GB2564751A

GB2564751A - Viewing angle changing film and electronic apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2564751A
Application number: GB1808005.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ohsawa Osamu; Yamauchi Takehito; Kubota Shinichi; Noguchi Hiroyuki
Original assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd
Current assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd
Priority date: 2017-05-25
Filing date: 2018-05-17
Publication date: 2019-01-23
Anticipated expiration: 2038-05-17
Also published as: DE102018111903A1; CN108932011A; GB2564751B; CN108932011B; GB201808005D0

Abstract

A viewing angle changing film 1 for a computer display having attachment tabs 32 and 31 that are inserted into gaps between a bezel and the display. The viewing angle changing film makes it difficult to view the contents from a direction tilted from the display panel providing thus privacy for the user. Film 1 is composed of a base film 2 (fig 2) that includes a functional film 2b and an attachment film 3 that includes the tabs (protrusions) 31 and 32. The attachment film is thinner than the base film. The two films may be glued using an optical adhesive 4. Functional film 2b may be sandwiched between surface and rear-surface protection films 2a and 2c. Attachment tabs may include protrusions close to each other united by a joint (fig 8).

Description

Specification

Title of the Invention

VIEWING ANGLE CHANGING FILM AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS

Field of the Invention [0001]

The present invention relates to a viewing angle changing film to be attached to a display panel of an electronic apparatus, and an electronic apparatus. Background of the Invention [0002]

Films to be attached to a display panel of an electronic apparatus have been widely used. Patent Document 1, for example, discloses a protective film to protect a display panel of a laptop personal computer (hereinafter called a laptop PC). Such a protective film has an insertion edge having a smaller thickness than the other part. Such an insertion edge is inserted into a gap between the display panel and a bezel of the laptop PC, so that the protective film is opposed to the display panel.

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model registration No. 3062946 U

Summary of the Invention [0004]

The present inventors consider such a film having a function of changing the viewing angle of the display panel. The viewing angle is an angle that the line of sight of a user forms with the display panel, and is a range where the user can view the contents displayed on the display panel. The viewing angle changing film allows a user to view the contents easily from the direction to see the panel straight, and makes it difficult to view the contents from the direction tilted from the display panel. Such a change in viewing angle can prevent other persons from peeping the displayed contents on the display panel.

[0005]

A protective film described in Patent Document 1, however, may increase the manufacturing cost because the film is formed or processed so as to have a partially thin part. The overall thickness of the viewing angle changing film may be reduced so that the end can be inserted into a gap between the display panel and the bezel. Such a film may fail to implement the correct function of changing the viewing angle.

[0006]

Then the present invention aims to provide a viewing angle changing film capable of changing the viewing angle of a display panel without increasing the manufacturing cost and to provide such an electronic apparatus.

[0007]

To solve the above problems, a viewing angle changing film in one aspect includes a base film opposed to a display panel, the base film being configured to change viewing angle of the display panel, and an attachment having a thickness smaller than a thickness of the base film, the attachment being inserted into air gap defined between the display panel and a bezel. The attachment is a separate member from the base film, and is fixed to the base film.

[0008]

An electronic apparatus in one aspect includes: a display panel; a bezel surrounding the outer edge of the display panel; and a viewing angle changing film including a base film opposed to the display panel, the base film being configured to change viewing angle of the display panel, and an attachment having a thickness smaller than a thickness of the base film, the attachment being inserted into air gap defined between the display panel and the bezel. The base film is a separate member from the attachment and is fixed to the attachment.

[0009]

According to this aspect, the attachment is formed as a separate member from the base film. Therefore the attachments can be made without complicated forming or processing, such as making a part of the base film thinner.

[0010]

The present invention can provide a viewing angle changing film capable of changing the viewing angle of a display panel without increasing the manufacturing cost and to provide such an electronic apparatus.

Brief Description of the Drawings [0011]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a viewing angle changing film and a laptop PC according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the viewing angle changing film of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the viewing angle changing

film	and the laptop PC of FIG. 1.	view	taken	along	the
FIG. 4 is a	cross-sectional
line	IV-IV of FIG.	2 .
	FIG. 5 is a	cross-sectional	view	taken	along	the
line	V-V of FIG. 2	.
	FIG. 6 is a	front view of a	viewing angle changing
film	and a laptop	PC according to	another embodiment for

comparison .

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a viewing angle changing film according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of part VIII of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a front view of the viewing angle changing film of FIG. 7 and a laptop PC.

Detailed Description of the Invention [0012]

Referring to the attached drawings, the following describes a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A viewing angle changing film according to the present invention can be applied to various electronic apparatuses, such as a laptop PC, a desktop PC, a server, a tablet, and a smartphone .

[0013]

The following embodiments describe examples of applying the viewing angle changing film of the present invention to a laptop PC. In the attached drawings, like numbers indicate like components.

[0014]

Referring firstly to FIG. 1, the following briefly describes a viewing angle changing film 1 and a laptop PC according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the viewing angle changing film 1 and the laptop PC 10. The laptop PC 10 includes a body 5 and a lid 6 .

[0015]

The body 5 includes a chassis 50 having a flattened box shape. The chassis 50 includes an upper cover 51 and a lower cover 52 that are opposed and attached. The chassis 50 internally stores a board (not illustrated), a CPU, a memory, a HDD or a SDD, and a battery, for example. The chassis 50 includes an input means, such as a keyboard 54 and a touch pad 56, on the upper cover 51.

[0016]

The lid 6 is connected to the rear end of the body 5 via a hinge, and is openable/closable relative to the body

5. The lid 6 includes a LCD module 61, a camera lens 62 and a bezel 66.

[0017]

The LCD module 61 is an example of the display panel, and displays various types of information in accordance with a control signal received from a graphics controller, for example. The LCD module 61 has a rectangular outer shape in the front view.

[0018]

The bezel 66 is a rectangular frame, through which the LCD module 61 is exposed. The camera lens 62 is one element of a camera as an imaging device, and the camera lens is disposed at a substantially center of the bezel 66 in the width direction.

[0019]

The viewing angle changing film 1 is attached to the laptop PC 10. As described later, the viewing angle changing film 1 has a function of changing the viewing angle of the LCD module 61. The viewing angle is an angle that the line of sight of a user forms with the LCD module 61, and is a range where the user can view the contents displayed on the LCD module 61. The viewing angle changing film 1 is attached to cover the LCD module 61. A user of the laptop PC 10 views the contents displayed on the LCD module 61 through this viewing angle changing film 1.

[0020]

Referring next to FIG. 2, the following describes the structure of the viewing angle changing film 1. FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the viewing angle changing film.

The viewing angle changing film 1 includes a base film 2, an attachment film 3, and optical adhesive 4.

[0021]

The base film 2 is a member of changing the viewing angle. The base film 2 has the rectangular outer shape in the front view, and has substantially same dimensions as the inside of the frame of the bezel 66 (see FIG. 1). The base film 2 has a thickness of about 0.35 mm.

[0022]

The base film 2 includes the lamination of a surface protective film 2a, a functional film 2b and a rear-face protective film 2c. The surface protective film 2a and the rear-face protective film 2c are made of flexible thermoplastic resin having a property of transmitting visible light, such as polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polypropylene, and acryl, as a base material. The surface protective film 2a and the rear-face protective film 2c protect the functional film 2b by sandwiching it therebetween and ensure the rigidity of the base film 2. The functional film 2b internally has a plurality of louvers (not illustrated). These louvers are formed like ribs that extend linearly, and are made of a material having a property of not transmitting visible light. The plurality of louvers are disposed to be parallel to each other while having a distance therebetween, and an intermediate material (not illustrated) is disposed between these louvers. The intermediate material has a property of transmitting visible light and has adhesiveness. The surface protective film 2a and the rear-face protective film 2c adhere to one side face and the other side face of the functional film 2b, respectively, due to the adhesiveness of the intermediate material. Such a configuration of the functional film 2b transmits light only in the direction not shielded by the louvers.

[0023]

The attachment film 3 is to attach the viewing angle changing film 1. The base film 2 is stacked on this attachment film 3. The attachment film 3 is made of flexible thermoplastic resin having a property of transmitting visible light, such as polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polypropylene, and acryl, as a base material. The attachment film 3 includes a rectangular part 3a and a plurality of attachments 31, 32.

[0024]

The rectangular part 3a has a rectangular outer shape in the front view. The dimensions of the rectangular part 3a in the vertical and horizontal directions are substantially the same as those of the base film 2.

[0025]

The attachments 31, 32 are protrusions disposed at the end of the attachment film 3. The attachments 31, 32 protrude outwardly from the end of the rectangular part 3a. That is, the outer shape of the attachment film 3 is larger than the outer shape of the base film 2 by the attachments 31, 32.

[0026]

Two of the attachments 31 are disposed along each long side of the rectangular part 3a, and the attachments 32 are disposed along each short side of the rectangular part 3a. The attachments 31, 31 are disposed having an interval therebetween and are offset from the center of the long side of the rectangular part 3a. The attachments 32, 32 also are disposed having an interval therebetween. Three or more of the attachments 31 may be disposed along the long side of the rectangular part 3a, or three or more of the attachments 32 may be disposed along the short side of the rectangular part 3a.

[0027]

Such an attachment film 3 having the rectangular part 3a and the attachments 31, 32 is formed by stamping of a thin-film like material having a uniform thickness in the thickness direction. Therefore, the rectangular part 3a and the attachments 31, 32 are formed integrally, and they have the same thickness. Specifically the attachment film 3 has a uniform thickness of about 0.15 mm. That is, the thickness of the attachment film 3 is smaller than the thickness (about 0.35 mm) of the base film 2.

[0028]

The optical adhesive 4 may be called OCA (Optically

Clear Adhesive) or OCR (Optically Clear Resin) as well, and is a thin-film like member having a property of transmitting visible light. The optical adhesive 4 has a rectangular outer shape in the front view. The dimensions of the optical adhesive 4 in the vertical and horizontal directions are substantially the same as those of the base film 2. The optical adhesive 4 has a uniform thickness of about 0.05 mm. That is, the thickness of the optical adhesive 4 is smaller than the thickness (about 0.35 mm) of the base film 2 and the thickness (about 0.15 mm) of the attachment film 3.

[0029]

The optical adhesive 4 is disposed between the base film 2 and the attachment film 3. The optical adhesive 4 adheres to the base film 2 on one side face and adheres to the attachment film 3 on the other side face. That is, the base film 2 adheres to the attachment film 3 via the optical adhesive 4.

[0030]

As described above, the base film 2, the rectangular part 3a of the attachment film 3, and the optical adhesive 4 have substantially the same dimensions in their vertical and horizontal directions. The base film 2, the rectangular part 3a of the attachment film 3, and the optical adhesive 4 are disposed so that their outer lines coincide with each other in the front view. That is, the base film 2 substantially as a whole is fixed to the attachment film 3 via the optical adhesive 4. The attachments 31, 32 of the attachment film 3 are located outside of the end of the base film 2 fixed to the attachment film 3 (see FIG. 1).

[0031]

Referring next to FIGs. 3 to 5, the following describes the attachment of the viewing angle changing film 1 to the LCD module 61. FIG. 3 is a front view of the viewing angle changing film 1 and the laptop PC 10, showing the periphery of the lid 6 of the laptop PC 10. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V of FIG. 2. To facilitate understanding, FIGs. 4 and 5 show the thicknesses of the attachment film 3 and the optical adhesive 4 slightly larger than their actual dimensions.

[0032]

As shown in FIG. 4, the lid 6 of the laptop PC 10 includes an A cover 63, a B cover 64 and the bezel 66. The A cover 63, the B cover 64 and the bezel 66 are members to make up the outer shell of the lid 6. The A cover 63 and the B cover 64 are disposed having an interval therebetween, and other components, such as an antenna module 67 and an aluminum sheet 68, are disposed between these covers.

[0033]

The bezel 66 faces the front face of the B cover 64. As described above, the bezel 66 is a rectangular frame having an opening at the center. The bezel 66 adheres to the B cover 64 via a thin-film like adhesive tape 65.

[0034]

Between the bezel 66 and the A cover 63, the LCD module 61 is disposed. The LCD module 61 is covered by the bezel 66 at the outer edge. Between the outer edge of the LCD module 61 and the bezel 66, air gap 7 is defined.

[0035]

As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of adhesive sheets

81, 82 is disposed in the air gap 7. The plurality of adhesive sheets 81, 82 is one example of the adhesive layer.

In FIG. 3, the adhesive sheets 81, 82 and the attachments

31, 32 disposed on the rear face of the bezel 66 are shown with broken lines. The adhesive sheets 81 extend along the long sides of the LCD module 61, and the adhesive sheets 82 extend along the short sides of the LCD module 61. The bezel 66 adheres to the outer edge of the LCD module 61 at a plurality of positions via the adhesive sheets 81, 82.

[0036]

The plurality of adhesive sheets 81 are disposed having an interval therebetween. Between the neighboring adhesive sheets 81 and 81, air gap 71 is defined. The air gap 71 is a part between the adhesive sheets 81 and 81 of the air gap 7. The air gap 71 is disposed at a part corresponding to the long side of the LCD module 61. The air gap 71 has a width dimension that is slightly larger than the width dimension of the attachment 31. The interval between the air gaps 71 and 71 is substantially the same as the interval between the attachments 31 and 31.

[0037]

- 8 Similarly the plurality of adhesive sheets 82 also are disposed having an interval therebetween. Between the neighboring adhesive sheets 82 and 82, air gap 72 is defined. The air gap 72 is a part between the adhesive sheets 82 and 82 of the air gap 7. The air gap 72 is disposed at a part corresponding to the short side of the LCD module 61. The air gap 72 has a width dimension that is slightly larger than the width dimension of the attachment 32. The interval between the air gaps 72 and 72 is substantially the same as the interval between the attachment 32 and 32.

[0038]

To attach the viewing angle changing film 1, the attachments 31 are inserted into the air gap 71 as shown in FIGs. 3 and 5. Then the attachments 32 are inserted into the air gap 72. By bending the viewing angle changing film 1, all of the attachments 31, 32 can be inserted into the air gap 71, 72. By returning the bent viewing angle changing film 1 to the original shape, the insertion of the attachments 31, 32 ends.

[0039]

The attachments 31, 32 inserted into the air gap 71, 72 latch on the bezel 66. This can fix the viewing angle changing film 1 to the laptop PC 10. The base film 2 of the viewing angle changing film 1 is opposed to the LCD module 61 while sandwiching the attachment film 3 and the optical adhesive 4 therebetween.

[0040]

A user of the laptop PC 10 views the contents displayed on the LCD module 61 through the base film 2, the optical adhesive 4 and the attachment film 3. When the user views the LCD module 61 in the direction along the line N (see FIG. 1) substantially normal to the base film 2, the viewing angle changing film 1 enables easy viewing of the contents displayed on the LCD module 61. Specifically, the user can view the contents displayed on the LCD module 61 without interference in the line of sight by the plurality of louvers disposed inside of the base film 2. More specifically, the user can view the contents displayed on the LCD module 61 through the gap between the plurality of louvers .

[0041]

On the contrary, when the user views the LCD module 61 in the direction tilted from the normal line N by angle Θ or more, i.e., views the LCD module 61 from the outside of the line L in FIG. 1, the louvers of the base film 2 interfere with the line of sight of the user. Specifically, the user sees the base film 2 in black, and so cannot view the contents displayed on the LCD module 61. That is, the viewing angle changing film 1 narrows the viewing angle of the LCD module 61. Such a change in viewing angle can prevent other persons from peeping the displayed contents on the LCD module 61.

[0042]

Next, the following describes the advantageous effects of the viewing angle changing film 1 and the laptop PC 10 .

[0043]

In one aspect of the viewing angle changing film 1, the attachments 31, 32 are formed as a separate member from the base film 2. Therefore the attachments 31, 32 can be made without complicated forming or processing, such as making a part of the base film 2 thinner.

[0044]

Referring now to FIG. 6, the following describes a viewing angle changing film 1A and a laptop PC 10A in another embodiment for comparison. FIG. 6 is a front view of the viewing angle changing film 1A and the laptop PC 10Ά according to this embodiment for comparison, showing the periphery of the lid 6 of the laptop PC 10A. The same reference numbers are used to refer to the same elements of the viewing angle changing film 1A and the laptop PC 10A as those in the viewing angle changing film 1 and the laptop PC 10 described above, and their description is omitted as appropriate .

[0045]

The viewing angle changing film 1A includes the attachments 31A and 32A that are different in shape from the attachments 31, 32 as stated above. Specifically unlike the attachments 31, 32, the attachments 31A, 32A are not integrally formed with the rectangular part 3a. The attachments 31A, 32A in this embodiment are mutually independent small pieces. That is, the viewing angle changing film 1A does not have the rectangular part 3a.

[0046]

The attachments 31A, 32A adhere to the base film 2 at one part and protrude to the outside from the base film 2 at the other part. The other part of the attachments 31A, 32Ά is inserted into air gap 71, 72 to latch on the bezel 66, which fixes the viewing angle changing film 1A to the laptop PC 10A.

[0047]

In such a mode as well, the viewing angle changing film 1A can be attached to the laptop PC 10A without complicated forming or processing of the base film 2. However, as indicated with dot-and-dash line 310A, 320A, the user sees the outer shape of the attachments 31A, 32A. Specifically the user sees the outer shape of the part of the attachments 31A, 32A that adheres to the base film 2 through the base film 2. This may degrade the design of the viewing angle changing film 1A and the laptop PC 10A, or may interfere with the user's view of the contents displayed on the LCD module 61. Therefore this configuration has room for improvement.

[0048]

On the contrary, the viewing angle changing film 1 and the laptop PC 10 according to the first embodiment include the attachment film 3, and this attachment film has a property of transmitting light, has a thickness smaller than that of the base film 2, and has the outer shape larger than the base film 2 in the front view. The base film 2 is stacked on the attachment film 3. The attachment film 3 has the attachments 31, 32 located outside of the end of the base film 2.

[0049]

According to this mode, the user does not see the outer shape of the members of the attachments 31, 32 via the base film 2. This does not degrade the design of the viewing angle changing film 1 and the laptop PC 10, and does not interfere with the user's view of the contents displayed on the LCD module 61.

[0050]

The base film 2 substantially as a whole is fixed to the attachment film 3.

[0051]

This mode can suppress the bending of the base film during the use of the viewing angle changing film 1.

This can suppress the interference in the user's view by the bending of the base film 2.

[0052]

The base film 2 adheres to the attachment film 3 via the optical adhesive 4.

[0053]

As described above, the optical adhesive 4 transmits visible light. This mode therefore can fix the base film 2 substantially as a whole to the attachment film 3 without interference with user's view on the LCD module 61.

[0054]

The plurality of attachments 31, 32 are disposed along the outer edge of the attachment film 3 and these attachments are away from each other.

[0055]

The attachments 31, 32 in this mode can be inserted into the air gap 71, 72 by bending the viewing angle changing film 1.

[0056]

The attachment 31, 32 are offset from the center of one side of the attachment film 3.

[0057]

A camera lens or the like directed to the user is often disposed at the center part of the bezel of an electronic apparatus, such as the laptop PC 10. The attachments 31 are offset from the center of the long sides of the attachment film 3, and therefore the attachments 31 can be inserted into the air gap 71 without interference with the camera lens or the like. When the electronic apparatus does not have such a member that interferes with the attachments 31, the attachments 31 may be disposed at the center of the long side of the rectangular part 3a or the attachments 32 may be disposed at the center of the short side of the rectangular part 3a.

[0058]

The attachments 31, 32 are disposed at positions corresponding to at least three sides of the attachment film 3.

[0059]

This mode can fix the viewing angle changing film 1 so as to be opposed to the LCD module 61 without falling, and can suppress floating of the viewing angle changing film 1 from the LCD module 61.

[0060]

The base film 2 includes the functional film 2b having a property of transmitting light in a predetermined direction only and the surface protective film 2a having a property of transmitting light and covering the functional film 2b.

[0061]

This mode can change the viewing angle with the functional film 2b and can ensure the rigidity of the base film 2 with the surface protective film 2a.

[0062]

The base film 2 has the rear-face protective film 2c having a property of transmitting light and sandwiching the functional film 2b with the opposed surface protective film 2a.

[0063]

This mode can improve the rigidity of the base film without degrading the function of the functional film 2b. [0064]

The first embodiment as described above includes the viewing angle changing film 1 that is a separate member of the laptop PC 10. The viewing angle changing film 1 may be one of the components of the laptop PC 10.

[0065]

Such a mode of the laptop PC 10 has the attachments 31, 32 that are formed as a separate member from the base film 2. Therefore the attachments 31, 32 can be made without complicated forming or processing, such as making a part of the base film 2 thinner.

[0066]

The bezel 66 adheres to the LCD module 61 via the adhesive sheets 81, 82 disposed at the air gap 7.

[0067]

This mode can prevent the turning up of the bezel 66 when external force acts thereon, because the adhesive

sheets 81, 82 fix the bezel	6 6	to the LCD module 61. In
other words, the air	gap 7,	which is defined to dispose the
adhesive sheets 81,	82,	can	be	used	. to	insert the
attachments 31, 32.
[0068]
The plurality	of	adhesive sheets	81,	82 is disposed
along the outer edge	of	the	LCD	module	61.	Each attachment
31 is inserted into	the	air	gap	71	defined	between the
neighboring adhesive	sheets	81	and	81,	and	each attachment
32 is inserted into	the	air	gap	72	defined	between the
neighboring adhesive	sheets	82	and	82 .
[0069]
This mode can	define	the	air	gap	71,	72 to insert

the attachments 31, 32 while fixing the bezel 66 to the LCD module 61 with the adhesive sheets 81, 82.

[0070]

In the first embodiment as stated above, the base film 2 includes the lamination of the surface protective film 2a, the functional film 2b and the rear-face protective film 2c. The present invention is not limited to this mode. In another example of the viewing angle changing film, the lamination of the base film includes the surface protective film 2a and the functional film 2b only, and the base film adheres to the attachment film 3 via the optical adhesive 4.

[0071]

Referring next to FIGs. 7 to 9, the following describes a viewing angle changing film IB according to a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the viewing angle changing film IB. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of part VIII of FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a front view of the viewing angle changing film IB and a laptop PC. FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged view of the viewing angle changing film IB and the laptop PC, showing the periphery of an attachment 33 described later.

[0072]

Similarly to the first embodiment, the viewing angle changing film IB is applied to a laptop PC. The same reference numbers are used to refer to the same elements of the viewing angle changing film IB as those in the first embodiment, and their description is omitted.

[0073]

A base film 20 of the viewing angle changing film IB includes the lamination of a surface protective film 2a and a functional film 2b. The base film 20 does not include the rear-face protective film 2c (see FIG. 2) unlike the base film 2 of the first embodiment.

[0074]

The base film 20 is stacked on an attachment film 30. The attachment film 30 faces the surface protective film 2a while sandwiching the functional film 2b therebetween, and adheres to the functional film 2b due to the adhesiveness of the intermediate material as described above. The attachment film 30 has an rectangular part 3a and a plurality of attachments 33, 34.

[0075]

The attachments 33, 34 are protrusions disposed at the end of the attachment film 30. The attachment 33, 34 protrude outwardly from the end of the rectangular part 3a. That is, the outer shape of the attachment film 30 is larger than the outer shape of the base film 20 by the attachments 33, 34. Two of the attachments 33 are disposed along one long side of the rectangular part 3a, and three of them are disposed along the other long side of the rectangular part. One attachment 34 is disposed along each short side of the rectangular part 3a. Three or four or more of the attachments 33 may be disposed along the long side of the rectangular part 3a, or two or more of the attachments 34 may be disposed along the short side of the rectangular part 3a.

[0076]

In this way, unlike the viewing angle changing film of the first embodiment as stated above, the viewing angle changing film IB does not include the rear-face protective film 2c and the optical adhesive 4 (see FIG. 2) . The viewing angle changing film IB therefore is more advantageous than the viewing angle changing film 1 in terms of slimming and lighter weight.

[0077]

The viewing angle changing film IB can be manufactured by preparing the base film beforehand to be larger than the other films by their attachments 33, 34 and stacking the surface protective film 2a, the functional film 2b and the attachment film 30. In another example, the attachment film 30 may be prepared by stacking the surface protective film 2a, the functional film 2b and the attachment film 30 having the same shape, and then removing a part corresponding to the attachments 33, 34 from the surface protective film 2a and the functional film 2b to form the attachments 33, 34.

[0078]

As shown in FIG. 8, each attachment 33 includes protrusions 36, 37 and a joint 38. One attachment may include three or more of the protrusions. Although not described, the attachment 34 also includes a plurality of protrusions and a joint to join them.

[0079]

The protrusions 36, 37 protrude to the outside from the end of the rectangular part 3a. The dashed-two dotted line in FIG. 8 shows the base film 20 stacked on the attachment film 30. The protrusions 36, 37 protrude to the outside from the end of this base film 20. These protrusions 36, 37 are close to each other having a gap (e.g., about 1 mm) therebetween.

[0080]

The joint 38 is disposed at the gap between the protrusions 36 and 37 to join them. Specifically the joint 38 is closer to the base film 20 than the leading ends of the protrusions 36, 37 and is on the outside of the end of this base film 20 so as to join the protrusions across the gap. The joint 38 is curved, and has a substantially Ushaped edge. The joint 38 has ends 39 to join with the protrusions 36, 37, and the ends are wider than the other part of the joint 38. That is, the joint 38 has a cross section that gradually changes between the protrusions 36 and 37 .

[0081]

Similarly to the laptop PC 10 of the first embodiment, the laptop PC to attach the viewing angle changing film IB also has air gap 71, 72 formed at the positions corresponding to the attachments 33, 34. To attach the viewing angle changing film IB to the laptop PC, the attachments 33 are inserted into the air gap 71 as shown in FIG. 9. Then the attachments 34 are inserted into the air gap 72 (see FIG. 3). By bending the viewing angle changing film IB, all of the attachments 33, 34 can be inserted into the air gap 71, 72. By returning the bent viewing angle changing film IB to the original shape, the insertion of the attachments 33, 34 ends, so that the attachments 33, 34 latch on the bezel 66.

[0082]

Each attachment 33 latches on the bezel 66 at the protrusions 36, 37 as well as at the joint 38. Such latching on the bezel 66 in a wider range is effective to reliably fix the viewing angle changing film IB to the laptop PC. To this end, the attachments 33 preferably have a sufficient size to fix the viewing angle changing film IB.

[0083]

When removing the viewing angle changing film IB from the laptop PC, a user places their fingers on the end of the rectangular part 3a to apply a force to remove the viewing angle changing film from the LCD module 61 (see FIG.

1). When relatively large attachments 33 are used, a pulling force may act on the attachment 33 from the bezel 66 and the rectangular part 3a when the attachment 33 is ejected from the air gap 71 by the force applied by the user .

[0084]

Since the attachment 33 includes the protrusions 36, 37, one of the protrusions 36, 37 can be deformed flexibly relative to the other when such a pulling force acts on the attachment. Additionally the joint 38 has the wider and curved ends 39 to join with the protrusions 36, 37, stress does not concentrate on between the protrusions 36, 37 and the joint 38. This can prevent a breakage of the attachments 33 when removing the viewing angle changing film IB from the laptop PC. The attachments 34 having a similar configuration to the attachments 33 have similar advantageous effects.

[0085]

In this second embodiment, the base film 20 includes the lamination of the surface protective film 2a and the functional film 2b. The present invention is not limited to this mode. For instance, similarly to the first embodiment, the base film 20 may include the rear-face protective film 2c (see FIG. 2).

[0086]

As described in the other embodiment for comparison of the first embodiment (see FIG. 6), the second embodiment also may be configured so that the viewing angle changing film IB does not have a rectangular part 3a and includes mutually independent attachments 33, 34, and these attachments adhere to the base film 20.

[0087]

The embodiments described above are intended to facilitate the understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Each element in the above embodiments and the arrangement, materials, conditions, shapes, dimensions, etc., thereof are not limited to those described above and may be modified as appropriate. The configuration of one embodiment may be partially replaced with the corresponding configuration in another embodiment, or they may be combined.

[Description of Symbols] [0088]

1, IA, IB viewing angle changing film

2, 20 base film

3, 30 attachment film optical adhesive laptop PC (electronic apparatus)

31, 32, 33, 34 attachment

36, 37 protrusion joint

9 end

LCD module (display panel) bezel

7, 71, 72 air gap

81, 82 adhesive sheet (adhesive layer)

Claims

Claims :

1. A viewing angle changing film to be attached to a display panel of an electronic apparatus, comprising:

a base film opposed to the display panel, the base film being configured to change viewing angle of the display panel; and an attachment having a thickness smaller than a thickness of the base film, the attachment being inserted into air gap defined between the display panel and a bezel covering the outer edge of the display panel, wherein the attachment is a separate member from the base film, and is fixed to the base film.

2. The viewing angle changing film according to claim 1, further comprising an attachment film having a property of transmitting light, having a thickness smaller than the thickness of the base film, and having an outer shape larger than the base film in the front view, wherein the base film is stacked on the attachment film, and the attachment film has the attachment on the outside of the end of the base film.

3. The viewing angle changing film according to claim 2, wherein the base film substantially as a whole is fixed to the attachment film.

4. The viewing angle changing film according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the base film adheres to the attachment film via optical adhesive.

5. The viewing angle changing film according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the attachment has a plurality of protrusions protruding to the outside from the end of the base film, and the plurality of protrusions are close to each other.

6. The viewing angle changing film according to claim 5, wherein the attachment has a joint to join the plurality of protrusions at a position closer to the base film than leading ends of the plurality of protrusions.

7. The viewing angle changing film according to claim 6, wherein the joint is curved to be wider at ends joining with the protrusions.

8. The viewing angle changing film according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a plurality of the attachments are disposed along the outer edge of the base film and are away from each other.

9. The viewing angle changing film according to claim 8, wherein the attachments are offset from a center of one side of the base film.

10. The viewing angle changing film according to claim 8, wherein the attachments are disposed at positions corresponding to at least three sides of the base film.

11. The viewing angle changing film according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the base film includes a functional film having a property of transmitting light in a predetermined direction only and a surface protective film having a property of transmitting light and covering the functional film.

12. The viewing angle changing film according to claim 11, wherein the base film has a rear-face protective film having a property of transmitting light and facing the surface protective film while sandwiching the functional film therebetween.

13. The viewing angle changing film according to claim 11, wherein the attachments face the surface protective film while sandwiching the functional film therebetween and are fixed to the functional film.

14. An electronic apparatus, comprising: a display panel;

a bezel surrounding the outer edge of the display panel; and a viewing angle changing film including a base film opposed to the display panel, the base film being configured to change viewing angle of the display panel, and an attachment having a thickness smaller than a thickness of the base film, the attachment being inserted into air gap defined between the display panel and the bezel, wherein the base film is a separate member from the attachment and is fixed to the attachment.

15. The electronic apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the bezel adheres to the display panel via an adhesive layer disposed at the air gap.

16. The electronic apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a plurality of the adhesive layers is disposed along the outer edge of the display panel, and the attachment is inserted into air gap defined between the neighboring adhesive layers.