320 . The case  320  includes a front cabinet  321 , which is arranged in front of the filter assembly  280 , and a back cover  322 , which is arranged in the rear of the driving circuit units  230 . A plurality of through holes  322   a  are formed in upper and lower edges of the back cover  322 .  
         [0068]     According to features of the present invention, the filter assembly is attached directly to the outer surface of the panel assembly  210 , and protection units are attached to the filter assembly  280  and the chassis base  220  to ground electricity generated by the filter assembly  280  and discharge heat received from the chassis base  220 .  
         [0069]      FIG. 3  is a cross-section of a part of the PDP assembly  200  of  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the part shown in  FIG. 3 . Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the panel assembly  210  is formed by arranging the front panel  211  and the rear panel  212  to face each and to be spaced apart by a predetermined distance and to seal them together.  
         [0070]     The chassis base  220  is attached to the rear side of the rear panel  212 . The chassis base  220  does not only support the panel assembly  210  but also dissipates heat generated by the panel assembly  210  during operation. Upper and lower edges of the chassis base  210  are bent in the shape of “L” in the direction away from the panel assembly  210  to reinforce the chassis base  210 .  
         [0071]     The adhesive  260  is interposed between the rear panel  212  and the chassis base  220 . The dissipation sheets  261  included in the adhesive  260  are arranged in the center of the rear panel  212 , and the double-sided tapes  262  included therein are arranged on the periphery of the rear panel  212 . The dissipation sheets  261  transfer the heat generated by the panel assembly  210 . When the panel assembly  210  is attached to the chassis base  220 , the dissipation sheets  261  not only dissipate the heat but also attach the panel assembly  210  to the chassis base  220 .  
         [0072]     The chassis reinforcing members  250  are attached to rear surfaces of the upper and lower edges of the chassis base  220  in a length direction of the chassis base  220  to prevent the chassis base  220  from being deformed upward and downward due to the enlargement of the panel assembly  210 . Alternatively, the chassis reinforcing members  250  can be attached to rear surfaces of the left and right edges of the chassis base  220  in a width direction of the chassis base  220 . The chassis reinforcing members  250  are strip-shaped plates that are bent at least once. In compact PDP assemblies having no chassis reinforcing members  250 , the chassis base  220  itself can be bent at least once.  
         [0073]     The driving circuit units  230  are attached to the rear surface of the chassis base  220 . Each of the driving circuit units  230  includes the plurality of circuit elements  231  and a connector  232 .  
         [0074]     The filter assembly  280  is attached to the front surface of the panel assembly  210 . In other words, the filter assembly  280  is attached directly to the front surface of the front panel  211  to block electromagnetic waves generated by the panel assembly  210  and to prevent emission of ultraviolet rays or neon light and reflection of external light.  
         [0075]     To do this, the filter assembly  280  is formed by repeatedly stacking a reflection preventing film for preventing visibility degradation due to reflection of the external light, an electromagnetic wave shielding film for effectively shielding the electromagnetic waves generated while the panel assembly  210  is being driven, a selected wavelength absorbing film for shielding unnecessary emission of near-infrared rays due to inert plasma used upon neon emission and screen light-emission. The filter assembly  280  does not include a thick transparent glass or plastic substrate in contrast with a conventional filter assembly.  
         [0076]     Protection units are coupled to the filter assembly  280  and the chassis base  220 . In other words, brackets  290  are attached to upper and lower edges of the filter assembly  280  in a length direction of the filter assembly  280 . The brackets  290  are electrically connected to the filter assembly  280 . The cover plates  270  are installed on the upper and lower edges of the chassis base  220  to be a predetermined distance away from the chassis base  220 . The cover plates  270  are attached to the brackets  270 . The flexible printed cables  240  are arranged in a space between the resultant chassis base  220  and the cover plate  290 .  
         [0077]     Each of the brackets  290  includes a first bent portion  291 , which is parallel to the filter assembly  280 , and a second bent portion  292 , which is bent 90° with respect to the first bent portion  291  in a direction towards the chassis base  220 . Each of the cover plates  270  includes a third bent portion  271 , which is parallel to the chassis base  220 , and a fourth bent portion  272 , which is bent 90° with respect to the third bent portion  271  in a direction towards the filter assembly  280 .  
         [0078]     One edge of the first bent portion  291  of the bracket  290  attached to the upper edge of the first assembly  280  is attached to the upper edge of the front side of the filter assembly  280 . The other edge of the second bent portion  292  is attached to the fourth bent portion  272  of the cover plate  270  by a coupling unit.  
         [0079]     Preferably, but not necessarily, a conductive material  300  is interposed between the first bent portion  291  and the upper edge of the front side of the filter assembly  280 . Examples of the conductive material  300  include an electronic wave shield sponge, a finger strip, etc. The conductive material  300  has an excellent conductivity, restorability, and an electronic wave shield percentage, and has a low contact resistance even over time. The brackets  290  are attached to the front cabinet  321  by adhesives  310 .  
         [0080]     Accordingly, the brackets  290  can be electrically connected either directly to the filter assembly  280  or to the filter assembly  280  via the conductive material  300  to perform a grounding function.  
         [0081]     A first coupling hole  292   a  can be formed in the second bent portion  291  of the bracket  290 , and a second coupling hole  272   a  can be formed in the fourth bent portion  272  of the cover plate  270 . Hence, the bracket  290  and the cover plate  270  can be attached together by inserting a screw into the first and second coupling holes  292   a  and  272   a.    
         [0082]     The cover plate  270  can further include a reinforcing unit to reinforce the coupling. In this embodiment, a bead  273  is formed in the fourth bent portion  272  of the cover plate  270 . Alternatively, the bead  273  can be formed in the second bent portion  292  of the bracket  290 , and either the cover plate  270  or the bracket  270  can be embossed.  
         [0083]     The present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, in PDP assemblies not including the cover plates  270 , the chassis base  220  or the chassis reinforcing member  250  can be bent at least once and attached to the brackets  290  by a coupling unit or a reinforcing unit.  
         [0084]     The flexible printed cables  240  are interposed between the chassis reinforcing members  250  and the cover plates  270 . Each of the flexible printed cables  240  includes an IC  241 , a lead  242 , and a film  243  with which the lead  242  is coated. The lead  242  is electrically  2  connected to the IC  241 , has one end connected to the terminals of the electrodes of the panel  3  assembly  210  and the other end connected to the connectors  232  of the driving circuit units  230 ,  4  and transfers electrical signals between the panel assembly  210  and the driving circuit units  230 .  
         [0085]     An adhesive  331 , such as, thermal grease, is interposed between the IC  241  and the chassis reinforcing member  250 . The heat sinks  332 , such as, silicon sheets, are interposed between the ICs  241  and the cover plates  270 .  
         [0086]     In the PDP assembly  200  having such a structure, electromagnetic waves generated by the panel assembly  210  or the circuit elements  231  are blocked by the electromagnetic wave shield film of the filter assembly  280  attached directly to the front surface of the front panel  211 . The electromagnetic waves are removed via the conductive material  300 , which is electrically connected to the electromagnetic wave shield film, the brackets  290 , and the front cabinets  321 .  
         [0087]     Unnecessary near-infrared rays emitted due to inert plasma used upon neon emission and screen light-emission are absorbed by the selected wavelength absorbing film. Visibility degradation due to reflection of external light can be reduced by the reflection preventing film.  
         [0088]     In the PDP assembly  200 , a great amount of heat is generated by the panel assembly  210  during operation. The heat passes through the dissipation sheets  261  interposed between the panel assembly  210  and the chassis base  220  and is dissipated through the chassis base  220 .  
         [0089]     Heat generated by the ICs  241  of the flexible printed cables  240  passes through the heat sinks  332  and the cover plates  270  and is then dissipated through the brackets  290  attached to the cover plates  270 . The dissipated heat is removed by natural convection of air entering through the through holes  322   a  formed in the back cover  322 .  
         [0090]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of a plasma display device assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 5 , the filter assembly  280 , which is formed by stacking a plurality of functional films without a transparent glass or plastic substrate, is attached directly to the front surface of the panel assembly  210 . The chassis base  220  is attached to the rear side of the panel assembly  210  by the adhesive  260 .  
         [0091]     The chassis reinforcing member  250  is attached to an upper part of the rear surface of the chassis base  220  to reinforce the chassis base  220 . The driving circuit units  230 , on each of which a plurality of circuit elements  231  are mounted, are arranged in the middle of the rear surface of the chassis base  220 .  
         [0092]     The filter assembly  280  attached to the front surface of the panel assembly  210  is supported by a protection unit.  
         [0093]     In other words, the protection unit includes brackets  590  attached to the front surface of the filter assembly  280  by interposing an adhesive or the conductive material  300  between the brackets  590  and the filter assembly  280 . Each of the brackets  590  includes a first bent portion  591 , which is parallel to the filter assembly  280 , a second bent portion  592 , which is bent with respect to the first bent portion  591  in a direction towards the chassis base  220 , and a third bent portion  593 , which is bent with respect to the second bent portion  592  in a direction away from the direction where the first bent portion  591  is bent.  
         [0094]     Cover plates  570  are arranged in the upper rear of the chassis base  220 . The brackets  590  are attached to the cover plates  570 . Each of the cover plates  570  includes a third bent portion  571 , which is parallel to the chassis base  220 , and a fourth bent portion  572 , which is bent with respect to the third bent portion  571  in a direction towards the filter assembly  280 .  
         [0095]     The lower edge of the first bent portion  591  of the bracket  290  attached to the upper edge of the first assembly  280  is electrically connected to the filter assembly  280  by the conductive material  300 , for example, an electromagnetic wave baffle sponge or a finger strip, interposed between the lower edge of the first bent portion  591  and the upper edge of the front side of the filter assembly  280 .  
         [0096]     To attach the second and fourth bent portions  592  and  572  together, a first coupling hole  592   a  is formed in the second bent portion  592 , and a second coupling hole  572   a  is formed in the fourth bent portion  572  to be in line with the first coupling hole  592   a . The second and fourth bent portions  592  and  572  are attached together by inserting a screw into the first and second coupling holes  592   a  and  572   a . A bead  573  protrudes from the fourth bent portion  572  to reinforce the strength of the attached portion of the second and fourth bent portions  592  and  572 . The second coupling hole  572   a  penetrates the bead  273 .  
         [0097]     The protection unit further includes heat dissipation units which effectively dissipate heat generated by the panel assembly  210 , the driving circuit units  230  on which the circuit elements  231  are mounted, and the ICs  241  of the flexible printed cables  240 .  
         [0098]     In other words, a first heat sink  594 , consisting of a plurality of ribs, is formed on the outer surface of the second bent portion  592 . Likewise, a second heat sink  595 , consisting of a plurality of ribs, is formed on the outer surface of the third bent portion  593 .  
         [0099]     Heat generated while a PDP assembly operates is effectively dissipated through an area extended by the installation of the cover plates  570  and the brackets  590  attached to the cover plates  570 . The heat is rapidly dissipated by the first and second heat sinks  594  and  595 .  
         [0100]      FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of a plasma display device assembly according to still another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 6 , the filter assembly  280  is attached directly to the front surface of the panel assembly  210  and supported by a protection unit.  
         [0101]     In other words, the protection unit includes brackets  690 , which support the front side of the filter assembly  280 , and cover plates  670 , which are installed in the rear of the chassis base  220  and attached to the brackets  690 . When no cover plates  670  are installed, the brackets  690  can extend upwards to locations where the cover plates  670  are to be positioned. Alternatively, the chassis base  220  and the chassis reinforcing member  250  are modified to be attached to the brackets  690 .  
         [0102]     Each of the brackets  690  includes a first bent portion  691 , which is parallel to the filter assembly  280 , and a second bent portion  692 , which is bent with respect to the first bent portion  691  in a direction towards the chassis base  220 . Each of the cover plates  670  includes a third bent portion  671 , which is parallel to the chassis base  220 , and a fourth bent portion  672 , which is bent with respect to the third bent portion  671  in a direction away from the filter assembly  280 .  
         [0103]     The second and fourth bent portions  692  and  672  face each other, and a first coupling hole  692   a  is formed in the second bent portion  692 . A bead  673  protrudes from the fourth bent portion  672 , and a boss  680  serving as a guide is press fitted into the second coupling hole  672   a  formed in the bead part  673 . Because the boss  680  serves as a guide, the fourth bent portion  672  can be attached to the second bent portion  692 .  
         [0104]      FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of a plasma display device assembly according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 7 , the filter assembly  280  is attached directly to the front surface of the panel assembly  210  and supported by a protection unit. The protection unit includes brackets  790  and cover plates  770  attached to the brackets  790 .  
         [0105]     Each of the brackets  790  includes a first bent portion  791 , which is attached to the front surface of the filter assembly  280 , and a second bent portion  792 , which is bent with respect to the first bent portion  791  in a direction towards the chassis base  220 . Each of the cover plates  770  includes a third bent portion  771 , which is attached to the rear surface of the chassis base  220 , and a fourth bent portion  772 , which is bent with respect to the third bent portion  771  in a direction towards the filter assembly  280 .  
         [0106]     The second and fourth bent portions  792  and  772  face each other, and a first coupling hole  792   a  is formed in the second bent portion  792 . A bead  773  protrudes from the fourth bent portion  772  to reinforce the strength of the fourth bent portion  772 . A pin  780  serving as a guide extends from the bead  773 , and the second and fourth bent portions  792  and  772  are attached together by the pin  780 .  
         [0107]      FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of a plasma display device assembly according to further embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 8 , the filter assembly  280  is attached directly to the front surface of the panel assembly  210  and supported by a protection unit. The protection unit includes brackets  890 , which are attached to the front side of the filter assembly  280 , and cover plates  870 , which are installed in the rear of the chassis base  220  and attached to the brackets  890 .  
         [0108]     Each of the brackets  890  includes a first bent portion  891 , which is electrically connected to the front surface of the filter assembly  280  by a conductive material  860 , for example, a finger strip, interposed between the first bent portion  891  and the front surface of the filter assembly  280 , and a second bent portion  892 , which is bent with respect to the first bent portion  891  in a direction towards the chassis base  220  and attached to a fourth bent portion  872  of each of the cover plates  870 .  
         [0109]     To obtain this structure, a first coupling hole  892   a  is formed in the second bent portion  892 . A bead  873  protrudes from the fourth bent portion  872 , and a second coupling hole  872   a  is formed in the bead part  873  to be in line with the first coupling hole  892   a . The second and fourth bent portions  892  and  872  are attached together by inserting a screw into the first and second coupling holes  892   a  and  872   a.    
         [0110]     A unit  880  for blocking vibrations or noises generated during an operation of a PDP assembly, for example, a vibration reductive material or a sound absorbing material, is installed on the inner surface of the fourth bent portion  872 .  
         [0111]     The unit  880  for blocking such vibrations or noises is located opposite to the flexible printed cable  240  to protect it. The unit  880  can be a sponge, a rubber, a nonwoven fabric, etc.  
         [0112]      FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view of a plasma display device assembly according to further embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 9 , a filter assembly  280  formed by stacking a plurality of films is attached directly to the front surface of the panel assembly  210  and supported by a protection unit. The protection unit includes brackets  890 , which are attached to the front side of the filter assembly  280 , and cover plates  970 , which are installed in the rear of the chassis base  220  and attached to the brackets  990 .  
         [0113]     Each of the brackets  990  includes a first bent portion  991 , which is parallel to the filter assembly  280 , a second bent portion  992 , which is bent with respect to the first bent portion  991  in a direction towards the chassis base  220 , and a third bent portion  993 , which is bent with respect to the second bent portion  992  in the direction opposite to the direction in which the first bent portion  991  is bent.  
         [0114]     Each of the cover plates  970  includes a fourth bent portion  971 , which is parallel to the chassis base  220 , and a fifth bent portion  972 , which is bent 90° with respect to the third bent portion  571  at the middle point thereof in a direction towards the filter assembly  280 .  
         [0115]     To attach the third and fourth bent portions  993  and  971  together, a first coupling hole  993   a  is formed in the third bent portion  993 , a second coupling hole  971   a  is formed in the upper end of the fourth bent portion  971 , and a screw is inserted into the first and second coupling holes  993   a  and  971   a . A first heat sink  994 , consisting of a plurality of ribs, is formed on the outer surface of the second bent portion  992 . A second heat sink  995 , consisting of a plurality of ribs, is formed on the inner surface of the third bent portion  993 .  
         [0116]     In a PDP assembly according to the present invention as described above, a filter assembly is attached directly to the front surface of a panel assembly and supported by a separate protection unit, thus having the following effects. First, the direct attachment of the filter assembly to the panel assembly does not require a transparent glass or plastic substrate. Thus, the PDP assembly becomes lighter, thinner, and more compact and can be simply manufactured at reduced costs.  
         [0117]     Second, the filter assembly is electrically connected to and supported by brackets included in the protection unit. Thus, electrical grounding can be stably ensured.  
         [0118]     Third, the brackets, which support the filter assembly, are attached to cover plates attached to a chassis base, thereby serving as a heat discharging element.  
         [0119]     Fourth, a conductive material is interposed between the filter assembly and each of the brackets to improve electromagnetic wave shielding.  
         [0120]     Fifth, the inclusion of a vibration reduction material or a sound absorbing material within a case, reduces vibrations or noises generated from the inside of the PDP assembly.  
         [0121]     Sixth, the installation of a bead unit, an embossing unit, a boss unit, or a burring unit in the brackets or cover plates causes the strengths of the brackets or cover plates to be reinforced.  
         [0122]     While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.