Liquid crystal display module, using a flexible printed circuit board with enhanced thermocompression characteristics

• US 6,519,020 B1
• Filed: 07/21/1999
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Myung-Chul, Cha, Ki-Seok, Lee, Won-Seok
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Toan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHECHTER, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US09/357,884
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 349/149, 349/150, 349/152
• US Class Current: 349/150
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13452 Conductors connecting driver circuitry and terminals of panels
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/147 at least one of the printed circuits being bent or folded, e.g. by using a flexible printed circuit H05K1/148 takes precedence

Abstract

An LCD module uses a flexible printed circuit (FPC) instead of a gate or a source drive printed circuit board (PCB) so that size of area by which a tape carrier package (TCP) is thermocompression molded can be substantially decreased and thus reducing a difference in the degree of thermal expansion between PCB and TCP. As a result, a slim and lightweight LCD module can be obtained, and a misalignment or a warpage of TCP can be prevented.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display (LCD) module, comprising:

an LCD panel having an upper panel and a lower panel attached together with liquid crystal filled there between;

a source drive portion facing one of neighboring edges of the lower panel and connected to the lower panel by a tape carrier package (TCP) having a source driving integrated circuit (IC) thereon; and

a gate drive portion facing the other neighboring edges of the lower panel, and connected to the lower panel by a TCP having a gate driving IC thereon, said gate drive portion being electrically connected to said source drive portion,

wherein the TCPs are connected to said source drive portion and said gate drive portion by a thermocompression bonding, and said source drive portion and said gate drive portion substantially decrease the size of an area affected by the thermocompression bonding that attaches the TCPs to said source drive portion and said gate drive portion.

2. The LCD module according to claim 1, wherein said source drive portion and said gate drive portion decrease the size of the area by forming a separating slot at their edges facing the lower panel of said LCD panel.

3. The LCD module according to claim 2, wherein the separating slot has a length longer than the area where the TCPs are attached to said source drive portion and said gate drive portion.

4. The LCD module according to claim 2, wherein the separating slots are formed more densely at the edges of said source drive portion and said gate drive portion than at the center thereof.

5. The LCD module according to claim 1, wherein either said source drive portion or said gate drive portion is made up of an FPC.

6. A liquid crystal display (LCD) module, comprising:

an LCD panel having an upper panel and a lower panel attached together with liquid crystal filled therebetween;

a source drive portion facing one of neighboring edges of the lower panel and connected to the lower panel by an integrally formed first connector portion where a source driving integrated circuit (IC) is mounted; and

a gate drive portion facing the other neighboring edges of the lower panel, and connected to the lower panel by an integrally formed second connector portion where a gate driving IC is mounted,

wherein only one of said source drive portion and said gate drive portion is made up of a flexible printed circuit (FPC), and

wherein the first connector portion and the second connector portion are separated into driving IC units by separating slots.

7. The LCD module according to claim 6, wherein said source drive portion and said gate drive portion are integrally formed.