JP2006134234A - Electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic apparatus that eliminates the risk of water or other intrusion into a housing of the electronic apparatus from about a display device and can be retrofitted with a display adapted to a purpose owing to easy display mounting on the housing. <P>SOLUTION: The electronic apparatus 1 has the display device D for displaying various information to a user on the surface of the housing 1a. The display device D comprises an information medium 100 having an RFID tag 110 and a display part 72 for displaying information input into the RFID tag 110, and a communication part 180 for communicating with the RFID tag 110 in a non-contact manner. The information medium 100 and the communication part 180 are arranged on or about the surface of the housing 1a and in the housing 1a, respectively. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus that includes a display device that displays various types of information for a user on a housing surface.

In various electronic devices, as a user interface, a display device that displays various types of information such as operation procedures and warning information to the user is provided on the housing of the electronic device. As the display device, for example, a liquid crystal display device, an LED (Light Emitting Diode), or the like is used.
Such a display device is attached so as to be embedded in an opening provided in the housing so as to be integrally disposed on the surface of the housing of the electronic device. And it connects to the control board 50 accommodated in the inside of a housing | casing from the back surface side (inside housing | casing side) of a display apparatus via a cable.
For example, in an electronic device used at the water's edge, waterproofing measures are taken so that water or the like does not enter the housing from the opening in which the display device is embedded. Also, even in electronic equipment that is not used at the water's edge, it is common to take measures against drip because there is a risk that water etc. may enter the housing from the opening depending on the usage form of the user, It has not yet been fully protected against drip.
JP 2004-157240 A

In a conventional waterproof / drip-proof technique for an electronic device, water or the like is prevented from entering a housing by using a structure in which the outer periphery of the opening is covered with a sheet in the opening in which the display device is embedded.
However, since the housing of the electronic device is made of a plastic resin (plastic) such as phenol resin, the housing is easily deformed and completely prevents intrusion of water or the like from the opening into the housing. It is difficult.
Also, even if waterproof / drip-proof measures are not required, it is necessary to provide an opening in the housing, fit the display device into this opening, and connect the display device and the control board with a cable. There is a problem that the manufacturing work tends to be complicated.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and there is no risk of intrusion of water or the like from the periphery of the display device into the housing of the electronic device, and the display device can be easily attached to the housing. The purpose is to propose an electronic device that can be retrofitted with a display tailored to the above.

The electronic device according to the present invention employs the following means in order to solve the above problems.
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus in which a display device for displaying various information to a user is provided on a surface of a housing, the display device having an RFID tag and information having a display unit for displaying information input to the RFID tag. In addition to a medium and a communication unit that performs non-contact communication with the RFID tag, the information medium is disposed on or near the surface of the housing, and the communication unit is disposed inside the housing.
According to the present invention, since it is not necessary to provide an opening for attaching the display device to the casing of the electronic device in the casing, the waterproof / drip-proof property can be improved.

By using an electrophoretic display device as the display unit, an information medium can be formed flexibly and integrally.
In addition, when the information medium having the display unit is flexible and is attached in close contact with the housing, the degree of freedom of attachment to the housing is increased and the information medium is attached to a predetermined position. Since it becomes possible to select freely within the range, the design property is also improved. It is also possible to set the position of the information medium according to the user's preference.
In addition, by storing information such as the manufacturing number and model of the electronic device in the RFID tag, it is possible to utilize the information for maintenance of the electronic device even when the electronic device is not operating using an external reader / writer. Become.

Hereinafter, an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, taking an inkjet printer with a scanner as an example.
1 to 3 are perspective views showing the appearance of an inkjet printer with a scanner.
An inkjet printer with a scanner (hereinafter referred to as an SPC multifunction apparatus 1) includes a scanner function that reads an image from a document and generates image data, and a printer function that prints on a print medium based on print data sent from a host computer. A scanner / printer / copier combined apparatus having a local copy function for copying an image read from a document by printing it on a print medium.
As shown in FIG. 1, the SPC multifunction apparatus 1 includes a scanner unit 10 for reading an image from a document 5 at an upper portion thereof, and a printer unit 30 for printing on a sheet 7 at a lower portion thereof. Yes. An operation panel unit 70 is provided on the front surface of the apparatus 1.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the scanner unit 10 includes a document table 12 provided with a glass plate on which a document 5 is set, and a document table cover 14 that covers the document table 12 from above. The document table cover 14 is rotatably attached to the rear end portion of the apparatus 1 and is provided so as to open and close the upper surface of the document table 12.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the printer unit 30 is configured such that the inside of the printer unit 30 is opened to the outside through the opening 81 by lifting the scanner unit 10 upward. That is, the scanner unit 10 is rotatably mounted on the rear portion of the apparatus 1 via the hinge unit 41, and the opening unit 81 leading to the inside of the printer unit 30 is formed by lifting the scanner unit 10 upward. Opened.
Inside the printer unit 30, a carriage 36 on which an ink cartridge is mounted is disposed. By opening the inside of the printer unit 30 in this way, it is possible to easily perform maintenance work such as replacement of an ink cartridge, error handling such as a paper jam, and the like through the opening 81.

In addition, the printer unit 30 includes a paper feeding unit 32 on which paper 7 is set as a print medium and sequentially supplies the paper 7 on the back of the device 1, and printed paper is printed on the front of the device 1. 7 is provided. The paper feed unit 32 includes a paper feed tray 82, and holds cut paper (not shown) in the paper feed tray 82.
In addition, the paper discharge unit 34 includes a paper discharge tray 83 and can receive the printed paper 7 and close the paper discharge port when not in use. The medium set in the paper feed unit 32 may be not only single-sheet print paper such as cut paper but also continuous print paper such as roll paper. The paper feed unit 32 corresponds to these media. A structure may be provided.

FIG. 4 shows the operation panel unit 70 of the SPC multifunction apparatus 1.
The operation panel unit 70 is provided with a display 72 as a display unit and a plurality of operation buttons 76 around it. The display 72 displays various information such as setting items, setting states, and operation states.

Of the operation panel unit 70, the display 72 is pasted on the operation panel unit 70. That is, the display 72 is a member integrally formed as a flexible label 100, and the operation panel unit 70 and the display 72 are installed in a cableless manner. In other words, the display 72 is not formed by providing an opening in the casing 1 a or the operation panel unit 70 of the SPC multifunction apparatus 1 and fitting in the opening. Therefore, when the display 72 is peeled off, only the casing 1a or the operation panel unit 70 of the SPC multifunction apparatus 1 is exposed, and the inside of the casing 1a is not exposed.
A reader / writer 180 that can communicate with the label 100 in a contactless manner is disposed in the vicinity of the display 72 inside the housing 1 a of the SPC multifunction apparatus 1. That is, the display 72 and the reader / writer 180 can communicate in a non-contact manner with an electromagnetic wave having a predetermined frequency.
The reader / writer 180 is connected to a control board 50 that controls the operation of the SPC multifunction apparatus 1 via a cable.

FIG. 5 is a plan sectional view showing the label 100. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of the display 72 (EPD 140).
The label 100 includes an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) 110 and a display 72. The RFID 110 is a so-called IC tag, and exchanges information by communicating with the above-described reader / writer 180 in a contactless manner.
As shown in FIG. 5, the RFID 110 includes an IC chip 120 and an antenna 130. The IC chip 120 includes an arithmetic processing unit 121, a storage unit 122, and a transmission / reception unit 123 in the IC chip 120, and further includes a power supply unit 124 that supplies power to the IC chip 120. And based on the instruction | command from the arithmetic processing part 121, while storing the information obtained via the transmission / reception part 123 in the memory | storage part 122, the desired character, number, or symbol regarding the information is displayed on the display 72 (EPD140) mentioned later. Send and display the information.
The antenna 130 is used for input / output and transmission / reception (communication) of information between the RFID 110 and a reader / writer 180 described later. The antenna 130 is connected to the transmission / reception unit 123 of the IC chip 120 of the RFID 110 so that input / output signals can be transmitted and received in a contactless manner between the reader / writer 180 and the RFID 110.

The display 72 includes an electrophoretic display device (hereinafter referred to as EPD 140).
As shown in FIG. 6, the EPD 140 is formed by laminating an electrode film 211d, an electrophoretic display layer 211c, an electrode film 211b, and a surface protective layer 211a that protects the display portion on a plastic base material 200 having flexibility. It is configured. The surface protective layer 211a can be omitted.

The electrode film 211b is formed by forming an electrode on a transparent plastic film having excellent dimensional stability such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), and polyimide. The electrode film 211d is also formed by forming a similar base electrode, but transparency is not necessarily required. The electrode film 211b and the electrode film 211d are electrically connected by the vertically moving electrode 211f.
The electrode film 211b serves as a common electrode to which the same potential is applied over the entire surface, while the active film electrode or segment electrode is formed on the electrode film 211d as a drive electrode.

The microcapsule 211 forming the electrophoretic display layer 211c has a composite shell of gum arabic / gelatin, urethane resin, urea resin, urea resin or the like as a capsule shell. The capsule shell can be prepared by an interfacial polymerization method, in-situ method. Known microencapsulation techniques such as a polymerization method, a phase separation method, an interfacial precipitation method, and a spray drying method can be employed. Electrophoretic particles and a dispersion medium are enclosed inside.
As the migrating particles, organic or inorganic particles (polymer or colloid) are used. For example, black pigments such as aniline black and carbon black, white pigments such as titanium dioxide, zinc white, and antimony trioxide, azo pigments such as monoazo, diisazone, and polyazo, isoindolinone, yellow lead, yellow iron oxide, and cadmium yellow Yellow pigments such as titanium yellow and antimony, azo pigments such as monoazo, disazo and polyazo, red pigments such as quinacridone red and chrome vermillion, phthalocyanine blue, indanthrene blue, anthraquinone dyes, bitumen, ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, etc. One or two or more of blue pigments, green pigments such as phthalocyanine green, and the like can be used. Dispersion medium is colorless or dyed water, alcohol solvents such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, butanol, octanol, methyl cellosolve, various esters such as ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone Such as ketones, aliphatic hydrocarbons such as pentane, hexane and octane, alicyclic hydrocarbons such as cyclohexane and methylcyclohexane, benzene, toluene, xylene, hexylbenzene, hebutylbenzene, octylbenzene and nonyl Aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzenes having a long chain alkyl group such as benzene, decylbenzene, undecylbenzene, dodecylbenzene, tridecylbenzene, tetradecylbenzene, methylene chloride, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, 1,2-di Halogenated hydrocarbons such as Roroetan, can be used by blending a surfactant or the like alone or a mixture thereof such as carboxylic acid salts, or various other oils.

  In electrophoresis, the electrophoretic particles are charged positively or negatively in advance, and the dispersion medium and the electrophoretic particles are colored different from each other. For example, when titanium oxide, which is white particles, is positively charged and carbon black, which is black particles, is negatively charged, an electric field is applied to the two electrode films 211b and 211d so that the electrode film 211b is a negative electrode and an electrode film. When 211d becomes a positive electrode, positively charged white particles are drawn to the electrode film 211b side, and black particles are drawn to the electrode film 211d side. Therefore, by setting the electrode film 211b as a transparent electrode, the electrode film 211b side When observed from above, the portion appears white. Conversely, when the electrode film 211b is a positive electrode and the electrode film 211d is a negative electrode, positively charged white particles are drawn to the electrode film 211d side, and black particles are drawn to the electrode film 211b side. When observed from above the electrode film 211b, the portion looks black.

Since the EPD 140 has a large number of the above-described microcapsules 211, by controlling the electric field of each address electrode of the electrode films 211b and 211d, a desired character, number, or symbol is displayed with white and black pixels. It is possible.
Note that when the microcapsule 211 is driven by an active matrix driving method, the electrode film 211d is independently patterned for each pixel as a pixel electrode, and includes a thin film transistor, a signal electrode, and a scanning electrode (not shown), and the electrode film 211b. Is a transparent common electrode uniformly formed on a light-transmitting substrate. In this case, if the electrode film 211b is a common electrode, the entire surface has the same potential (for example, the potential is set to zero). Therefore, by controlling the electric field of each address electrode on the electrode film 211d side (giving a positive or negative potential) Based on the principle described above, particles in the microcapsule 211 at the electrode position can be moved to display a desired image. Similarly, by using the electrode film 211d as a common electrode and controlling the electric field of each address electrode on the electrode film 211b side, the particles in the microcapsule 211 at the electrode position are moved to display a desired image. Also good.
In the case of time-division driving, the electrode films 211b and 211d are composed of transparent electrodes made of transparent conductors such as line-shaped ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) that are orthogonal to each other, and microelectrodes are formed in the region where both electrodes intersect. A capsule 211 is placed.
The driving method is not limited to the above-described one, and an optimal one may be selected according to the application. Further, various diameters of the microcapsule 211 can be adopted.
Such an EPD 140 has a memory property for storing a display image. Specifically, the image of the EPD 140 is held only by applying a voltage once between the electrode films 211b and 211d, and a display image remains in a state where no voltage is applied. Accordingly, it has a characteristic that an image once displayed is retained even when the power is turned off, and low power consumption can be realized.

In the EPD 140, a voltage is applied to the electrophoretic display layer 211c by using a thin film transistor. Such a thin film transistor is formed on the plastic substrate 200 by a peeling transfer technique such as SUFTLA (Surface Free Technology by Laser Ablation, registered trademark). Specifically, for example, a low-temperature polysilicon TFT having excellent heat resistance and transparency, for example, is formed in advance on a glass substrate, and then a predetermined thin film transistor is peeled off by laser irradiation, and the thin film transistor is formed on the plastic substrate 200. It is formed by transferring. By using such a technique, a thin film transistor that has hitherto been formed only on a hard and heat-resistant substrate such as a glass substrate, such as a plastic whose heat resistance is inferior to that of a glass substrate. It becomes possible to transfer and form the plate.
Accordingly, it is possible to easily form a thin film transistor on the plastic base material 200 having flexibility, and it is possible to realize the RFID 110 having the EPD 140 and having flexibility.

The RFID 110 (IC chip 120, antenna 130) and EPD 140 described above are held by being sandwiched by a flexible cover film together with the wiring electrodes. Further, the label 100 is configured by being held between a plurality of transparent protective films and the like.
As the protective film, colored or colorless and transparent plastics such as polyvinyl carbonate (PVC), heat-resistant PVC, amorphous polyester resin (PET-G), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and the like can be used. Printing may be performed on the protective film. You may provide functions, such as antireflection, moisture prevention, and scratch resistance, to a protective film.

  And the label 100 is affixed on the surface of the housing | casing 1a of the SPC compound apparatus 1 mentioned above so that it cannot peel easily. Note that even if the surface shape of the housing 1a is a curved surface, the label 100 is flexible, so that the label 100 is attached in close contact.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the SPC multifunction apparatus 1 and shows the arrangement of the label 100 and the reader / writer 180.
The reader / writer 180 that inputs / outputs predetermined information to / from the RFID 110 of the label 100 in a contactless manner is connected to the control board 50 disposed in the housing 1a of the SPC multifunction apparatus 1 via a cable.
The reader / writer 180 includes an antenna or the like. The antenna electromagnetically transmits and receives input / output signals to / from the RFID 110. That is, when various types of information are input / output from / to the reader / writer 180 from the control board 50, the information is transmitted / received to / from the RFID 110 from the antenna.

  The reader / writer 180 described above is installed in the housing 1a near the position where the RFID 110 is attached to the surface. For example, as a communication frequency, a 4.92 GHz band (contact type), a 13.56 MHz band (proximity type), or the like can be used. The installation position of the label 100 or the reader / writer 180 can be changed within a range in which the RFID 110 of the label 100 and the reader / writer 180 can communicate with each other. Further, for example, by using a frequency of 125 kHz or less (neighboring type), the label 100 and the reader / writer 180 can be separated from each other by about 1 m. It can be pasted at an arbitrary place 1a.

As described above, according to the SPC multifunction apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the display 72 that displays various types of information to the user is formed as the label 100 having the RFID 110, so that communication with the reader / writer 180 is possible. If there is, it can be placed at any location. Therefore, since the design with a uniform arrangement position of the display 72 can be changed according to the user's preference, the commercial value is improved. For example, it is possible to arrange (paste) the display 72 in a place with good visibility according to the usage mode of the SPC multifunction apparatus 1.
Since the display 72 and the control device inside the housing 1a are connected in a cableless (wireless) manner, an opening for embedding the display 72 or through a wire or the like is provided in the housing 1a. This eliminates the necessity for improving the waterproof and drip-proof performance of the SPC composite apparatus 1.
Moreover, since the label 100 having the display 72 is only attached to the housing 1a, the assemblability can be greatly improved. Even when a problem occurs in the display 72, since the label 100 is simply replaced, the maintainability is greatly improved.

  It is also possible to input and store the unique information of the SPC multifunction apparatus 1 in the RFID 110 of the label 100. Information such as the production number, production date, and model is input in advance, and the information is read by the reader / writer 180 or a dedicated external reader / writer. Furthermore, it is possible to write maintenance history information after maintenance.

  Although the case where the display 72 is the label 100 having the RFID 110 has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and the entire operation panel unit 70 can be formed by the label 100 having the RFID 110. That is, a plurality of operation buttons 76 can also be formed on the label 100. In this case, the waterproof and drip-proof performance of the SPC composite apparatus 1 can be further improved.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the SPC composite apparatus 1 is used as an electronic device has been described. In these electronic devices, waterproof and drip-proof performance can be further improved by labeling a display that displays simple characters, symbols, figures, and numbers.

  For example, in the case of a POS register or the like, it is possible to provide two labels (displays) for one reader / writer, one serving as a customer display and the other serving as an operator display. Then, the same content information may be displayed on the customer display and the operator display, or different content information may be displayed. In this manner, the display can be arbitrarily increased or decreased. In that case, the label can be placed at an optimum position that is easy to see because the place where the label is placed is free as long as it is within the operation range of the reader / writer.

1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of an SPC multifunction apparatus 1. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of an SPC multifunction apparatus 1. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of an SPC multifunction apparatus 1. FIG. It is a figure which shows the operation panel part 70 of the SPC multifunction apparatus 1. FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view showing a label 100. FIG. It is sectional drawing of the display 72 (EPD140). 2 is a cross-sectional view of the SPC multifunction apparatus 1. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... SPC compound apparatus (electronic device), 1a ... Case, 50 ... Control board, 70 ... Operation panel part, 72 ... Display (display part), 100 ... Label (information medium), 110 ... RFID (RFID tag), 140 ... EPD (electrophoretic display device), 180 ... reader / writer (communication unit), D ... display device

Claims (4)

In an electronic device provided with a display device on the surface of the housing for displaying various information to the user,
The display device includes an RFID tag and an information medium having a display unit that displays information input to the RFID tag, and a communication unit that performs non-contact communication with the RFID tag.
The electronic apparatus is characterized in that the information medium is disposed on or near the surface of the housing, and the communication unit is disposed inside the housing.   The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit includes an electrophoretic display device.   The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information medium has flexibility and is stuck to the casing. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the RFID tag stores information related to the electronic device.

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