JP2010175889A - Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve image quality by suppressing incidence of unintended light on an electro-optical device. <P>SOLUTION: The electro-optical device (1) includes an electro-optical panel (100) performing electro-optical operation in a pixel area (10a) and a dust-proof board (210) stuck at least to the light incident side of the electro-optical panel. In plane view on the dust-proof board, the dust-proof board has grooves (211) at least on part of a peripheral area located on the periphery of the pixel area. One wall surface (211a) configuring the groove is inclined from a light incident direction and a metal film (212) is formed on the one wall surface. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technical field of an electro-optical device such as a liquid crystal device and an electronic apparatus including the electro-optical device such as a liquid crystal projector.

  When a liquid crystal panel, which is an example of this type of electro-optical device, is used as a light valve in a liquid crystal projector, if dust or dust (hereinafter referred to as “dust” as appropriate) adheres to the surface of the light valve, Since the dust image is also projected, the image quality may be deteriorated. For this reason, a dust-proof glass plate is often provided on the outer surface of the substrate constituting the liquid crystal panel (see Patent Document 1).

  Also, in this type of apparatus, in order to prevent unintended light leakage, a parting pattern is often provided on the dust-proof glass plate.

JP-A-9-113906

  However, according to the background art described above, for example, light incident obliquely with respect to the parting pattern is reflected by the parting pattern, re-reflected by another member such as a case housing the electro-optical device, and the like again. There is a possibility of entering the optical device. Then, for example, display unevenness or the like occurs, and there is a technical problem that image quality may be deteriorated.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, for example. An electro-optical device that can suppress unintentional light re-incident on the electro-optical device and improve image quality, and an electronic device including the same. It is an object to provide a device.

  In order to solve the above problems, an electro-optical device of the present invention includes an electro-optical panel that performs an electro-optical operation in a pixel region, and at least a dust-proof substrate that is bonded to a light incident side surface of the electro-optical panel. The dust-proof substrate has a groove portion in at least a part of a peripheral region located in the periphery of the pixel region when viewed in plan on the dust-proof substrate, and one wall surface constituting the groove portion is It is inclined with respect to the light incident direction, and a metal film is formed on the one wall surface.

  According to the electro-optical device of the present invention, for example, an electro-optical panel such as a liquid crystal panel performs an electro-optical operation such as a display operation in a pixel region on the electro-optical panel when driven. Here, the “pixel area” does not mean an area of individual pixels, but means an entire area in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a plane, and is typically an “image display area” or “display area”. Is equivalent to.

  For example, a dustproof substrate such as a glass substrate is bonded to at least the light incident surface of the electro-optical panel. When viewed in plan on the dust-proof substrate, the dust-proof substrate has a groove in at least a part of the peripheral region located around the pixel region. The groove is preferably formed so as to surround the pixel region from the peripheral edge side.

  One wall surface constituting the groove portion is inclined with respect to the light incident direction. In addition, a metal film such as chromium or aluminum is formed on one wall surface. The one wall surface typically reflects light incident on the one wall surface on the opposite side to the pixel region (that is, the outer edge side of the dust-proof substrate) when viewed in plan on the dust-proof substrate. Tilt to do.

  According to the research of the present inventor, for example, in a parting pattern as a planar pattern provided on a dustproof substrate, for example, light incident obliquely to the parting pattern is reflected by the parting pattern, There is a possibility that the light is re-reflected by the member and enters the pixel region of the electro-optical panel again. Then, it has been found that, for example, display unevenness or the like occurs and the image quality deteriorates.

  However, in the present invention, one wall surface constituting the groove portion is inclined with respect to the light incident direction, and a metal film is formed on the one wall surface. For this reason, if the metal film functions as at least part of the parting pattern, light reflected by the metal film can be prevented from entering the pixel region again. As a result, for example, the occurrence of display unevenness can be suppressed and the image quality can be improved.

  In one aspect of the electro-optical device of the present invention, the electro-optical device further includes a frame that has an opening corresponding to the pixel region, and surrounds the electro-optical panel and the dust-proof substrate from a peripheral side, and the dust-proof of the frame The surface facing the side surface of the substrate for use is at least partially subjected to antireflection treatment.

  According to this aspect, for example, the frame functioning as a mounting case for mounting the electro-optical panel on the electronic device has the opening corresponding to the pixel region, and the electro-optical panel and the dust-proof substrate from the peripheral side. Siege.

  The inner surface of the frame facing the side surface of the dustproof substrate is at least partially subjected to antireflection treatment. Here, the “antireflection process” means a process of reducing the degree (for example, reflectivity) of light reflected by the inner surface facing the side surface of the dustproof substrate of the frame more or less. As the antireflection treatment, for example, a method of painting the inner surface of the frame black, or applying Kepler treatment or ceramic treatment to the inner surface of the frame can be employed.

  According to this aspect, the light reflected by the metal film formed on the one wall surface constituting the groove portion of the dustproof substrate can be prevented from being reflected again by the inner surface of the frame.

  In another aspect of the electro-optical device of the present invention, the groove portion is formed on a side of the dust-proof substrate facing the electro-optical panel.

  According to this aspect, for example, in the manufacturing process of the electro-optical device, the groove portion of the dust-proof substrate can be prevented from being damaged, which is very advantageous in practice. In addition, when the electro-optical panel and the dust-proof substrate are stored in the frame, an adhesive surface between the frame and the dust-proof substrate can be secured.

  In order to solve the above problems, an electronic apparatus according to the present invention includes the above-described electro-optical device according to the present invention.

  According to the electronic apparatus of the present invention, since the above-described electro-optical device of the present invention is provided, a projection display device, a mobile phone, an electronic notebook, a word processor, and a viewfinder type capable of performing high-quality display. Alternatively, various electronic devices such as a monitor direct-view video tape recorder, a workstation, a videophone, a POS terminal, and a touch panel can be realized.

  In addition, as an electronic apparatus of the present invention, for example, an electrophoretic device such as electronic paper, an electron emission device (Field Emission Display and Conduction Electron-Emitter Display), a display device using these electrophoretic devices and an electron emission device are realized. Is also possible.

  The effect | action and other gain of this invention are clarified from the form for implementing demonstrated below.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an overall configuration of a liquid crystal device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is the sectional view on the AA 'line of FIG. It is the top view which looked at the TFT array board | substrate of the liquid crystal panel which concerns on embodiment of this invention from the side of the opposing board | substrate with each component formed on it. It is the HH 'sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is the top view which looked at the dust-proof glass which concerns on embodiment of this invention from the upper surface side. It is an expanded sectional view which expands and shows a part of FIG. It is a top view which shows the structure of the projector as an example of the electronic device to which the liquid crystal device which concerns on embodiment of this invention is applied.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of an electro-optical device and an electronic apparatus according to the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, the scales are different for each layer and each member so that each layer and each member can be recognized on the drawing. In the following embodiments, as an example of an electro-optical device, a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) active matrix driving type liquid crystal device with a built-in driving circuit is cited.

<Liquid crystal device>
First, the overall configuration of the liquid crystal device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the liquid crystal device according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA ′ of FIG.

  1 and 2, the liquid crystal device 1 includes a liquid crystal panel 100, dust-proof glasses 210 and 220, a frame 310, and a wiring board 320. Here, the “liquid crystal panel 100” and the “dustproof glass 210 and 220” according to the present embodiment are examples of the “electro-optical panel” and the “dustproof substrate” according to the present invention, respectively.

  Here, the configuration of the liquid crystal panel 100 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the TFT array substrate of the liquid crystal panel according to the present embodiment, as viewed from the side of the counter substrate together with the components formed thereon, and FIG. 4 is a plan view of FIG. It is a HH 'line sectional view.

  3 and 4, in the liquid crystal panel 100, the TFT array substrate 10 and the counter substrate 20 are arranged to face each other. The TFT array substrate 10 is made of a substrate such as a quartz substrate, a glass substrate, or a silicon substrate, and the counter substrate 20 is made of a substrate such as a quartz substrate or a glass substrate. A liquid crystal layer 50 is sealed between the TFT array substrate 10 and the counter substrate 20, and the TFT array substrate 10 and the counter substrate 20 are surrounded by an image display region 10a as an example of the “pixel region” according to the present invention. They are bonded to each other by a sealing material 52 provided in a sealing region located in the area.

  The sealing material 52 is made of, for example, an ultraviolet curable resin, a thermosetting resin, or an ultraviolet / heat combination type curable resin for bonding the two substrates, and is applied to the TFT array substrate 10 in the manufacturing process, and then irradiated with ultraviolet rays. And cured by heating or the like. In the sealing material 52, a gap material such as glass fiber or glass bead is sprayed for setting the interval (that is, the gap) between the TFT array substrate 10 and the counter substrate 20 to a predetermined value. Note that the gap material may be arranged in the image display region 10a or a peripheral region located around the image display region 10a in addition to or instead of the material mixed in the seal material 52.

  In FIG. 3, a light-shielding frame light-shielding film 53 that defines the image display region 10 a is provided on the counter substrate 20 side in parallel with the inside of the seal region where the sealing material 52 is disposed. However, part or all of the frame light shielding film 53 may be provided as a built-in light shielding film on the TFT array substrate 10 side.

  A data line driving circuit 101 and an external circuit connection terminal 102 are provided along one side of the TFT array substrate 10 in a region located outside the sealing region in which the sealing material 52 is disposed in the peripheral region. The sampling circuit 7 is provided so as to be covered with the frame light shielding film 53 on the inner side of the seal region along the one side. The scanning line driving circuit 104 is provided so as to be covered with the frame light shielding film 53 in the frame area inside the seal area 52a along two sides adjacent to the one side.

  On the TFT array substrate 10, vertical conduction terminals 106 for connecting the two substrates with the vertical conduction material 107 are arranged in regions facing the four corner portions of the counter substrate 20. Thus, electrical conduction can be established between the TFT array substrate 10 and the counter substrate 20. Further, a lead wiring 90 for electrically connecting the external circuit connection terminal 102 to the data line driving circuit 101, the scanning line driving circuit 104, the vertical conduction terminal 106, and the like is formed.

  In FIG. 4, on the TFT array substrate 10, a laminated structure in which pixel switching TFTs as drive elements, wiring lines such as scanning lines and data lines are formed is formed. Although the detailed structure of this laminated structure is not shown in FIG. 4, pixel electrodes 9a made of a transparent material such as ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) are provided on the laminated structure in a predetermined pattern for each pixel. It is formed in an island shape.

  The pixel electrode 9a is formed in the image display region 10a on the TFT array substrate 10 so as to face a counter electrode 21 described later. On the surface of the TFT array substrate 10 facing the liquid crystal layer 50, that is, on the pixel electrode 9a, an alignment film 16 is formed so as to cover the pixel electrode 9a.

  A light shielding film 23 is formed on the surface of the counter substrate 20 facing the TFT array substrate 10. For example, the light shielding film 23 is formed in a lattice shape when viewed in plan on the facing surface of the facing substrate 20. In the counter substrate 20, a non-opening area is defined by the light shielding film 23, and an area partitioned by the light shielding film 23 is an opening area through which light emitted from, for example, a projector lamp or a direct viewing backlight is transmitted. The light shielding film 23 may be formed in a stripe shape, and the non-opening region may be defined by the light shielding film 23 and various components such as data lines provided on the TFT array substrate 10 side.

  On the light shielding film 23, a counter electrode 21 made of a transparent material such as ITO is formed so as to face the plurality of pixel electrodes 9a. In order to perform color display in the image display region 10a on the light shielding film 23, a color filter (not shown in FIG. 4) may be formed in a region including a part of the opening region and the non-opening region. An alignment film 22 is formed on the counter electrode 21 on the counter surface of the counter substrate 20.

  In addition to the data line driving circuit 101, the scanning line driving circuit 104, the sampling circuit 7 and the like on the TFT array substrate 10 shown in FIGS. A precharge circuit that supplies the charge signal prior to the image signal, an inspection circuit for inspecting the quality, defects, etc. of the liquid crystal device 1 during manufacture or at the time of shipment may be formed.

  1 and 2 again, the frame 310 has an opening 311 corresponding to the image display area 10a (see FIG. 3). The frame 310 surrounds the liquid crystal panel 100 and the dustproof glasses 210 and 220 from the peripheral edge side.

  The wiring board 320 is electrically connected to the external circuit connection terminal 102 (see FIG. 3). On the wiring board 320, for example, a plurality of wirings are formed in stripes. The liquid crystal panel 100 is driven by applying a power supply voltage to a part of the plurality of wirings or supplying various signals such as image signals to other parts of the plurality of wirings.

  Each of the dustproof glasses 210 and 220 is provided on the outer surface of the liquid crystal panel 100 (that is, the upper surface of the counter substrate 20 and the lower surface of the TFT array substrate 10 in FIG. 2). In the present embodiment, in particular, the groove 211 is formed in the dust-proof glass 210.

  Next, the dust-proof glass 210 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the dust-proof glass according to the present embodiment as viewed from the upper surface side, and FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of FIG. In FIG. 5, a portion surrounded by dotted lines a and b indicates a groove 211, and a portion surrounded by the dotted line a corresponds to the image display area 10a (see FIG. 3). 5 and 6, detailed members shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 are omitted as appropriate, and only directly related members are shown.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the groove 211 is formed so as to surround the image display region 10 a from the peripheral edge side when viewed in plan on the dust-proof glass 210. As will be described later, a metal film is laminated in the groove 211, and the metal film forms at least a part of the parting pattern.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the groove portion 211 includes an inner wall surface 211b that is a wall surface on the image display region 10a side, an outer wall surface 211a that is a wall surface opposite to the inner wall surface 211b, and a bottom surface 211c. ing. Here, the “outer wall surface 211a” according to the present embodiment is an example of the “one wall surface” according to the present invention.

  On each of the outer wall surface 211a and the bottom surface 211c, a metal film 212 containing, for example, chromium, aluminum or the like is laminated. Such a metal film 212 may be formed by, for example, vapor deposition.

  As shown in FIG. 6, since the outer wall surface 211 a is inclined with respect to the light incident direction, the light incident on the outer wall surface 211 a is reflected toward the inner surface 310 a of the frame 310 by the metal film 212. . Here, the inner surface 310a is subjected to an antireflection treatment such as painting black. For this reason, it is possible to suppress the light reflected by the metal film 212 from being reflected again by the inner surface 310 a and entering the image display region 10 a of the liquid crystal panel 100.

  Thus, in this embodiment, since the outer wall surface 211a is configured to be inclined with respect to the incident direction of light, the reflection direction of light incident on the outer wall surface 211a can be limited. As a result, it is possible to suppress the unintentional incidence of light on the image display area 10a of the liquid crystal panel 100, compared to the case where a planar parting pattern is formed (that is, when the groove 211 is not formed). it can.

  The “inner surface 310a” according to the present embodiment is an example of the “inner surface facing the side surface of the dustproof substrate” according to the present invention. Further, an adhesive not shown here is filled between the frame 310 and the dust-proof glass 210 (and the liquid crystal panel 100 and the dust-proof glass 220).

<Electronic equipment>
Next, a case where the above-described liquid crystal device is applied to a projector which is an example of an electronic device will be described with reference to FIG. The liquid crystal device 1 described above is used as a light valve of a projector. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a configuration example of the projector.

  As shown in FIG. 7, a projector 1100 includes a lamp unit 1102 made of a white light source such as a halogen lamp. The projection light emitted from the lamp unit 1102 is separated into three primary colors of RGB by four mirrors 1106 and two dichroic mirrors 1108 arranged in the light guide 1104, and serves as a light valve corresponding to each primary color. The light enters the liquid crystal panels 1110R, 1110B, and 1110G.

  The configurations of the liquid crystal panels 1110R, 1110B, and 1110G have the same configuration as that of the liquid crystal device 1 described above, and are driven by R, G, and B primary color signals supplied from the image signal processing circuit, respectively. . The light modulated by these liquid crystal panels enters the dichroic prism 1112 from three directions. In this dichroic prism 1112, R and B light is refracted at 90 degrees, while G light travels straight. Accordingly, as a result of the synthesis of the images of the respective colors, a color image is projected onto the screen or the like via the projection lens 1114.

  Here, paying attention to the display images by the liquid crystal panels 1110R, 1110B, and 1110G, the display images by the liquid crystal panels 1110R and 1110B need to be horizontally reversed with respect to the display images by the liquid crystal panel 1110G.

  Since light corresponding to the primary colors R, G, and B is incident on the liquid crystal panels 1110R, 1110B, and 1110G by the dichroic mirror 1108, it is not necessary to provide a color filter.

  In addition to the electronic apparatus described with reference to FIG. 7, a mobile personal computer, a mobile phone, an LCD TV, a viewfinder type or a monitor direct view type video tape recorder, a car navigation device, a pager, and an electronic notebook , Calculators, word processors, workstations, videophones, POS terminals, devices with touch panels, and the like. Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to these various electronic devices.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit or idea of the invention that can be read from the claims and the entire specification, and an electro-optical device with such a change. In addition, an electronic apparatus including the electro-optical device is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Liquid crystal device, 100 ... Liquid crystal panel, 210, 220 ... Dust-proof glass, 211 ... Groove part, 211a ... Outer wall surface, 211b ... Inner wall surface, 211c ... Bottom surface, 212 ... Metal film, 310 ... Frame

Claims (4)

An electro-optic panel that performs an electro-optic operation in the pixel region;
And at least a dust-proof substrate bonded to a light incident side surface of the electro-optical panel,
The dust-proof substrate has a groove in at least a part of a peripheral region located in the periphery of the pixel region when viewed in plan on the dust-proof substrate,
One wall surface constituting the groove is inclined with respect to the incident direction of the light,
An electro-optical device, wherein a metal film is formed on the one wall surface. A frame that has an opening corresponding to the pixel region, and that surrounds the electro-optical panel and the dustproof substrate from a peripheral edge side;
The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the frame that faces the side surface of the dustproof substrate is at least partially subjected to antireflection treatment.   The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the groove is formed on a side of the dust-proof substrate facing the electro-optical panel.   An electronic apparatus comprising the electro-optical device according to claim 1.

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