Package structure for thin display apparatus and method of packing thin display apparatus

Abstract

A thin display apparatus is packed in a package box. A reinforced plate is attached to the display apparatus. The reinforced plate has a first end portion, a second end portion, a middle bent portion and a buffer member fixed to the first end portion. The first and second portions face each other with the bent portion located therebetween and connected thereto. The reinforced plate is attached to the display apparatus so that the bent portion is set on a top portion of the display apparatus at a top side, the buffer member is positioned at a front side of the display apparatus as facing a display screen and the second portion is positioned at a rear side of the display apparatus. A cushion member is attached to the reinforced plate so that the cushion member is set on the bent portion set on the top portion.

1 . A package structure for packing a thin display apparatus having a display screen comprising:
 a reinforced plate to be attached to the display apparatus when the display apparatus is packed, the reinforced plate having an first end portion, a second end portion and a middle portion, the first end portion being positioned at a front side of the display apparatus, the second end portion being positioned at a rear side of the display apparatus and the middle portion being positioned at a top side of the display apparatus when the reinforced plate is attached to the display apparatus;   a cushion member to be attached to a top portion of the display apparatus when the display apparatus is packed, the top portion being positioned at the top side; and   a buffer member fixed to the first end portion of the reinforced plate,   wherein, when the display apparatus is packed, the cushion member supports the top portion of the display apparatus from a front direction at the front side and from a rear direction at the rear side through the reinforced plate with the buffer member being in contact with the display screen or being positioned in the vicinity of the display screen at the front side.   
     
     
         2 . The package structure according to  claim 1  further comprising a package box, a left corner cushion and a right corner cushion, the left corner cushion and the right corner cushion being to be attached to a left end portion and a right end portion, respectively, of the display apparatus at the top side, wherein, when the display apparatus is packed in the package box, a position of the cushion member in a left direction and a right direction is determined by the left and right corner cushions, the left and right directions being orthogonal to the front and rear directions. 
     
     
         3 . The package structure according to  claim 1 , wherein, when the display apparatus is packed, the cushion member supports the display apparatus from a left end portion to a right end portion of the display apparatus at the top side, the left and right portions being included in the top portion of the display apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The package structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the buffer member is contact with a specific area of the display screen or positioned in the vicinity of the specific area at the front side, the specific area including a center of the display screen. 
     
     
         5 . The package structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the middle portion of the reinforced plate is a bent middle portion so that the first and second end portions face each other with the bent middle portion located between and connected to the first and second end portions, for the top portion of the display apparatus to be fit in the bent middle portion when the display apparatus is packed. 
     
     
         6 . The package structure according to  claim 5 , wherein the bent middle portion of the reinforced plate has a first crease at which the bent middle portion is connected to the first end portion and a second crease at which the bent middle portion is connected to the second end portion, each crease having a specific angle so that the top portion of the display apparatus is fit in the bent middle portion. 
     
     
         7 . The package structure according to  claim 6 , wherein the reinforced plate has an inner surface connected to the first end portion to which the buffer member is fixed, the inner surface having a third crease at which the inner surface is bent at an angle smaller than the specific angle in the rear direction and connected to the middle portion, the buffer member being interposed between the first end portion and the third crease. 
     
     
         8 . The package structure according to  claim 7 , wherein the cushion member has a slit into which the bent middle portion of the reinforced plate is inserted when the cushion member supports the top portion of the display apparatus through the reinforced plate. 
     
     
         9 . The package structure according to  claim 8  further comprising a cabinet having the display screen installed therein, wherein the slit of the cushion member has inner surfaces facing each other and having slopes to form the slit, each slope having an angle θ with respect to a vertical line that goes through the cushion member in a direction orthogonal to the front and rear directions, the angle θ being defined as tan θ=(T−Δd)/Dm in which T is a thickness of the buffer member in the front and rear directions, Δd is a distance between the display screen and a front side of the cabinet in the front and rear directions and Dm is a distance between the third crease and an inner surface of the bent middle portion between the first and second creases of the reinforced plate. 
     
     
         10 . A method of packing a thin display apparatus having a display screen comprising the steps of:
 a first step of attaching a reinforced plate to the display apparatus, the reinforced plate having a first end portion, a second end portion, a middle bent portion and a buffer member that is fixed to the first end portion, the first and second end portions facing each other with the middle bent portion located between and connected to the first and second end portions, the reinforced plate being attached to the display apparatus so that the middle bent portion is set on a top portion of the display apparatus at a top side thereof, the buffer member is positioned at a front side of the display apparatus as facing the display screen and the second end portion is positioned at a rear side of the display apparatus; and   a second step of attaching a cushion member to the reinforced plate so that the cushion member is set on the middle bent portion set, in the first step, on the top portion of the display apparatus.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10  further comprising the steps of:
 a third step of packing the display apparatus in a package box; and 
 a fourth step of attaching a left corner cushion and a right corner cushion to a left end portion and a right end portion, respectively, of the display apparatus at the top side so that a position of the cushion member in a left direction and a right direction on the display screen is determined by the left and right corner cushions in the package box. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the second step includes the step of supporting the display apparatus with the cushion member from a left end portion to a right end portion of the display apparatus, the left and right portions being included in the top portion of the display apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the first step includes the step of setting the buffer member at the front side so that buffer member is contact with a specific area of the display screen or positioned in the vicinity of the specific area at the front side, the specific area including a center of the display screen. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 10  further comprising the steps of:
 a third step of bending the reinforced plate at a first crease and a second crease each at a specific angle to form the middle bent portion so that the first and second end portions face each other with the middle bent portion located between and connected to the first and second end portions; and 
 a fourth step of bending the reinforced plate at a third crease at an angle smaller than the specific angle in the rear direction, the third crease being located at an inner surface of the reinforced plate, the inner surface being connected to the first end portion to which the buffer member is fixed, the buffer member being interposed between the first end portion and the third crease.