Liquid crystal display having flexible printed circuit sandwiched between liquid crystal panel and light guide plate thereof

• US 20080218661A1
• Filed: 03/05/2008
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InnoLux Corporation
• Original Assignee: Innolux Display Corporation (InnoLux Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsai, Cheng-Feng, Chang, Cheng-Fan
• Granted Patent: US 7,796,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/65
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0083 Details of electrical connections of light sources to drivers, circuit boards, or the like

Abstract

A liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal panel and a backlight module parallel to the liquid crystal panel. The backlight module includes a light guide plate, a light source and a flexible printed circuit. The light guide plate includes a light incident surface. The light source is provided adjacent to the light incident surface of the light guide plate. The flexible printed circuit includes a light source driving end. The light source driving end is electrically connected with the light source. The light source driving end is bent and is sandwiched between the liquid crystal panel and the light guide plate. The light source driving end abuts the light guide plate.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display comprising:

a liquid crystal panel; and

a backlight module, the backlight module being parallel to the liquid crystal panel, the backlight module comprising;

a light guide plate comprising a light incident surface;

a light source provided adjacent to the light incident surface of the light guide plate; and

a flexible printed circuit comprising a light source driving end, the light source driving end being bent and sandwiched between the liquid crystal panel and the light guide plate, the light source driving end abutting the light guide plate and being electrically connected with the light source.

2. The liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible printed circuit further comprises an external connecting end and a panel driving end, the external connecting end being configured to electrically connect with an external circuit, the panel driving end being electrically connected with the liquid crystal panel.

3. The liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light guide plate comprises a main portion, and another portion adjacent and including the light incident surface, said another portion being one of wedge-shaped and step-shaped.

4. The liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 3, wherein a height of said another portion is greater than that of the main portion.

5. The liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal panel comprises a first substrate and a second substrate generally facing the first substrate, the second substrate comprises a main portion and an extending portion, the main portion being attached to the first substrate, the extending portion extending from the main portion and being exposed beyond the first substrate.

6. The liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 5, wherein the light source driving end is sandwiched between the extending portion of the second substrate and the light guide plate, and the light source driving end covers a surface of the extending portion generally facing the light guide plate.

7. The liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 5, wherein a surface of the extending portion facing the light guide plate is covered with light-blocking material.

8. The liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 5, wherein a surface of the extending portion facing the liquid crystal panel is covered with light-blocking material.

9. The liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 7, wherein the light-blocking material is made of black epoxy-polyurethane.

10. The liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 5, wherein the backlight module further comprises a frame-shaped light-blocking tape, the light-blocking tape being attached to peripheral edges of the main portion of the second substrate of the liquid crystal panel for shielding light beams.

11. The liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source is welded on the light source driving end of the flexible printed circuit, the light source driving end being configured for providing working voltages to the light source.

12. The liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 2, wherein the external connecting end is configured for providing liquid crystal panel driving signals to the liquid crystal panel and providing working voltages to the light source.

13. The liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 12, wherein the external circuit is a printed circuit board.

14. The liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of point light sources.

15. The liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 14, wherein the point light sources are light emitting diodes.

16. A liquid crystal display comprising:

a liquid crystal panel;

a backlight module parallel to the liquid crystal panel, the backlight module comprising;

a light guide plate; and

a light source adjacent to the light guide plate; and

a flexible printed circuit comprising an external connecting end configured to be electrically connected with an external circuit, a panel driving end electrically connected with the liquid crystal panel, and a light source driving end electrically connected with the light source, the light source driving end being bent and sandwiched between the liquid crystal panel and the light guide plate.

17. The liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 16, wherein the light guide plate is a single body of material comprising a main portion and another portion extending from the main portion, said another portion being one of a wedge-shaped portion and a step-shaped portion.

18. The liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 17, wherein a height said another portion is greater than that of the main portion.

19. The liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 16, wherein the liquid crystal panel comprises a first substrate and a second substrate generally facing the first substrate, the second substrate comprises a main portion and an extending portion, the main portion being attached to the first substrate, the extending portion extending from the main portion and being exposed beyond the first substrate.

20. The liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 19, wherein the light source driving end is sandwiched between the extending portion of the second substrate and the light guide plate, and the light source driving end covers a surface of the extending portion generally facing the light guide plate.