Light guide plate support structure for display apparatus

• US 9,632,235 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2015
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: An, Jun Seok, Yoo, Jun-Mo
• Primary Examiner(s): Negron, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US14/932,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20160291242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0036 2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0038 Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/005 provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed on the light output side of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0061 to provide homogeneous light output intensity
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0065 Manufacturing aspects; Material aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0073 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0088 of the light guide or other optical sheets in the package
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/009 of the light source in the package G02B6/0021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0091 of the light source relative to the light guide G02B6/0021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133314 Back frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133317 Intermediate frames, e.g. between backlight housing and front frame
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13332 Front frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/46 Fixing elements

Abstract

A display apparatus includes a display panel, a light source unit including a light source configured to generate light and a light source supporting unit on which the light source is disposed, and a light guide plate disposed at a rear portion of the display panel and transmitting the light generated by the light source toward the display panel. The light source supporting unit is disposed to support at least one portion the front surface of the light guide plate.

Claims

1. A display apparatus comprising:

a display panel having a front surface and a rear surface;

a light source unit comprising a light source configured to generate light and a light source supporting unit on which the light source is disposed;

a light guide plate disposed at a rear portion of the display panel and configured to transmit the light generated by the light source toward the display panel; and

a side frame having a frame body and a frame seating portion extending from the frame body,

wherein the light source supporting unit supports at least one portion of a front surface of the light guide plate,

wherein a first surface of the light source supporting unit supports the display panel, and a second surface of the light source supporting unit supports the light guide plate, the first surface being opposite to the second surface, and

wherein the frame seating portion extends from the frame body along the second surface of the light source supporting unit, and a portion of the second surface of the light source supporting unit is seated on the frame seating portion of the side frame.

2. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light source supporting unit comprises:

a supplementary member disposed on the light guide plate supporting surface to prevent light emitted from the light source from leaking through a gap between the light guide plate supporting surface and the light guide plate.

3. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light source supporting unit comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) configured to transmit an electric signal to the light source.

4. The display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an optical sheet disposed between the light guide plate and the display panel, the optical sheet configured to change optical properties of light transmitted from a light transmitting surface of the light guide plate.

5. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rear surface of the display panel is disposed to face a light transmitting surface of the light guide plate and to receive the light transmitted through the light transmitting surface of the light guide plate.

6. The display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the light source is disposed on the second surface of the light source supporting unit.

7. The display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a top chassis; and

a bottom chassis disposed at a rear portion of the light guide plate to support the light guide plate,

wherein the at least one portion of the side frame is disposed between the top chassis and the bottom chassis, and

wherein the top chassis is coupled with the light source supporting unit and the side frame.

8. The display apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the bottom chassis is integrally formed with the side frame.

9. The display apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the top chassis comprises:

a panel supporting portion; and

a top chassis coupling portion,

wherein the top chassis coupling portion is coupled with the side frame in a front-to-back direction without interfering with the bottom chassis.

10. The display apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the top chassis comprises:

a panel supporting portion; and

a top chassis coupling portion,

wherein the top chassis coupling portion, the light source supporting unit, and the side frame are sequentially disposed.

11. The display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the top chassis coupling portion, the light source supporting unit, and the side frame are fixed by screw-coupling.

12. The display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the top chassis coupling portion comprises an insertion space configured to receive a screw to couple to the top chassis coupling portion, the light source supporting unit, and a frame seating portion, the insertion space being recessed toward the bottom chassis relative to the panel supporting portion, and

the display apparatus further comprises a cover, at least one portion of which covers the insertion space, disposed on the front surface of the top chassis.

13. The display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the cover comprises a magnetic material, and

the display apparatus further comprises a magnet inserted into the insertion space to allow the cover to be attached to the front surface of the top chassis.

14. A display apparatus comprising:

a display panel;

a light source unit comprising a light source configured to generate light and a light source supporting unit on which the light source is disposed; and

a light guide plate disposed at a rear portion of the display panel and configured to transmit the light generated by the light source toward the display panel,

wherein the light source supporting unit supports at least one portion of a front surface of the light guide plate, and

wherein the light source supporting unit comprises;

a light guide plate supporting surface facing the light guide plate to support the light guide plate; and

a supplementary member disposed on the light guide plate supporting surface to prevent light emitted from the light source from leaking through a gap between the light guide plate supporting surface and the light guide plate, and

wherein the supplementary member comprises a heat insulation film.