Display assembly using structural adhesive
A display assembly is provided which includes a housing for an electronic display and a thermal management substructure. The thermal management substructure is located rearward of the electronic display and includes multiple components, which are secured to one another by a plurality of deposits of structural adhesive. Methods of manufacturing the thermal management substructure are also provided where structural adhesive is deposited between components of the thermal management substructure.
1. A method for manufacturing a thermal management substructure for a display assembly, said method comprising the steps of:
moving a first component of said thermal management substructure to a table;
temporarily securing the first component of said thermal management substructure to the table;
depositing structural adhesive to portions of the first component corresponding with planned contact points for a second component of the thermal management substructure;
placing the second component atop the first component;
depositing additional structural adhesive along exposed portions of the second component corresponding with planned contact points for a third component of the first thermal management substructure;
securing the third component atop the second component; and
securing the thermal management substructure within a housing of the display assembly, wherein the thermal management substructure is secured rearward of an electronic display such that a first portion of said thermal management substructure forms part of an open loop pathway within the housing for ambient air.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
said first component comprises a first panel;
said second component comprise a non-flat layer;
said third component comprise a second panel;
said portions of the first component receiving the structural adhesive correspond to troughs of said non-flat layer; and
said portions of said second component receiving the additional structural adhesive comprise peaks of said non-flat layer.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein:
said first component comprises a first one of multiple layers of a heat exchanger of said thermal management substructure;
said second component comprises a second one of said multiple layers of said heat exchanger; and
said third component comprises a third one of said multiple layers of said heat exchanger.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the step of temporarily securing the first component of said thermal management substructure to the table comprises activating a vacuum system for said table;
the step of depositing the structural adhesive is performed by a robotic system;
the step of depositing the additional structural adhesive is performed by a robotic system;
the step of moving the first component to the table is performed by a robot;
the step of placing the second component atop the first component is performed by the robot; and
the step of placing the third component atop the second component is performed by the robot.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
allowing the structural adhesive and the additional structural adhesive to cure for a period of time; and
placing weight atop the thermal management substructure during at least part of the period of time.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the thermal management substructure is secured within the housing such that a second portion of said thermal management substructure forms part of a closed loop pathway within the housing for circulating gas.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein:
assembly of the thermal management substructure is accomplished without use of fasteners other than said structural adhesive.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the thermal management substructure does not comprise fasteners other than said structural adhesive.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein:
said structural adhesive and said additional structural adhesive comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive and a spacing material; and
said first component, said second component, and said third component each comprise one or more metals.
10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:
preparing the structural adhesive and said additional structural adhesive by mixing multiple components, wherein the mixing of the multiple components is performed by a computer-controlled system, wherein the spacing material comprises a plurality of small objects of a predetermined size, and wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive comprises methyl methacrylate.
11. A method for manufacturing a ducted, multi-layer heat exchanger for moving heat between separated airflows within a display assembly, said method comprising the steps of:
moving a first component forming, at least in part, a first layer of said ducted, multi-layer heat exchanger to a table;
temporarily securing the first component of said ducted, multi-layer heat exchanger to the table;
preparing a structural adhesive mixture by mixing multiple components comprising methyl methacrylate in a liquid form and glass beads p mined size suspended within the pressure sensitive adhesive, wherein the mixing of the multiple components is performed, at least in part, by a computer-controlled system;
depositing the structural adhesive mixture in a substrate-less form to portions of the first component corresponding with planned contact points for a second component forming, at least in part, a second layer of the multi-layer heat exchanger;
placing the second component atop the first component;
depositing additional amounts of the structural adhesive along exposed portions of the second component corresponding with planned contact points for a third component forming, at least part, the second layer of the multi-layer heat exchanger; and
securing the third component atop the second component;
wherein said first component, said second component, and said third component each comprise one or more metals.
12. A method for manufacturing a ducted, multi-layer heat exchanger for moving heat between separated airflows within a display assembly, said method comprising the steps of:
moving a first component forming, at least in part, a first layer of said ducted, multi-layer heat exchanger to a table;
temporarily securing the first component of said ducted, multi-laver heat exchanger to the table;
depositing a structural adhesive mixture in a substrate-less form to portions of the first component corresponding with planned contact points for a second component forming at least part of a second layer of the multi-layer heat exchanger, wherein the structural adhesive comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive in a liquid form and a plurality of substantially uniform, glass beads suspended therein;
placing the second component atop the first component;
depositing additional portions of the structural adhesive mixture in the substrate-less form along exposed portions of the second component corresponding with planned contact points for a third component forming at least part of the second layer of the first multi-layer heat exchanger; and
securing the third component atop the second component.