Structure for preventing wires from being damaged

Details Structure for preventing wires from being damaged Structure for preventing wires from being damaged

2001-04-05

2002-12-31

Schuberg, Darren (Department: 2835)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...

For electronic systems and devices

C361S689000, C439S492000, C362S224000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06501642

ABSTRACT:

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2000-18337, filed on Apr. 7, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to display devices. More particularly, it relates to protecting the wires of a display back-light device.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many types of flat panel display devices available, including plasma display panels (PDP), field emission displays (FED), and the widely used liquid crystal display (LCD). While the principles of the present invention are generally applicable to all such displays, it will be discussed with respect to a LCD that is used in a portable computer.
Referring now to
FIG. 1
, a general portable computer typically includes a system body
1
and a liquid crystal display (LCD) device assembly
4
that is coupled to the system body
1
via a hinge mechanism
19
. Thus, the general portable computer includes one case connected to another case using a hinge. The liquid crystal display device assembly
4
has a liquid crystal display module
2
and a case
6
that supports the module
2
. The system body
1
includes an input device
12
such as a keyboard.
The case
6
has a top portion and a bottom portion. A back-light device having an illuminating section (reference the subsequent discussion related to
FIG. 2
) is included in the liquid crystal display module
2
. An inverter power supply circuit
22
for driving a lamp (not shown in
FIG. 1
) in the back-light device, usually either a cold cathode fluorescent lamp or a hot cathode fluorescent lamps, is installed in either the liquid crystal display module
2
or in the system body
1
.
FIG. 2
shows an illuminating section
26
of a back-light device, including a lamp
30
. As shown, the illuminating section
26
includes the lamp
30
, a lamp housing
34
, wires
27
, a connector
7
, and a lamp holder
32
. The lamp housing
34
condenses and reflects light emitted from the lamp
30
. The wires
27
include a power wire
27
a
and a ground wire
27
b
that are connected to the connector
7
at one end and are soldered to the lamp
30
at the other. The lamp holder
32
covers the solder joint between the lamp
30
and the power wire
27
a
. Although not shown in
FIG. 2
, the connector
7
is connected to the inverter power supply circuit (reference element
22
of
FIG. 1
) such that the wires
27
supply power to the lamp
30
.
FIG. 3A
is an enlarged partial view of the wire exit portion of the LCD device assembly
4
. As shown, a thermal shrinkage tube
10
, the lamp holder
32
over the power wire
27
a
, the power wire
27
a
, and the ground wire
27
b
exit the right bottom side of the LCD device assembly
4
. Since the length of the power wire
27
a
from the lamp
30
is shorter than that of the ground wire
27
b
, the power wire
27
a
is subject to more tensile forces. Therefore, the thermal shrinkage tube
10
and the lamp holder
32
cover and protect the power wire
27
a
. On the other hand, since the ground wire
27
b
is substantially longer, a thermal shrinkage tube and a lamp holder
32
are not need to protect the ground wire
27
b.
Still referring to
FIG. 3A
, a top frame
70
and a main frame
60
, which are beneficially press molded, guide the wires
27
. If the wires
27
are strongly pulled when connecting the connector
7
(see
FIG. 2
) to the inverter power supply circuit (reference element
22
of FIG.
1
), the wires
27
can be damaged by the top frame
70
and the main frame
60
. This is because the top frame
70
, which is metal, has an edge portion, while the main frame
60
has burrs generated during press molding. The edge and the burrs can damage the coated material of the wires
27
, the thermal shrinkage tube
10
, and the lamp holder
32
, and can cause an open-circuit in the wires
27
. Moreover, the tensile forces which occur during the fabricating process, such as connecting the connector
7
(see
FIG. 2
) to the inverter power supply circuit, during the conveying process, and during the packaging process, can also cause an open-circuit in the wires
27
.
FIG. 3B
is a sectional view taken along line A—A of FIG.
3
A. As shown, the power wire
27
a
, which is connected to one end of the lamp
30
, directly exits the LCD assembly
4
. The ground wire
27
b
, which is connected to the other end of the lamp
30
, goes through a space that is formed between the main frame
60
and the top frame
70
and then exits the LCD device assembly
4
. Since the power wire
27
a
is shorter and is covered with the thermal shrinkage tube
10
and with the lamp holder
32
, the power wire
27
a
is not easily bent when assembling the LCD assembly
4
and when connecting the LCD assembly
4
to the system body (reference
1
of FIG.
1
). Thus, the power wire
27
a
touches the bottom case of the system body (reference
1
of
FIG. 1
) such that an assembly defect can occur.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a display module of the type used in a portable computer that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to prevent an open-circuit occurring in the wires that supply power to a back-light device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display module having wires that is easily bent when connecting wires to an inverter power supply.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from that description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as shown in the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the present invention provides a liquid crystal display (LCD) module, including: a liquid crystal display panel having a display area; a back-light device having a lamp, wherein the lamp is connected to a power wire and to a ground wire; a first frame having first and second portions, wherein the first portion covers a top peripheral surface of the display area, and wherein the second portion covers side surfaces of the liquid crystal display panel; a second frame connected to the first frame; a bottom cover supporting the second frame and having an elongated-shape along the lamp, and a protrusion on a side wall; a wire holder guiding the power and ground wires, the wire holder coupled with the bottom cover through the protrusion; and a rib extended from the second frame and aligned to the wire holder.
The bottom cover has a first portion, two second portions, and a third portion. The first portion is parallel to the second frame and is elongated along the lamp. The two second portions are perpendicular to the first portion and are located at right and left ends of the first portion, and the third portion is perpendicular to the first and second portions and elongates along the lamp. The wire holder is in the third portion and protrudes about 10 millimeters from the third portion. The wire holder is beneficially made of PC (poly carbonate) and includes guide openings that guide the wires. Each guide opening beneficially has a U-shape.
The third portion has a protrusion that is coupled with the wire holder. The height of the protruded portion is lower than that of the third portion of the bottom cover.
Moreover, the wire holder has a slot at its central bottom portion that serves to attach the wire holder to the protrusion of the third portion of the bottom cover. The wire holder slot is formed along the third portion of the bottom cover. Beneficially, the slot is half of the height of the wire holder.
The second frame is located between the botto

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Structure for preventing wires from being damaged does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Structure for preventing wires from being damaged, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Structure for preventing wires from being damaged will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2921465