JP6969325B2 - Display device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a display device mounted on a vehicle or the like.

Vehicles such as automobiles are equipped with display devices such as speedometers and engine speedometers that display information necessary for driving. As one of such display devices, there is known a digital display device that switches on and off a light source to display necessary information on a display panel.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-217815

When the power of the digital display device is turned on, the information is displayed on the display device and visually recognized by the user. On the other hand, when the power is not turned on, there is generally only a black flat panel. For this reason, there is no texture as compared with the members around the panel, and when the power is not turned on, a feeling of strangeness is given.

The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a display device capable of improving the design even when the power supply is off.

In the display device according to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a display panel for displaying information on a display screen and a polarizing plate provided on the surface side of the display panel on the viewer side are provided. The polarizing plate includes a decorative layer in which a pattern is printed on the inside of the outer periphery of the display panel with a transparent ink, and a non-printed region in which the decorative layer is not provided, on the surface side of the polarizing plate. possess in, the display panel includes a first display area for displaying the first information, the second in the center in the display screen which displays the second information is relatively important information The first display area has the pattern, and the second display area does not have the pattern.

In the display device according to the present invention, the design can be improved even when the power supply is off.

The front view which shows the display device which is the embodiment of the display device which concerns on this invention. Sectional drawing along line II-II of FIG. Explanatory drawing of the layer structure of the display panel. (A) is an explanatory diagram showing an on state of the display panel, and (B) is an explanatory diagram showing an off state. The figure for demonstrating the print area of a pattern. It is explanatory drawing which shows the modification of the display device, and is the figure explaining the display panel which has a carbon-like pattern. It is explanatory drawing which shows the other modification of the display device, (A) is explanatory drawing which shows the on state of a display panel, (B) is explanatory drawing which shows the off state. It is explanatory drawing which shows the further modification of the display device, (A) is explanatory drawing which shows the on state of a display panel, (B) is explanatory drawing which shows the off state.

An embodiment of the display device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The display device according to the present invention is mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile or a two-wheeled vehicle, a ship, an agricultural machine, or a construction machine. In the present embodiment, an example in which the display device according to the present invention has a segment type liquid crystal display panel will be described.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a display device 1 which is an embodiment of the display device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG.
In the following description, the "front side" means the front side in FIG. 1 and the left side (cover 15 side) in FIG. 2 which is visible to the viewer (driver). The "back side" means the back side in FIG. 1 and the right side (lower case 62 side) in FIG.

The display device 1 mainly includes a circuit board 10, a light guide body 11, a display panel 12, a dial 13, a case 14, and a cover 15.

The circuit board 10 mainly includes a driver and a control unit for a display panel 12 and a light source 21, and a light source 21.

The control unit has a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like, and for example, executes a predetermined arithmetic process according to a program written in the ROM. For example, the control unit acquires vehicle speed, engine speed, various vehicle information, and the like from the vehicle's ECU (Electronic Control Unit) via various sensors and the like. Based on the acquired information, the control unit causes the display panel 12 to display the information on the display screen 31 that displays the predetermined information.

The light source 21 is an LED (Light Emitting Diode) and illuminates the display panel 12 from the back surface side.

The light guide body 11 guides the light emitted by the light source 21 toward the display panel 12. The light guide body 11 is a transparent resin such as polymethyl methacrylate resin (PMMA) formed in a flat plate shape.

The display panel 12 is provided on the surface side of the circuit board 10 and is formed in a substantially octagonal shape. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the layer structure of the display panel 12. The display panel 12 has a liquid crystal layer 41, a front surface glass substrate 42a, a back surface glass substrate 42b, a front surface polarizing plate 43a, and a back surface polarizing plate 43b.

The pair of front glass substrates 42a and the back glass substrate 42b enclose the liquid crystal layer 41. A transparent electrode is formed on the pair of glass substrates 42a and 42b by ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) or the like. Further, the pair of front surface polarizing plates (polarizing filter) 43a and the back surface polarizing plate 43b sandwich the pair of front surface glass substrates 42a and the back surface glass substrate 42b. The surface glass substrate 42a and the surface polarizing plate 43a are provided on the surface 12a side, which is the surface of the display panel 12 on the viewer side. The back surface glass substrate 42b and the back surface polarizing plate 43b are provided on the back surface 12b of the display panel 12, which is a surface facing the front surface 12a.

The surface polarizing plate 43a has a decorative layer 45. The details of the decorative layer 45 will be described later.

The display panel 12 is connected to the circuit board 10 via a flexible substrate such as FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits). The display panel 12 is controlled by the control unit of the circuit board 10, so that a driving voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 41 via the transparent electrode. As a result, the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 41 is controlled, and the individual pixels of the display panel 12 are switched to the transmissive state or the opaque state. With such a combination of pixels, the display panel 12 displays predetermined information on the display screen 31.

The display panel 12 has an on state in which information is displayed on the display screen 31 and an off state in which information is not displayed. FIG. 4A is an explanatory diagram showing an on state of the display panel 12, and FIG. 4B is an explanatory diagram showing an off state. In the ON state, the power is turned on to the display device 1 (display panel 12), and the display panel 12 is controlled by the control unit of the circuit board 10, so that information such as the vehicle speed and the engine speed is displayed on the display screen 31. It is in the state of being. The off state is a state in which the power is not turned on to the display device 1 (display panel 12) and information is not displayed on the display screen 31.

The dial 13 (thin plate) is provided on the surface 12a side of the display panel 12 and covers the display panel 12. The dial 13 has a base material and a design layer. The base material is, for example, a plate-shaped member of a polycarbonate resin having transparency (translucency). The design layer is a light-shielding printing layer formed on the front side or the back side of the base material. The design layer has a design 13a such as various symbols, characters, and figures formed in the shape of a blank character. These designs 13a are light sources for the dial 13 provided on the circuit board 10 facing the design 13a different from the light source 21 directly irradiated from the back surface side of the dial 13 without passing through the light guide body 11 (FIG. FIG. When the light (not shown) is transmitted, it is lit and displayed. Further, the dial 13 has an opening 13b that exposes the display screen 31.

The case 14 has a middle case 61, a lower case 62, and an upper case 63. The middle case 61 fixes and supports the circuit board 10, the display panel 12, and the dial 13. The middle case 61 has a light-shielding wall that surrounds the light source for the dial 13 and guides the light. The light-shielding wall is a wall that separates the illumination (emission) area of the light source to form a cylindrical space, and light passes through this cylindrical space. One end of the light-shielding wall is in contact with the circuit board 10, and the other end (the surface of the middle case 61 facing the dial 13) is in contact with the dial 13.

The upper case 63 and the lower case 62 accommodate the circuit board 10, the display panel 12, the dial 13, and the like in the internal space formed by being fitted. The upper case 63 has an opening 63a to which the cover 15 is attached.

The cover 15 covers the display panel 12 and the dial 13 and transmits the light transmitted through the display panel 12 and the dial 13. The cover 15 is, for example, a translucent translucent polycarbonate resin having a lightness close to black or black. The cover 15 may be made of inorganic glass or the like.

Next, the details of the decorative layer 45 of the surface polarizing plate 43a will be described.

The decorative layer 45 is provided on the surface side of the surface polarizing plate 43a. The decorative layer 45 is formed with a pattern 46 to be visually recognized by a viewer when the display panel 12 is in the off state shown in FIG. 4 (B). The pattern 46 is, for example, a concentric hairline pattern printed with transparent transparent ink and having a random line width and line spacing.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a print area of the pattern 46. In FIG. 5, for the sake of explanation, the region of the decorative layer 45 is colored and represented, and the specific pattern 46 is omitted.

The decorative layer 45 is printed by, for example, a printing method such as screen printing after installing the display panel 12 on which the decorative layer 45 is not formed on a jig having a recess corresponding to the outer shape of the display panel 12. It is formed. The decorative layer 45 is printed inside the outer periphery of the display panel 12. As a result, the surface polarizing plate 43a has a non-printing region 47 in which the decorative layer 45 is not provided.

When the operator takes out the printed display panel 12 from the above-mentioned jig, the non-printing area 47 can be used for taking out the display panel 12. That is, the non-printing area 47 can be grasped and taken out without touching the decorative layer 45. As a result, it is possible to reduce blurring and crushing of the pattern 46 due to touching the decorative layer 45. Further, by confirming the uniformity of the width of the non-printing area 47 in the circumferential direction, it is possible to easily determine whether or not the pattern 46 is printed at an appropriate position (whether or not the printing is misaligned).

On the surface of the surface polarizing plate 43a (the surface 12a of the display panel 12), the reflectance of the portion where the pattern 46 is formed is larger than the reflectance of the portion of the polarizing plate 43a itself where the pattern 46 is not formed. As a result, when the display panel 12 is in the off state shown in FIG. 4B, the pattern 46 is emphasized and the viewer visually recognizes the pattern 46.

On the other hand, when the display panel 12 is in the on state shown in FIG. 4A, the pattern 46 is printed with the transparent ink, so that the light of the light source 21 is transmitted. The brightness of the light of the light source 21 transmitted through the pattern 46 (polarizing plate 43a) is larger than the brightness of the external light reflected by the pattern 46. Therefore, the viewer visually recognizes the information displayed on the display screen 31 rather than the pattern 46.

In such a display device 1 in the present embodiment, since the pattern 46 can be visually recognized when the display panel 12 is in the off state, the display panel 12 can be made to feel the texture even in the off state, and the display device 1 can be made to feel the texture. The design can be improved. Further, the display device 1 does not impair the visibility of the information on the display screen 31 when it is in the on state.

Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other embodiments, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

For example, the pattern 46 is not limited to the above-mentioned random concentric hairlines. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example of the display device 1, and is a diagram illustrating a display panel 72 having a carbon-like pattern 73. As shown in FIG. 6, the pattern may be a carbon-like pattern 73. Further, the pattern may be a combination of a hairline or carbon-like pattern with a logo such as a company name or a product name. In this case, the decorative layer 45 can be formed in the shape of characters without forming a pattern only in the portion corresponding to the logo. Further, by illuminating only the logo portion with the light source 21 when the display panel 12 is on, the display device 1 can improve the design not only in the off state but also in the on state.

Further, the display panel 12 may have a region having the pattern 46 and a region not having the pattern 46.

7A and 7B are explanatory views showing another modification of the display device 1, FIG. 7A is an explanatory view showing an on state of the display panel 82, and FIG. 7B is an explanatory view showing an off state.

The display panel 82 has a first display area 85 and a second display area 84. The second display area 84 is an area for displaying the second information, which is relatively important information in the information in the display screen 31. In the example of FIG. 7, the second display area 84 is an area for displaying the speed 84a of the vehicle, which is displayed relatively large, and is located at the center of the display screen 31. The first display area 85 is an area other than the second display area 84 in the display screen 31. In the example of FIG. 7, the first display area 85 is an area for displaying the second information, which is an area for displaying the engine speed 85a, the gear state 85b, and the remaining gasoline amount 85c, and is the outer periphery of the display screen 31. The area on the side.

The first display area 85 has a pattern 83. On the other hand, the second display area 84 does not have the pattern 83 (does not have the decorative layer 45). As a result, when the display panel 12 is on, the information displayed in the second display area 84, which is more important information, is visually recognized because the pattern 83 is visually recognized due to the reflection of external light or the like. Sex is not disturbed.

Further, the display panel 12 may have a plurality of regions having different patterns.

8A and 8B are explanatory views showing still another modification of the display device 1, FIG. 8A is an explanatory view showing an on state of the display panel 92, and FIG. 8B is an explanatory view showing an off state.

In the example of FIG. 8, the display panel 92 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and the first display area 94 is an area for displaying the first information such as the vehicle speed 94a, the gear state 94b, and the remaining gasoline amount 94c. , Is the lower area when the inside of the display screen 31 is divided into upper and lower parts. Further, the second display area 95 is an area for displaying the second information having the engine speed 95a, and is an area on the upper side of the display screen 31.

The first display area 94 has a random linear hairline pattern 96. On the other hand, the second display area 95 has a honeycomb pattern 97 different from the pattern 96. As a result, when the display panel 12 is in the off state, there are a plurality of display areas for displaying information, and the boundary of the display area can be recognized by the viewer due to the difference between the patterns 96 and 97. Further, for example, even when the information is displayed only in the first display area 94 and the information is not displayed in the second display area 95, the pattern 97 is visually recognized in the second display area 95. , It is possible to make the viewer recognize that it is an area where some information is displayed.
Further, not only the pattern is made different in the first display area 94 and the second display area 95, but also the pattern is printed by making the color of the transparent ink different, so that the same effect as described above can be obtained. can.

Furthermore, the dial 13 may have a thin plate side pattern continuously formed with the pattern 46. As a result, a sense of unity (seamlessness) between the display panel 12 and the dial 13 can be obtained, and the designability in the off state can be improved.

The dial 13 may be a simple thin plate (light-shielding plate) on which the design 13a is not formed.
The display panel 12 may be a segment type organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) panel, a matrix type liquid crystal display panel such as a TFT (Thin Film Transistor), or an organic EL panel.

Further, the display device 1 may be a combination of a display panel 12 and a pointer-type mechanical instrument. In this case, by forming the same or different pattern as the display panel 12 on the dial of the mechanical instrument, it is possible to improve the sense of unity of the entire display device.

1 Display device 10 Circuit board 11 Light guide 12, 72, 82, 92 Display panel 12a Front surface 12b Back side 13 Dial 13a Design 13b, 63a Opening 14 Case 15 Cover 21 Light source 31 Display screen 41 Liquid crystal layer 42a Front glass substrate 42b Back side Glass substrate 43a Front polarizing plate 43b Back polarizing plate 45 Decorative layer 46, 73, 83, 96, 97 Pattern 47 Non-printing area 61 Medium case 62 Lower case 63 Upper case 85, 94 First display area 84, 95 Second Indicated Area

Claims (2)

A display panel that displays information on the display screen and
A polarizing plate provided on the surface side, which is the surface of the display panel on the viewer side, is provided.
The polarizing plate has a decorative layer in which a pattern is printed on the inside of the outer periphery of the display panel with a transparent ink, and a non-printed region in which the decorative layer is not provided, on the surface side of the polarizing plate. death,
The display panel includes a first display area for displaying the first information and a second display area located at the center of the display screen for displaying the second information which is relatively important information. Have,
A display device in which the first display area has the pattern and the second display area does not have the pattern . It has an opening that exposes the display screen from the opening, and further includes a thin plate provided on the surface side of the display panel.
The display device according to claim 1, wherein the thin plate has a thin plate side pattern continuously formed with the pattern.

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