Portable computer and method for mounting a flat panel display device thereon

• US 7,885,059 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Cho, Young Woo, Kim, Jong Hwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi; Jayprakash N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wright; Ingrid
• Application Number:
  US10/787,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20040165346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,538 Days
• Field of Search: 361/681, 361/683, 361/682, 361/679.21, 361/679.26, 361/679.27, 361/679.09, 361/679.02, 349 58- 60, 248917-924, 163/82, 163/89
• US Class Current: 361/679.21
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/465 Snap -fit
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/917 Video display screen support

Abstract

A portable computer including a housing having first and second sections, the first section having an information input device and the second section having a case having a first fastening element; a display panel including a second fastening element at a rear surface of the panel, the case and the display panel being attached through the first and second fastening elements; a hinge coupling the first and the second sections to each other; and a display panel support member having a third fastening element, the display panel support member being attached to the display panel through the third fastening element.

Claims

1. A flat panel display apparatus for a computer, the flat panel display apparatus comprising:

a housing having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion having an opening therein;

a flat display panel having a display area, the display area corresponding to the opening in the front portion of the housing;

a first frame having a screw hole at a rear surface thereof;

a second frame, wherein the flat display panel is between the first frame and the second frame; and

a hinge extension coupled to the first frame and between the housing and the first frame, the hinge extension including a hole,

wherein the first frame is fixed to the rear portion of the housing by a screw combined with the screw hole at the rear surface of the first frame through the hole, wherein the screw hole, the screw and the hole are located within the display area, wherein the screw hole, the screw and the hole are located behind the display area, and wherein the flat display panel only mounts to the rear portion of the housing.

2. The flat panel display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the front portion of the housing has an opening corresponding to a viewing area of the flat display panel.

3. The flat panel display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the screw hole includes at least two screw holes at two corners of the first frame.

4. The flat panel display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the screw hole includes four screw holes at four corners of the first frame.

5. The flat panel display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a backlight unit comprising:

a reflector unit adjacent the first frame;

a light source unit adjacent the reflector unit; and

a light guide unit adjacent the light source unit.

6. The flat panel display device according to claim 5, further comprising a diffuser unit and a prism unit.

7. The flat panel display device according to claim 1, wherein the screw hole, the screw and the hole are not visible from a viewing direction of the flat display panel.

8. The flat display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises:

a front housing part; and

a rear housing part wherein the flat display panel apparatus is not fixed to the front housing part.

9. The flat display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the screw hole passes through the rear surface of the first frame.

10. The flat display apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first frame is fixed to a rear portion of the housing with the screw hole at the rear surface of the first frame.

11. A flat panel display apparatus comprising:

a housing having a front part and a rear part, the front part having an opening therein;

a flat panel display device unit having a flat display panel, a backlight unit, a first frame and a second frame; and

a hinge extension between the housing and the first frame, wherein the hinge extension includes a first plurality of screw holes located behind a display area of the flat display panel and a second plurality of screw holes are formed at a rear surface of the first frame,

wherein the display area corresponds with the opening of the front part of the housing, wherein the flat panel display device unit and the housing are physically coupled with the hinge extension using a plurality of screws entering from an outer side of the rear part of the housing into the first plurality of screw holes through the second plurality of screw holes, wherein the first plurality of screw holes, the second plurality of screw holes and the plurality of screws are located within the display area, and wherein the flat display panel only mounts to the housing rear part.

12. The flat panel display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a hinge arm is located between the first frame and the housing.

13. The flat panel display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the opening corresponds to a viewing area of the flat display panel.

14. The flat panel display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the backlight unit comprises:

a reflector unit adjacent the first frame;

a light source unit adjacent the reflector unit; and

a light guide unit adjacent the light source unit.

15. The flat panel display device according to claim 14, further comprising a diffuser unit and a prism unit.

16. The flat panel display device according to claim 15, wherein the first plurality of screw holes, the second plurality of screw holes and the plurality of screws are not visible from a viewing direction of the flat display panel.

17. A mounting structure for mounting a flat panel display device, said mounting structure comprising:

a first frame;

a second frame, wherein a flat display panel having a display area and a light unit are fixed between said first frame and said second frame; and

a screw hole at a rear surface of said first frame, wherein said first frame is fixed to a housing having a front portion and a rear portion, wherein the front portion has a window therein corresponding to the display area, wherein a screw is inserted from the back of the housing into the screw hole at the rear surface of the first frame through an opening in a rear surface of the housing and a hole of a hinge extension, thereby mounting the flat panel display device to the housing, wherein at least a portion of said hinge extension is positioned between the housing and said first frame and said hinge extension is coupled to said first frame, wherein the screw hole, the screw, and the hole are located within the display area, wherein the screw hole, the screw and the hole are located behind the display area, wherein the flat display panel only mounts to the rear portion of the housing.

18. The mounting structure of claim 17, wherein the screw hole includes a plurality of screw holes at the rear surface of said first frame.

19. The mounting structure of claim 18, wherein the screw includes a plurality of screws.

20. The mounting structure of claim 19, wherein the plurality of screws are inserted through corresponding openings in a rear surface of the housing and into the plurality of screw holes, respectively, at the rear surface of the first frame, thereby mounting the flat panel display device to the housing.

21. The mounting structure of claim 17, wherein said light unit is positioned between said flat display panel and said first frame.

22. The mounting structure of claim 17, wherein the unit comprises:

a light source;

a light guide; and

at least one reflector.

23. A flat panel display device mounted to a housing, said flat panel display device comprising:

a housing having a rear portion and a front portion, the front portion having a window therein;

a first support frame;

a second support frame;

a flat display panel having a display area corresponding to the window and fixed between said first support frame and said second support frame;

a backlight unit fixed between said first support frame and said second support frame; and

a screw hole at a rear surface of said first support frame, wherein said first support frame is mounted to the housing using the screw hole at the rear surface of said first support frame wherein a screw is inserted through an opening in a rear surface of the housing and a hole of a hinge extension into the screw hole that passes through the rear surface of the first support frame such that said screw is disposed behind the display area, wherein at least a portion of the hinge extension is positioned between said first frame and the housing and the hinge extension is coupled to said first frame, wherein the flat display panel only mounts to the rear portion of the housing, and wherein the screw hole, the screw and the hole are located within the display area.

24. The flat panel display device of claim 23, wherein the screw hole includes a plurality of screw holes at the rear surface of said first support frame.

25. The flat panel display device of claim 24, wherein the screw includes a plurality of screws.

26. The flat panel display device of claim 25, wherein the plurality of screws are inserted through corresponding openings in a rear surface of the housing and into the plurality of screw holes, respectively, at the rear surface of the first support frame.

27. The flat panel display device of claim 23, wherein said backlight unit is positioned between said flat display panel and said first support frame.

28. The flat panel display device of claim 23, wherein said backlight unit comprises:

a light source;

a light guide; and

at least one reflector.

29. The flat panel display device of claim 28, wherein said backlight unit further comprises:

at least one prism.

30. The flat panel display device of claim 23, wherein said flat display panel is a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel.

31. A rear mountable flat panel display apparatus comprising:

a housing having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion having a window therein;

a flat panel display including;

a flat display panel having a display area corresponding to the window;

a backlight unit;

a first frame having a screw hole at a rear surface thereof; and

a second frame, wherein the flat display panel and the backlight unit are positioned between the first frame and the second frame; and

a hinge extension coupled to the first frame and between the housing and the first frame, the hinge extension including a hole, wherein the flat panel display is fixed to the rear portion of the housing by a screw that passes through an opening in the rear portion of the housing and the hole of the hinge extension into the screw hole that passes through the rear surface of the first frame such that the screw hole, the screw and the hole are located behind the display area, wherein the flat display panel only mounts to the rear portion, and wherein the screw hole, the screw and the hole are located within the display area.