CH701355A2 - Display device has carrier body and display element held at carrier body by permanent magnet arrangement, which contains magnet components interacting as partial arrangement on sides of carrier body - Google Patents

Abstract

The display device has a carrier body (TK) and display element (D1 to D6,D8) held at the carrier body by a permanent magnet arrangement. The permanent magnet arrangement contains magnet components interacting as partial arrangement on sides of the carrier body and another magnet components interacting as another partial arrangement on sides of the display element.

Description

The invention relates to a display device with at least one replaceable display element and a display element for this purpose.

For display devices are interchangeable held on a support body display elements of particular advantage, as a flexible representation while maintaining the usually more complex and expensive support body is possible. In particular, in display devices with a viewer facing away behind the display elements arranged lighting device, it may be important that holding elements in the surface of the display elements occur as little as possible in appearance.

There are, for example, display devices with backlight and at least partially translucent display elements are known in which the carrier body an elongated surface defined with a constant width and is bounded on both sides by profiles with a protruding surface center projection. Level display elements can be inserted behind the projections in the longitudinal direction in the longitudinal guide formed by the profiles and moved in this longitudinal direction and are held perpendicular to the surface by the projections.

The present invention has for its object to provide a display device with improved handling of the removable display elements and a suitable display element for this purpose.

[0005] Solutions according to the invention are described in the independent claims. The dependent claims contain advantageous refinements and developments of the invention.

The use of a carrier body and display elements a magnetic holding force effecting magnet arrangement allows a wobble-free holding the display element on the support body and a simple replacement of a display element, in particular in a display device with a plurality of on a common support body held display elements by the ability to lift a single planar display element in the direction of its surface normal from the carrier body, a single held by the magnet assembly display element without affecting the other display elements can be replaced.

The flat display elements have a comparison with their dimensions in the area of small thickness. Preferably, the display elements are designed with a constant thickness and / or with at least one flat surface. In particular, the color, shape, structuring of the surface or, in the case of the preferred embodiment of the display device, the display elements may differ in their translucency with a background illumination device located on the side of the display elements facing away from the observer.

Several flat display elements can advantageously complement each other with substantially gap-free adjoining edges to a larger closed total area. It is also possible to provide recesses in the area of a single display element and / or at edges to other display elements as design elements, which in turn in turn is advantageous in the case of backlighting.

Similarly, in a display device with backlight particularly advantageous is the arrangement of the magnet arrangement at the edge of a of the at least one or preferably of several display elements occupied area whose shape and size is preferably predetermined by the carrier body. Due to the marginal arrangement of the magnet arrangement, this does not interfere with the design of the surfaces of the display elements and / or with a preferably uniform backlight. In marginal arrangement of the magnet arrangement provided on the side of the display elements second magnetic components advantageously einliegen in protruding from the edge in the display elements recesses. Such second magnetic components are preferably glued to the display elements.

The display elements are preferably at least predominantly of a diamagnetic material. The display elements can be formed, in particular, by a plastic material, which is advantageously available cost-effectively as a flat plate material from which individual display elements can be cut out in individualized form. Preferably, a base material of the display elements is translucent, with preferably white background lighting, the display elements may appear by coloring the base material and / or by optionally structured coating at least one side of a display element in different colors. The display elements are preferably embodied material homogenous with respect to the base material. The magnet arrangement advantageously contains permanent magnets as magnet components in at least one of the two subassemblies. Such permanent magnets are preferably designed as spaced-apart discrete permanent magnet elements. In a particularly simple construction of a preferred embodiment, only one of the two subassemblies of the magnet assembly contains permanent magnets as magnet components and the magnet components of the other subassembly are formed exclusively by soft magnetic material which advantageously extends in a strip shape along one or more edge portions of the area claimed by one or more display elements is provided. Instead of a continuous strip, several narrow successive segments can be provided. Spaced apart from each other permanent magnets in the first subassembly on the side of the carrier body are advantageously arranged in series with the successive permanent magnet elements of alternating polar alignment. In preferred polar alignment parallel to the surface normal of the flat display elements, the discrete permanent magnet elements are on their sides facing away from the display elements advantageously by soft magnetic elements, which may also be formed by a permanent metal elements for several continuous metal strip and form a magnetic yoke bridged. The permanent magnet elements can also be aligned transversely to the surface normal of a display element, whereby targeted attenuation of the magnetic holding force and a simplified lifting of a display element can be adjusted.

In an advantageous embodiment may be provided between the first and second magnetic components diamagnetic material in a thickness between 0.25 mm and 4 mm, in particular between 0.5 mm and 2 mm.

In an advantageous embodiment, a predetermined by the support body surface for a plurality of display elements is limited by a protruding edge of the surface in the direction of the display elements projection which forms a stop against lateral displacement of the display elements beyond the edge of the area , The projection preferably does not protrude beyond the display elements. Display elements may extend along one edge of the projection with one or more edge portions lying opposite one another, in particular with respect to the center of the surface of a display element.

In a preferred embodiment, the predetermined by the support body surface is elongated in a longitudinal direction with two longitudinally parallel, spaced transversely to the longitudinal direction and a surface strip of constant width limiting surface edges. First magnetic components of the first subassembly of the magnet arrangement are advantageously provided only along the parallel surface edges. The entire width of the strip-shaped surface covering display elements advantageously contain second magnetic components at their transverse to the longitudinal direction opposite edges. Display elements which cover only one part of the width of the strip-shaped surface from one of the surface edges of the predetermined surface advantageously have second magnetic components only at the edge facing the surface edge. In an advantageous embodiment, display elements can be arranged with the one or the other side facing the user on the base body, in particular, the surfaces of both sides different, z. B. smooth or satin, can be executed. The second magnetic components are then preferably arranged symmetrically with respect to the opposite sides of the display elements. In another advantageous embodiment, the predetermined by the carrier body surface can be designed annular, in particular annular with preferably constant radial width.

In a preferred embodiment, the display device includes a on the side facing away from the user side of the display elements arranged lighting device. Advantageously, the illumination device contains one or more concentrated light sources and a diffuser device for uniformly uniform backlighting of the display elements.

The invention is illustrated below with reference to preferred embodiments with reference to the figures still in detail. Showing: <Tb> FIG. 1 <sep> a display device in an oblique view, <Tb> FIG. 2 <sep> is a section through FIG. 1, <Tb> FIG. 3 to 6 different embodiments of magnet arrangements,

Fig. 1 shows an oblique view of a preferred embodiment of a display device with a longitudinally x elongated support body, which specifies for a plurality of display elements D1 to D8 a surface on which these display elements can be arranged. Plotted with a rectangular xyz coordinate system. The predetermined surface is bounded in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction x transverse direction y by extending in the longitudinal direction and projecting from the support body in the direction of the display elements edge projections RV, which prevent displacement of the display elements in the y direction beyond the predetermined area addition. In the x-direction corresponding stop means may also be provided at the ends of the carrier body, which prevent a displacement of terminal display elements beyond the predetermined area addition.

The predetermined by the carrier body TK surface and arranged on this display elements D1 to D8 are assumed to be substantially planar with parallel to an x-y plane surface planes.

The display elements may have various shapes and structures within the limits possible by the given area. A first display element D1 extends in the y-direction over the entire width of the surface predetermined on the carrier body and is not further structured in itself. The display element D1 has a rectangular shape.

At a gap F12, a second display element D2 with a straight edge adjoins the straight edge of the display element D1 and adjoins it substantially without gaps. The display element D2 also extends in the y-direction over the entire width of the predetermined surface. The display element D1 remote from the edge of the second display element D2 is executed curved.

A third display element D3 connects to a gap F23 substantially without gaps to the second display element D2 and this also has a curved edge. The edge of the display element D3 facing away from the display element D2 is again assumed to be straight in the y-direction.

A fourth display element D4, which adjoins the display element D3 with a straight edge, has on its side facing away from the display element D3 edge in a central region a recess A4 against a straight course of this edge in the y direction on. A display element D5 which adjoins the display element D4 in the longitudinal direction likewise has, on its edge facing the display element D4, a recess A5 recessed relative to a straight course of this edge. The recesses A4 and A5 complement each other to a total recess, which can be considered in the example shown as a right arrow, but in principle can have any shape. On the side facing away from the display element D4 straight edge of the display element D5 is followed by a display element D6, which at both opposite longitudinal edges, as which are the edges in the region of the edge projections RV, in the y direction in each case to the center of the area has recesses A6L, A6R, in which further display elements D6L or D6R are used. The display elements D6L, D6R can, for example, have different colors and / or different light transmission behavior with respect to the display element D6.

Following the display element D6 in the longitudinal direction x two display elements D7L and D7R are arranged, wherein the display element D7L on the left edge of the predetermined surface and the display element D7R end in Fig. 1 right edge of the predetermined area and extend to approximately the middle of the predetermined surface and abut there at middle edges to each other. Semicircular recesses are provided at the middle edges opposite to a straight course in the x-direction, in which another round display element D7M rests.

As the last display element of the series a display element D8 is shown, which has the same shape as the display element D1, but in the area by printing, engraving or other techniques structuring e.g. in the form of an alphanumeric combination A3 shows.

Fig. 2 shows a section through the display device of FIG. 1 in a y-z plane, wherein the coordinate z extends in the direction of the surface normal of the display elements. In the x-direction, the cutting plane lies approximately in the middle of the display elements D7L, D7R, D7M.

The main body TK forms a hollow housing, in which the user facing away from the visible side of the display elements user lighting means LE are arranged, which illuminate the display elements of the user facing away from side. The light sources may advantageously be designed as approximately punctiform or linear light sources whose light, for example, as shown in the left half of Fig. 2, by optical elements such as reflectors RE and / or a disc SS of transparent light-scattering material in a typically approximately uniform Illumination of the user facing away from the side of the display elements is distributed. In the right-hand half of FIG. 2, a preferred embodiment is shown in which light-emitting diodes LD are arranged at the lateral edge of the interior of the carrier body as light sources which emit light in the transverse direction into a light-scattering material MS.

In the carrier body first magnetic components M1L, M1R are arranged in the region of the edge projections RV, which cooperate with second magnetic components M2L, M2R of the display elements to hold the display elements with magnetic holding force on the carrier body. The first magnetic components M1L, M1R may e.g. anchored mechanically in the carrier body and / or glued into the carrier body. As a result of the magnetic holding forces, the second magnetic components M2L, M2R are pulled in the z direction against the first magnet arrangements and the display elements rest on surfaces of the carrier body which are assigned to the display elements, which in the present case are represented by the first magnetic components M1L, M1R and / or the transparent disk SS are formed on. The contact surfaces for the display elements are preferably designed so that the voltage applied to these contact surfaces display elements with their side facing away from the carrier body substantially in an x-y plane.

The display elements are secured against lateral displacement over the predetermined by the support body TK and limited in the y direction by the edge projections RV surface out by the edge projections. The outer edges of the display elements extending in the x-direction may optionally be in the region of the edge projections RV, leaving a narrow gap. The edge projections RV preferably do not protrude in the z direction beyond the plane of the display elements on their side facing the user.

Typically, the display elements, which extend over the entire width of the predetermined surface, provided at both opposite in the y direction longitudinal edges with second magnetic components M2L, M2R. The first magnetic components are likewise provided along both surface edges of the predefined surface extending in the longitudinal direction x and in the region of both edge projections RV of the carrier body.

Fig. 2 shows a possible beyond special case, in which a display element D7L is provided only on its left longitudinal edge with second magnetic components M2L and a display element D7R only at its right longitudinal edge with second magnetic components M2R and each other facing central edges of these two display elements have no own means for applying a holding force. The display elements D7L, D7R are held solely by the magnetic holding forces in the region of the edge projections between the first and the second respective magnet components and by the display elements assigning contact surfaces of the carrier body, in particular the disc SS in the example of FIG. 2, in parallel aligned to the xy planes. In this embodiment, the additional central display element D7M is held mechanically between the display elements D7L, D7R by forming a step structure DS or a similar structure along the edges between the display elements D7L, D7R and the central display element D7M is, by which the central display element D7M is held within the display elements D7L, D7R. In this special case of a display element D7M not held independently by means of the magnet arrangement on the carrier body, at least one of the display elements D7L or D7R held independently on the carrier body by means of the magnet arrangement must be removed for replacement of this display element D7M. The three-part division of the display elements in the area of the elements D7L, D7R, D7M allows the individual elements to have different colors, surface properties or light transmission properties, with a material-homogeneous structure of all three elements D7L, D7R, D7M, resulting in a large variety of design options , For the D7L and D7R standard material, instead of these two single-sided display elements, a full-width display element with a central recess for the D7M central display element may also be provided.

In a corresponding embodiment, the display elements D6L, D6R as the display elements D7L, D7R may be held by its own second magnetic components or as the display element D7M on holding structures in the manner of DS by the display element D6 on the carrier body ,

Instead of filling a flat recess within display elements, such a recess may also be left free and reach to the disk SS of FIG. 2, which is provided for example for the recesses A4 and A5 in the display elements D4 and D5 be.

By the magnetic holding forces between the first and second magnetic components of the first and second sub-assembly of the magnet assembly, the display elements can advantageously be lifted by overcoming the magnetic holding force of the carrier body in the direction of the surface normal of the display elements. This can advantageously be done by means of a tool WM marked in FIG. 2, which contains a permanent magnet PW. The permanent magnet PW is designed so that when placing the tool WM on the edge region of a display element, a magnetic holding force between the tool WM and its permanent magnet PW and a second magnetic component M2R of the display element is formed, which is greater than that between the first magnetic component M1R and the second magnetic component M2R holding power. A pulling force exerted on a tool WM placed on a display element in the region of a second magnetic component M1L or M2L therefore makes it possible to overcome the magnetic holding force between the first and second magnetic components and to lift the display element away from the carrier body even without undercutting a lateral edge of the carrier body Display element with another tool. The longitudinal edges of the display elements can therefore be kept free of any damage possibly caused by mechanical tools.

In FIGS. 3 to 6, different variants of magnet arrangements are shown by way of example, the features of which can also be combined in other ways in other variants.

Fig. 3 shows a first advantageous arrangement in which a first magnetic component M13 of a first subassembly of a magnet assembly is designed as a running in the longitudinal direction x strip of a soft magnetic material, the display elements facing surface is approximately in the same plane as Discrete permanent magnet elements M23 are arranged as a second magnet components along a longitudinal edge x spaced apart along a longitudinal edge in the longitudinal direction x, which engage in recesses RA3 of the display element DE on a display element generally designated DE. The extension of the second magnetic components M23 and the recesses RA3 in the z-direction parallel to the surface normal takes up only a part of the thickness DD of the display element DE and the magnetic components M23 are not for the viewer or at best within the transparency of the material of the display. Elements DE recognizable.

The second magnetic components M23 are advantageously polarized parallel to the surface normal z, the polarization being symbolized by arrows pointing from the magnetic north pole to the magnetic south pole. Advantageously, in the x-direction successive permanent magnets M23 are alternately oppositely polarized, whereby on the side facing away from the user, the magnetic field lines substantially exclusively by the first, soft magnetic magnetic component M13, which forms a magnetic conclusion for the permanent magnets.

4, a magnet arrangement is shown, in which the first magnetic component M14 is formed on the side of the carrier body again by a longitudinal direction x extending strip of soft magnetic material. In contrast to the arrangement according to FIG. 3, the soft magnetic component M14 is set back against the xy plane of the side of the disk SS facing the display elements and is covered by a thin layer DM of diamagnetic material. The second magnetic components in the magnet arrangement according to FIG. 4 are in turn formed by permanent magnets M24, which in this example, however, pass over substantially the entire thickness DD of the display element and are recognizable for the latter on the side facing the observer. The second magnetic components can be specifically used in particular as design elements. Due to the magnetic components M24 of FIG. 4 extending to both sides of the flat display element DE, the display element DE can be arranged with such a second subassembly of the magnet arrangement in two different orientations on the carrier body. In particular, the two sides S1, S2 of the display element DE different surface textures, such as smooth or satin, have, and by the different orientation may be in one orientation, the one side, in another direction, the other side facing the viewer.

In Fig. 5 it is provided that second magnetic components M25 are spaced on the side of the display element DE from both surfaces of the display element spaced in the material of the display element. This can be done in particular by introducing a slot into the material of the display element from the lateral surface of the x-directional longitudinal edge of the display element, and pasting a strip-shaped second magnetic component into this slot. The second magnetic component M25 is not directly recognizable from any side of the display element. With an approximately central arrangement of the second magnetic component M25 between the two sides of the display element, the display element can again be arranged with essentially the same holding force in two different orientations on the carrier body. In the example according to FIG. 5sei, the second magnetic component M25 is assumed to be a strip of soft magnetic material and permanent magnets are present as first magnetic components M15 of a first subassembly of the magnet arrangement on the side of the carrier body. The permanent magnets M15 are again arranged spaced apart in the longitudinal direction x. Advantageously, the permanent magnets M15 are in turn aligned alternately in their order in the x-direction with the surface normal z parallel polarity. A on the display element DE remote from the side of the permanent magnets arranged further strip RS of soft magnetic material can on the one hand hold the permanent magnets without bonding serve and forms the other a magnetic inference between the display element DE remote from the poles of the permanent magnets. When the display element is placed on the carrier body, the second magnetic component M25 advantageously forms essentially a magnetic armature via the poles of the permanent magnets facing the display element, resulting in a particularly small stray magnetic field of the magnet arrangement with a high holding force.

Fig. 6 shows a magnet arrangement, which differs from the sketched in Fig. 5 magnet arrangement in that permanent magnets M16 are polarized in the x-direction and pointing in the direction of the display element DE magnetic field over a pole piece PS of a soft magnetic magnetic component between In the x-direction spaced permanent magnet M16 is generated.

The above and those specified in the claims and the figures removable features are both individually and in various combinations advantageously feasible. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described, but can be modified in many ways within the scope of expert knowledge.

Claims (29)

Characterized in that the display element is held on the carrier body by means of a permanent magnet arrangement, which cooperating first magnetic components (1) display device with a support body (TK) and at least one exchangeable held on this flat display element ( M1L, M1R) as a first subassembly on the side of the carrier body and second magnetic components (M2L, M2R) as a second subassembly on the side of the display element. 2. Display device according to claim 1, characterized in that the permanent magnet arrangement contains permanent magnetic and soft magnetic components. 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that one of the sub-assemblies contains only soft magnetic magnetic components. 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the magnetic components of the other subassembly are formed as discrete permanent magnets and spaced from each other parallel to the surface of the display element. 5. Device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that soft magnetic components are designed strip-shaped. 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the first and second magnetic components are opposite in the direction of the surface normal of the flat display element. 7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that in the direction of the holding magnetic field first and the second magnetic components are separated by diamagnetic material. 8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that at least one second magnetic component (M25) is embedded in the direction of the surface normal (z) of a display element in diamagnetic material of the display element and spaced from both opposite sides of the display element. 9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that first and second magnetic components abut each other directly. 10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that complement each other display elements to a larger closed area. 11. Device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the display element is supported by an edge stop in a direction against displacement relative to the carrier body. 12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the edge stop is formed by a protruding in the direction of the display element stage (RV) on the carrier body and assigns the display element with at least one surface edge of the edge stop. 13. Device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the carrier body in a longitudinal direction specifies a surface on which the display element is einordenbar. 14. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the magnetic components of the permanent magnet arrangement are arranged along the surface edge. 15. Device according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the predetermined area is elongated in a longitudinal direction with transverse to the longitudinal direction of constant width. 16. A device according to claim 15, characterized in that the magnetic components are arranged at the two longitudinal edges spaced apart from the longitudinal direction of the predetermined surface. 17. A device according to claim 16, characterized in that at least one display element over the entire width of the predetermined surface are formed continuously and are provided on transversely opposite element edges second magnetic components. 18. Device according to claim 16, characterized in that at least one display element (D7L, D7R) extends in the transverse direction only over a part of the width of the predetermined surface and only at an element edge second magnetic components are arranged. 19. Device according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that second magnet components in recesses (RA3, RA4, RA5) einliegen from the surface edge of the display element ago. 20. Device according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that second magnetic components (M24) extend in the direction (z) of the surface normal of a display element up to at least one of the opposite surfaces of the display element. 21. Device according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that second magnet components (M25) einliegen from two opposite sides spaced in the display element. 22. Device according to one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that a plurality of display elements are arranged side by side. 23. Device according to claim 22, characterized in that at least two display elements connect seamlessly to one another. 24. Device according to one of claims 1 to 23, characterized in that at least one display element is at least partially translucent. 25. Device according to claim 23, characterized in that at least one display element consists of a light-transmitting material. 26. Device according to one of claims 1 to 25, characterized in that the carrier body contains a lighting device. 27. Device according to claim 26, characterized in that a light scattering arrangement is inserted between the illumination device and the display element. 28. Display element for exchangeable use in a display device according to one of claims 1 to 27, characterized in that the display element is formed flat and contains permanent magnetic and / or soft magnetic magnetic components. 29. Display element according to claim 28, characterized in that the display element contains the magnetic components along at least one surface edge.