Supports – Mirror or picture type – Stand
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-03
2002-12-17
Wood, Kimberly (Department: 3632)
Supports
Mirror or picture type
Stand
C248S918000, C248S903000, C361S689000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06494429
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reinforced support structure for supporting a display panel, a panel display device supported by the support structure and having a supporting member, and an image forming apparatus using the panel display device.
2. Related Background Art
A flat plane image forming apparatus has been used for the image display on televisions and computers, advertisement media, sign boards and the like. Flat plane image forming apparatuses include those image forming apparatuses using a display panel using electron emitting elements, a display panel using plasma discharge, a display panel using liquid crystal, and the like. A wall hanging type, a wall embedded type, a desktop type, a floor type and the like are known as display panel mount types.
An example of a conventional mount structure for an image forming apparatus with a display panel using plasma discharge is shown in FIG.
6
. The main components of this structure are constituted of: a front cover (bezel)
81
for protecting a display panel
82
using plasma discharge; a flexible flat cable
83
for transferring electrical signals to the display panel; a chassis
84
for supporting the display panel, the chassis being made of iron-based material and formed through sheet plate work; mount members
85
for mounting the front cover
81
, the mount members being formed at the peripheral area of the chassis; screw threading members
86
for fixing an electronic component mounting board
87
, the screw threading members being formed through cutting and bending the chassis
84
and the electronic component mounting board
87
being used for processing externally input electrical signals and supplying them to the display panel; a rear cover
89
having a reinforcing plate
88
for mounting the image forming apparatus on an external wall hanger or desktop stand (not shown); and a cable
90
for electrical connection of the electronic component mounting board
87
to an external power source and tuner (not shown).
FIG. 7
is an enlarged cross sectional view showing a partial area of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG.
6
. In
FIG. 7
, a pit inserting screw
85
-
a
and a boss
85
-
b
of the front cover
81
into which the screw is inserted, are illustrated.
The detailed descriptions of the function and aspects of this mount structure will be further given. The display panel
82
is made of two glass substrates adhered together with a space being provided therebetween. This space is filled with specific rare gas and thereafter hermetically sealed. The inner surfaces of the opposing two glass substrates are formed with an electrode film, an insulating film, a fluorescent film, and a shielding film. Electrical signals supplied from the electronic component mounting board
87
via the flexible flat cable
83
are applied to the electrode film (X, Y matrix patterns) to drive a pixel element. As a predetermined voltage is applied to the pixel element, rare gas near the pixel element emits ultraviolet rays which excite the fluorescent film to emit light. Each pixel of the fluorescent film is divided into red, green and blue areas in chromaticity to thereby realize a color image.
The chassis
84
is used for supporting the display panel
82
in the housing of the image processing apparatus, the chassis
84
and display panel
82
being fixed together by using a both-side adhesive tape (not shown). The material of the chassis
84
is made of a rigid metal plate (such as a galvanized steel sheet) in order to reliably support the display panel
82
. The mount members
85
with a small through hole are provided at the peripheral area of the chassis
84
in order to mount the front cover
81
by using the screws
85
-
a
threaded into the bosses
85
-
b
of the front cover
81
. On the back side of the chassis
84
, the screw threading members
86
with a screw hole
86
are provided in order to mount the electronic component mounting board
87
by using screws.
On the inner side of the rear cover
89
, the reinforcing plate
88
is fixed in order to mount the image forming apparatus on an external wall hanger or desktop stand by using screws which are threaded into the reinforcing plate
88
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a novel panel support structure.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a panel support structure for supporting a panel for displaying an image is provided, which comprises a holding member for holding the panel which astride an edge of the panel.
With this structure, the panel is supported at peripheral two contrary surfaces thereof. Therefore, even if there is a size error or change between the panel and the support structure, it is still possible to support the panel. For example, the panel can be supported even if expansion or contraction by a temperature change (an ambient temperature change or a temperature change caused by a heat generation change of the panel) affects the size error or change. In this case, a substantial overlap amount between the holding member and the two contrary surfaces of the panel is determined under consideration of the degrees of thermal expansions of the panel and the panel support structure. The substantial overlap amount is, for example, an overlap amount between a damper and the surface of the panel, if the panel support structure holds the panel by using the holding member, with the damper to be described later being interposed therebetween.
The holding member may be provided at the four corners of the panel. A deflection of the panel can be suppressed more reliably if a holding portion is provided not only at the corner of the panel but also at the whole side of the panel or at a plurality of positions of the panel. It is not necessary to provide the holding portion at all the four sides. It is however preferable to provide the holding portion at least at the opposing two sides of the panel.
With this structure, a plurality of holding members may be provided to support the panel at a plurality of positions and to couple the holding members to a supporting member. The holding member and the supporting member may be formed integrally or separately.
The holding member may be provided with a damper at a position where the panel becomes or possibly becomes in contact with the holding member. The damper may be made of rubber. The rubber hardness is preferably 50 (JIS-A) or higher.
It is preferable to use as the material of the supporting member a material other than glass, such as metal.
If the supporting member is made of a rod-like member, the weight thereof can be reduced. Wherein, rod-like member includes an elongated plate member. The supporting member may be a combination of a rod-like members and a plate member. It is preferable that a length of the rod-like member along a longitudinal direction is longer than a length of a longer side of the panel. A plurality of rod-like members may be used. The rod-like members may be crossed each other. For example, the rod-like members are disposed in an X-character shape. If the rod-like members are crossed each other, it is preferable that they are fixed at the cross points. The supporting member with the cross points may be formed integrally or separately. The rod-like member has a rectangular or circular cross section. It is preferable that a length of the cross section of the rod-like member along a thickness direction of the panel is longer than a length of the cross section along a direction parallel to a surface of the panel. While it may be reversed, when the supporting structure is to be thinner. It is also preferable (in the earlier case) that a length of the cross section of the rod-like member along a thickness direction of the panel is 1/80 or longer than a diagonal line of the panel.
The thermal conduction of the panel differs at respective positions where it is in contact with the supporting member or not in contact. If a difference of the thermal conductivity may pose some practical problem, it is preferable that the
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Wood Kimberly
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