JP2006286388A - Panel heater - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a panel heater capable of reducing an external size by reducing an electrode width of a part wherein an electrode is arranged while maintaining a size of an area capable of transmitting light entering into a transparent heat generation layer. <P>SOLUTION: This panel heater 1 is provided with a transparent substrate 2, the transparent heat generation layer 3 formed on a surface of the transparent substrate 2, the electrode 5 connected to the transparent heat generation layer 3, and a wire 4 connected to the electrode 5. The electrode 5 is a pair of metallic thin films vapor-deposited on the transparent heat generation layer 3 on confronted two sides of the transparent substrate 2. When the electrode 5 is formed on the transparent substrate 2, the electrode 5 is covered by the transparent heat generation layer 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a panel heater, and more particularly to a panel heater suitably used for obtaining an appropriate display response speed of a liquid crystal display or the like.

  Generally, in a liquid crystal display that is expected to be used even in a low-temperature atmosphere where the display response speed is slow, an appropriate display response speed can be obtained by heating the attached panel heater by energization heating. It is configured to be.

  As an example, the conventional panel heater 101 includes a transparent substrate 102, a transparent heat generating layer 103, a wiring substrate 104 having an electrode 105, and an anisotropic conductive member 106, as shown in FIGS. Here, FIG. 6 shows a plan view of a conventional panel heater, and FIG. 7 shows a DD cross-sectional view of FIG.

  More specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the transparent substrate 102 is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape using a transparent material such as transparent glass or a transparent plastic film. The transparent heat generating layer 103 is made of a transparent and conductive material such as ITO (indium tin oxide), as shown in FIG. It is referred to as “the front surface of the transparent substrate”). The wiring substrate 104 is formed using a flexible plastic film or the like, and is disposed on both ends of the transparent heat generating layer 103. The electrode 105 is formed on a surface of the wiring substrate 104 facing the transparent heat generating layer 103 using a metal material having high conductivity such as copper or silver. The anisotropic conductive member 106 is formed using a material having three functions of adhesion, conduction, and insulation. Specifically, ACF (anisotropic conductive film) or the like formed using conductive particles and an insulating adhesive is used as the anisotropic conductive member 106. As shown in FIG. 7, the anisotropic conductive member 106 has the transparent heat generating layer 103 and the electrode 105 fixed by thermocompression bonding so as to have conductivity only in the direction from the electrode 105 toward the transparent heat generating layer 103. .

  As shown in FIG. 7, the conventional panel heater 101 having the above-described members heats the transparent heat generating layer 103 by current supplied from the electrode 105 to the transparent heat generating layer 103. It is possible to supply the heat. Further, since the transparent substrate 102 and the transparent heat generating layer 103 are formed using a material having transparency, the transparent substrate 102 and the transparent heat generating layer 103 are arranged on the surface opposite to the front surface 102a of the transparent substrate (hereinafter referred to as “the back surface of the transparent substrate”) 102b. It is possible to transmit the reflected light reflected by the reflecting plate disposed on the back surface 102b side of the transparent substrate, the emitted light emitted from the provided light source or the external light incident from the front surface 102a of the transparent substrate. (See Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-23186

  However, in the conventional panel heater 101, in order for a desired current to flow to the transparent heat generating layer 103 through the electrode 105, the insulating adhesive of the anisotropic conductive member 106 is electrically connected between the transparent heat generating layer 103 and the electrode 105. In view of the fact that it does not participate in the conductive layer, as many conductive particles as possible participate in conduction must be interposed between the transparent heat generating layer 103 and the electrode 105 as much as possible. Accordingly, there is a problem that the electrode 105 has to be formed with a certain width.

  In addition, when the transparent heat generating layer 103 and the electrode 105 are thermocompression bonded via the anisotropic conductive member 106, the conductive particles of the anisotropic conductive member 106 tend to collect at the edge of the electrode 105. The conductive particles at the edge of the electrode 105 could not be properly crushed. Therefore, in order to prevent the current supplied from the electrode 105 to the transparent heat generating layer 103 from decreasing, there has been a problem that the width of the electrode 105 has to be larger than the certain width described above.

  Due to the above-described problem, the conventional panel heater 101 has a region (hereinafter referred to as “light transmission region”) DA that can transmit light incident on the transparent heat generating layer 103 as a display region of the image display panel 110. Since it is formed to have the same size, it must be formed larger outside the light transmission area DA by the size of the connection width between the electrode 105 and the transparent heat generating layer 103, There was a problem that the panel heater 101 could not be miniaturized.

  Furthermore, there is a concern that the insulating heat generating layer 103 or the connecting portion between the electrode 105 and the anisotropic conductive member 106 may be peeled off due to external factors such as moisture in the insulating adhesive of the anisotropic conductive member 106. . This problem does not occur at the time of manufacturing the panel heater 101 because the panel heater 101 is often attached to a liquid crystal display used in a low temperature atmosphere containing a lot of moisture in the air. This may occur afterwards due to external factors such as moisture that has intruded during use, and has been one of the causes of reducing the reliability of the liquid crystal display to which the panel heater 101 is attached.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of these points, and the electrode width of the portion where the electrode is disposed is maintained while maintaining the size of the region through which the light incident on the transparent heat generating layer can be transmitted. It is a first object to provide a panel heater that can reduce the outer dimension by reducing the size.

  A second object of the present invention is to provide a panel heater that can maintain the connection strength between the transparent heat generating layer and the electrode even in a low temperature atmosphere containing a large amount of moisture in the air.

  A third object of the present invention is to provide a panel heater that can freely set the order in which the transparent heat generating layer and the electrode are formed.

  The panel heater of the present invention includes a transparent substrate, a transparent heat generating layer formed on the surface of the transparent substrate, an electrode connected to the transparent heat generating layer, and a wiring connected to the electrode.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, the panel heater according to the first aspect of the present invention uses a pair of metal thin films deposited on the transparent heating layer on each of the two opposing sides of the transparent substrate as electrodes. It is characterized by.

  The second aspect of the present invention is that the electrode of the panel heater is a pair of metal thin films deposited on the transparent substrate on each of two opposing sides of the transparent substrate, and is covered with a transparent heating layer. It is a feature.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the panel heater according to the first or second aspect, the wiring is connected to the electrode by soldering.

  The panel heater according to the first aspect of the present invention allows current to flow through the transparent heating layer through the entire electrode width of the electrode connected to the transparent heating layer. As a result, the width of the electrode formed larger than necessary can be reduced, so that the outer dimension of the panel heater is reduced.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the panel heater can be energized and heated even if the transparent heat generating layer is formed on the electrode formed by evaporation on the surface of the transparent substrate. Therefore, there is an effect that the formation order of the transparent heat generating layer and the electrode can be freely set.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, not only the connection surface between the electrode formed on the transparent heat generating layer or the transparent substrate and the transparent heat generating layer but also the connection surface between the electrode and the wiring by soldering. It is possible to prevent peeling due to external factors such as moisture. As a result, the connection strength between the transparent heat generating layer and the electrode is maintained even in a low-temperature atmosphere containing a large amount of moisture in the air.

Hereinafter, the first and second embodiments of the panel heater of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. Here, FIG. 1 shows a plan view of the panel heater of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 shows an AA cross-sectional view of FIG. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the panel heater according to the second embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. And FIG. 5 has shown CC sectional drawing of FIG. In addition, the width of the conventional electrode shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is b, and accordingly, the width of the electrode shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is b / 2. Yes. A detailed description is given in the electrode description below.
(1) First Embodiment A panel heater 1 according to a first embodiment is formed on one surface of a transparent substrate 2 and a transparent substrate 2 having transparency and insulation as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A transparent heat generating layer 3, an electrode 5 connected to the transparent heat generating layer 3, a wiring 4 connected to the electrode 5, and a solder 6 for connecting the electrode 5 and the wiring 4.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the transparent substrate 2 is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape using a transparent and insulating material such as transparent glass or a transparent plastic film.

  The transparent heat generating layer 3 is formed on the front surface (the surface of the transparent substrate 2 facing the image display panel) 2a using a current-carrying heat generating material having transparency and conductivity such as ITO (indium tin oxide). It is formed as a thin film.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the electrode 5 is made of a metal material having a high conductivity such as copper or silver. As shown in FIGS. Is formed. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 6, and 7, the width of the electrode 5 is an electrode used in a conventional panel heater (hereinafter simply referred to as “conventional electrode”). It is formed so as to be b / 2, which is a value ½ times the length b of the width 105.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the wiring 4 has one end of a conductive wire 4a covered with an insulating member 4b formed using an insulating material such as flexible plastic. The exposed portion of the conductive wire 4 a of the wiring 4 is fixed to a part of the electrode 5 with solder 6.

  Next, the operation of the panel heater 1 of the first embodiment will be described.

  The panel heater 1 of the first embodiment generates heat from the transparent heat generating layer 3 by causing the current supplied from the power source to the electrode 5 through the wiring 4 to flow through the electrode 5. It is possible. Here, the electrode 5 of the panel heater 1 of the first embodiment is different from the conventional panel heater 101 in that a metal material having high conductivity is formed on both ends of the transparent heat generating layer 3 by vapor deposition. It is in close contact with the transparent heat generating layer 3, and the current can be supplied to the transparent heat generating layer 3 by the total electrode width of the electrode 5. This makes it possible to reduce the length b of the width of the conventional electrode 105 that has been formed larger than necessary to about half (b / 2). Therefore, in the panel heater 1 of the first embodiment, the contact area of the electrode 5 can be halved compared with the conventional case unless the length of the electrode 5 in the longitudinal direction is changed.

  Further, the wiring 4 of the panel heater 1 of the first embodiment is fixedly connected to a part of the electrode 5 by soldering as shown in FIG. The connection strength of the solder 6 used for this soldering does not decrease even in a low temperature atmosphere containing a lot of moisture in the air. As a result, the panel heater 1 of the first embodiment is not limited to the connection surface between the electrode 5 formed in a thin film on the transparent heat generating layer 3 and the transparent heat generating layer 3, but also the electrode 5 and the wiring 4 by soldering. Also in the connection portion, it is possible to prevent peeling due to external factors such as moisture.

That is, the panel heater 1 of the first embodiment can reduce the outer dimensions of the panel heater 1 by exerting the above-described action. Further, the panel heater 1 can maintain the connection strength between the transparent heat generating layer 3 and the electrode 5 even in a low temperature atmosphere containing a lot of moisture in the air.
(2) Second Embodiment The panel heater 1 according to the second embodiment is formed on one surface side of the transparent substrate 2 having transparency and insulation as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. A transparent heat generating layer 3, an electrode 5 connected to the transparent heat generating layer 3, a wiring 4 connected to the electrode 5, and a solder 6 for connecting the electrode 5 and the wiring 4.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the transparent substrate 2 is formed in the same manner as the transparent substrate 2 of the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the electrode 5 is formed in a thin film shape by vapor deposition on opposite surfaces of the transparent substrate 2 using a metal material having high conductivity such as copper or silver. Yes. The shape of the electrode 5 is formed to be the same shape as the electrode 5 of the first embodiment.

  The transparent heat generating layer 3 is formed in a thin film shape on the front surface 2a of the transparent substrate and the electrode 5 using a current-carrying heat generating material having transparency and conductivity such as ITO (indium tin oxide). In other words, the electrode 5 is disposed between the transparent substrate 2 and the transparent heat generating layer 3. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the transparent heat generating layer 3 has a connection portion 5 a that is not covered with the transparent heat generating layer 3 on a part of the electrode 5.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the wiring 4 is formed so that one end of the conducting wire 4 a covered with an insulating member 4 b such as flexible plastic is exposed. Further, the conductive wire 4 a of the wiring 4 is fixed to the connection portion 5 a of the electrode 5 by soldering using the solder 6.

  Next, the operation of the panel heater 1 of the second embodiment will be described.

  In the panel heater 1 of the second embodiment, the current supplied from the power source to the electrode 5 through the wiring 4 flows to the transparent heat generating layer 3 through the electrode 5, thereby heat from the transparent heat generating layer 3. It is possible to emit. Here, the electrodes 5 of the panel heater 1 according to the second embodiment are formed by vapor deposition on both sides of the transparent substrate and covered with the transparent heat generating layer 3, so that the transparent heat generating layer is different from the conventional panel heater. The current can flow through the transparent heat generating layer 3 through the entire electrode width of the electrode 5 connected to 3. As a result, the width b of the conventional electrode 105 that has been formed larger than necessary can be reduced to about half (b / 2). Therefore, in the panel heater 1 of the second embodiment, the connection width of the electrode 5 can be halved compared to the conventional case without changing the length of the electrode 5 in the longitudinal direction.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the wiring 4 of the panel heater 1 of the second embodiment is fixedly connected to the connection portion 5a of the electrode 5 not covered with the transparent heat generating layer 3 by soldering. . The connection strength of the solder 6 by this soldering does not decrease even in a low temperature atmosphere containing a lot of moisture in the air. As a result, the panel heater 1 of the second embodiment is not only connected to the electrode 5 formed on the transparent substrate 2 by a vapor deposition method and the transparent heat generating layer 3 but also to the electrode 5 and wiring by soldering. It is possible to prevent peeling due to moisture also at the connecting portion with the water 4.

  Unlike the electrode of the panel heater 1 of the first embodiment, the electrode 5 of the panel heater 1 of the second embodiment is closely attached so as to be interposed between the transparent substrate 2 and the transparent heat generating layer 3. It is installed. Therefore, the panel heater 1 according to the second embodiment can perform energization heating even when the transparent heat generating layer 3 is formed on the electrodes 5 formed on both ends of one surface of the transparent substrate 2. . Further, since the electrode 5 is covered with the transparent heat generating film 3, it is possible to prevent deterioration due to external factors such as moisture.

  That is, the panel heater 1 according to the second embodiment can reduce the outer dimensions of the panel heater 1 by exerting the above-described action. Further, the panel heater 1 can maintain the connection strength between the transparent heat generating layer 3 and the electrode 5 even in a low temperature atmosphere containing a lot of moisture in the air. And it becomes possible to set the formation order of the transparent heat generating layer 3 and the electrode 5 freely.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above etc., A various change is possible as needed.

The top view which shows the panel heater of 1st Embodiment AA sectional view of FIG. The top view which shows the panel heater of 2nd Embodiment BB sectional view of FIG. CC sectional view of FIG. Plan view showing an example of a conventional panel heater DD sectional view of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Panel heater 2 Transparent substrate 2a Front surface of transparent substrate 3 Transparent heat generating layer 4 Wiring 5 Electrode 6 Solder 10 Image display panel b Conventional electrode width length DA Light transmission region

Claims (3)

A transparent substrate;
A transparent heating layer formed on the surface of the transparent substrate;
An electrode connected to the transparent heating layer;
A panel heater comprising wiring connected to the electrodes,
The panel heater, wherein the electrodes are a pair of metal thin films deposited on the transparent heat generating layer on each of two opposing sides of the transparent substrate. A transparent substrate;
A transparent heating layer formed on the surface of the transparent substrate;
An electrode connected to the transparent heating layer;
A panel heater comprising wiring connected to the electrodes,
The electrode is a pair of metal thin films deposited on the transparent substrate on each of two opposing sides of the transparent substrate, and is covered with the transparent heat generating layer. The panel heater according to claim 1, wherein the wiring is connected to the electrode by soldering.

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