Front and rear removable panel for electronic displays

• US 20070279314A1
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Young Electric Sign Company
• Inventors: Brown, Brent W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,111,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/1.100
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/3026 Video wall, i.e. stackable semiconductor matrix display modules video wall control systems G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/903 Modular display

Abstract

Display apparatus and methods of making them are disclosed. The display apparatus includes frame members assembled to form a frame for the display apparatus and display modules configured for displaying at least a portion of an adaptable image. Each display module is coupled to the frame members to form a matrix organization of display modules for the display apparatus. The display module includes a removable panel and apertures formed therethrough. The apertures are arranged as pixel rows including pixel arrangements distributed along each pixel row. The display module also includes coupling devices attached to the removable panel, which are configured for detachably coupling the removable panel to the frame members, wherein the coupling devices may be operated to attach or remove the removable panel. Furthermore, the coupling devices are configured such that they can be operated from a front side or from a back side of the removable panel.

Claims

1. A display module for displaying at least a portion of an adaptable image, comprising:

a removable panel including a plurality of apertures formed therethrough;

at least one pixel row comprising a plurality of pixel arrangements distributed along the at least one pixel row, each pixel arrangement including at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures; and

a plurality of coupling devices attached to the removable panel and configured for detachably coupling the removable panel to a frame member, wherein each of the plurality of coupling devices is configured to be operated to attach or remove the removable panel from a front side of the removable panel or from a back side of the removable panel.

2. The display module of claim 1, further comprising at least one substantially horizontal fin disposed on the removable panel and configured for at least partially shading the at least one pixel row.

3. The display module of claim 1, wherein the at least one pixel row includes a plurality of pixel rows.

4. The display module of claim 3, further comprising a plurality of substantially horizontal fins disposed on the removable panel and configured for at least partially shading each of the plurality of pixel rows.

5. The display module of claim 1, further comprising:

a circuit board attached to the removable panel, the circuit board comprising a plurality of LEDS operably coupled to the circuit board and configured such that the plurality of LEDS is disposed at least partially through the plurality of apertures.

6. The display module of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of apertures is sized, located, and configured to substantially align each LED relative to other LEDS.

7. The display module of claim 5, wherein each pixel arrangement of the plurality comprises at least three apertures for receiving at least three LEDS to form a pixel, wherein the at least three LEDS comprise color LEDS.

8. The display module of claim 5, wherein the removable panel further comprises:

at least one recess formed in the front side of the removable panel and substantially surrounding at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures; and

a sealant disposed in the at least one recess to at least partially surround lateral sides of each LED of the plurality of LEDS.

9. The display module of claim 8, wherein each recess is formed around a group of apertures, wherein the group of apertures comprises a pixel arrangement of the plurality of pixel arrangements.

10. The display module of claim 8, wherein each recess is formed around a group of apertures, wherein the group of apertures comprises a pixel row.

11. The display module of claim 5, wherein leads of the plurality of LEDS are exposed to circulating ambient air to disperse thermal energy away from the plurality of LEDS.

12. The display module of claim 1, wherein the removable panel further comprises:

a protrusion extending along a top side of the removable panel; and

a receiving rim extending along a bottom side and the front side of the removable panel;

wherein the removable panel is configured to be disposed above a second like-configured removable panel such that the receiving rim of the removable panel overlaps and cooperatively engages the protrusion on the second removable panel to substantially develop a seal between the first removable panel and the second removable panel.

13. The display module of claim 1, wherein the removable panel further comprises:

a right side protrusion extending along a right side and toward the back side of the removable panel; and

a left side protrusion extending along a left side and toward the back side of the removable panel;

wherein the right side protrusion of a removable panel and the left side protrusion of a second like-configured removable panel are configured to abut and to be positioned at least partially in a vertical channel formed on the frame member.

14. The display module of claim 13, further comprising a gasket disposed in the vertical channel to substantially develop a seal between the removable panel and the second removable panel.

15. The display module of claim 1, wherein the plurality of coupling devices comprises fasteners with a front adjustment adaptor on a front face of the fastener and a rear adjustment adaptor on a rear face of the fastener.

16. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of coupling devices ise configured such that rotating the plurality of coupling devices about a quarter-turn in a first direction holds the removable panel in place relative to the frame member and rotating the plurality of coupling devices about a quarter-turn in a second direction enables removal of the removable panel.

17. A display apparatus for displaying an adaptable image, comprising:

a plurality of frame members configured to form a frame for the display apparatus; and

a plurality of display modules configured for displaying an adaptable image, each display module comprising;

a removable panel including a plurality of apertures formed therethrough;

at least one pixel row comprising a plurality of pixel arrangements distributed along the at least one pixel row, each pixel arrangement including at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures; and

a plurality of coupling devices attached to the removable panel and configured for detachably coupling the removable panel to at least one of the plurality of frame members, wherein each of the plurality of coupling devices is configured to be operated to attach or remove the removable panel from a front side of the removable panel or from a back side of the removable panel;

wherein each display module of the plurality of display modules is coupled to at least one of the frame members to form a matrix organization of display modules for the display apparatus.

18. A method of making a display apparatus, comprising:

forming a removable panel;

forming a plurality of apertures through the removable panel such that the plurality of apertures form at least one pixel row comprising a plurality of pixel arrangements distributed along the at least one pixel row wherein each pixel arrangement includes at least one aperture of the plurality;

attaching a plurality of coupling devices to the removable panel, wherein the coupling devices are configured for detachable coupling to at least one frame member such that the plurality of coupling device are operable from a front side of the removable panel or from a back side of the removable panel.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

attaching a circuit board to the removable panel, wherein the circuit board includes a plurality of LEDS operably coupled to the circuit board and configured such that the plurality of LEDS is disposed at least partially through the plurality of apertures when the circuit board is attached to the removable panel.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein attaching the circuit board to the removable panel effects substantial alignment of each LED of the plurality of LEDS relative to other LEDS of the plurality of LEDS.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

forming at least one recess in the front side of the removable panel such that the at least one recess substantially surrounds at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures; and

disposing a sealant in the at least one recess to at least partially surround lateral sides of an associated LED of the plurality of LEDS disposed in the at least one aperture.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein each recess is formed around a group of apertures, wherein the group of apertures comprises a pixel arrangement of the plurality of pixel arrangements.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein each recess is formed around a group of apertures, wherein the group of apertures comprises a pixel row.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising forming at least one substantially horizontal fin on the removable panel such that the at least one substantially horizontal fin is configured to at least partially shade the at least one pixel row.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

forming a protrusion extending along a top side of the removable panel; and

forming a receiving rim extending along a bottom side and the front side of the removable panel.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein forming a removable panel comprises forming a plurality of removable panels and wherein the method further comprises attaching each removable panel of the plurality of removable panels to a plurality of frame members by:

positioning a lower removable panel between a first frame member and a neighboring frame member;

positioning an upper removable panel between the first frame member and the neighboring frame member such that the receiving rim of the upper removable panel substantially overlaps and cooperatively engages the protrusion on the lower removable panel; and

selectively operating the plurality of coupling devices on the lower removable panel and the upper removable panel from the front side of the removable panel or from the back side of the removable panel to attach the upper removable panel and the lower removable panel to the first frame member and the neighboring frame member.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising removing at least one removable panel of the plurality of removable panels from the plurality of frame members by selectively operating the plurality of coupling devices from the front side of the at least one removable panel or from the back side of the at least one removable panel to enable removal of the at least one removable panel.

28. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

forming a right side protrusion extending along a right side and toward the back side of the removable panel; and

forming a left side protrusion extending along a left side and toward the back side of the removable panel.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein forming a removable panel comprises forming a plurality of removable panels and wherein the method further comprises attaching each removable panel of the plurality of removable panels to a plurality of frame members by:

positioning the right side protrusion in a vertical channel of a first frame member;

positioning the left side protrusion in the vertical channel of a neighboring frame member; and

selectively operating the plurality of coupling devices from the front side of the removable panel or from the back side of the removable panel to attach the removable panel to the first frame member and the neighboring frame member.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising removing at least one removable panel of the plurality of removable panels from the plurality of frame members by selectively operating the plurality of coupling devices from the front side of the at least one removable panel or from the back side of the at least one removable panel to enable removal of the at least one removable panel.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising disposing a sealant in the vertical channel of the first frame member and the neighboring frame member prior to attaching the removable panel.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

forming a protrusion extending along a top side of each removable panel; and

forming a receiving rim extending along a bottom side and the front side of each removable panel.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein attaching each removable panel further comprises:

positioning a lower removable panel between the first frame member and the neighboring frame member;

positioning an upper removable panel between the first frame member and the neighboring frame member such that the receiving rim of the upper removable panel substantially overlaps and cooperatively engages the protrusion of the lower removable panel; and

selectively operating the plurality of coupling devices on the lower removable panel and the upper removable panel from the front side of the removable panel or from the back side of the removable panel to attach the upper removable panel and the lower removable panel to the first frame member and the neighboring frame member.