JP2008083644A - Display device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a display device which can provide a light emission mode of rich three-dimensional/depth effects and high grade, and exhibits high decoration effects. <P>SOLUTION: The display device is constituted by disposing behind a microlens array, an organic EL element which emits light in a predetermined parallax shape. The predetermined parallax shape in which the organic EL element emits light is observed through the microlens array, so that a desired shape is stereoscopically and sharply viewed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a display device that displays a desired shape (characters, numbers, etc.) by light emission. The display device of the present invention is used, for example, for vehicle decoration (for example, automobile scuff plate part decoration, vehicle interior ceiling decoration) and building decoration (for example, house nameplate decoration, house or building ceiling decoration).

  2. Description of the Related Art A scuff plate device for automobiles that has a decorative effect by displaying characters or the like in a light-emitting manner has been put into practical use. An example of a conventional transmissive light-emitting scuff plate apparatus 100 is shown in FIG. In the scuff plate device 100, a dial plate 101 (for example, an aluminum plate) in which a desired character or the like is punched is stacked on the light guide plate 102. White printing is applied to the back surface of the light guide plate 102. A light source 103 is disposed at a position facing the end face of the light guide plate 102. In such a scuff plate apparatus 100, when the light source 103 is turned on, light is introduced into the light guide plate 102 through the end face of the light guide plate 102. The introduced light is reflected on the back side of the light guide plate 102, thereby generating light in the upper surface direction of the light guide plate 102. As a result, light is emitted from the upper surface of the light guide plate 102. The emitted light reaches the dial plate 101, and a part thereof is extracted to the outside through a punched portion formed on the dial plate 101. With the above operation, a predetermined character or the like is lit and displayed. In addition to the above-described configuration, display devices with various ideas have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3).

JP 2002-279817 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-221661 JP 2006-062431 A

  In the conventional scuff plate device described above, a certain decoration effect can be obtained by emitting and displaying characters and the like. However, the decoration effect cannot be said to be sufficiently high because of the planar lighting. Moreover, it lacks luxury. Although it is possible to achieve a certain amount of stereoscopic effect by increasing the thickness of the dial, the limit is that a stereoscopic effect equivalent to the thickness of the dial can be obtained. Moreover, the light emission image obtained by making a dial thick is only a thing with a simple three-dimensional effect. Thus, a dramatic improvement in the decoration effect cannot be expected by thickening the dial. Further, since the thickness of the dial is directly linked to the thickness of the entire apparatus, there is a limit to increasing the thickness of the dial due to restrictions on the design of the apparatus.

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a display device having the following configuration. That is, the present invention
A microlens array; and an organic EL element that is disposed behind the microlens array and emits a predetermined parallax shape;
It is a display apparatus provided with.

  With the above configuration, when the organic EL element is in a light emitting state, a predetermined parallax shape emits light from the light emitting surface of the organic EL element (other areas do not emit light). Then, the parallax shape emitted from the organic EL element is observed through the microlens array, whereby the desired shape is visually recognized in a three-dimensional and clear state. In this way, a light emission mode rich in three-dimensionality and depth and rich in luxury is obtained, and a high decorative effect is exhibited. According to the present invention, spatial expansion can also be produced. Therefore, for example, when used for decoration such as a vehicle interior ceiling or a ceiling in a building, it is possible to give a sense of depth to the space or produce an open feeling.

(Micro lens array)
The display device of the present invention performs stereoscopic display using a microlens array. That is, in the present invention, the principle of microlens stereoscopic vision is used. In the micro lens system, a micro lens array in which fine convex lenses are regularly arranged on one side is used. In the microlens array method, stereoscopic vision using a moire phenomenon that occurs between a microlens and a parallax image (stereoscopic image) can be obtained in addition to binocular parallax. The microlens array method does not choose the viewing direction, and there are few unpleasant flickering phenomena. In the microlens array method, a display in which a predetermined shape appears to float (looks forward), the opposite display (looks sinking to the back), or a combination thereof can be arbitrarily set. In the present invention, it is preferable to set the display so as to sink into the back, or a display in which a display that sinks into the back and a display that appears to float are mixed. This is to give a high three-dimensional feeling or depth. In the latter case, a stereoscopic effect can be obtained by mixing two different display modes, and the stereoscopic effect and the unexpectedness are improved.
The material of the microlens array is not particularly limited. For example, a microlens array can be produced by molding a transparent resin (for example, polystyrene, polyacrylate, polycarbonate, polysyncycloolefin) or glass. An example of the configuration and manufacturing method of the microlens array is disclosed in International Publication No. 95/09372.

(Organic EL device)
An organic EL (electroluminescence) element is provided behind the microlens array (that is, opposite to the lens surface). By using the organic EL element, the thickness can be reduced and the power consumption can be reduced. The basic structure of an organic EL element is one in which an EL layer (typically including a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, and an electron transport layer) is formed between a transparent electrode (anode) and a back electrode (cathode). (See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-124391) However, the present invention is not limited to those having such a structure, and organic EL elements having various structures can be applied to the present invention (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. -102166, JP 2001-332389 A, JP 2004-111158 A, JP 2005-353504 A).

  In the present invention, the organic EL element emits light of a predetermined parallax shape. As a result, the parallax shape emits light behind each convex lens constituting the microlens array, and when the microlens array is viewed, the predetermined shape appears to sink to the back (or float up). A shape set to perform such light-emitting display with a stereoscopic effect is a “parallax shape”. The shape to be lit is the desired character (any hiragana, katakana, kanji, alphabet, etc.), numbers (arithmetic numbers, kanji numbers), symbols (mathematical symbols, map symbols, etc.), figures (circles, triangles, squares, etc.) ) Or any combination thereof (hereinafter collectively referred to as “characters”).

  An example of the configuration of the organic EL element in the present invention includes an EL layer formed in a shape corresponding to a parallax shape to emit light. In the organic EL element, light emission corresponding to the shape of the EL layer can be obtained. The EL layer can be formed by, for example, screen printing or ink jet printing.

On the light emitting surface of the organic EL element, the organic EL element that emits the parallax shape can also be obtained by shielding a portion other than the region corresponding to the parallax shape with an opaque material. The organic EL element of the said structure can be obtained by performing screen printing, ink jet printing, etc. using the ink which consists of an opaque material on a light emitting surface. The organic EL element of the said structure can be obtained also by sticking the translucent sheet | seat or the film etc. which were printed with the translucent material to the light emission surface.
On the other hand, an organic EL element configured to emit light in a color different from the surrounding color by performing color printing or color film pasting on the light emitting surface may be used in the present invention.

  An organic EL element that emits light having a predetermined parallax shape can also be configured using an insulating layer. That is, in the present invention, an organic EL element provided with an insulating layer having a predetermined shape between an anode (transparent electrode) and a cathode (back electrode) may be used. The formation position of the insulating layer is not particularly limited. For example, the insulating layer can be formed between the anode and the EL layer or between the EL layer and the cathode. The insulating layer partially blocks the voltage applied between both electrodes. Thus, the region where the insulating layer is formed becomes a non-light emitting region, and the region where the insulating layer is not formed becomes a light emitting region. For example, the insulating layer can be formed by a series of processes including application to the electrode surface, pattern exposure, and development using a photosensitive resin (such as an azide resin, a diazo resin, or an unsaturated polyester resin). .

(Sheet-like member)
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a sheet-like member is provided. The sheet-like member is disposed in front of the microlens array so as to cover the microlens array. The sheet-like member is formed with a transmission region having a predetermined shape. When such a sheet-like member is used, a predetermined shape that is emitted and displayed by the microlens array and the organic EL element can be seen through the transmission region of the sheet-like member. As a result, two shapes (the shape of the transmissive region of the sheet-like member and the shape of the light-emitting display) are observed at different distances, and a high stereoscopic effect or a sense of depth is obtained.
For example, a metal plate having a punched portion having a desired shape, a translucent plate or a transparent film in which a transmissive region having a desired shape is formed by printing an opaque material can be used as the sheet-like member.

(Half mirror layer)
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a half mirror layer is provided in front of the microlens array (that is, on the viewer side). In such a configuration, when the display device is in a non-display state (such as when the external illuminance is high during the daytime or the like), the observation surface side of the display device has a metallic tone due to the half mirror action. As a result, a unique design property by the metal color is imparted while preventing a decrease in design property due to the inside being observed in the non-display state. On the other hand, when the display device is in a display state, a light emission image having a desired shape is observed through the half mirror layer. Thus, when shifting from the non-display state to the display state, the color tone / texture on the observation surface side changes abruptly and a desired shape appears at the same time. As a result, unexpectedness can be produced.

  The half mirror layer can be formed using a metal layer (Al, Ag, Au, etc.) having a predetermined thickness, for example. Alternatively, it can be formed by sequentially laminating a metal layer and a protective layer made of a light-transmitting resin or the like. An example of a method for forming such a half mirror layer will be described. First, a metal layer made of an Al thin film is formed. The thickness of the metal layer is such that a half mirror effect can be obtained. For example, the metal layer can have a thickness such that the light transmittance is about 15-20%. Subsequently, a transparent resin such as an epoxy resin is formed on the metal layer by printing, coating or the like to form a protective layer. The configuration of the half mirror layer and the forming method are not limited to this, and any known one can be employed. An ink layer can also be provided on the surface of the protective layer or between the metal layer and the protective layer. The ink layer can be formed, for example, by printing, coating, or the like with a color ink such as yellow.

  A display device 1 which is an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 is a perspective view of the display device 1, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. Hereinafter, the configuration and display mode of the display device 1 will be described with reference to these drawings. The display device 1 is used for decoration of a scuff plate portion of an automobile.

In the display device 1, an organic EL element 10 is used as a light emitting means. As shown in FIG. 2, the organic EL element 10 is disposed at the bottom of the cover 60, and the microlens array 20 is placed on the organic EL element 10. A dial 30 is disposed on the microlens array 20 with a space. The space between the microlens array 20 and the dial 30 is not essential. However, a certain distance is provided between the microlens array 20 and the dial 30 by this space, and a more three-dimensional display is possible.
A half mirror film 40 is attached to the upper surface of the dial 30. A protective plate 50 is placed on the half mirror film 40. As described above, in the display device 1, the EL element 10, the microlens array 20, the dial plate 30, the half mirror film 40, and the protection plate 50 are arranged in this order toward the observation surface (upper side in the drawing). . In addition, the planar view shape of each member, such as the organic EL element 10 and the microlens array 20, is a rectangle having substantially the same shape.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the organic EL element 10 has a structure in which a back electrode (cathode) layer 11, a dielectric layer 12, an EL layer 13, and a transparent electrode (anode) layer 14 are sequentially laminated. Protective layers 15 and 16 made of a translucent film are provided under the back electrode layer 11 and the transparent electrode layer 14, respectively. The EL layer 13 is formed in a predetermined shape. As a result, when current is passed through the wiring 61, light corresponding to the shape of the EL layer 13 is emitted from the light emitting surface (upper surface) of the organic EL element 10. As a result, the desired shape emits light. In this embodiment, the EL layer 13 is configured so as to generate a light-emitting image in which the regularly arranged Maru V characters appear to sink when viewed through the microlens array 20. The EL layer 13 having such a desired shape can be formed by inkjet printing or screen printing. The light emission color of the organic EL element 10 is arbitrary. For example, the organic EL element 10 that emits blue light is used.

  When the vehicle is mounted, electric power is supplied to the organic EL element 10 via a harness. In addition, a power supply control circuit (not shown) is connected to the organic EL element 10, and the organic EL element 10 receives light emission control in conjunction with, for example, a vehicle width lamp.

The microlens array 20 has a structure in which fine hemispherical lenses are regularly arranged on the upper surface side (FIG. 4). The microlens array 20 can be manufactured by a known method (for example, see International Publication No. 95/09372). Hereinafter, an example of a method for manufacturing the microlens array 20 will be described. First, a sheet-like base material 21 made of a transparent resin is prepared. Next, a resin material that repels the lens-forming resin material is applied to, or printed on, a region where no lens is formed on the lens-forming surface of the base material 21 to form partition lines. Subsequently, a lens-forming resin material is applied, printed, or the like. As a result, the marking line repels the lens-forming resin, and the lens-forming resin material rises in a convex shape within the region surrounded by the marking line. In this state, curing is performed to obtain a microlens array 20 in which fine lenses 22 are regularly arranged. As materials for the base material 21 and the lens 22, various optical resins, glass, and the like can be used. The microlens array 20 obtained by this method includes a base material 21 and a lens 22 formed thereon. However, a microlens array in which a base material and a lens are integrally molded can also be used.
The shape of each lens constituting the microlens array 20 is not particularly limited as long as it enables desired stereoscopic viewing. For example, the microlens array 20 may be configured by lenses having a shape smaller than a hemisphere obtained by cutting a sphere in a plane.

  The dial 30 is made of stainless steel (SUS) and includes a punched portion (through hole 31) having a desired shape. In this example, a through hole 31 having a LEX character is formed. The material of the dial plate 30 is not particularly limited, and the dial plate 30 may be formed of various metals other than stainless steel (for example, Al) or resin.

  The half mirror film 40 affixed on the upper surface of the dial 30 includes a metal layer made of an Al material. The protective plate 50 placed on the half mirror film 40 is made of polycarbonate resin. The protection plate 50 is provided for the purpose of protecting the half mirror film 40, and preventing dust and water. The upper surface edge of the protection plate 50 is connected to the cover 60 without a gap by a sealing material so that a good dustproof and prevention effect can be obtained.

  The cover 60 is made of stainless steel (SUS) and has a thickness of about 0.5 mm. A rectangular opening is formed on one side of the cover 60 leaving an edge. In the display device 1, the light-emitting character is displayed through the opening. While the cover 60 functions as a protective member, it is an important element constituting the design of the display device 1. In this embodiment, the material of the cover 60 is stainless as described above so as to match the metallic color tone and texture of the half mirror film 40.

A display mode of the display device 1 configured as described above will be described. First, when the external illuminance is high, such as in the daytime, the display device 1 is in a non-display state (the organic EL element 10 is in a non-light emitting state). At this time, the viewing surface side of the display device 1 (excluding the cover 60 portion) exhibits a metallic color tone and texture by the action of the half mirror film 40. On the other hand, when the organic EL element 10 is energized in conjunction with the lighting of the vehicle width lamp when the external illuminance is low, such as at night, the organic EL element 10 emits light in a predetermined shape. . By observing this through the microlens array 20, it is displayed in the through-hole 31 part (LEX character) of the dial 30 in a state where the Maru V character 23 emitting blue light clearly sinks to the back. In this way, the character (Mull V) is displayed in a clear state in the character (LEX), and since these two types of characters are observed with different senses of distance, it is rich in three-dimensionality, depth, and luxury. It becomes a light emission mode that overflows and gives unexpectedness.
Therefore, the display device 1 uses the microlens stereoscopic principle and suppresses the occurrence of an unpleasant flickering phenomenon. As a result, the light emission mode is excellent in decorativeness and high-quality, regardless of the viewing angle. On the other hand, the change in the appearance of the Maru V character 23 when the viewing angle is changed is not the same as the change in the appearance of the LEX character, but is specific to stereoscopic vision. As a result, it is possible to give an impression as if the Maru V character 23 is moving inside the display device 1.
Furthermore, in the display device 1, due to the action of the half mirror film 40, characters suddenly appear when the display device 1 shifts to the display state. Thereby, the unexpectedness at the moment of shifting to the display state can also be produced.

  As described above, although the display device 1 is thin, the display device 1 is rich in three-dimensionality and depth, overflowing with a high-class feeling, and also has a unique light emitting aspect that produces unexpectedness, and has high decoration. Effect. On the other hand, if the display device 1 is used, it is possible to produce not only a decorative effect but also a spatial spread by the light emission mode rich in stereoscopic effect and depth.

The organic EL element 10 used in the above embodiments emits light in a desired shape by including the EL layer 13 formed in a predetermined shape. Other examples of organic EL elements that can be employed in this embodiment are shown in FIGS. In these drawings, the same members as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals for convenience of explanation.
The organic EL element 70 of FIG. 6 includes a printed layer 71 on the protective layer 16. The print layer 71 is formed in a predetermined pattern by printing with black ink, and blocks a part of light emitted from the upper surface of the protective layer 16. The organic EL element 70 emits light in a desired shape by the action of the printing layer 71. In the organic EL element 70, the back electrode layer 11, the dielectric layer 12, the EL layer 13a, and the transparent electrode layer 14 all have the same shape (rectangular shape) in plan view.

  The organic EL element 72 in FIG. 7 includes an insulating layer 73 between the EL layer 13 a and the transparent electrode layer 14. This insulating layer 73 partially blocks the voltage applied between both electrodes. Accordingly, the region where the insulating layer 73 is formed becomes a non-light emitting region, and the region where the insulating layer 73 is not formed becomes a light emitting region. The organic EL element 72 emits light in a desired shape by including an insulating layer 73 formed in a predetermined shape.

  On the other hand, the example from which the structure of a dial differs is shown in FIG. The dial plate 32 in this example is made of an acrylic resin, and an Al-based material is deposited on a part of the back surface (character region 33). In the display device 2 using the dial 32, metal-like LEX characters are observed in the display state, and a circle V character 23 that emits blue light so that it appears to sink to the back is observed. Is done.

  Although the application example of the present invention has been described above, the display device of the present invention is not limited to the scuff part, but decorations of various parts of the automobile (for example, a center cluster part, a steering wheel, a back garnish part, a door part, a pillar part, etc. This can also be applied to the display of the logo mark. Further, the present invention can be applied not only to automobiles but also to decorations such as display plates in various vehicles, and decorations such as display plates used in the interior or exterior of buildings (houses, buildings, etc.). Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to decorating a ceiling in a vehicle interior or building. In such a usage mode, in addition to the decorative effect, it is possible to give a sense of depth to the space or produce a feeling of openness. As described above, the present invention can be used as a means of space production.

The present invention is not limited to the description of the embodiments and examples of the invention described above. Various modifications may be included in the present invention as long as those skilled in the art can easily conceive without departing from the description of the scope of claims.
The contents of papers, published patent gazettes, patent gazettes, and the like specified in this specification are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

The perspective view of the Example (display apparatus 1) of this invention. Sectional drawing of the Example (display apparatus 1) of this invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a configuration of an organic EL element 10 used in the display device 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a configuration of a microlens array 20 used in the display device 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing a display mode of the display device 1. Sectional drawing which shows an example of a structure of an organic EL element. Sectional drawing which similarly shows an example of a structure of an organic EL element. The perspective view which shows typically the display mode of the Example (display apparatus 2) of this invention. The perspective view which shows the conventional scuff plate apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 2, Display apparatus 10, 70, 72 Organic EL element 11 Back electrode layer 12 Dielectric layer 13 EL layer 14 Transparent electrode layers 15 and 16 Protective layer 20 Microlens array 23 Characters 30 and 32 displayed three-dimensionally 31, 33 Character area 40 Half mirror film 50 Protection plate 60 Cover 71 Print layer 72 Insulation layer

Claims (6)

A microlens array; and an organic EL element that is disposed behind the microlens array and emits a predetermined parallax shape;
A display device comprising:   The display device according to claim 1, wherein the organic EL element includes an EL layer formed in a shape corresponding to the parallax shape.   The display device according to claim 1, wherein a portion other than a region corresponding to the parallax shape is shielded by a light-impermeable material on a light emitting surface of the organic EL element.   The display device according to claim 1, wherein the organic EL element includes an insulating layer having a predetermined shape that partially blocks a voltage applied between both electrodes.   The display device according to claim 1, further comprising a sheet-like member having a transmission region having a predetermined shape and disposed in front of the microlens array.   The display device according to claim 1, further comprising a half mirror layer disposed in front of the microlens array.

Images