Liquid crystal display device and electronic apparatus provided with same

• US 7,944,520 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ichioka, Hideki, Yamamoto, Tomohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): QI, ZHI QIANG
• Application Number:
  US12/375,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20090290089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 349/58, 361/644
• 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 1/133317 Intermediate frames, e.g. between backlight housing and front frame
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/503 Arrangements improving the resistance to shock

Abstract

A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a liquid crystal display panel, a backlight system, a driving circuit board for driving the liquid crystal display panel and the backlight system, and a housing for housing the foregoing members. A metal plate is provided between the backlight system and the driving circuit board, which metal plate has a plane surface on a front and back surface which is broader than the backlight system and the driving circuit board. On at least a pair of opposed edges of the metal plate, at least one of a falling portion and a rising portion is provided along the edges of the metal plate. Further, a bezel is provided between the housing and at least one of the falling portion and rising portion, which bezel is arranged so as to integrally support the metal plate and at least the liquid crystal display panel and the backlight system. Hence, a liquid crystal display apparatus and an electronic apparatus including same are provided, which liquid crystal display apparatus is capable of reducing a possibility of breakage due to load placed on a display surface of the liquid crystal display panel or an impact when dropped.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a liquid crystal display panel;

a backlight;

a driving circuit board arranged to drive the liquid crystal display panel and the backlight;

a rigid plate made of rigid material, provided between the backlight and the driving circuit board, the rigid plate having a plane surface of a broader area than that of the backlight; and

a housing arranged to house the liquid crystal display panel, the backlight, the driving circuit board, and the rigid plate;

at least one of a falling portion and a rising portion being provided along at least a pair of opposed edges of the rigid plate, the falling portion projecting toward a driving circuit board side of the rigid plate, and the rising portion projecting toward an opposite side of the falling portion;

said liquid crystal display device, further comprising;

a frame member provided between the housing and at least one of the falling portion and the rising portion so as to integrally support the rigid plate and at least the liquid crystal display panel and the backlight.

2. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of an upper end of the rising portion and a lower end of the falling portion is in contact with at least one of the frame member and the housing.

3. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the frame member is inseparable from the liquid crystal display device.

4. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the frame member is divided into a plurality of units.

5. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the frame member has a cartridge structure arranged to cause a liquid crystal module to slide and to be mounted inside the frame member, the liquid crystal module including the liquid crystal display panel, the backlight, and the rigid plate.

6. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rigid plate has a projection extending substantially parallel to a plane surface on which the backlight is mounted, the projection fitting into a hole of the frame member.

7. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 6, wherein the projection further fits into a hole of the housing.

8. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the frame member has a first protrusion, which protrudes towards inside of the frame member, and which fits into a first depression of a sidewall of the rigid plate, the sidewall including at least one of the falling portion and the rising portion, the frame member fixed to the rigid plate through a joint of the first protrusion and the first depression.

9. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 8, wherein the housing has a second protrusion, which protrudes toward inside of the housing, and which fits into a second depression of a sidewall of the frame member, the housing fixed to the frame member through a joint of the first protrusion and the first depression.

10. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the first depression, the first protrusion, the second depression, and the second protrusion, are concentrically arranged.

11. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the driving circuit board is arranged so that a side facing the rigid plate is flat and even in level, and is provided so as to be in contact with the rigid plate.

12. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising at least one joining and fixing member arranged to join and fix the driving circuit board to the rigid plate.

13. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 12, wherein the at least one joining and fixing member includes:

a projecting section provided on a back surface of the rigid plate;

a through hole of the driving circuit board into which the projecting section is to be inserted; and

a screw having a screw head broader than the through hole, which is screwed to a top section of the projecting section inserted into the through hole of the driving circuit board.

14. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 13, wherein

the rigid plate and the screw are made of metal material, and

a ground terminal is provided around the through hole of the driving circuit board so as to be directly or indirectly in touch with and electrically connected to the screw while the screw is tightened up.

15. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 12, wherein the at least one joining and fixing member includes:

a projecting section provided on a back surface of the rigid plate;

a through hole of the driving circuit board into which the projecting section is to be inserted; and

a screw, which is screwed to a top section of the projecting section inserted into the through hole of the driving circuit board, via a washer that is broader than the through hole.

16. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rigid plate has a rectangular or substantially rectangular shape.

17. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein both of the falling portion and rising portion are arranged along said at least a pair of opposed edges of the rigid plate.

18. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rigid plate is made of metal material.

19. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 18, wherein the metal material is aluminum alloy or magnesium alloy.

20. The liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the backlight includes a light guiding plate.

21. A portable electronic apparatus comprising the liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 1.

22. A stationary electronic apparatus comprising the liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 1.