JP2011039559A - Display apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a display apparatus capable of suppressing the occurrence of brightness irregularity in the display apparatus having a display region formed into a specialized shape. <P>SOLUTION: In the display apparatus, respective signal lines connected with the respective pixels along a pixel group of a plurality of pixels juxtaposed in one direction among the respective pixels arranged in a matrix are formed, wherein the signal lines have different lengths in the display region, area of substantial region of the respective pixels that make the signal lines having smaller length in common is larger than the area of the substantial region of the respective pixels that make the signal lines having larger length in common. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a display device.

  For example, in a display area of a liquid crystal display device or the like, a large number of pixels are arranged in a matrix. For example, a pixel group of pixels arranged in parallel in the x direction is sequentially selected, and an image is displayed on each pixel of the selected pixel group. Since it is configured to supply a signal, a gate signal line for selecting each pixel group and a drain signal line for supplying a video signal are provided.

In this case, when the display area is rectangular, the length of each gate signal line and the length of each drain signal line are equal, and the display luminance unevenness caused by, for example, voltage drop of the signal line is countered. Was also relatively easy.
As such measures, those described in the following Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2 are known.

JP-A-6-67191 JP-A-8-76136

However, when a display device having the above-described configuration is used for amusement, there are cases where it is necessary to make a special shape in the display area, for example, in order to apply it to various uses. is there.
In this case, if the display area has a special shape, the length of each gate signal line and the length of each drain signal line will be different, and the resulting luminance unevenness will be inappropriate for display. Will occur as much as possible.

For this reason, as the display area has a special shape, a measure for suppressing the occurrence of luminance unevenness has become necessary.
Here, Patent Documents 1 and 2 are based on the premise that the display area has a rectangular shape, and cannot be directly applied to the present invention in which the display area has a special shape.
The present invention has been made based on such circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a display device in which the display area has a special shape and the occurrence of uneven brightness is suppressed.

  Of the inventions disclosed in this application, the outline of typical ones will be briefly described as follows.

(1)
In the display device according to the present invention, for example, each signal line connected to each pixel is formed along a pixel group composed of a plurality of pixels arranged in one direction among the pixels arranged in a matrix. These signal lines have different lengths and different widths,
A signal line having a small width is characterized in that the length thereof is shorter than that of a signal line having a large width.

(2)
The display device according to the present invention is, for example, on the premise of the configuration (1), and is characterized in that the separation distances of the substantial regions of the pixels arranged with the signal lines interposed therebetween are formed equally.

(3)
In the display device according to the present invention, for example, each signal line connected to each pixel is formed along a pixel group composed of a plurality of pixels arranged in one direction among the pixels arranged in a matrix. ,
These signal lines are connected to the bumps of the drive circuit through a converging portion with a narrower separation distance in the vicinity of the drive circuit that supplies a signal to the signal line,
These signal lines have different lengths and different widths,
A signal line with a small width has a relationship that its length is shorter than that of a signal line with a large width,
In addition, the signal line having a small width is configured such that the width of the signal line is further reduced in the convergent portion.

(4)
In the display device according to the present invention, for example, signal lines common to each pixel are formed along a pixel group of a plurality of pixels arranged in parallel in one direction among the pixels arranged in a matrix.
These signal lines are connected to the bumps of the drive circuit through a converging portion with a narrower separation distance in the vicinity of the drive circuit that supplies a signal to the signal line,
These signal lines have different lengths and different widths,
A signal line with a small width has a relationship that its length is shorter than that of a signal line with a large width,
In addition, the signal line having a large width is configured to be connected to another conductive layer having a different layer in at least two places in the traveling direction of the signal line at the convergence portion.

(5)
In the display device according to the present invention, for example, each signal line connected to each pixel is formed along a pixel group of a plurality of pixels arranged in parallel in one direction among the pixels arranged in a matrix. These signal lines have different lengths,
The area of the substantial region of each pixel that shares a signal line with a small length is configured to be larger than the area of the substantial region of each pixel that shares a signal line with a large length.

(6)
The display device according to the present invention is premised on the configuration of any one of (1) to (5), and a pixel is supplied with a thin film transistor that is turned on by supply of a scanning signal, and a video signal is supplied from a drain signal line through the thin film transistor. The signal line is a drain signal line.

(7)
The display device according to the present invention is premised on the structure of any one of (1) to (5), and a pixel is supplied with a thin film transistor which is turned on by supply of a scanning signal from a gate signal line, and a video signal is supplied through this thin film transistor. The signal line is a gate signal line.

(8)
The display device according to the present invention is premised on the configuration of any one of (1) to (5), and the pixel includes a thin film transistor that is turned on by supply of a scanning signal from a gate signal line, and a drain signal line through the thin film transistor. The pixel line is supplied with a video signal, and the signal lines are a gate signal line and a drain signal line.
In addition, this invention is not limited to the above structure, A various change is possible in the range which does not deviate from the technical idea of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a display device according to the present invention and an explanatory view showing drain signal lines. 1 is a plan view illustrating an embodiment of a display device to which the present invention is applied, and an equivalent circuit diagram of a pixel. It is the top view which shows the other Example of the display apparatus by this invention, and explanatory drawing which shows the structure in the convergence part of a drain signal line. It is the top view which shows the other Example of the display apparatus by this invention, and explanatory drawing which shows the structure in the convergence part of a drain signal line. It is the top view which shows the other Example of the display apparatus with which this invention is applied, and the block diagram of a pixel.

Embodiments of a display device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2A is a plan view showing an embodiment of the display device according to the present invention. Further, the display device shown in the figure is a liquid crystal display device and is used for amusement.
That is, the liquid crystal display AR of the liquid crystal display device is usually rectangular, but in this embodiment, for example, a rectangle is formed from the middle part of one of the long sides to the length of the other. It consists of one shape when it is divided into two over one corner of the side, and has a shape similar to a trapezoid.

  In other words, the liquid crystal display AR of the liquid crystal display device of the present embodiment includes a rectangular portion display area ARtr and a triangular portion display area ARtr which is one side of two sides that intersect one side of the rectangular portion display area ARrc at a right angle. It has a combined shape.

  For this reason, the transparent substrates SUB1 and SUB2 that are arranged to face each other with the liquid crystal interposed therebetween have substantially the same shape as the liquid crystal display portion AR. Note that the transparent substrates SUB1 and SUB2 are also rectangular, and the same applies to the case where only the liquid crystal display unit AR has the shape described above.

  The transparent substrate SUB2 is configured to be slightly smaller than the transparent substrate SUB1, and the transparent substrate SUB1 is exposed from the transparent substrate SUB2 at each of the sides orthogonal to each other. This is because the semiconductor device CH (V) composed of a scanning drive circuit and the semiconductor device CH (He) composed of a video drive circuit are mounted on this portion.

  A sealing material SL is formed around the liquid crystal side surface of the transparent substrate SUB2, and the transparent substrate SUB2 is fixed to the transparent substrate SUB1 by the sealing material SL. The sealing material SL also has a function for enclosing a liquid crystal interposed between the transparent substrates SUB1 and SUB2.

  On the liquid crystal side surface of the transparent substrate SUB1, gate signal lines GL extending in the x direction are juxtaposed in the y direction, and drain signal lines DL extending in the y direction are juxtaposed in the x direction. The gate signal line GL and the drain signal line DL are insulated from each other. For example, the drain signal line DL is formed on the upper surface of an insulating film formed with the gate signal line GL as a lower layer.

  A rectangular region surrounded by the gate signal line GL and the drain signal line DL is formed as a pixel region. As shown in the equivalent circuit of FIG. 2B, the gate signal line is formed in the pixel region. A thin film transistor TFT which is turned on by a scanning signal from GL, a pixel electrode PX to which a video signal is supplied from the drain signal line DL via the thin film transistor TFT, and each gate signal line GL sandwiching the pixel electrode PX and the pixel The capacitor element Cadd is formed between the gate signal line GL that is not connected to the thin film transistor TFT.

  The pixel electrode PX functions to generate an electric field with a counter electrode (not shown) formed on the liquid crystal side surface of the transparent substrate SUB2, for example, and the capacitive element Cadd is a video signal supplied to the pixel electrode PX. Is designed to function for a relatively long period of time.

  The gate signal lines GL extend beyond the seal material SL, and the gate signal lines GL grouped together adjacent to each other have a convergent portion CNV so as to reduce the distance between them, and are scanned. It is connected to a terminal connected to a bump of the semiconductor device CH (V) made of a circuit.

  The reason why the converged portion CNV is provided in the gate signal line GL is that the distance between adjacent bumps of the semiconductor device CH (V) is smaller than the width of the pixel determined by the distance between the adjacent gate signal lines GL. .

  The drain signal lines DL extend beyond the seal material SL, and the drain signal lines DL grouped together adjacent to each other have a convergent portion CNV so as to reduce the distance between them, and drive the video. It is connected to a terminal connected to a bump of a semiconductor device CH (He) made of a circuit.

  The reason why the drain signal line DL has the convergent portion CNV is that the distance between adjacent bumps of the semiconductor device CH (He) is smaller than the width of the pixel determined by the distance between the adjacent drain signal lines DL. .

  As will be apparent from the above description, the length of each gate signal line GL increases from the upper stage to the lower stage, and the length of each drain signal line DL is equal from the left side to the right side until the middle. However, after that, it is made smaller in order.

The liquid crystal display AR is not rectangular, but is a combination of a rectangular display area ARrc and a triangular display area ARtr that is one of two sides that intersect one side of the rectangular display area ARrc at a right angle. Because it is.
For this reason, it is inevitable that a difference in luminance distribution occurs due to a difference in signal voltage drop due to a difference in signal line length, and measures described below are taken.

  FIG. 1A is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 2A. When compared with FIG. 2A, the gate signal line GL and the semiconductor device CH (V) connected to the gate signal line GL are illustrated. Is omitted. This is because the configuration of the present invention is clearly described in relation to the drain signal line DL.

  That is, FIG. 1B shows the drain signal line DL in the rectangular display area ARrc of the liquid crystal display area AR and the pixel PIX formed on both sides of the drain signal line DL, and FIG. 1C shows the liquid crystal display area ARrc. A drain signal line DL in the triangular display area ARtr of the display area AR and a pixel PIX formed on both sides of the drain signal line DL are shown.

  First, the line width of the drain signal line DL in the rectangular display area ARrc is thick, and the line width of the drain signal line DL in the triangular display area ARtr is narrow. In this case, the line widths of the drain signal lines DL in the rectangular portion display area ARrc are formed to be equal since the lengths of the drain signal lines DL are equal, and the line of the drain signal lines DL in the triangular portion display area ARtr is formed. The width is formed to be different depending on the length, that is, it is thick when it is long, and thin when it is short.

  In addition, the separation distance between the pixels PIX arranged adjacent to each other with the drain signal line DL therebetween is set to be equal in each of the rectangular portion display area ARrc and the triangular portion display area ARtr. Therefore, the separation distance between adjacent pixels PIX is determined in the rectangular display area ARrc, and the change in the width of the drain signal line DL in the triangular display area ARtr is made within the range of the separation distance. Only.

  The area of the pixel PIX indicates a substantial area as a pixel, for example, an area opened by a light shielding film such as a black matrix, that is, an area through which light is transmitted as pixel information.

  The display device configured as described above has a wide line width corresponding to the length of the drain signal line DL, and the drain signal line DL has the same voltage drop rate per unit length. ing. For this reason, it is possible to avoid uneven luminance distribution in the liquid crystal display unit AR.

  In the above description, the drain signal line DL is shown. However, the gate signal line GL can be configured in the same manner, and needless to say, this may be done.

  The same applies to the drain signal line DL and the gate signal line GL. However, when the lengths of the adjacent signal lines change uniformly in sequence, the line width may be changed according to the change. Needless to say, a configuration may be adopted in which a plurality of adjacent ones are grouped, the line widths are equal in the group, and the line widths sequentially change in the adjacent groups.

FIG. 3A is a plan view showing another embodiment of the display device according to the present invention and corresponds to FIG.
In the configuration shown in FIG. 3A, the configuration shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C is applied as it is. That is, the drain signal line DL is formed with a reduced line width as the length becomes shorter.

  However, when the line width of the drain signal line DL is reduced, if the line width is reduced over the entire drain signal line DL, disconnection is likely to occur. Therefore, a certain limit is imposed on the line width over the entire drain signal line DL. Given this, an attempt is made to narrow the line width which is not sufficient in the converging portion CNV of the drain signal line DL.

  FIG. 3B shows the converging portion CNV of the drain signal line DL in the rectangular display area ARrc of the liquid crystal display area AR, and FIG. 3C shows the drain signal line in the triangular display area ARtr of the liquid crystal display area AR. The convergence part CNV of DL is shown.

  First, the line width of the drain signal line DL in the rectangular portion display area ARrc is thick, and the thickness is maintained as it is in the convergent portion CNV. In addition, the line width of the drain signal line DL in the triangular portion display area ARtr is narrower than the line width of the drain signal line DL in the rectangular portion ARrc. The narrowness is formed more narrowly when reaching the convergent portion CNV, and reaches the terminal to be connected to the bumps of the semiconductor device CH (He).

This terminal has the same size as other terminals so as to be connected to each bump of the semiconductor device CH (He).
The display device configured as described above can ensure its purpose when the unevenness of the luminance distribution cannot be sufficiently corrected in the configuration shown in FIG.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing another embodiment of the display device according to the present invention and corresponds to FIG.
In the configuration shown in FIG. 4A, the configurations shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C are applied as they are. That is, the drain signal line DL is formed with a reduced line width as the length becomes shorter.

  However, in the configuration shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, the distance between adjacent pixels (substantially pixel regions) is the line width of the drain signal line having the largest line width among the drain signal lines DL, That is, as described above, it is determined by the line width of the drain signal line DL in the rectangular portion display area ARrc.

  For this reason, if a measure is taken to reduce the resistance of the drain signal line DL in the rectangular display area ARrc, the adjacent distance of the pixels can be reduced not only in the rectangular display area ARrc but also in the triangular display area ARtr. High definition can be achieved.

  FIG. 4D is a diagram showing a cross section of a portion along the traveling direction of the drain signal line DL in the convergent portion CNV of the drain signal line DL in the rectangular portion display area ARrc. An insulating film GI is formed under the drain signal line DL, and a conductive film CDL (GL) formed along the running direction of the drain signal line DL is formed under the insulating film GI. For example, the film CDL (GL) has a configuration in which both ends thereof are connected to the drain signal line DL through through holes formed in the insulating film GI. The conductive film CDL (GL) is formed, for example, so as to be in the same layer as the gate signal line GL. For example, by forming the conductive film CDL (GL) simultaneously with the formation of the gate signal line GL, The number of manufacturing steps can be reduced.

  4D and 4E, an insulating film INS is formed above the drain signal line DL. For example, the insulating film INS serves as a protective film that prevents the thin film transistor TFT having one electrode connected to the drain signal line DL from coming into direct contact with the liquid crystal.

  By configuring in this way, the drain signal line DL can reduce its electrical resistance, so that its line width can be made smaller than in the case of FIG. For this reason, it is possible to reduce the distance between the pixels arranged with the drain signal line DL therebetween.

  FIG. 4E is a diagram showing a cross section of a portion along the traveling direction of the drain signal line DL in the convergent portion CNV of the drain signal line DL in the triangular portion display area ARtr. Unlike the case of FIG. 4D, there is no conductive film corresponding to the conductive film CDL (GL).

  In the drain signal line DL in the triangular portion display area ARtr, there is little demand for reducing the electrical resistance, and the line width is narrowed within the range of the separation distance of each pixel set in the rectangular portion display area ARrc. This is because it can be configured.

  As shown in FIG. 4C, each drain signal line DL in the triangular portion display area ARtr is grouped into a plurality of drain signal lines DL adjacent to each other in the direction in which the length is shortened. The line width of the drain signal line DL is changed. This shows one aspect, and as shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, the line width may be changed for each drain signal line DL without grouping. Of course.

FIG. 5A is a plan view showing another embodiment of the display device according to the present invention, and corresponds to FIG.
However, unlike the case of FIG. 1A, the line width of the drain signal line DL is also configured to be the same in the rectangular portion display area ARrc and the triangular portion display area ARtr.

  The substantial area of each pixel is formed small in the rectangular display area ARrc and large in the triangular display area ARtr. Here, the substantial area of the pixel is an area through which light can be transmitted, for example, an area corresponding to an opening in a light shielding film such as a black matrix.

The size of the substantial area of each pixel in the triangular portion ARtr is increased as the length of the drain signal line DL connected to the pixel (via the thin film transistor TFT) becomes shorter. Of course, in this case, a plurality of adjacent drain signal lines DL are grouped in the direction in which the length of the drain signal line DL is shortened, and the size of the substantial region of the pixel is changed for each group. Needless to say, it may be.
That is, in this embodiment, display luminance unevenness caused by the difference in the length of the drain signal line DL is corrected with the size of the substantial area of the pixel.

  For this reason, in this embodiment, the line width of the drain signal line DL has been described on the premise that the rectangular display area ARrc and the triangular display area ARtr are the same. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the configuration shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, that is, the drain signal line DL has its line width reduced as its length becomes shorter. Needless to say, the present embodiment may be applied on the premise of the formed structure.

  In this case, it can be formed so as to reduce the respective gradients of the change in the line width of the drain signal line DL and the change in the size of the substantial region of the pixel.

  In the above-described embodiments, the liquid crystal display area AR has been described as having a substantially trapezoidal shape, but it is needless to say that the shape is not necessarily limited to such a shape. This is because the special shape can be applied when the length of each drain signal line DL is different.

  In the embodiment described above, the configuration of the drain signal line DL and the pixel connected to the drain signal line DL (via the thin film transistor TFT) is described. However, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the gate signal line GL and the pixel configuration selected by the gate signal line GL (by operating the thin film transistor TFT).

  In the above-described embodiments, the liquid crystal display device has been described. Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to other display devices such as an organic EL display device. For example, an organic EL display device has a light emitting layer in a pixel and differs from a liquid crystal display device in that light is emitted by passing a current through the light emitting layer, but a gate signal line for selecting a pixel is selected. This is because it is the same in providing a drain signal line for supplying a video signal to each pixel and has the above-described problems.

  Each of the embodiments described above may be used alone or in combination. This is because the effects of the respective embodiments can be achieved independently or synergistically.

SUB ... Transparent substrate, GL ... Gate signal line, DL ... Drain signal line, TFT ... Thin film transistor, PX ... Pixel electrode, CNV ... Converged part, AR ... Liquid crystal display area, ARrc ... Rectangular part display Area, ARtr... Triangle portion display area, CH (V)... Semiconductor device, CH (He)... Semiconductor device, CDL (GL).

Claims (4)

Each signal line connected to each pixel is formed along a pixel group of a plurality of pixels arranged in parallel in one direction among the pixels arranged in a matrix, and these signal lines are formed in the display area. Have different lengths,
The area of the substantial region of each pixel sharing the signal line having a small length is configured to be larger than the area of the substantial region of each pixel sharing the signal line having a large length. Display device.   The pixel includes a thin film transistor that is turned on when a scanning signal is supplied, and a pixel electrode that is supplied with a video signal from a drain signal line through the thin film transistor, and the signal line is the drain signal line. The display device according to claim 1.   The pixel includes a thin film transistor that is turned on when a scanning signal is supplied from a gate signal line, and a pixel electrode to which a video signal is supplied through the thin film transistor, and the signal line is the gate signal line. The display device according to claim 1.   The pixel includes a thin film transistor that is turned on by supply of a scanning signal from a gate signal line, and a pixel electrode to which a video signal is supplied from a drain signal line via the thin film transistor, and the signal line includes the gate signal line and the gate signal line The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is a drain signal line.

Images