JP2002040477A - Liquid crystal display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To evade cases wherein the joint part between liquid crystal panels is conspicuous in a liquid crystal display device which has a large screen by joining liquid crystal panels on their flanks. SOLUTION: Two liquid crystal panels 2 are joined together at joint parts 2d as their end parts to form one large-sized liquid crystal panel. Here, each liquid crystal panel 2 has normal pixels arrayed in matrix and narrow pixels 6b smaller in size than the normal pixels 6a arrayed nearby the joint part 2d outside them. The normal pixels 6a are projected as a pixel display on an external substrate 5 through a 1st spacer and the narrow pixels 6b are enlarged by an optical correcting lens 4 and projected on the external substrate 5 as a pixel display 5b. Consequently, the joint part 2d and a nonlighting area 2c nearby are hidden behind the external substrate 5. A difference in the quantity of transmitted light due to a difference in size between the pixels is corrected by a condenser lens 7 and a 2nd spacer 8. Through those effects, the joint part between the liquid crystal panels becomes inconspicuous.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to audio-visual (AV)
A) The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device that can be used in equipment, particularly to a liquid crystal display device having a large screen by joining a plurality of liquid crystal panels at side end surfaces.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, display devices used for AV equipment, OA equipment, and the like have been required to be lightweight, have high definition, have low power consumption, and have a large screen (hereinafter, referred to as a large screen). I have. Especially for larger screens, CRT (Cathode ra)
Technical development and commercialization of various display devices such as a liquid crystal display device, a plasma display device, an electroluminescence display device, and a light emitting diode display device are being advanced.

[0003] Among them, the liquid crystal display device has advantages such as flatness of the display, low power consumption, and easy full-color display as compared with other display devices. Significant advances and improvements have also been seen in the display speed and viewing angle, which were issues. For this reason, the liquid crystal display device is currently used in a wide range of fields as a convenient display device, and has been highly evaluated.
In the future, the performance as a display device will be further improved, and the development of a space-saving and low power consumption large-screen display device utilizing the flattening technology and the low power consumption technology of the liquid crystal display device will be further advanced.

However, when the size of the liquid crystal display device is increased, a defective rate caused by disconnection of a signal line or the like or a defect of a pixel rapidly increases in a manufacturing process, and the product yield decreases. In addition, the enlargement of the screen complicates the manufacturing process, resulting in an increase in the price of the liquid crystal display device.

Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, a plurality of liquid crystal panels are joined and arranged side by side on the same plane, or small substrates are joined together on their side surfaces to form a single large panel. 2. Description of the Related Art There is known a liquid crystal display device which has a large screen by using the large substrate as at least one of a pair of light-transmitting substrates constituting a liquid crystal panel. In such a method for increasing the size of the screen, a technique for making the junction between the liquid crystal panels and the small substrates and the vicinity thereof inconspicuous on the display screen of the liquid crystal display device is required.

[0006]

However, in order to make such a joint part inconspicuous, there is a problem that the structure of the liquid crystal display device becomes complicated. This causes an increase in the number of parts and the number of assembling steps, resulting in a decrease in productivity and an increase in production cost. Further, such a complicated configuration for making the joints inconspicuous causes display quality to deteriorate, and as a result, prevents the joints of the liquid crystal panel from being inconspicuous at a certain level or more. It is a factor. For this reason, a technique for joining a plurality of liquid crystal panels and inexpensively enlarging the liquid crystal display device while maintaining the quality is still insufficient.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to make the joining portion stand out when joining a plurality of liquid crystal panels to increase the screen size. To provide a liquid crystal display device capable of high-quality display quality by avoiding the above-mentioned problem, and capable of being manufactured at low cost by realizing reduced number of parts and easy manufacturing by simplifying the configuration. Is to do.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided a liquid crystal display device comprising a plurality of liquid crystal panels joined to each other at a side end thereof. The liquid crystal panel has a first array arranged in a matrix.
A pixel, a second pixel smaller in size than the first pixel arranged in the vicinity of a junction between the liquid crystal panel and another liquid crystal panel joined adjacent to the liquid crystal panel, and an optical correction for enlarging and projecting the second pixel A lens and a condenser lens for condensing light incident on the second pixel.

According to this configuration, since the second pixel is enlarged by the optical correction lens, the joint portion and the vicinity thereof are covered and hardly viewed. For this reason,
When one image is displayed using a plurality of liquid crystal panels, it is possible to avoid a noticeable joint between the liquid crystal panels. In addition, since the amount of light transmission is reduced due to the small size of the pixel, the darkening of the second pixel region is reduced by condensing the backlight with a condenser lens and increasing the amount of light incident on the second pixel region. It is corrected by this. Here, in the present invention, it is preferable that the optical correction lens is configured to magnify and project the second pixel to substantially the same size as the first pixel. According to this configuration, since both the first and second pixels are projected with substantially the same size, it is possible to avoid not only the joint between the liquid crystal panels but also the difference between the first and second pixels from being noticeable. Becomes

Further, in the present invention, it is preferable that the liquid crystal panel and the liquid crystal panel are stacked and disposed with a predetermined gap, and that an outer substrate on which each of the first and second pixels is projected is provided. According to this configuration, since the first and second pixels are projected on the outer substrate, it can be used as a direct-view type.

Further, in the configuration including the outer substrate, it is preferable that, of the gap between the liquid crystal panel and the outer substrate, a first translucent spacer is further provided in a gap corresponding to the first pixel. . According to this configuration, the liquid crystal panel and the outer substrate are fixed by the first spacer, and the difference in optical characteristics between the first and second pixels can be reduced by the first spacer.

The condensing lens for correcting the brightness of the second pixel is located between the liquid crystal panel and the backlight unit, and transmits the backlight of a region corresponding to a joint between the liquid crystal panels to the second unit. It is desirable that the light be guided to the pixel area. According to this configuration, it is possible to reduce the difference in brightness between the first pixel region and the second pixel region by using the backlight light blocked by the joint between the liquid crystal panels.

Further, the liquid crystal panel and the backlight unit are arranged with a predetermined gap, and
It is preferable that the gap corresponding to the pixel further includes a second spacer having a light-transmitting property. According to this configuration, the liquid crystal panel and the backlight unit can be fixed by the second spacer, and the difference in optical characteristics between the first and second pixels can be reduced by the second spacer. .

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment, focusing on the joint portion of the liquid crystal display panel. That is, in the liquid crystal display device shown in this figure, two small liquid crystal panels 2 are arranged in a side-by-side relationship with each other so as to have the same plane. The two small liquid crystal panels 2 have a joint 2d at the side edge of the substrate side on the side to be joined adjacent to each other,
The large liquid crystal panel 1 is joined and joined at the joint 2d. In the present embodiment, one large liquid crystal panel 1 is formed by using two small liquid crystal panels 2, but this is merely an example, and has the same plane on the lateral and vertical sides. As described above, a configuration in which small liquid crystal panels are arranged, joined, and joined may be used.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the small liquid crystal panel 2, the normal pixels 6a
Are arranged in a matrix. In the narrow pixel area 2b outside the normal pixel area 2a and along the joint 2d, a narrow pixel 6b smaller than the pixel size of the normal pixel 6a (smaller than the area of the normal pixel 6a and having the same shape) is provided. And a plurality of the normal pixels 6a. The outside of the narrow pixel region 2b is a non-lighting region 2c in which no pixel is provided. The non-lighting region 2c is provided with a sealing material for confining and sealing liquid crystal between substrates of a panel including a pair of substrates. In addition to being used as a space, the side end (side end surface) is used as the joint 2d.

The two small liquid crystal panels 2 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the joint 2d. Also, 2
The two small liquid crystal panels 2 are joined by an adhesive or the like at a joint 2d. At this time, it is desirable that the gap between the joining portions 2d caused by the joining be as small as possible.

The normal pixel area 2a and the narrow pixel area 2b
And the size ratio between the normal pixel 6a and the narrow pixel 6b, etc., take into account various conditions such as the size of the entire panel, the refractive index of the optical correction lens 4 described below, and the aperture ratio of each pixel. Then, the display is optimized and set so that the display is most visible.

On the other hand, the large liquid crystal panel 1 in which the two liquid crystal panels 2 are joined is laminated and bonded to one outer substrate 5 via the first spacer 3. First
The spacers 3 are arranged corresponding to the normal pixel regions 2a of both small liquid crystal liquid crystal panels 2, respectively. However, the optical correction lens 4 is not provided on the narrow pixel region 2b, but is provided on the outer substrate 5 instead.

The condenser lens 7 is disposed between the liquid crystal panel 2 and the backlight unit 9 and has a narrow pixel area 2b.
Are arranged in a region corresponding to the back surface of the. As the backlight unit, a cold cathode tube, a combination of an LED and a light guide plate, or a light emitting plate of electroluminescence (EL) is used. In a gap between the liquid crystal panel 2 and the backlight unit 9, a second spacer 8 is provided in a region corresponding to the back surface of the normal pixel region 2a.

More specifically, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, the optical correction lens 4 is closed above the joint between the small liquid crystal panels 2, that is, surrounded by the first spacer 3 and the outer substrate 5. In the space, it is provided on the facing surface of the outer substrate 5. In the figure, the cross-sectional shape of the optical correction lens 4 is a semicircular convex lens, but the shape is not limited to this, and the optical correction lens is provided on the outer substrate 5. However, as long as they are arranged on the narrow pixel region 2b, they may be configured and arranged separately.

The condenser lens 7 is provided below the joint between the small liquid crystal panels 2, that is, in a closed space surrounded by the second spacer 8 and the backlight unit 9, on the surface facing the backlight unit 9. ing. In the drawings, the cross-sectional shape of the condenser lens is a convex lens on a trapezoid, but is not limited to this.

Next, the display in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a joining portion in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the light emitted from the backlight unit 9 is collected by the condenser lens 7 onto the narrow pixel area 2b. By this effect, light that should be irradiated to the non-lighting area 2c is made to enter the narrow pixel area 2b, and the backlight light can be used effectively. Further, the second spacer 8 fixes the liquid crystal panel 2 and the backlight unit 9 and performs a function of improving the strength of the large liquid crystal panel 1. At this time, if the second spacer 8 is given optical characteristics, the light condensed by the condenser lens 7 on the narrow pixel area 2b and the light transmitted through the second spacer 8 and incident on the normal pixel area 2a It is also possible to fill in the difference in brightness that occurs between the light beams.

The normal pixels 6 a in the liquid crystal panel 2 are separated from the pixel display 7 a on the outer substrate 3 by the first spacer 3.
On the other hand, the narrow pixel 6b is projected by the optical correction lens 4 on the outer substrate 5 as a pixel display 7b enlarged to substantially the same size as the pixel display 7a.
For this reason, the non-lighting portion 2c and the joining portion 2d in the liquid crystal panel 2 are covered and hidden by the enlarged pixel display 7b on the outer substrate 5, so that it is difficult for the observer to visually recognize. Reference numeral 5a is a region corresponding to the normal pixel region 2a on the outer substrate 5, and reference numeral 5b
Is a region corresponding to the narrow pixel region 2b on the outer substrate 5.

Further, in the present embodiment, the first spacer 3 fixes the outer substrate 5 and the small liquid crystal panel 2 to each other.
It functions to improve the strength of the large liquid crystal panel 1. At this time, if the first spacer 3 is given optical characteristics, the pixel display 7b enlarged and projected on the outer substrate 5 by the optical correction lens 4 and the outer substrate 5 transmitted through the first spacer 3
Color between the pixel display 7a projected on the
It is also possible to bridge differences in brightness and other optical characteristics.

As described above, the correction by the amount of the backlight light in both the condenser lens 7 and the second spacer and the correction by the optical correction in both the first spacer 3 and the optical correction lens 4 Due to the two optical corrections, the pixel display 7b showing the narrow pixel 6b in the region 5b of the outer substrate 5 becomes apparently the same as the pixel display 7a showing the normal pixel 6a in the region 5a of the outer substrate 5. As a result, the joining portion between the small liquid crystal panels 2 and the vicinity thereof become inconspicuous, and a high-quality screen can be obtained. Further, according to the present embodiment, since the configuration is relatively simple, the number of components is reduced, and the manufacture becomes easy. Therefore, the liquid crystal display device can be manufactured at low cost.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, when joining a plurality of liquid crystal panels to increase the screen size, it is possible to prevent the joints from being conspicuous and thereby to achieve high-quality display quality. In addition, since the configuration is simplified and the number of parts is reduced and the manufacturing is easy, the manufacturing can be performed at low cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of the liquid crystal display device.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view showing a main configuration of the liquid crystal display device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Large liquid crystal panel 2 ... Small liquid crystal panel 2a ... Normal pixel area 2b ... Narrow pixel area 2c ... Non-lighting area 2d ... Junction 3 ... First spacer 4 ... Optical correction lens 5 ... Outer substrate 6a ... Normal pixel 6b ... Narrow pixel 7: Condensing lens 8: Second spacer 9: Backlight unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G09F 9/00 336 G09F 9/40 301 9/40 301 G02F 1/1335 530 F-term (Reference) 2H048 BA02 BB02 BB07 BB08 BB14 BB42 2H089 HA33 QA12 QA13 QA16 TA16 TA18 2H091 FA26X FA41Z FD12 LA12 LA16 5C094 AA14 BA43 DA01 5G435 AA01 BB12 BB15 EE01 EE11 EE25 KK02

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A liquid crystal display device comprising a plurality of liquid crystal panels joined to each other at a side end thereof, wherein said liquid crystal panel is joined to a first pixel arranged in a matrix and adjacent to said liquid crystal panel. A second pixel smaller in size than the first pixel arranged near a junction with another liquid crystal panel to be formed, an optical correction lens for enlarging and projecting the second pixel, and light incident on the second pixel And a condensing lens for condensing light. 2. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the optical correction lens enlarges and projects the second pixel to substantially the same size as the first pixel. 3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the condensing lens collects light incident from a light source and impinges the light on the second pixel. 4. The liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, further comprising: an outer substrate on which the first and second pixels are projected while being stacked and disposed with a predetermined gap from the liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal display device as described in the above. 5. The liquid crystal panel according to claim 4, further comprising a light-transmitting first spacer in a gap corresponding to the first pixel among gaps between the liquid crystal panel and the outer substrate. Liquid crystal display device. 6. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 3, further comprising a backlight unit as the light source. 7. The liquid crystal panel and the backlight unit are disposed with a predetermined gap, and further include a second spacer having a light transmitting property in a gap corresponding to the first pixel. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 6, wherein