JP2012189666A - Display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a plurality of display panels arranged in parallel in a display device to have a sense of unity by making light for illumination transmit through a design part disposed between the display panels.SOLUTION: A display device includes a first display panel illuminated by light of a light source, a second display panel provided in parallel to the first display panel, and a front plate 3 provided so as to cover the first and second display panels. A non-display region 3a exists between the first and second display panels. A design part 31 exists at a portion corresponding to the non-display region 3a. Even when a plurality of display panels are arranged in the display device, with the design part 31 disposed between the display panels being illuminated by light transmitting through the front plate 3, the display panel can be made to have a sense of unity because neither a level difference nor a boundary can be seen between the design part 31 and each display panel.

Description

  The present invention relates to a display device, and particularly to a display device including a plurality of display panels.

  A display device including a plurality of display panels is described in Patent Document 1, for example. In this display device, a plurality of organic EL panels are juxtaposed to enlarge the display area. Usually, when a plurality of display panels are juxtaposed, a certain non-display area is generated between the display panels due to a holding member or the like. Conventionally, a structure is known in which a display panel is visible through a see-through window or the like provided on a dial, and a non-display area is hidden by the dial.

JP 2005-71944 A

  However, there is a problem in that the appearance in the display area of the display device is impaired due to the formation of steps or gaps between the display panels, and it is difficult to express the sense of unity of the display device.

Therefore, the present invention provides a first display panel that is illuminated by light from a light source, a second display panel that is provided in parallel with the first display panel, the first display panel, and the second display. In a display device comprising a front plate provided so as to cover the display surface side of the panel,
An intermediate portion between the first display panel and the second display panel;
Having a design part at a location corresponding to the intermediate part,
The said design part is illuminated by the light which permeate | transmits the said front board.

By configuring in this way, even in a display device in which a plurality of display panels are juxtaposed, a plurality of display panels can be given a sense of unity by transmitting and illuminating the design portion between the display panels. Can do.

In the present invention, the front plate has a bent portion in the intermediate portion, and a light guide portion for guiding light to the design portion is provided on the back side of the intermediate portion.

By comprising in this way, since the said design part can be illuminated without providing a dedicated light source, cost reduction can be achieved.

The display device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first display panel is a liquid crystal display panel.

The present invention relates to a display device using a plurality of display panels, and it is possible to give a sense of unity to the display by each display panel and to improve the appearance of the display device.

The front view of the liquid crystal display device which shows 1st Embodiment of this invention. AA sectional drawing of FIG. 1 (hatching is abbreviate | omitted). The front view of the liquid crystal display device which shows 2nd Embodiment of this invention. AA sectional view of FIG. 3 (hatching is omitted).

  Hereinafter, an example in which a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a vehicle instrument that displays vehicle information such as a fuel remaining amount will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  The display device of the present invention includes a first display panel 1 composed of a TFT-type liquid crystal display unit, a second display panel 2 for displaying a segment having a bar graph display unit 23, a first display panel 1, It is mainly composed of a front plate 3 that continuously covers the second display panel 2.

In the present embodiment, the first display panel 1 is a liquid crystal display unit, and a rectangular liquid crystal display panel 11 in which liquid crystal molecules are sealed between two glass substrates and a polarizing film is bonded to each glass substrate. And a non-illustrated diffuser plate disposed on the back side of the liquid crystal display panel 11 and having light transmittance, a non-illustrated holder for supporting the liquid crystal display panel 11 and the diffuser plate, and a front surface side periphery of the liquid crystal display panel 11 are suppressed. A panel holding member (not shown) having a frame-shaped edge, a light emitting diode mounted on the circuit board 7 as a light source for transmitting and illuminating the liquid crystal display panel 11 from the back, and a conductive material for connecting the liquid crystal display panel 11 and the circuit board. It is mainly comprised from the terminal as a connection member. They are configured as a liquid crystal unit U. In this case, the liquid crystal display panel 11 is mounted with a TFT-type drive module capable of displaying an image, and display control is performed for each pixel partitioned and formed by a separately provided drive circuit.

  In the present embodiment, the second display panel 2 is a segment display unit, and includes a liquid crystal display panel 21, a diffusion plate (not shown) disposed on the back side of the liquid crystal display panel 21, and a liquid crystal display panel. 21 and a holder (not shown) for holding the diffusion plate, a light-emitting diode as a segment display light source 6 disposed behind the holder and transmissively illuminating the liquid crystal display panel 21 and the diffusion plate from behind, A rigid circuit board 7 on which a light guide 22 for guiding light to the liquid crystal display panel 21 and a control means (not shown) for driving the liquid crystal display panel 21 are mounted; the liquid crystal display panel 21 and the circuit board 7; And a connection terminal 8 that electrically connects the two, and is held by a cell case 9.

  As is well known, the liquid crystal display panel 11 has a liquid crystal between a front glass substrate on which a transparent electrode (so-called segment electrode) made of ITO is formed and a rear glass substrate on which a transparent electrode (so-called common electrode) is also formed. Molecules are enclosed, and a polarizing film is pasted on each glass substrate. Then, when a signal corresponding to the external measurement amount is applied to each transparent electrode through the electrodes routed to the end of the rear glass substrate, the measurement amount, for example, the fuel remaining amount of the vehicle is displayed as a bar. The liquid crystal display panel 11 has a bar graph display unit 23 that displays, for example, the remaining fuel amount in a bar.

  The front plate 3 has a non-display area 3a in which non-transparent printing such as black is applied on the front or back surface of a base material made of a light-transmitting synthetic resin panel, and the first and second display panels are visible. The display frame 3d provided in such a manner, and the design portion 31 on which a predetermined design is removed and printed when the non-display area 3a is printed. Further, a reflective surface 32 for reflecting the light of the edge light source 6a in the direction of the design portion 31 is provided on one side of the front plate 3 (lower right in FIG. 1). The design portion 31 is formed with a design related to the display content of the second display panel 2, and in this case, an indicator indicating the index portion of the burglag display portion 23 and the display content is formed. Thereby, a sense of unity between the design part 31 and the second display panel 2 can be obtained.

  The circuit board 7 is made of a hard board and printed with a circuit pattern (not shown). In addition to the segment display light source 6, an edge light illumination light source 6 a is also mounted on the circuit board 7.

  In the display device configured as described above, the light emitted from the edge light illumination light source 6a is reflected in the direction of the design part 31 by the reflecting surface 32 provided on the transparent panel 3, and the design part 31 is transmitted by the light. Illuminated.

  As described above, the present invention provides the first display panel illuminated by the light of the light source, the second display panel provided in parallel with the first display panel, the first display panel, and the second display panel. In the display device provided with the front plate 3 provided so as to cover the intermediate portion S, the intermediate portion S is provided between the first display panel and the second display panel, and the design portion is provided at a position corresponding to the intermediate portion S. The design part 31 is illuminated with light that passes through the front plate 3, so that the design part 31 between the display panels is transmitted even if the display part has a plurality of display panels juxtaposed. By being illuminated, a step or boundary is not visible between the design portion 31 and each display panel, so that the display panel can have a sense of unity.

  Next, a second embodiment will be described. The same members as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and details thereof are omitted.

  In the case of the present embodiment, the second display panel 2 is arranged to be inclined toward the observer side with respect to the first display panel 1, and the first display panel 1 and the second display panel 2 are sandwiched by an intermediate portion S generated by the inclination. A display panel 2 is juxtaposed.

The front plate 3 is a dial plate 32 in which non-transparent printing is performed on the surface of a base material made of a light-transmitting synthetic resin panel, and includes a display frame 3c of the first display panel 1 and a second display. A bent portion 32a, which includes a display frame 3d of the panel 2 and a design portion 31 on which a predetermined design is punched and printed, and is inclined in the viewer side direction with the design portion 31 as an axis, is formed by a technique such as drawing. ing. A sense of unity can be obtained by continuously forming the display frames 3c and 3d and the light-shielding printing of the intermediate portion S which is the background of the design portion 31.

  A light guide member 50 for guiding light from the segment display light source 6 mounted on the circuit board 7 to the design portion 31 is provided on the side opposite to the display surface of the front plate 3. The light guide member 50 is integrally formed with the cell case 9 that holds the liquid crystal display panel 21.

  In the display device configured as described above, the light emitted from the segment display light source 6 is guided in the direction of the design part 31 by the light guide member 50, and illuminates the design part 31.

Thus, according to the present invention, the front plate 3 has the bent portion 32a corresponding to the place where the first display panel 1 and the second display panel 2 are arranged via the intermediate portion S, and the design portion 31 is provided. By providing the light guide member 50 for guiding light to the back side of the bent portion 32a, a space is created between the display panels, and the light guide for guiding the light to the design portion 31 is created in the space. Since the design part 31 can be illuminated by arranging the member 50, it is not necessary to provide edge light illumination as in the first embodiment, and cost reduction can be achieved. Moreover, since the observer can visually recognize the segment display unit 2 in front of the liquid crystal display unit 1, the display device has a sense of depth. Also, it can look like a large display with the entire structure bent.

1 Liquid crystal display (first display panel)
2-segment display (second display panel)
3 Front plate 3a Non-display area 3c Display frame 3d Display frame 5 Light guide body 6 Segment display light source 6a Edge light source 7 Circuit board 8 Connection terminal 9 Cell case 22 Light guide body 23 Bar graph display section 31 Design section 32 Characters Plate 32a Bent part 50 Light guide member S Intermediate part U Liquid crystal unit

Claims (3)

A first display panel illuminated by light from a light source; a second display panel provided in parallel with the first display panel; and the display surface side of the first display panel and the second display panel In a display device comprising a front plate provided so as to cover
An intermediate portion between the first display panel and the second display panel;
Having a design portion at a location corresponding to the non-display area;
The said design part is illuminated with the light which permeate | transmits the said front board, The display apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. The display according to claim 1, wherein the front plate has a bent portion at the intermediate portion, and a light guide portion for guiding light to the design portion is provided on a back side of the intermediate portion. apparatus. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the first display panel is a liquid crystal display panel.

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