Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-13
2002-07-16
Schuberg, Darren (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S689000, C349S058000, C345S903000, C345S905000, C248S918000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06421231
ABSTRACT:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from an application entitled Display Unit and Notebook Computer Using the Unit earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Mar. 13, 1999, and there duly assigned Ser. No.99-8511 by that Office.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer and, more particularly to a display unit of a portable computer that is capable of using the same rear display case irrespective of the size of the display unit.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Many portable computers use a liquid crystal display (LCD) device for displaying video images. The LCD device includes a liquid crystal panel, a back light unit and a driving circuit board. The back light unit has a luminescent lamp, a lamp housing having a U-shape and surrounding the lamp, light guide, a reflector reflecting the incidental light from the horizontal direction to the vertical direction, a protection sheet contacting the light guide, a first prism sheet and a second prism sheet set on the protecting sheet and condensing the incident light from the light guide to some direction, a diffuser diffusing the light from the first and second prisms to viewing area of the liquid crystal panel with a certain viewing angle, and support frame supporting these elements.
When the fluorescent lamp is turned on, the light from the source is reflected by the lamp housing surrounding the fluorescent lamp. The reflected light transmits through the cross-section toward the other side of the light-guiding plate as indicated by the arrows. Then, the light spreads all over the surface of the light-guiding plate and reaches the display area through the diffusion plate. At the same time, a thin film transistor formed on the liquid crystal panel controls a corresponding pixel according to the signals from the driving circuit to selectively transmit the light which collectively realizes the display of images on the display area.
An exemplar of the prior art is Yun et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,835,139, Computer Having Liquid Crystal Display Between Frames Attached at the Edges, Nov. 10, 1998) is illustrated in FIG.
1
and FIG.
2
. Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, a liquid crystal display device
500
has a front case
510
, a rear case
520
, and a liquid crystal panel
530
. The liquid crystal panel
530
includes a display part
534
and support frame
532
surrounding the display part
534
. The display part
534
is exposed through an opening
512
of the front case
510
. At the side surface of the rear case
520
, a pair of rear screw holes
522
are formed. Similarly, at the side surface of the liquid crystal panel
530
, a pair of panel screw holes
532
are formed. The rear case
520
and the liquid crystal display panel
530
are joined to each other by fastening devices such as screws
540
through the rear screw holes and the panel screw holes.
The front case
510
is coupled to the combination member of the rear case
520
and the liquid crystal display panel
530
. As shown in
FIG. 2
, the liquid crystal display device
500
is mounted to base
610
of the portable computer
600
. The liquid crystal panel
530
is coupled to the rear case
520
using the screw, which passed through the panel screw holes and the rear screw holes.
As mentioned above, the size of the front and rear case depend on the liquid display panel. For example, when a 12.1″ LCD panel is produced, a case designed to fit the 12.1″ LCD panel is simultaneously produced to support the 12.1″ LCD panel. For the above reason, 12.1″ LCD panel is not coupled to a case designed to fit the 13.3″ LCD. As the size of the LCD panel is changed, the case corresponding to the size of the LCD panel is individually designed and produced, which prolongs the term of the development time of the new model of the portable computer. Therefore, when cases are changed according to the different sizes of the LCD panels, a raise in the production cost is brought.
Other exemplar art are Itazawa (U.S. Pat. No. 5,631,756, Display Apparatus with Corner Holding Plates, May 20, 1997), Miyamototo et al. (Liquid Crystal Panel Unit Having Liquid Crystal Affixed to Panel Fixing Using Adhesive and Height-Regulating Pins, Dec. 24, 1996), Hasegawa, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,224, Liquid Crystal Display Having Video Signal Driving Circuit Mounted on One Side, Sep. 29, 1998), Kim (Method of Mounting Liquid Crystal Display Module and Apparatus Thereof, Feb. 16, 1999), Sasuga et al (U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,183, Structure of Liquid Crystal Display Device for Easy Assembly and Disassembly, Oct. 21, 1997), Horiuchi et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,310, Lighting Device, Mar. 17, 1998), and Kurihara et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,061, Fixture and Fixing of LCD Panel, Aug. 31, 1999), Murai (U.S. Pat. No. 5,986,726, Flat Panel Display Device, Nov. 16, 1999). None of the above mentioned patents teach how to avoid having to change the display housing as the liquid crystal display changes size.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a portable computer capable of using the same rear case irrespective of the size of the display unit.
It is another object to speed up the manufacturing and design process when a new sized liquid crystal display is used.
It is a further object to mount a liquid crystal display easily and efficiently.
It is yet another object to have a stable housing for a display unit while being able to accommodate multiple types of display units.
In order to attain the above objects, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display unit of a portable computer having a flat panel display including a display zone at a front surface and both side walls having at least one hole thereon, and a lower housing for incorporating the flat panel display. The lower housing has each one of the two side walls having at least one hole corresponding to at least one hole of the flat panel display. An upper housing having an opening for viewing the liquid crystal display is coupled to the lower housing. There is at least one adjusting member for holding the flat panel display. The adjusting member is located between the lower housing and the flat panel display to fill up a gap between the lower housing and the flat panel display. The adjusting member has at least one hole thereon corresponding to at least one hole of the flat panel display. Further, a fixing member is used for holding the lower housing, the adjusting member and the flat panel housing together.
The adjusting member has a first portion arranged in parallel to a side wall of the flat panel display and at least one protrusion formed on a side surface of the first portion. At least one protrusion includes a hole.
Furthermore, in the display unit, the fixing member includes a screw, which is gradually passed through at least one hole of the lower housing and the hole of the protrusion and inserted into the hole of the flat panel display to be coupled to the flat panel display.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5379182 (1995-01-01), Fujimori et al.
patent: 5587817 (1996-12-01), Miyamoto et al.
patent: 5631756 (1997-05-01), Itazawa
patent: 5680183 (1997-10-01), Sasuga et al.
patent: 5729310 (1998-03-01), Horiuchi et al.
patent: 5815224 (1998-09-01), Hasegawa et al.
patent: 5835139 (1998-11-01), Yun et al.
patent: 5872606 (1999-02-01), Kim
patent: 5946061 (1999-08-01), Kurihara et al.
patent: 5986726 (1999-11-01), Murai
patent: 6002582 (1999-12-01), Yeager et al.
patent: 6064565 (2000-05-01), Ishihara et al.
patent: 6128183 (2000-10-01), Uchiyama et al.
patent: 6202256 (2001-03-01), Bovio et al.
patent: 6272006 (2001-08-01), Lee
patent: 5-150224 (1993-06-01), None
Bushnell , Esq. Robert E.
Lea-Edmonds Lisa
Schuberg Darren
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