Slim type notebook personal computer

Details Slim type notebook personal computer Slim type notebook personal computer

1998-12-11

2001-01-23

Dudek, James A. (Department: 2871)

Liquid crystal cells, elements and systems

Particular structure

Holder, support, frame, or housing

C349S058000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06177971

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a notebook personal computer, hereinafter referred to as “NTPC”, having a flat panel display, such as a liquid crystal display module, and more particularly to an NTPC wherein a liquid crystal display module is mounted in such a manner to have a slim structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a conventional NTPC is manufactured having a size that allows a user to exploit information in the course of his travels. In such an NTPC, a liquid crystal display(LCD) module is used as the display device for displaying the image and information. As shown in
FIG. 1
, the LCD module includes an upper glass substrate
2
and a lower glass substrate
4
that are positioned between an upper polarizing plate
6
and a lower polarizing plate
8
. Liquid crystal cells are arranged between the upper glass substrate
2
and the lower glass substrate
4
in an active matrix pattern.
A thin film transistor for switching a video signal is provided at each liquid crystal cell. The refraction index of each liquid crystal cell is changed in accordance with the video signal to display a picture corresponding to the video signal. The upper and lower polarizing plates
6
and
8
is responsible for enlarging a viewing angle of a picture displayed by the liquid crystal cell matrix. Further, the LCD module includes prism sheets
12
, a light guide
14
and a reflective sheet
16
that are overlapped between the lower polarizing plate
8
and a supporting frame
10
. The light guide
14
has a lamp
14
A installed at one side thereof. The light guide
14
guides light from the lamp
4
A into the lower glass substrate
4
. The prism sheets
12
allow a light received obliquely from the surface of the light guide
14
to be progressed toward the lower glass substrate
4
perpendicularly. In other words, the prism sheets
12
serve to set upright the progressing direction of the light from the surface of the light guide
14
. The reflective sheet
16
reflects the light directed from the light guide
14
to the supporting frame
10
toward the light guide
14
again.
Furthermore, the LCD module includes a printed circuit board(PCB)
18
positioned under the reflective sheet
16
and between the supporting frames
10
, and a flexible printed circuit(FPC) film
20
for coupling the PCB
18
with the liquid crystal cell matrix on the lower glass substrate
4
. Drive integrated circuit chips
22
for driving the liquid crystal cell matrix are loaded on the FPC film
20
. The drive integrated circuit chips
22
drive the liquid crystal matrix on the lower glass substrate
4
in accordance with a signal from the PCB
18
.
The LCD module constructed in this manner is pivotally connected to a body of the NTPC and opened at an angle greater than 90° with respect to the surface of the NTPC body during its use. Also, the LCD module must be protected by means of a housing
24
so that it is not damaged from an exterior impact or hostile external condition. The housing
24
is formed to surround the bottom surface and the side surfaces of the LCD module as shown in
FIG. 1. A
top bezel
24
A is provided at the upper end of the housing
24
. The top bezel
24
A is disposed along with a metal frame
26
at the edge of the upper polarizing plate
12
corresponding to the uppermost layer of the LCD module. Because the top bezel
24
A and the metal frame
26
are disposed at the edge of the upper polarizing plate
6
, the housing
18
surrounding the LCD module becomes thick and further the NTPC becomes thick.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a flat panel display module for used in such devices as a notebook size personal computer wherein the flat panel display module is mounted in such a manner to have a reduced thickness.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows and in part will be apparent from the 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 the appended drawings.
In order to achieve this and other objects of the invention, a slim type notebook personal computer according to one aspect of the present invention includes a display module having an upper glass substrate overlapped with a lower glass substrate in such a manner to expose the edge of the lower glass substrate; a top bezel mounted to the edge of the lower glass substrate; and a buffing member provided between the edge of the lower glass substrate and the top bezel to buff an impact.
A slim type notebook personal computer according to another aspect of the present invention includes a display module having an upper glass substrate overlapped with a lower glass substrate in such a manner to expose the edge of the lower glass substrate; a metal frame secured to the edge of the lower glass substrate; a top bezel secured to the upper portion of the metal frame; and a buffing member provided between the edge of the lower glass substrate and the metal frame to buff an impact.
A slim type notebook personal computer according to still another aspect of the present invention includes a display module having an upper glass substrate overlapped with a lower glass substrate in such a manner to expose the edge of the lower glass substrate, and drive integrated circuits arranged at the edge of the lower glass substrate; a top bezel secured to the edge of the lower glass substrate; and buffing dummies arranged at the edge of the lower glass substrate to support the top bezel without contacting the drive integrated circuits.
These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by studying the detailed description in conjunction with the drawings and the accompanying claims.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4878738 (1989-11-01), Hanami
patent: 5182660 (1993-01-01), Tanaka
patent: 5703665 (1997-12-01), Muramatsu et al.
patent: 405313180 (1993-11-01), None
patent: 406027442 (1994-02-01), None
patent: 08179288 (1996-07-01), None

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