Liquid crystal cells – elements and systems – Particular structure – Holder – support – frame – or housing
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-05
2004-05-25
Ton, Toan (Department: 2871)
Liquid crystal cells, elements and systems
Particular structure
Holder, support, frame, or housing
C361S689000, C361S752000, C455S090300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06741299
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relate to a liquid crystal display device used for a personal computer, a work station, or the like, and particularly to a technique effective in reduction in picture frame width of a liquid crystal display device, and in reduction in thickness thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
An STN (Super Twisted Nematic) system or a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) liquid crystal display module is widely used as a display device of a notebook-size personal computer or the like.
The liquid crystal display module is constituted by a liquid crystal display panel in which a driving circuit portion is arranged at its periphery and a backlight unit for illuminating the liquid crystal display panel.
The backlight unit is constituted by, for example, a light guide body for guiding light radiated from a light source to a portion distant from the light source and for uniformly irradiating the whole liquid crystal display panel with the light, a cold-cathode fluorescent lamp as a linear light source arranged in the vicinity of the light guide body, along a side of the light guide body, and in parallel with the side, a diffusion sheet arranged on the light guide body, a lens sheet (also called a prism sheet) arranged on the diffusion sheet, and a reflection sheet arranged to extend to a lower side of the light guide body, which are housed in a mold.
Incidentally, the technique like this is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 19474/1985, Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. 22780/1992, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,835,139.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 22
is a schematic view for explaining an example of a fitting method for fitting a liquid crystal display module to a notebook-size personal computer.
In the drawing, reference numeral
100
designates an outer case of a display portion of a notebook-size personal computer; and
101
, an inner case of the display portion of the notebook-size personal computer. As shown in the drawing, a liquid crystal display module
102
is fixed to the outer case
100
of the notebook-size personal computer by fitting screws
120
through a side beam
110
.
Thus, inserts to which the fitting screws
120
are screwed, are embedded in the mold of the liquid crystal display module
102
.
Incidentally, although the side beam
110
and the fitting screws
120
are provided at both sides of the liquid crystal display module
102
, they are omitted in FIG.
22
.
However, in recent years, as a picture frame width of the liquid crystal display module is reduced and the thickness thereof is reduced, the thickness of the mold itself is further reduced to, for example, 5.0 mm or less. “The picture frame” of the liquid crystal display module described in this present specification designates, for example, a frame-like portion surrounding an opening both of which are provided in an upper surface of the liquid crystal display module
102
shown in FIG.
22
.
Thus, in a conventional liquid crystal display module, there has been a problem that it is difficult to certainly fit the insert in the mold.
Besides, there is also known a method in which a compromise plate nut is used, and the fitting screw
120
is screwed to this compromise plate nut, so that the liquid crystal display module is fitted to the notebook-size personal computer.
In this case, the fitting screw
120
is prevented from being dropped off from the frame by inserting the compromise plate nut into a notch of the mold (the inner case) and pressing it with a side of the frame (an outer case) which is fitted in this so as to cover the outer periphery of the mold.
However, there has been a problem that it is difficult to simultaneously fit four or more compromise plate nuts in the notches of the mold and to cover them with the frame.
The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique in a liquid crystal display device which enables a screw member to which a fitting screw for fixing a liquid crystal display device to an exterior case is screwed, to be easily and certainly fitted.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique in a liquid crystal display device which enables a screw mechanism of a fitting screw for fixing a liquid crystal display device to an exterior case to be simplified.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a technique which enables the picture frame width of a liquid crystal display device to be reduced.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a technique which enables the thickness of a liquid crystal display device to be reduced.
The objects, other objects and novel features of the present invention will be clarified by the description of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.
Among the inventions disclosed in the present application, the brief descriptions of the typical ones are as follows:
That is, the present invention is applied to a liquid crystal display device in which a frame member (casing-like member) is fixed in a housing member (typified by a member known as a mold) for housing components (liquid crystal display panel, light source, optical sheet, etc.) of the liquid crystal display device to constitute a so-called liquid crystal display module, and this liquid crystal display module is fixed to an exterior case.
The housing member includes, for example, a main surface and side surfaces formed around its periphery, and optical parts as the components of the liquid crystal display device are housed on the main surface surrounded by the side surfaces.
In the case of the liquid crystal display module provided with a sidelight type light source, a reflection plate, a light guide body, an optical sheet such as a light diffusion sheet and a prism sheet are stacked up in this order on the main surface. The light guide body is arranged in the inside of the housing member so that one of its main surfaces faces the main surface of the housing member, and a light source unit including a fluorescent lamp is provided along at least one of its side surfaces.
In the case of the liquid crystal display module provided with a direct backlight type light source, a reflection plate, a light source unit made of a plurality of fluorescent lamps fixed to this, a light diffusion plate, an optical sheet, and a liquid crystal display panel are stacked up in this order on the main surface.
Either of the light sources is arranged to face a main surface of the liquid crystal display panel opposite to a display surface side (main surface side of a frame member), and irradiates light (illuminating light) radiated from this light source to the main surface of the liquid crystal display panel. Incidentally, this stacking direction of the parts is called a thickness direction of the liquid crystal display device or the liquid crystal display module in the present specification.
The liquid crystal display panel is also called a liquid crystal display element, and is distinguished from the liquid crystal display device including this and its peripheral part. The exterior case is a box in which the liquid crystal display module (also called the liquid crystal display device) including the housing member and the frame member is housed, and corresponds to, for example, a housing of a notebook-size personal computer. Thus, for example, the outer surface of the liquid crystal display module is covered with the exterior case (also called the outer case) except for its display surface (a screen on which an image is displayed).
When the present invention is applied to this sort of liquid crystal display device, a screw tightening member (hereinafter referred to as a “screw member”) to which a fitting screw for fixing the liquid crystal display module to the exterior case is screwed, is provided at the side surface (side wall) of the housing member, a protruded portion protruding in the thickness direction of the liquid crystal display module (in other words, i
Fukayama Norihisa
Imajo Yoshihiro
Kobayashi Naoto
Matsuda Fumitoshi
Ota Yoko
Nguyen Hoan C.
Ton Toan
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