JP2007206539A - Display element - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a display element capable of displaying letters accurately at a low cost. <P>SOLUTION: The display element 31 has an assembly of a plurality of dot segments 33 as one segment part 32 and is constituted so as to display the letters by controlling the segment part 32 only. Thereby, the display element capable of displaying letters accurately at a low cost can be provided. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a display element that displays characters.

  Conventionally, there are liquid crystal display elements that display numbers by a plurality of segments. Numbers are displayed by arranging seven segments in a “day” shape.

On the other hand, a liquid crystal display element has been proposed that can display numbers with beautiful contours by increasing the number of segments and devising the shape and arrangement of the segments (see Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-126031

  In Patent Document 1, numbers with beautiful outlines can be displayed. However, since the inside of each segment is a light transmission state or a light non-transmission state, the numbers are displayed as a whole as a whole.

  On the other hand, in a liquid crystal display element that displays numbers by performing normal XY matrix control, a plurality of dot segments are provided in a region corresponding to each segment described above. For this reason, in the area | region corresponding to the above-mentioned each segment, between each dot segment is visually recognized as a line, and, thereby, a number is displayed with high definition.

  However, a liquid crystal display element that displays numbers by controlling an XY matrix (an XY matrix-controlled type liquid crystal display element) is controlled in comparison with a liquid crystal display element that displays numbers by a segment (segment type liquid crystal display element). The number of segments to be increased significantly.

  That is, in the liquid crystal display element of the XY matrix control type, in addition to individually controlling the dot segments in the region corresponding to each segment described above, the dot segments corresponding to these backgrounds are also individually controlled. . For this reason, in the liquid crystal display element of the type that controls the XY matrix, the wiring structure of the liquid crystal panel and the control circuit for controlling the liquid crystal display element are greatly complicated, so that the manufacturing cost is significantly increased as a whole.

  In addition, in the liquid crystal display element of the XY matrix control type, the number of segments to be controlled is significantly increased compared to the segment type liquid crystal display element, which places a burden on the control circuit and affects the response of the liquid crystal. It becomes easy to receive. As a result, there arises a problem that the display response is deteriorated at a low temperature when the response of the liquid crystal is lowered.

  These problems are not limited to liquid crystal panels except for the problem of poor display response at low temperatures, and are not limited to display elements that display numbers. Characters are displayed by segments or dot segments controlled by an XY matrix. This is a problem common to display elements.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a display element that can display characters with high definition at low cost.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs the following technical means.

  The display element according to claim 1 is configured to include a set of a plurality of dot segments as one segment part, and to display characters by controlling only the segment part.

  In this configuration, a set of a plurality of dot segments is used as one segment part, and characters are displayed by controlling only the segment part. For this reason, the dot segment in the background portion of the segment portion and its wiring structure can be omitted as compared with the display element that individually controls the dot segment including the character and its background portion. As a result, a display element can be provided at a lower cost than a display element that individually controls dot segments including characters and background portions thereof.

  Further, in this configuration, it is possible to display the inside of the segment portion with high definition in a dot shape, and since the character is displayed by the segment portion, the character can be displayed with high definition.

  As a result, a display element capable of displaying characters with high definition at low cost can be provided.

  The display element according to claim 2 is configured such that the character includes at least a numeral, and the numeral is displayed by arranging a plurality of segment parts in a character shape of “day”.

  In this configuration, the character includes at least a number, and the number is displayed by arranging a plurality of segment portions in a “day” character shape. Thereby, a number can be displayed while obtaining the above-mentioned effect.

  The display element according to claim 3 is configured such that a plurality of dot segments constituting one segment portion are controlled by a common voltage.

  In this configuration, a plurality of dot segments that constitute one segment portion are controlled by a common voltage. For this reason, the wiring structure of each dot segment can be simplified in each segment portion, thereby providing a display element capable of displaying characters with high definition at a lower cost.

  The display element according to claim 4 is configured such that the segment portion is configured as a liquid crystal panel.

  In this configuration, the segment portion is configured as a liquid crystal panel. The response of liquid crystals generally decreases at low temperatures, but the control circuit for controlling the wiring structure and display elements of the liquid crystal panel can be simplified, so that the burden on the control circuit can be suppressed, and the response of the liquid crystal can be reduced. Can be less affected. As a result, the problem of poor display response of the display element at low temperatures can be suppressed as compared to a configuration in which dot segments are individually controlled including the background portion of characters.

  Hereinafter, a case where the display element according to the present invention is applied to a combination meter 1 mounted on an automobile will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Constitution)
FIG. 1 is a front view of a combination meter 1 including a liquid crystal panel 31 that is a display element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG.

  3A is an enlarged view of the IIIA portion in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of the IIIB portion in FIG. 3A.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a circuit configuration diagram illustrating an electrical circuit configuration of the combination meter 1 including the liquid crystal panel 31 which is a display element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing a display example of the liquid crystal panel 31.

  The combination meter 1 is arranged in front of the driver's seat of the automobile and displays various information related to the automobile. As shown in FIG. 1, a combination meter 1 including a liquid crystal panel 31 that is a display element according to an embodiment of the present invention displays a speedometer 3 that displays a traveling speed of the automobile and an engine speed of the automobile. A tachometer 4 and a shift position display unit 5 for displaying the shift position of the transmission of the automobile are provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the speedometer 3 includes a liquid crystal panel 31 that is a display element that displays a traveling speed. The liquid crystal panel 31 is disposed in the opening 21 provided in the dial 2. The liquid crystal panel 31 is formed so as to display the traveling speed in segments.

  Each segment part 32 (dot segment 33) of the liquid crystal panel 31 in the present embodiment is, for example, light-shielding when no voltage is applied and light-transmitting when a voltage is applied. FIG. 1 shows a state where a voltage is applied to all the segment portions 32 of the liquid crystal panel 31.

  Behind the liquid crystal panel 31 (lower side indicated by an arrow in FIG. 2) is a light emitting diode 37 that transmits and illuminates the liquid crystal panel 31, and diffusion that diffuses light from the light emitting diode 37 and uniformly transmits and illuminates the liquid crystal panel 31. A plate 38 is arranged. The light of the light emitting diode 37 is reflected by the inner peripheral surface of the case 6 and guided to the back surface of the liquid crystal panel 31 through the diffusion plate 38, and illuminates it. The liquid crystal panel 31 is connected to the printed circuit board 7 by a lead wire or the like (not shown).

  In the liquid crystal panel 31, in FIG. 3, a set of a plurality of dot segments 33 controlled by a common voltage is configured as one segment portion 32. The numbers are configured to be displayed by arranging a plurality of segment portions 32 in the shape of “day” except for the leftmost number “1”. The characters (“k”, “k” in FIG. m ”and the letter“ h ”) are configured to be displayed by one segment portion 32.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the liquid crystal panel 31 is configured such that the liquid crystal 36 is sandwiched between the upper electrode 34 and the lower electrode 35, and the voltage applied to the upper electrode 34 with reference to the lower electrode 35 is controlled. The dot segment 33 sandwiched between them is controlled between the light-transmitting state and the light-shielding state. That is, the portion of the liquid crystal 36 on which the upper electrode 34 is formed constitutes the dot segment 33.

  Here, the liquid crystal 36 is generally sandwiched between upper and lower transparent glass substrates and sealed between them, the upper electrode 34 is formed on the upper glass substrate, and the lower electrode 35 is formed on the lower glass substrate. In FIG. 4, in order to make FIG. 4 easy to see, the upper and lower transparent glass substrates are omitted together with the alignment film and the polarizing plate.

The upper electrode 34 and the lower electrode 35 are transparent electrodes such as an indium oxide (In ₂ O ₃ ) film (so-called ITO film) containing a predetermined amount of tin (Sn), and the lower electrode 35 is formed on the lower surface side of the liquid crystal 36. It is formed on almost the entire surface.

  The upper electrode 34 is formed on the upper surface side of the liquid crystal 36 at a portion corresponding to the segment portion 32 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3B, the upper electrode 34 is connected to each other by a thin connection electrode 34a in each segment portion 32, and the same voltage is applied to the upper electrode 34 with each segment portion 32 as one segment. Configure as follows. That is, each segment portion 32 is controlled as a single segment, but is formed as a set of dot segments 33.

  Thereby, when a voltage is applied to the segment part 32, all the dot segments 33 will be in the translucent state in the segment part 32 shown in FIG.3 (b). On the other hand, since no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal 36 between the dot segments 33, the liquid crystal 36 during this period is in a light-shielding state.

  As a result, in the segment portion 32 to which a voltage is applied, the dot segment 33 transmits light from the light emitting diode 37, but the liquid crystal 36 between the dot segments 33 does not transmit light from the light emitting diode 37. For this reason, in the segment part 32, the liquid crystal 36 between the dot segments 33 is visually recognized as a line 32a as shown in FIG. Thereby, the segment part 32 can display a number and a character with high definition in the shape of a dot similarly to the liquid crystal panel (dot segment type liquid crystal panel) which displays a character and a number by controlling a dot segment separately.

  Further, since the liquid crystal panel 31 is configured such that the same voltage is applied to the dot segments 33 in each segment portion 32, it can be said that the liquid crystal panel 31 is a liquid crystal panel that substantially displays characters and numbers by the segments. For this reason, in the liquid crystal panel 31, compared with a dot segment type liquid crystal panel, the wiring structure and the control device 8 for controlling the wiring structure can be greatly simplified, and the liquid crystal panel 31 and a combination including the same are included. The manufacturing cost of the meter 1 can be reduced.

  Further, in the liquid crystal panel 31, the number of segments to be controlled is remarkably reduced as compared with the dot segment type liquid crystal panel. Therefore, the burden on the control device 8 can be remarkably reduced and the response of the liquid crystal 36 is affected. It can be made difficult to receive. For this reason, in the liquid crystal panel 31, the problem that the display response of the liquid crystal panel 31 is reduced at a low temperature when the responsiveness of the liquid crystal 36 is reduced can be remarkably suppressed as compared with the dot segment type liquid crystal panel.

  The tachometer 4 includes a bent bar graph as shown in FIG. 1, and includes a light emitting diode (not shown) behind each section so that each section of the bar graph emits light. For example, when displaying 3000 revolutions per minute (3000 r / m), the tachometer 4 lights up each light emitting diode behind it so that each section of the bar graph between 0 and 3 emits light. Make me jealous.

  Further, the shift position display section 5 includes display sections (P, R, N, D, 2, L) for displaying each shift position as shown in FIG. A light emitting diode (not shown) is provided behind the display unit. For example, when the shift position is operated to parking (P), the shift position display unit 5 turns on the light emitting diodes behind the display unit P so that the display unit P emits light.

  These light emitting diodes (not shown) are mounted on the printed circuit board 7.

  An electric circuit configuration of the combination meter 1 including the liquid crystal panel 31 which is the display element according to the embodiment of the present invention described above will be described with reference to FIG.

  The control device 8 for controlling the operation of the liquid crystal panel 31 to turn on / off the light emitting diode 37 and a light emitting diode (not shown) is constituted by, for example, a microcomputer.

  The control device 8 is always supplied with electric power from the battery 13, and the ignition switch 12 is connected so as to detect its operation position (off position, on position). The control device 8 includes a vehicle speed sensor 9 for detecting the traveling speed of the vehicle, a rotation sensor 10 for detecting the engine speed of the vehicle, and a shift position sensor 11 for detecting a shift position of the transmission of the vehicle. It is connected so that the signal can be input.

  The liquid crystal panel 31 and the light emitting diode 37 are also connected to the control device 8.

(Operation)
Hereinafter, the operation of the combination meter 1 in the above configuration will be described focusing on the display of the liquid crystal panel 31.

  When the ignition switch 12 is turned on, in FIG. 5, the control device 8 detects it and starts operation. That is, the control device 8 displays the speedometer 3 based on the output signal from the speed sensor 9, displays the speedometer 4 based on the output signal from the rotation sensor 10, and outputs the output signal from the shift position sensor 11. Based on this, the shift position display unit 5 is displayed.

  Hereinafter, the display of the liquid crystal panel 31 will be described.

  The control device 8 turns on the light emitting diode 37, calculates the vehicle speed of the automobile based on the output signal from the speed sensor 9, and applies a voltage to the segment unit 32 indicating the number corresponding thereto.

  For example, when the calculated vehicle speed is 47 km / h, the liquid crystal panel 31 displays “47 km / h” as shown in FIG. That is, a voltage is applied to the eleven segment portions 32 displaying “47 km / h”. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3B, all the dot segments 33 are in a translucent state only within the eleven segment portions 32. On the other hand, no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal 36 between the dot segments 33 in each of the eleven segment portions 32, the other nine segment portions, and the background portions thereof. It becomes a state.

  On the other hand, the light emitted from the light emitting diode 37 is reflected by the inner peripheral surface of the case 6 and guided to the diffusion plate 38, and is uniformized by the diffusion plate 38 to transmit the liquid crystal panel 31 through transmission.

  As a result, all the dot segments 33 in the eleven segment portions 32 transmit the light of the light emitting diode 37, but the liquid crystal 36 between the dot segments 33 in the eleven segment portions 32 and other The nine segment portions and these background portions do not transmit light from the light emitting diode 37.

  For this reason, the eleven segment portions 32 have a black background while the liquid crystal 36 between all the dot segments 33 is visually recognized as a black line 32a as shown in FIG. 6 in the eleven segment portions 32. Is displayed. As a result, the numbers and characters can be displayed in high-definition in the form of dots in the same manner as a liquid crystal panel (dot segment type liquid crystal panel) that displays characters and numbers by individually controlling the dot segments.

  Further, since the liquid crystal panel 31 is configured so that the same voltage is applied to the dot segments 33 in each segment section 32, the wiring structure and the control thereof are controlled as compared with the dot segment type liquid crystal panel. It is possible to greatly simplify the control device 8.

  Further, in the liquid crystal panel 31, the number of segments to be controlled is significantly reduced as compared with the dot segment type liquid crystal panel. Therefore, the burden on the control device 8 can be remarkably reduced, and the responsiveness of the liquid crystal 36 is lowered. The problem that the display response is lowered at a low temperature can be remarkably suppressed as compared with a dot segment type liquid crystal panel.

(Modification)
FIG. 7 is an enlarged view showing a modification of FIG.

  In this modification, the dot segment 33 is formed in a circular shape instead of a square shape as shown in FIG. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, it is possible to remove, for example, only one connection electrode 34a in the horizontal direction without forming the connection electrode 34a in the form of a vertical and horizontal mesh.

  That is, as long as all the dot segments 33 can be controlled with a common voltage in each segment portion 32, the shape of the dot segment 33 and the configuration of the connection electrode 34a are different from those shown in FIG. 3B and FIG. Can be provided.

  In the above example, each segment 32 (dot segment 33) of the liquid crystal panel 31 is light-shielding when no voltage is applied, and is light-transmitting when voltage is applied. It is also possible to have a light-transmitting property when no voltage is applied and a light-shielding property when a voltage is applied. In this case, the liquid crystal panel 31 is visually recognized as black and white opposite to the above example, but can obtain the same effect as the above case.

  As described above, the liquid crystal panel 31 which is a display element according to the present invention includes a set of a plurality of dot segments 33 as one segment portion 32 and is configured to display characters by controlling only the segment portion 32. Yes.

  Thereby, the display element which can display a character in high definition at low cost can be provided.

  In the above-described embodiment and modification, the liquid crystal panel 31 forms the speedometer 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be replaced with or added to another pointer instrument such as a tachometer. .

  In the above example, the liquid crystal panel 31 is configured as the display element, but the present invention is not limited to this.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described examples, and combinations thereof and other various modifications are conceivable.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a combination meter 1 including a liquid crystal panel 31 that is a display element according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 3A is an enlarged view of the IIIA portion in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of the IIIB portion in FIG. 3A. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. 5 is a circuit configuration diagram illustrating an electrical circuit configuration of the combination meter 1 including the liquid crystal panel 31 which is a display element according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing a display example of the liquid crystal panel 31. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view showing a modification of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Combination meter 2 Dial, 21 Opening part 3 Speedometer, 31 Liquid crystal panel (display element)
32 segment part, 32a line, 33 dot segment 34 upper electrode, 34a connection electrode, 35 lower electrode, 36 liquid crystal 37 light emitting diode, 38 diffuser plate 4 tachometer, 5 shift position display part, 6 case, 7 printed circuit board 8 control device 9 Speed sensor 10 Rotation sensor 11 Shift position sensor 12 Ignition switch 13 Battery

Claims (4)

A set of a plurality of dot segments is provided as one segment part,
A display element configured to display characters by controlling only the segment portion. The letters include at least numbers;
The display device according to claim 1, wherein the number is displayed by arranging a plurality of the segment portions in a “day” shape.   The display element according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of dot segments constituting each one of the segment portions are configured to be controlled by a common voltage.   The display element according to claim 1, wherein the segment portion is configured as a liquid crystal panel.

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