IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE

Abstract

In an image display device, the number of parts is reduced through simplification of fixing members for use in fitting a display panel to a front frame. Design of the device is improved by thinning the front upper side of the front frame and by getting fixing members out of sight on the back upper side thereof. The front frame has hooks, which are produced integrally with the front frame, on its upper back so as to position the display panel. The upper side of the front frame is not screwed. Instead, the hooks so act as to prevent the display panel from falling off the front frame. A back cover has ribs, which are produced integrally with the back cover, in its portion facing the hook. The ribs so act as to prevent the hook from moving beyond predetermined distance, thereby ensuring the positioning of the display panel.

Description

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

This application relates to and claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-042151 filed on Feb. 26, 2010, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

This invention relates to image display devices and more particularly to an image display device in which the number of parts is reduced.

(2) Description of the Related Art

An image display device adopting a liquid crystal display panel or a plasma display panel for its display part is being made larger and thinner. In parallel with them, the device is being made to have less number of parts and to become simpler in its production method to meet strong market demands for a lower price.

In order to reduce the number of parts and simplify the production method of a thin display device, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-333911 discloses an assembling method in which the device has fitting tabs formed integrally with an optical display system unit including a display panel and the fitting tabs are held between a front cabinet and a rear cabinet so as to be screwed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the latest image display device, its exterior frame, which surrounds a display part when viewed from the front of the device, is desired to be thin. This requires that components for fitting the display part to the exterior from its inside should be simple. This is effective in reducing the number of parts as well. A thin (low in height) front frame on its upper side in particular is important from the viewpoint of design as well, and hence it is desirable for things like screwing members not to be placed in this portion.

From the viewpoint of design, it is also desired that, on the upper side of the exterior, such fixing members as fitting screws should be out of sight from outside on the back of the image display device as well as on its front.

The method for fixing a display part and an exterior by screwing, disclosed in aforementioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-333911, does not take such demands into consideration.

In view of foregoing problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an art favorable for reducing the number of parts, thereby reducing the cost of an image display device and improving its design.

The invention provides an image display device comprising a display panel for displaying images, a front frame to which the display panel is to be fitted, and a back cover fitted to the front frame so as to cover the back of the display panel, wherein the front frame has a hook for positioning the display panel on the upper side of the display panel.

The invention also provides the image display device, wherein the hook faces a part of the upper side of the display panel in the thicknesswise direction of the display panel, the front end of the hook facing a part of the back of the display panel so as to position the display panel.

The invention further provides the image display device, wherein the hook is formed integrally with the front frame.

The invention furthermore provides the image display device, wherein the back cover has a rib facing the hook on its side opposite to the one facing the display panel in its thicknesswise direction.

The invention moreover provides the image display device, wherein the rib is formed integrally with the back cover.

The present invention can provide an image display device in which the number of parts is reduced, thereby contributing to cost reduction and design improvement of the device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view in perspective of an image display device in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view in perspective of an image display device in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is another rear view in perspective of an image display device in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partially sectional view of an image display device in one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view in perspective of an image display device in one embodiment of the present invention. A display panel 1 is equipped with a liquid crystal panel or a plasma panel, the image display side of which is shown here. The exterior of the image display device has a front frame 2 and a back cover 3. When the device is assembled, the display panel 1 is firstly fitted to the front frame 2, and the back cover 3 is then fitted to the front frame 2.

FIG. 2 is a rear view in perspective of an image display device in one embodiment of the present invention, drawn from the left side of FIG. 1.

In this embodiment, when the back cover 3 is fitted to the front frame 2, fitting screws 311, 312, and 313 are used to fix them on the right side in FIG. 2 of the back cover 3. While the same fitting screws may exist on the left side or the lower side of the back cover 3 as a matter of course, it is a feature of this embodiment that they do not exist on the upper side thereof. This arrangement helps to eliminate fixing members like fitting screws from the upper side of the exterior, thereby meeting aforementioned demands on design. No need for screwing members on the upper side of the front frame 2 also leads to a reduction in the number of parts, and makes it possible to thin (lower in height) the upper side of the front frame 2, thereby meeting aforementioned demands on design as well. Note that, while there are shown three fitting screws 311, 312, and 313 on the right side of the back cover 3, they are just an example and, as a matter of course, do not constitute a limiting condition for this invention.

FIG. 3 is another rear view in perspective of an image display device in one embodiment of the present invention. In contrast with the rear perspective view in FIG. 2, the drawing illustrates a state in which fixing elements for the back cover 3, which include the fitting screws 311, 312, and 313, are removed and the back cover 3 is moved obliquely leftward on this side.

The back of the display panel 1 is illustrated with the panel fitted to the front frame 2. As is seen in FIG. 3, this embodiment does not specify a method for fixing the display panel 1 to the front frame 2 on its lower, left, or right side. One example of the method may be to provide the front frame 2 with positioning members for supporting the lower side of the display panel 1 and, upon mounting the panel 1 thereon, to fix the panel 1 to bosses provided on the front frame 2 through such means as screwing at predetermined positions on the lower, left, or right side of the panel 1. As is described above, fixing by screwing is not adopted on the upper side of the display panel 1.

Even on the upper side of the display panel 1, however, it is necessary to position the panel 1 using a method that does not cause the problem of thickness on the upper side of the front frame 2. Without this positioning, the display panel 1, which is not screwed to front frame 2, will fall off the frame 2, causing inconvenience during the time of assembly or after-sale service. This embodiment makes it a feature to carry out positioning of the display panel 1 on its upper side through the method as follows:

FIG. 3 illustrates elements on larger scale of the encircled part in addition. In case of producing the front frame 2 through a mold forming for example, a hook 201 is produced integrally with the front frame 2. When the display panel 1 is fitted to the front frame 2, the hook 201 is firstly pushed up by the display panel 1 and its front end then gets into the back of the display panel 1 by resilient force. Thus the display panel 1 is approximately positioned so as not to fall off the front frame 2. The hook 201 faces a part of the upper side of the display panel 1 in the thicknesswise direction of the display panel 1 and its front end faces a part of the back of the display panel 1. Note that, while FIG. 3 illustrates two hooks 201, this is not a limiting condition either.

In conventional case, there was a case in which, with the aim of fixing the display panel 1 to the front frame 2 on four sides of the panel, separate fixing members were screwed to the front frame 2. The method of using screws, however, has the problem of making the four sides of the front frame 2 thick as mentioned before. By contrast, this embodiment produces the hooks 201, which take the place of these fixing members, integrally with the front frame 2, and hence it has an effect of cost reduction by reducing the number of parts and, at the same time, an effect of design improvement by thinning the front frame (on its upper side in particular).

FIG. 4 is a partially sectional view of an image display device in one embodiment of the present invention, showing the section around the hook 201 viewed from the right side of the image display device, here with the back cover 3 fitted to the front frame 2.

The display panel 1 is held in position by means of a hook 201 possessed by the front frame 2. Note that the panel 1 and the hook 201 do not necessarily have to be in direct contact with each other. The front end of the hook 201 only has to get into the back of the display panel 1. As one of the features of this embodiment, the back cover 3 has a rib 301 in the position facing the hook 201, that is to say, the hook 201 faces the rib 301 on the side opposite to the one facing the display panel 1 in its thicknesswise direction. It is needless to say that, since the rib 301 can be produced integrally with the back cover 3, the arrangement does not constitute an element of increasing the number of parts. The rib 301, after the back cover 3 has been fitted to the front frame 2, so acts as to prevent the hook 201 from moving upward beyond predetermined distance. This arrangement helps to prevent vibration or shock from causing the display panel 1 to come off the hook 201 with the result of causing the panel 1 to fall off the frame 2. This arrangement further helps to ensure the setting of the display panel 1 into a prescribed position. Note that the hook 201 and the rib 301 do not necessarily have to be in direct contact with each other. The front end of the hook 201 only has to be controlled so as not to move upward beyond predetermined distance.

The embodiment so far described is an example, not restricting the present invention. Every different embodiment worked out on the basis of the spirit of the invention falls therewithin.

While we have shown and described several embodiments in accordance with our invention, it should be understood that disclosed embodiments are susceptible of changes and modifications without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, we do not intend to be bound by the details shown and described herein but intend to cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the ambit of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An image display device comprising a display panel for displaying images, a front frame to which the display panel is to be fitted, and a back cover fitted to the front frame so as to cover the back of the display panel, wherein the front frame has a hook for positioning the display panel on the upper side of the display panel.

2. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the hook faces a part of the upper side of the display panel in the thicknesswise direction of the display panel, the front end of the hook facing a part of the back of the display panel so as to position the display panel.

3. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the hook is formed integrally with the front frame.

4. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the back cover has a rib facing the hook on its side opposite to the one facing the display panel in its thicknesswise direction.

5. The image display device according to claim 4, wherein the rib is formed integrally with the back cover.