Liquid crystal display and method for fabricating same

• US 20040196413A1
• Filed: 04/21/2004
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gold Charm Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Masaharu Satonaka
• Inventors: Satonaka, Masaharu
• Granted Patent: US 6,956,637 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/58
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133314 Back frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133615 Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/465 Snap -fit

Abstract

A liquid crystal display comprises a plurality of components including a panel unit that includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel with a display surface, a light conductive plate, and a lamp reflector. A first housing part or housing front has an opening exposing the display surface of the LCD panel. A second housing part or housing rear is complementary to the first housing part. The housing front has at least one horizontal retainer arranged to retain at least one of the components at a desired position within a hypothetical horizontal plane parallel to the display surface of the LCD panel, and a vertical retainer arranged to retain the components together. The housing rear has a load applying portion arranged to load the vertical retainer into firm engagement with the adjacent one of the components when the housing rear and the housing front are coupled to each other.

Claims

1-5. -5. (Cancelled)

6. A method for fabricating a liquid crystal display (LCD), comprising:

placing a first housing part with a rear surface up, the first housing part being formed with an opening;

placing a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel of a panel unit onto the rear surface with a display surface of the LCD panel down;

placing a light conductive plate onto the LCD panel;

mounting a lamp reflector to the light conductive plate; and

coupling a second housing part to the first housing part to retain components including the panel unit, light conductive plate and lamp reflector together.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first housing part has a horizontal retainer arranged to retain at least one of the components at a desired position within a hypothetical horizontal plane parallel to the display surface of the LCD panel, and a vertical retainer arranged to retain the components together;

and wherein the second housing part has a load applying portion arranged to load the vertical retainer into firm engagement with the adjacent one of the components when the second housing part and the first housing part are coupled to each other.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the horizontal retainer includes a plurality of protrusions arranged for abutting engagement with at least one of the LCD panel, light conductive plate, and lamp reflector;

and wherein the horizontal retainer retains the LCD panel and the light conductive plate separately.

9. The method as claimed in any one of claims 6, wherein the vertical retainer has a pressure acting site and a hook at a head end thereof, and the second housing part includes a hook holder;

wherein, when the vertical retainer is unloaded, the hook is positioned outboard away from the components; and

wherein, when the vertical retainer is loaded by the load applying portion at the pressure acting site, the hook comes into firm engagement with a surface of the components.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the load applying portion and the pressure acting site engage with each other to form an interface when the first housing part and the second housing part are coupled to each other;

and wherein the interface is inclined.

11. The method as claimed in any one of claim 6, wherein the first housing part and the second housing part are coupled with each other by engaging first coupling portions of the first housing part with second coupling portions of the second housing part, and wherein the first coupling portions are located more outboard than the second coupling portions and arranged to cover the second coupling portions.

12. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the panel unit includes flexible substrates interconnecting the LCD panel and a signal processing substrate, wherein, after placing the light conductive plate, the flexible substrates are bent to place the signal processing substrate onto a rear surface of the light conductive plate.

13-18. -18. (Cancelled)