Liquid crystal display device protection structure for electronic equipment

• US 7,324,172 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Issued: 01/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Mobile Communications Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): QI, ZHI QIANG
• Application Number:
  US11/806,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20070229727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 243 Days
• Field of Search: 349/58, 349/681
• 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 2201/503 Arrangements improving the resistance to shock
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing

Abstract

A liquid crystal display device protection structure for electronic equipment having an equipment cabinet made of a plastic material in which a liquid crystal display device is accommodated, the equipment cabinet formed with a viewing window so as to be faced with a display screen of the liquid crystal display device, comprises a reinforcing frame made of a material having a mechanical strength higher than that of the plastic material used for the equipment cabinet, and having a frame shape matched to a periphery of the viewing window, the reinforcing frame being integrally fixed to the equipment cabinet so as to be matched to the periphery of the viewing window, and a display screen protection cover which covers the viewing window and is mounted to the reinforcing frame.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device protection structure for electronic equipment having an equipment cabinet made of a plastic material in which a liquid crystal display device is accommodated, the equipment cabinet formed with a viewing window for facing a display screen of the liquid crystal display device, the structure comprising:

a reinforcing frame made of a material having a mechanical strength greater than that of the plastic material used for the equipment cabinet, and having a frame shape which matches a periphery of the viewing window, the reinforcing frame being integrally fixed to the equipment cabinet to match the periphery of the viewing window; and

a display screen protection cover mounted directly to the reinforcing frame and covering the viewing window.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing frame has a box-like shape, and comprises:

a front plate which matches the display screen of the liquid crystal display device, and has an opening for exposing the display screen; and

side plates which extend from an outer edge of the front plate to a direction along a thickness of the front plate to surround an entire periphery of the liquid crystal display device.

3. The structure of claim 2, wherein the reinforcing frame has four corners, each corner being formed by the front plate and the side plates which are adjacent and connected to each other.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein the equipment cabinet includes a mounting pin and the reinforcing frame includes a mounting hole, and

wherein the reinforcing frame is integrally fixed to the equipment cabinet by heating and pressing a head of the mounting pin into the mounting hole.

5. The structure of claim 4, wherein the mounting pin includes a protruding portion that is inserted into the mounting hole, and

wherein the reinforcing frame is integrally fixed to the equipment cabinet by heating and pressing the protruding portion inserted into the mounting hole.