1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Plasma Display Panel (PDP) assembly, and more particularly, to a PDP assembly that quickly dissipates heat generated during the operation thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a PDP assembly is a flat display device including front and rear panels having electrodes arranged at opposing surfaces thereof. A discharge gas fills a discharge cavity defined between the front and rear panels. When electrical power is supplied to the electrodes of the PDP assembly, ultraviolet rays are generated in the discharge cavity to emit light, thereby displaying an image.
That is, a panel assembly is formed by combining the front and rear panels together. A chassis assembly is arranged on a rear surface of the panel assembly, and a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) for transmitting an electrical signal to the panel assembly is arranged on the chassis assembly. After going through a series of test processes, the panel assembly, the PCB and the chassis assembly are arranged in a case, thereby realizing the PDP assembly.
The PDP assembly comprises a panel assembly having front and rear panels. A chassis base is affixed to a rear surface of the rear panel by adhesive tape. A heat conductive medium is disposed between the rear panel and the chassis base.
The PDP assembly is designed to dissipate heat generated during the operation thereof externally through the chassis base via the heat conductive medium.
The heat generated in the PDP assembly includes conduction heat transmitted from the panel assembly to the chassis base via the heat conductive medium and radiant heat generated in an enclosed inner cavity of the PDP assembly. The PDP assembly is not designed to quickly discharge the conduction heat and the radiant heat externally.
In order to discharge the conduction heat generated from the panel assembly, the heat conductive medium is disposed between the rear panel and the chassis base.
However, since the surfaces of the rear panel and the chassis base are uneven, e.g.—having a plurality of minute grooves, the adhesion of the heat conductive medium to opposing surfaces of the rear panel and the chassis base cannot be perfectly realized. As a result, air layers can be formed between the rear panel and the heat conductive medium and between the heat conductive medium and the chassis base.
Such air layers lower the conduction efficiency of the heat generated by the panel assembly, thereby deteriorating the color purity of the panel assembly and reducing the life of the PDP assembly. The adhesive strength of the heat conductive medium can be improved by increasing a compression force. However, in this case, barrier ribs of the PDP assembly can be collapsed.
Furthermore, the PDP assembly does not provide a light absorber that can effectively absorb light generated by a back discharge, thereby reducing contrast. Korean Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 1997-12900 discloses a technique in which a black stripe is formed between electrodes of a panel assembly to enhance the contrast. However, the light generated by the back discharge is not effectively absorbed.