Patent Application
20080084520
The above and other aspects and features of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
Advantages and features of the present invention and methods of accomplishing the same may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art, and the present invention will only be defined by the appended claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification. In the drawings, the size and relative sizes of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity.
It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “on” or “connected to” another element or layer, the element or layer can be directly on or connected to another element or layer or intervening elements or layers. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on” or “directly connected to” another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers present. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present invention.
Spatially relative terms, such as “below”, “lower”, “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation, in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “lower relative to other elements or features would then be oriented “above” or “upper” relative to the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Embodiments of the invention are described herein with reference to cross-section illustrations that are schematic illustrations of idealized embodiments (and intermediate structures) of the invention. As such, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, embodiments of the invention should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of regions illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing.
For example, an implanted region illustrated as a rectangle will, typically, have rounded or curved features and/or a gradient of implant concentration at its edges rather than a binary change from implanted to non-implanted region. Likewise, a buried region formed by implantation may result in some implantation in the region between the buried region and the surface through which the implantation takes place. Thus, the regions illustrated in the figures are schematic in nature and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the actual shape of a region of a device and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
An exemplary embodiment of a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to
The LCD panel assembly 120 includes an LCD panel 126 including a thin film transistor (“TFT”) substrate 124 and a common electrode substrate 123, a liquid crystal layer (not shown), a gate tape carrier package (TCP) 132, a data TCP 134, and a first printed circuit board (“PCB”) 135.
The TFT substrate 124 of the LCD panel 126 includes gate lines (not shown), data lines (not shown), a TFT array, and pixel electrodes. The common electrode substrate 123 of the LCD panel 126 includes black matrixes and a common electrode and is arranged to face the TFT substrate 124. The LCD panel 126 serves to display image information.
The gate TCP 132 is connected to the gate lines formed on the TFT substrate 124 and the data TCP 134 is connected to the data lines formed on the TFT substrate 124, respectively.
Driving components for driving gate driving signals applied to the gate TCP 132 and data driving signals applied to the data TCP 134 are mounted on the first PCB 135. The first PCB 135 is connected to the LCD panel 126 and provides image information.
The backlight assembly 140 includes optical sheets 141, a light guiding plate 142, a light emitting diode (“LED”) assembly 210, and a reflective plate 146.
The light guiding plate 142 guides light provided to the LCD panel assembly 120. In an exemplary embodiment, the light guiding plate 142 is formed of a transparent plastic-series panel, such as including acryl. The light guiding plate 142 functions to change a direction of propagation of light beams emitted from the LED assembly 210 such that the light beams propagate toward the LCD panel 126 placed on the light guiding plate 142.
A variety of patterns for changing the propagation direction of the light beams incident onto the light guiding plate 142, may be formed on a rear surface of the light guiding plate 142. In an exemplary embodiment of a light guiding plate including the patterns, the light guiding plate 142 may be substantially flat and has a substantially uniform thickness across an entire area, thereby evenly illuminating an entire display screen of the liquid crystal panel. However, the invention is not limited to the illustrated type of the light guiding plate and a variety of types of light guiding plates may be employed in the present invention.
As in the illustrated embodiment, the LED assembly 210 is disposed at a side of the light guiding plate 142. The LED assembly 210 is disposed at a sidewall of the light guiding plate 142 corresponding to the first PCB 135. As used herein, “corresponding” is used to indicate corresponding substantially in shape, dimension or in location. For example, the LED assembly 210 is disposed at the sidewall of the light guiding plate 142 that corresponds in location or proximity to the first PCB 135.
The LED assembly 210 includes a flexible PCB 212, a plurality of LED devices 214 connected to the flexible PCB 212, and a connection terminal 216 formed at an end of the flexible PCB 212 and connected to the first PCB 135. The plurality of LED devices 214 include R, G and B LED devices.
In an exemplary embodiment of an LCD having substantially uniform luminance, the plurality of LED devices 214 may be arranged to be separated by a constant interval along the sidewall of the light guiding plate 142. An inverter (not shown) for applying power to the plurality of LED devices 214 may be installed on the first PCB 135 and the inverter is connected to a connector (not shown) to supply power to the LED devices 214.
In the illustrated embodiment, the invention is described with regard to the inverter mounted on the first PCB 135 by way of example, but is not limited to the illustrated exemplary embodiment. In a case where the inverter is mounted on a separate PCB, the LED assembly 210 is connected to the separate PCB.
The reflective plate 146 is disposed on a bottom surface of the light guiding plate 142 and reflects light upward from below the light guiding plate 142. In an exemplary embodiment, the reflective plate 146 reflects the light that is not reflected by fine patterns formed on the rear surface of the light guiding plate 142 toward an exit face of the light guiding plate 142 (e.g., an upper surface), thereby reducing loss of light incident into the LCD panel 126 and enhancing uniformity of light transmitted to the exit face of the light guiding plate 142.
The optical sheets 141 are disposed on the light guiding plate 142 (e.g., on an upper surface) and serve to diffuse and focus light emitting from the light guiding plate 142. The optical sheets 141 may include, but are not limited to, a diffusion sheet, a prism sheet, a protection sheet, etc. The diffusion sheet, disposed between the light guiding plate 142 and the prism sheet, diffuses incident light from the light guiding plate 142, thereby reducing or effectively preventing partial congestion of light.
The prism sheet may include triangular prism patterns formed on a portion or over all of its surface in a predetermined arrangement. In an exemplary embodiment, the prism sheet may include two sheets including prisms alternately arranged at a predetermined angle to focus light diffused by the diffusion sheet in a direction perpendicular to the LCD panel 126. Accordingly, the light that has passed through the prism sheet travels in a direction substantially perpendicular to the LCD panel 126, thereby obtaining brightness uniformity on the protection sheet.
The protection sheet formed on the prism sheet not only serves to protect a surface of the prism sheet but also enhances the diffusion of light to increase the uniformity of light distribution. The configuration of the optical sheets 141 is not limited to the illustrated exemplary embodiment and may be modified in various manners according to the specification of the LCD 100.
The LCD panel assembly 120 is disposed on the optical sheets 141, e.g., the protection sheet, and is housed in the mold frame 160 together with the backlight assembly 140. The mold frame 160 includes four sidewalls formed along edges of a bottom surface so that the backlight assembly 140 and the LCD panel assembly 120 are fixedly received therein. In addition, the mold frame 160 serves to reduce or effectively prevent deformation of the backlight assembly 140, such as bending of multiple sheets of the backlight assembly.
In an exemplary embodiment, the first PCB 135 of the LCD panel assembly 120 is bent to an external side of the mold frame 160 and then disposed on a rear surface of the mold frame 160. Here, the shape of the mold frame 160 may vary according to the way in which the backlight assembly 140 or the LCD panel assembly 120 is received in the mold frame 160.
A coupling portion 168 is formed at one side of the rear surface of the mold frame 160. The coupling portion combined with a sensor to sense light emitted from the LED assembly 210, and will later be described in greater detail with reference to
The bottom chassis 170 is disposed adjacent to the bottom surface of the mold frame 160. The top chassis 110 is combined to the bottom chassis 170 so as to cover an upper surface, e.g., a peripheral edge, of the LCD panel assembly 120. A window exposing the LCD panel assembly 120 to the outside is disposed in the upper surface of the top chassis 110.
The top chassis 110 may be combined with the bottom chassis 170 by a hook (not shown) configuration. In one exemplary embodiment, hooks (not shown) may be formed along external sides of sidewalls of the bottom chassis 170 and hook insertion holes (not shown) corresponding to the hooks may be formed along the sidewalls of the top chassis 110. Alternatively, the coupling between the top chassis 110 and the bottom chassis 170 may be achieved in any of a number of ways suitable for the purpose described herein.
Referring to
The second PCB 300 including the sensor 310 and a plurality of electronic components mounted thereon is combined with the coupling portion 168 formed in the mold frame 160. The sensor 310 senses an amount of light emitted from the LED devices 214 and transmits information about the same to the first PCB 135.
In an exemplary embodiment, a fixing member, such as an adhesive tape (not shown), can be attached to a region other than a sensor area of an upper surface of the second PCB 300, thereby increasing adhesion between the second PCB 300 and the coupling portion 168 of the mold frame 160.
Referring to
The sensor 310 senses the amount of light and transmits information such as the amount of sensed light to the first PCB 135 through a first flexible PCB (not shown) connected to a connector (not shown) of the second PCB 300.
A size (e.g., dimension, such as thickness) of a sensor may be greater than the thickness of a light guiding plate. Thus, the overall volume of the LCD may increase. As illustrated in the exemplary embodiment, the coupling portion 168 is formed on the rear surface of the mold frame 160 and the second PCB 300 including the sensor 310 mounted thereon is combined with the coupling portion 168. The second printed circuit board 300 is accommodated by the stepped configuration of the coupling portion 168 of the mold frame 160. Lower surfaces of the second printed circuit board 300 and the mold frame 160 substantially coincide (e.g., form a substantially planar or flat surface) because the coupling portion 168 allows the sensor 310 to be completely inserted into the mold frame 160. Advantageously, an overall thickness and volume of the LCD is reduced.
Referring to
Connecting pads 420 formed on the first flexible PCB 400 are connected to connectors 330 and 530 mounted on the second PCB 300 and the first PCB 135, respectively. The connecting pads 420 transmit information relative to the amount of sensed light by the sensor 310 of the second PCB 300 to the first PCB 135 through the first flexible PCB 400.
The first flexible PCB 400 includes conductor patterns formed on a base film 401. The base film 401 may be made of a flexible insulating material such as polyimide. The conductor patterns include wire patterns 410 and connecting pads 420. The wire patterns 410 include a plurality signal lines forming a part of a predetermined circuit. The connecting pads 420 are formed at ends of a first side (e.g., surface) of the base film 401.
In an exemplary embodiment, each of the wire patterns 410 has a width (e.g., taken in a transverse direction of the first flexible printed circuit board) of about 5 to 20 microns (μm). The wire patterns 410 may include a metallic material, such as copper (Cu). In one exemplary embodiment, the wire patterns 410 may be formed by plating tin (Sn), gold (Au), nickel (Ni) or solder on a surface of a Cu foil.
In an exemplary embodiment, the formation of the wire patterns 410 using a Cu foil may be performed by casting, laminating, electroplating, and the like. In the casting method, a liquid base film is applied to a rolled copper foil. In the laminating method, a rolled copper foil is placed on a base film and thermally compressed. In the electroplating method, a copper seed layer is deposited on a base film, the base film is put into an electrolyte solution containing copper dissolved therein, and electricity is applied to the solution to form a copper foil. Here, wires patterned on the copper foil are formed by selectively etching the copper foil through a photolithographic etching process, thereby completing the predetermined circuit.
In an exemplary embodiment, to protect the wire patterns 410 against external shock and corrosive substances, an insulating passivation layer (not shown) may be formed on the wire patterns 410. Solder resist may be used as the insulating passivation layer.
The connecting pads 420 formed on a first surface and at a first end of the base film 401 are portions which are configured to be electrically connected with external circuits. The connecting pads 420 may include a conductive material, such as the same material as the wire patterns 410. The connecting pads 420 of the first flexible PCB 400 may be formed on the first surface at a second end of the base film 401, which is opposite to the first end of the base film 401 to which the external circuit are connected.
The connectors 330 and 530 include bodies 301 and 501, and contact terminals 511 connected with the connecting pads 420 of the first flexible PCB 400. In an exemplary embodiment, the connectors 330 and 530 may include a cover (not shown) covering the contact terminals 511.
The connectors 330 and 530 include a contact portion 520 formed in the bodies 301 and 501. The bodies 301 and 501 may include synthetic resin. The contact terminals 511 of the connectors 330 and 530 are connected with respective connecting pads 420 of the first flexible PCB 400. The connectors 330, 530 are positioned on the second PCB 300 and the first PCB 135, respectively.
Contact terminals (not shown in
Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of a mold frame and a sensor according to the present invention will be described with reference to
The mold frame and sensor or
Referring to
The first PCB 135 including the sensor 310 and a plurality of electronic components mounted thereon is combined with the coupling portion 168 formed in the mold frame 160. As illustrated in
The sensor 310 senses an amount of light emitted from the LED devices 214 and transmits information relative to the amount of sensed light to sensor driver chips 137 mounted on the first PCB 135. In an exemplary embodiment, a fixing member, such as an adhesive tape (not shown) can be attached to a region other than an area where the sensor is disposed and on an upper surface of the first PCB 135, thereby increasing adhesion between the first PCB 135 and the coupling portion 168 of the mold frame 160.
Referring to
The sensor 310 senses the amount of light and transmits information such as the amount of sensed light to the sensor driver chips 137 mounted on the first PCB 135.
As illustrated in the exemplary embodiment, the coupling portion 168 is formed on the rear surface of the mold frame 160, which is the same as in
Referring to
As in the illustrated embodiment, a first flexible PCB is not necessary to combining the first and second PCBs with each other. Advantageously, a manufacturing cost can be reduced. Further, it is possible to reduce noise that may be generated in wire patterns (410 of
Hereinafter, another exemplary embodiment of a mold frame and a sensor according to the present invention will be described with reference to
The mold frame and the sensor of
Referring to
The coupling portion 168 is formed adjacent to a side of the rear surface of the mold frame 160, such as at a region other than an active area of the LCD panel on the rear surface of the mold frame 160. The protrusion 180 is formed at one side of the coupling portion 168 and protrudes from the rear surface of the mold frame 160. The protrusion 180 is combined with an alignment groove 630 formed on the second flexible PCB 600, such as to fix a position of the second flexible PCB 600 when it is connected with the first PCB 135. In an exemplary embodiment, the protrusion 180 protrudes from the mold frame 160 to substantially a same height (e.g., in a direction perpendicular to the rear surface of the mold frame 160) as the thickness of the second flexible PCB 600.
The second flexible PCB 600 is combined with the coupling portion 168 formed in the mold frame 160 and includes the sensor 310 mounted thereon. The sensor 310 senses an amount of light emitted from the LED devices 214 and transmits information relative to the amount of sensed light to the first PCB 135. In addition, the alignment groove 630 combined with the protrusion 180 of the mold frame 160 is formed on the second flexible PCB 600.
In an exemplary embodiment, a fixing member such as an adhesive tape (not shown) can be attached to a region other than a sensor area of an upper surface of the second flexible PCB 600, thereby increasing adhesion between the second flexible PCB 600 and the coupling portion 168 of the mold frame 160.
Referring to
In addition, connecting pads (not shown) formed on the second flexible PCB 600 are connected to a connector (not shown) mounted on the first PCB 135 and transmit information relative to the amount of sensed light sensed by the sensor 310 to the first PCB 135.
As illustrated in the exemplary embodiment, the coupling portion 168 is formed on the rear surface of the mold frame 160, which is the same as in
Referring to
The second flexible PCB 600 includes conductor patterns formed on a base film 601. The base film 601 may be made of a flexible insulating material, such as polyimide. The conductor patterns include wire patterns 610 and the connecting pads 620, which are substantially the same as described in
As in the illustrated embodiment, the conductor patterns including the wire patterns 610 and connecting pads 620 are integrally formed with the second flexible PCB 600, unlike the embodiment illustrated in
While the LED assembly 210 disposed at sidewalls of the light guiding plate 142 facing the first PCB 135 has been illustrated in the above description with reference to
Referring to
The first LED assembly 230 includes a first flexible PCB 232, a plurality of first LED devices 234 disposed on an upper surface of the first flexible PCB 232, and a first connection terminal 236 formed at an end of the first flexible PCB 232 and connected to the first PCB 135. The second LED assembly 250 includes a second flexible PCB 252, a plurality of second LED devices 254 disposed on an upper surface of the second flexible PCB 252, and a second connection terminal 256 formed at an end of the second flexible PCB 252 and connected to the first PCB 135. In an exemplary embodiment, in order to implement an LCD having uniform brightness, the first and second LED devices 234 and 254 may be substantially equally spaced apart from one another, respectively. The first and second connection terminals 236 and 256 re disposed at ends of the first and second flexible printed circuit boards 232 and 252 corresponding to the first printed circuit board 135.
As in the exemplary embodiments of the backlight assembly, the liquid crystal display including the backlight assembly and method thereof, it is possible to reduce an overall thickness and volume of the liquid crystal display by forming a coupling portion on a rear surface of a mold frame, which can be combined with a sensor.
While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims. It is therefore desired that the present exemplary embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the appended claims rather than the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1020060097964 | Oct 2006 | KR | national |
