Liquid crystal display device having a drive IC mounted on a flexible board directly connected to a liquid crystal panel

Abstract

A liquid crystal display device converts input signals into liquid crystal drive signals so as to display an image on a liquid crystal panel. A plurality of flexible boards are connected to the liquid crystal panel, each of the flexible boards having a drive IC which converts the input signals into the liquid crystal drive signals. A connection board is connected to the liquid crystal panel so as to supply the input signals to first input lines formed on the liquid crystal panel. Each of the flexible boards has second input signal lines for supplying the input signals to the drive IC; a first end of each of the second input signal lines is connected to a respective one of a first group of the first input signal lines. A second end of each of the second input signal lines is connected to a respective one of a second group of the first input signal lines which are formed in positions different from positions where the first ends of the second input lines are connected to the first group of the first input lines.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A liquid crystal display device which converts input signals into liquid crystal drive signals so as to display an image, the liquid crystal display device comprising: 
 a liquid crystal panel displaying the image thereon;    a plurality of flexible boards connected to said liquid crystal panel, each of sid flexible boards having a drive IC which converts the input signals into the liquid crystal drive signals; and    a connection board connected to said liquid crystal panel so as to supply the input signals to first input lines formed on said liquid crystal panel,    wherein each of said flexible boards has second input signal lines for supplying the input signals to said drive IC; a first end of each of said second input signal lines is connected to a respective one of a first group of said first input signal lines; and a second end of each of said second input signal lines is connected to a respective one of a second group of said first input signal lines which are formed in positions different from positions where said first ends of said second input lines are connected to said first group of said first input lines.    
     
     
         2 . The liquid crystal display device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said second input lines are formed so as to cross an area of said flexible board in which the drive IC is mounted, and each of said input terminals of said drive IC is connected to a respective one of said second input lines within the area where said second input lines cross.  
     
     
         3 . The liquid crystal display device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein each of said flexible boards has a chip-on-film (COF) structure.  
     
     
         4 . The liquid crystal display device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said second input signal lines include at least one input signal line which is not connected to said drive IC.  
     
     
         5 . The liquid crystal display device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said first ends and second ends of said second input signal lines extend in a direction the same as an extension direction of said first input lines.  
     
     
         6 . The liquid crystal display device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of said flexible boards has a first extension part and a second extension part extending in an extension direction of said first input signal lines formed on said liquid crystal panel, and said first ends of said second input signal lines are formed on said first extension part and said second ends of said input signal lines are formed on said second extension part.  
     
     
         7 . The liquid crystal display device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said first input signal lines include at least one input line having a width different from a width of said first input signal.  
     
     
         8 . The liquid crystal display device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said first input signal lines are arranged at different pitches.  
     
     
         9 . The liquid crystal display device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said second input signal lines have terminals configured and arranged to be connected to an electronic component part.  
     
     
         10 . The liquid crystal display device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of said connection boards are connected to said liquid crystal panel.  
     
     
         11 . The liquid crystal display device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a part of each of said flexible boards protruding from said liquid crystal panel is folded.  
     
     
         12 . The liquid crystal display device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of said flexible boards has said drive IC connected to a gate-side of said liquid crystal panel, and different flexible boards each having a drive IC connected to a source-side of said liquid crystal panel are connected to said liquid crystal panel via an input signal board on which input signal lines are formed.  
     
     
         13 . A liquid crystal display device which converts input signals into liquid crystal drive signals so as to display an image, the liquid crystal display device comprising: 
 a liquid crystal panel displaying the image thereon;    a plurality of flexible boards connected to the liquid crystal panel, each of the flexible boards having a drive IC which converts the input signals into the liquid crystal drive signals; and    a connection board connected to said liquid crystal panel so as to supply the input signals to first input lines formed on said liquid crystal panel,    wherein 
 each of said flexible boards has second input signal lines for supplying the input signals to said drive IC, third input signal lines for supplying the input signals to the drive IC of an adjacent one of said flexible boards and output signal lines for supplying the liquid crystal drive signals from said drive IC to said liquid crystal panel;  
 each of said second input signal lines is connected to a respective one of a first group of said first input lines, and each of said third input signal lines is connected to a respective one of a second group of said first input signal lines formed in positions different from positions where said first group of said first input signal lines are formed; and  
 at least a part of said second and third input signal lines extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to an extension direction of said output signal lines in a portion connected to said liquid crystal panel.  
   
     
     
         14 . A flexible board on which a drive IC for driving a liquid crystal panel is mounted, the flexible board comprising: 
 a plurality of input signal lines which extend to cross an area where said drive IC is mounted, each of said input signal lines having a first end and a second end being located different positions on said flexible board.    
     
     
         15 . The flexible board as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said drive IC has input terminals connected to a portion of said input signal lines within the area where said drive IC is mounted.  
     
     
         16 . A liquid crystal display device which converts input signals into liquid crystal drive signals so as to display an image, the liquid crystal display device comprising: 
 a liquid crystal panel displaying the image thereon;    a plurality of flexible boards connected to the liquid crystal panel, each of the flexible boards having a drive IC which converts the input signals supplied to input terminals thereof into the liquid crystal drive signals, the drive IC having relay terminals outputting the input signals supplied to said input terminals without any change;    an wiring board connected to said flexible boards so as to supply the input signals to each of said flexible boards; and    a connection board connected to said wiring board so as to supply the input signals to first input lines formed on said wiring board,    wherein 
 each of said flexible boards has second input signal lines connected to said input terminals of said drive IC for supplying the input signals to said drive IC and third input signal lines connected to said relay terminals for supplying the input signals to an adjacent one of said flexible boards; and  
 said third input signal lines provided to one of adjacent flexible boards are connected to said second input signal lines provided to the other of the adjacent flexible boards via said first input signal lines provided to said wiring board.  
   
     
     
         17 . The liquid crystal display device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein 
 said second and third input signal lines of a part of said plurality of flexible boards are connected to said input signal lines formed on said liquid crystal panel, and said wiring board has first relay input signal lines for supplying the input signals to said input signal lines formed on said liquid crystal panel.    
     
     
         18 . The liquid crystal display device as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein at least one of said flexible boards has second relay input signal lines which connect between said input signal lines formed on said liquid crystal panel and said first relay input signal lines formed on said wiring board.  
     
     
         19 . The liquid crystal display device as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein each of said flexible boards has output signal lines connected to said liquid crystal panel, and at least a part of said second and third input signal lines connected to said input signal lines formed on said liquid crystal panel has a pitch greater than a pitch of said output signal lines.  
     
     
         20 . The liquid crystal display device as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein at least a part of said second and third input signal lines connected to said input lines formed on said liquid crystal panel has a part extending in an extension direction of said input signal lines formed on said liquid crystal panel.  
     
     
         21 . The liquid crystal display device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein said first input signal lines formed on said wiring board includes at least one common line formed on a surface of said wiring board different from a surface on which said first input signal lines are formed.  
     
     
         22 . The liquid crystal display device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein at least a part of said second and third input signal lines extends in an extension direction of said first input signal lines formed on said wiring board in a portion connected to said wiring board.  
     
     
         23 . The liquid crystal display device as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein a width and a pitch of said second and third input signal lines extending in the extension direction of said first input signal lines formed on said wiring board are greater than a width and a pitch of the reset of said second and third input signal lines in a portion connected to said wiring board.  
     
     
         24 . A liquid crystal display apparatus comprising: 
 a glass substrate having a liquid display part formed thereon;    a plurality of flexible boards connected to a periphery of said glass substrate, a liquid crystal drive IC being mounted on each of said flexible board so as to generate liquid crystal drive signals based on input signals,    wherein said glass substrate has first internal lines and second internal lines, the first internal lines for supplying the input signals supplied from a first one of said flexible boards to a second one of said flexible boards, the second internal lines for returning the input signals supplied from said first one of said flexible boards to said first one of said flexible boards without any change.    
     
     
         25 . The liquid crystal display apparatus as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein one of said flexible boards has through lines for supplying the input signals supplied from an external circuit to said glass substrate without any change.  
     
     
         26 . The liquid crystal display apparatus as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein each of said flexible boards has through lines for returning the input signals supplied from said glass substrate to said glass substrate without any change.  
     
     
         27 . A flexible board configured and arranged to be connected to a glass substrate having a liquid crystal display part formed thereon, and having a liquid crystal drive IC mounted thereon for generating liquid crystal drive signals based on input signals, the flexible board comprising through lines for supplying the input signals supplied from an external circuit to said glass substrate without any change.