LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE HAVING A FLEXIBLE SEAL MEMBER

• US 20070222917A1
• Filed: 03/15/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NLT Technologies, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: NLT Technologies, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ono, Shin-ichirou
• Granted Patent: US 8,023,064 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/65
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133311 Environmental protection, e.g. against dust or humidity
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1339 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells

Abstract

A LCD device includes a backlight unit, a shield front, and a display panel disposed between the backlight unit and the display panel. A flexible seal member is provided on the mounting surface of the backlight unit. After attachment of the shield front onto the mounting surface, the flexible seal member is deformed to press the edge surface of the display panel in the in-plane direction of the display panel.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display (LCD) device comprising:

a display panel including a liquid crystal (LC) layer sandwiched between a pair of substrates;

a backlight unit for supplying backlight to said LC layer; and

a shield front for sandwiching said display panel between said shield front and said backlight unit; and

a flexible shield member fixed onto one of said backlight unit and said shield front for pressing an edge surface of said display panel in an in-plane direction of said display panel.

2. The LCD device according to claim 1, wherein said flexible seal member is pressed by at least one of said backlight unit and said shield front to expand in said in-plane direction of said display panel and press said edge surface.

3. The LCD device according to claim 2, wherein one of said backlight unit and said shield front includes a press member for pressing said flexible seal member toward said edge surface.

4. The LCD device according to claim 1, wherein said flexible seal member is fixed by adhesion.

5. The LCD device according to claim 1, wherein said flexible seal member includes urethane, silicone, and/or rubber.

6. The LCD device according to claim 1, wherein said flexible seal member has therein a hollow space.

7. The LCD device according to claim 1, wherein said flexible seal member includes a flexible material member and a tubular member encapsulating therein said flexible material member.

8. The LCD device according to claim 1, wherein said flexible seal member is configured by a stripe member having a first edge portion fixed onto said one of said backlight unit and said shield front, and a second edge portion pressed toward said edge surface of said display panel due to a force applied at a central portion of said flexible seal member between said first edge portion and said second edge portion by a press member formed on the other of said backlight unit and said shield front.

9. The LCD device according to claim 8, wherein said stripe member has a fold line extending along an extending direction of said stripe member.

10. The LCD device according to claim 9, wherein said stripe member has a curved portion between said first edge portion and said second edge.

11. The LCD device according to claim 9, wherein said stripe member has a planar portion between said first edge portion and said second edge portion.