Liquid crystal cells – elements and systems – Particular structure – Holder – support – frame – or housing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-29
2002-07-23
Sikes, William L. (Department: 2871)
Liquid crystal cells, elements and systems
Particular structure
Holder, support, frame, or housing
C361S689000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06424391
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a flat-panel display device in which a flat-shaped display cell is fixedly housed in a housing by means of a bezel.
RELATED ART OF THE INVENTION
In general, when assembling a flat-panel display device which comprises a flat-shaped display cell such as a liquid crystal display cell, as shown in
FIGS. 16 and 17
, a so-called side fixing method is utilized for fastening elements together which requires housing a flat-shaped display cell
11
in a housing not shown with a display surface of the display cell open and to screw-fit a male screw
14
into a bezel
12
through an attaching member
13
which is disposed to a side wall portion of the housing.
The bezel
12
is formed by a metallic material into the shape of a picture frame, and as shown in
FIG. 17
, has a front-surface portion
15
and a side-surface portion
16
which approximately define the letter “L” in cross section. The front-surface portion
15
and the side-surface portion
16
cover the periphery of a front surface and side surfaces of the display cell
11
, whereby the display cell
11
is fixed to the housing. Denoted at
17
is a backlight which is held by a frame
18
which is made of plastic or the like and disposed to a back surface of the display cell
11
. The bezel
12
is fixedly fitted to the frame
18
.
In such a flat-panel display device, in the case where there is a gap created between the side-surface portion
16
of the bezel
12
and the attaching member
13
disposed to the housing due to an outside dimensional tolerance of the display cell
11
or an outside dimensional tolerance of the housing, etc., as the male screw
14
is inserted through the attaching member
13
of the housing into engagement with a female screw
19
which is formed in the side-surface portion
16
of the bezel
12
and these elements are fastened together, the fastening force may deform the bezel
12
or the attaching member
13
disposed to the housing and may deviate the center of the housing from the center of the display screen
15
.
FIGS. 16 and 17
show a state in which the fastening force pulls one side of the bezel
12
toward the attaching member
13
of the housing, thereby causing bending of the side of the bezel
12
.
If the side of the bezel
12
bends in this manner, a display window of the bezel
12
also bends, inviting an inconvenience in that the display window of the housing and the display screen of the display cell
11
are not positionally aligned to each other. Further, with the side of the bezel
12
bent in this manner, downward force acts upon an inner side
15
a
of the front-surface portion
15
of the bezel
12
and strongly pressurizes a surface of the display cell
11
. This may cause pooling due to vibration or disconnection of a tab due to a torsional load during use of the flat-panel display device.
On the other hand the fastening force of the male screw
14
deforms the housing in some cases, and since this is distortion created at an unspecified position, positional accuracy between the display cell
11
and the housing decreases, which may induce interference between the display screen of the display cell
11
and a front mask of the housing, etc.
A gap created between the bezel
12
fitted at the display cell
11
side and the housing due to a dimensional tolerance or the like leads to a problem in that the fastening force of the male screw
14
which fixes a space between the bezel
12
of the display cell
11
side and the housing creates distortion and various types of inconvenience.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made to solve the problems above. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a flat-panel display device in which distortion due to the fastening force of a male screw is not created even when a dimensional tolerance or the like creates a gap between a bezel which is fitted with a display cell and a housing.
A first aspect of the present invention is directed to a flat-panel display device comprising a display cell which has a flat shape and includes a display screen in a surface, and a bezel for fixing which includes a front-surface portion having an opening portion and shaped like a picture frame and a side-surface portion disposed at sides of said front-surface portion, said bezel covering the periphery of a front surface and side surfaces of said display cell, said flat-panel display device allowing housing of said display cell, covered with said bezel, into a housing with said surface open,
wherein a portion of said side-surface portion of said bezel is deformably formed, a female screw is formed in the deformable portion, and said housing is fixedly screwed to said side-surface portion of said bezel which comprises said female screw.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the flat-panel display device of the first aspect of the present invention, a slit is formed in said side-surface portion so that a portion of said side-surface portion is deformable.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the flat-panel display device of the first aspect of the present invention, a slit is formed above said female screw so that a portion of said side-surface portion is deformable.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the flat-panel display device of the first aspect of the present invention, slits are formed above and below said female screw so that a portion of said side-surface portion is deformable.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the flat-panel display device of the first aspect of the present invention, slits are formed on the right-hand side and the left-hand side of said female screw so that a portion of said side-surface portion is deformable.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the flat-panel display device of the first to the fifth aspects of the present invention, an angle between said front-surface portion of said bezel and said side-surface portion of said bezel is larger than 90 degrees.
A seventh aspect of the present invention is directed to a flat-panel display device, comprising: a display cell which has a flat shape and includes a display screen on the surface; a backlight which is arranged on a back surface of said display cell; a flexible frame which holds said display cell and said backlight as one unit; and a bezel for fixing which includes a front-surface portion having an opening portion and shaped like a picture frame, and a side-surface portion disposed at sides of said front-surface portion, said bezel covering the periphery of a front surface of said display cell and a side-surface portion of said frame, said flat-panel display device allowing housing of said display cell, covered with said bezel, into a housing with said surface open, wherein an opening is formed in side-surface portion of said bezel, a portion of said side-surface portion of said frame is distortionably formed, a female screw is formed in said deformable portion of said side-surface portion of said frame, and a screw is engaged in said female screw from said housing through said opening of side-surface portion of said bezel.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the flat-panel display device of the seventh aspect of the present invention, said side-surface portion of said frame is formed thin so that a portion of said side-surface portion is deformable.
According to the present invention, the display cell does not become greatly deformed, which avoids various types of inconveniences induced by distortions.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5835139 (1998-11-01), Yun et al.
patent: 5872606 (1999-02-01), Kim
patent: 5926237 (1999-07-01), Yun et al.
Ikeda Mitsutake
Kawachi Shin
Tsukamoto Takayoshi
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Nguyen Hoan
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
Sikes William L.
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