JP3252766B2 - Display device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle display device for displaying driving information of a vehicle and other various display devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of display device includes, for example,
There is a pointer device disclosed in JP-A-8-189844. In this pointer device, the light guide plate is uniformly adhered along the back surface of the scale plate, and a linear cold cathode tube is arranged at the end of the light guide plate to guide the light of the cold cathode tube. After being introduced into the optical plate from the peripheral wall portion, the light enters the scale plate from the surface.

[0003]

However, in the above pointer device, as described above, since the light of the cold cathode tube is introduced into the light guide plate from the peripheral wall portion, as the distance from the cold cathode tube increases, the light in the light guide plate becomes longer. , The light attenuation rate increases. For this reason, there is a problem that the display luminance of the scale plate decreases as the distance from the cold cathode tube increases.

In order to cope with such a problem, the present invention has devised a structure in which light introduced from a linear illuminant into a light guide plate from a peripheral wall portion thereof enters a display plate.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a display device in which the amount of incident light from the light guide plate to the display plate is made as uniform as possible over the entire display area of the display plate.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display panel, comprising:
A light guide and a light guide plate disposed on the back side of the display panel.
Light from the luminous body is introduced from the peripheral wall of the
A light guide plate that emits light to the
Between the display plate side diffusion plate and the display plate side diffusion plate and the light guide plate.
The light guide plate side diffusion plate provided along the surface of the light guide plate.
There is a display plate side diffusion plate at the outer peripheral portion and inside the outer peripheral portion.
Has a bottom wall forming a void layer between the U-shaped section
And a light guide plate side diffusion plate formed in a shape of a light guide plate.
The side diffusing plate is a light that exits from the surface of the light guide plate at its bottom wall.
Incident on the bottom wall and diffused from the bottom wall.
Emitted into the air gap layer so as to be mutually reflected between the scattering plate,
The display panel-side diffusion plate is interreflected from the backside in the air gap layer.
Incident light is diffused and incident on the display panel .

[0006] Accordingly, light emitted from the surface of the light guide plate
Is diffused by the light guide plate side diffusion plate,
Te Table示板side diffuser plate and between the bottom wall of the light guide plate is uniformly diffused by the inter-reflections, panel similar uniform light amount distribution
Incident on the side diffusion plate. The light incident in this way
More uniformly be diffused incident on the display panel by the display panel side diffusion plate. As a result, even if the light of the illuminant is introduced into the light guide plate from the peripheral wall portion , as described above, the light guide plate side diffusion plate
The display panel and the bottom wall of the light guide plate side diffusion plate
By providing the air gap layer between the side diffuser plate, the luminance over the entire display panel, without causing the unevenness becomes more uniform.

[0007]

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example in which a vehicle pointer device is employed as a display device according to the present invention, and the pointer device is disposed on an instrument panel provided in a vehicle cabin of the vehicle.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the pointer device has a scale plate 10, and the scale plate 10
Is formed by sequentially printing a white diffusion layer 11 and a black layer 12 capable of diffusing and transmitting light on the surface of a transparent resin plate (not shown). The scale plate 10 has two through holes 14.
Are formed on the left and right (see FIGS. 1 and 2). On the surface of the scale plate 10, both substantially circular pattern display sections 15, 1
As shown in FIG. 1, scales 15a, 16a and character portions 15 of these pattern display portions in the region corresponding to both pattern display portions 15, 16 in the black layer 12 as shown in FIG.
It is formed on the left and right by removing portions other than b and 16b.

For this reason, the scale portions 15a and 16a and the character portions 15b and 16b of the two pattern display portions 15 and 16 are provided.
The other part is the color of the light diffusion layer 11 or the color (white) of the diffusion plate 20. Each of the pattern display sections 15, 16
Are positioned concentrically with the left and right through-hole portions 14. An indicator 17 is provided at the center of the scale plate 10 in the horizontal direction in FIG. In the indicator 17, a portion corresponding to each indicator light source (not shown) in a region between the two pattern display portions 15 and 16 in the black layer 12 is formed in a square shape as shown by a broken line in FIG. It is removed and formed as a plurality of openings 17a.

On the back surface of the scale plate 10, portions corresponding to the respective light sources for the indicators are provided with respective character patterns 17b for the indicators (characters P, R, N, D, 3, indicating the shift position of the automatic transmission). 2,
L) are respectively colored. The left-side pattern display unit 15 corresponds to a vehicle speed scale pattern display unit that indicates the vehicle speed of the vehicle. Also, the right pattern display section 16
Corresponds to a rotation speed scale pattern display portion indicating the rotation speed of the engine of the vehicle, and the indicator 17 corresponds to a shift position pattern display portion indicating the shift position of the automatic transmission of the vehicle.

The pointer device includes a diffusion plate 20, which is disposed in close contact with the back surface of the scale plate 10. The diffusion plate 20 diffuses light incident from the rear surface thereof and enters the scale plate 10 from the rear surface as described later. In the present embodiment, the diffusion plate 20
May be, for example, those containing silicon fine particles or glass beads, a milky white resin plate, or a frosted glass plate.
In addition, the thickness of the diffusion plate 20 is set to 1.5 mm, but is not limited thereto. Each of the through holes 2 of the diffusion plate 20
1 (in FIG. 2, one through-hole 21 is shown) is located concentrically with each of the left and right through-holes 14.

The pointer device includes a light guide plate 30 made of a light guide material such as a transparent acrylic resin or a polycarbonate, and the light guide plate 30 has a substantially semicircular arc-shaped left and right cold cathode tube 40 and a cross section. It is housed in a U-shaped holder 50. Here, the light guide plate 30 is uniformly in contact with the bottom wall 51 of the holder 50 via the reflective layer 60 on the back surface 31 by sticking or the like.

Further, the light guide plate 30, at its surface 32,
It is in contact with the rear surface of the through-th prime plate 10 the diffusion plate 20.
A surface 32 of the light guide plate 30 has a pair of recesses 33 (FIG. 2).
, Only one recess 33 is shown), and is formed to open toward the back surface of the scale plate 10, and the bottom wall 33 of each recess 33 is formed.
The inner surface of “a” is substantially parallel to the back surface of the scale plate 10. The bottom wall 33a and the opening surface of each recess 33 coaxially correspond to the left and right pattern display portions 15 and 16 of the scale plate 10, respectively.

Thus, each recess 33 forms a gap layer G between the back surface of the diffusion plate 20 and a portion corresponding to each of the pattern display portions 15 and 16 (FIG. 1). 2). In the present embodiment, the thickness of the gap layer G is 3 mm.
However, it is not necessary to limit to this. Also, the light guide plate 30
Has cylindrical bosses 33b formed at portions of the bottom wall 33a of each recess 33 corresponding to the through holes 14 of the scale plate 10, respectively.
And extends coaxially into the through-hole 21. Thereby, the light introduced into the light guide plate 30 is emitted from the bottom wall 33a of each recess 33 into the gap layer G and the boss 33b
The light is emitted toward the light emitting pointer 100 described later.

The holder 50 is attached to the outer peripheral portion of the back surface of the diffusion plate 20 via the flange portion 34 formed on the outer peripheral portion of the light guide plate 30 at the opening 52 thereof. Also, the holder 50
The inner surface of the print processing of the white material has been made, the vicinity portion of the cold cathode tubes 40 of the inner surface of the <br/> Hol da 50 also serves as a reflector of the cold cathode tubes 40 Fulfill.

The cold-cathode tubes 40 are accommodated and supported by the light guide plate 30 in respective strip-shaped openings 35 formed in a substantially semicircular shape along the outer peripheries of the pattern display portions 15 and 16 from the back side thereof. The central portion in the longitudinal direction of both cold cathode tubes 40 is located outside the end of the light guide plate 30 as illustrated in FIG. Thus, each cold cathode tube 40 is illuminated,
Light enters the light guide plate 30 from the inner wall of each opening 35 which is a plane perpendicular to the plate thickness direction.

As a result, the light guide plate 30 is
While being reflected internally, the light is incident on the scale plate 10 from the bottom wall 33a of the recess 33 through the gap G. The reflection layer 60 is made of a white reflection material adhered to the back surface of the light guide plate 30.
It plays the role of efficiently reflecting the light within 0 toward the gap G.

The pointer device has a casing 70. The casing 70 has an annular dial plate 8 accommodating the scale plate 10 so as to accommodate the holder 50.
0 is attached to the lower end. In addition, the pointer device
A left driving device 90 and a left light emitting pointer 100 driven by the driving device 90 are provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the left driving device 90 includes an apparatus main body 91 fixed to a bottom wall 71 in the left side of the casing 70, and a holder 50 from the apparatus main body 91.
, The cylindrical boss 33b of the light guide plate 30, the diffusion plate 20
And a pointer shaft 92 rotatably extending through the through hole 21 of the scale plate 10.

The left light emitting pointer 100 is the pattern display unit 1
5 is used to indicate the vehicle speed, and the left light emitting pointer 100 includes a pointer main body 100a made of a light-guiding material,
A light-shielding cover 100b covers the surface and the peripheral surface of the pointer main body 100a from above. The pointer main body 100a is fixed to the left driving device 9 by the cylindrical boss 101.
The pointer main body 100a introduces light from the boss 33b of the light guide plate 30, advances the light toward the tip thereof, and emits the light from the slit 102 of the cover 100b. . As a result, the luminescence pointer 10
0 indicates the vehicle speed on the left side pattern display section 15.

Note that the right light emitting pointer 100 shown in FIG.
Has a configuration similar to that of the left light emitting pointer 100, and is driven by a driving device similar to the left driving device 90 to indicate the number of rotations on the pattern display unit 16. This right emission indicator 1
Reference numeral 00 is supported via a scale plate 10 by a pointer shaft of the driving device. The front cover 110 is attached to the annular dial plate 80 from the front side of the scale plate 10 (see FIG. 2).

In the present embodiment constructed as described above, when the cold cathode tubes 40 emit light when they are turned on, the light from both cold cathode tubes 40 is introduced into the light guide plate 30 through the openings 3.
5 from the inner wall. Then, this incident light is transmitted to the light guide plate 3.
It travels while being reflected within 0. And the light guide plate 30
The light inside is reflected by the reflection layer 60 and enters the gap layer G from the bottom wall 33a of each recess 33 of the light guide plate 30, and from the boss 33b, the pointer main body 1 of each light emitting pointer 100.
00a.

Next, the light that has entered the gap layer G is transmitted to the back surface of the diffusion plate 20 and the bottom wall 3 of each recess 33 in the gap layer G.
3a, it is uniformly diffused by being interreflected,
A uniform amount of light is distributed over the entire back surface of the diffusion plate 20 corresponding to each recess 33. Thus, even if the light of each cold cathode tube 40 is introduced into the light guide plate 30 from the inner surface of each opening 35, that is, the peripheral wall, the light in the gap layer G is provided by providing the gap layer G. Then, the light enters the diffusion plate 20 from the back surface thereof at a uniform light amount as described above, is further uniformly diffused by the diffusion plate 20, and enters the scale plate 10 from the back surface. As a result, the brightness over the entire light transmitting portion of each of the display patterns 15 and 16 of the scale plate 10 becomes more uniform without causing unevenness.

On the other hand, as described above, the light that has entered the boss 101 of the pointer body 100a of each light emitting pointer 100 exits from the slit 102 of the cover 100b while traveling toward the tip of the pointer body 100a. As a result, the respective light emitting hands 100 are displayed on the respective pattern display sections 15, 1, 1 of the scale plate 10.
On 6, the vehicle speed and the number of revolutions are instructed. In this case, as described above, each of the pattern display portions 15 and 16 of the scale plate 10 is used.
Among them, the brightness over the entire portion where light is transmitted is more uniform, so that the visibility of the indication display by each light emitting pointer 100 is further improved. These effects are
The same can be achieved even if the pattern display sections 15 and 16 are wide.

FIG. 4 shows a first modification of the above embodiment. In the first modification, instead of the light guide plate 30 described in the above embodiment, a light guide plate 30A and both diffusion plates 120A are used.
(Only one diffusion plate 120 is shown in FIG. 2). The light guide plate 30 </ b> A has the same configuration as the light guide plate 30 except that the flange portion 34 and its vicinity in the light guide plate 30 are eliminated.

[0027] Each diffusion plate 120, as illustrated hand in FIG. 4, the same material as the diffusion plate 20 described in the above embodiments, respectively, are U-shaped cross section, each of these diffusion plate 120 Are the respective recesses 3 of the light guide plate 30A.
3. In addition, each diffusion plate 120 has a bottom wall 121 of each recess 33 of the light guide plate 30A on its bottom wall 121.
The outer peripheral portion 122 of each of the diffusion plates 120 is sandwiched between the outer peripheral portion of the holder 50 and the outer peripheral portion of the diffusion plate 20 together with the outer peripheral portion of the light guide plate 30A.

Then, each diffusion plate 120 is formed on an outer peripheral portion 122.
The gap layer G described in the above-described embodiment is formed between the bottom wall 121 and the diffusion plate 20 inside. In this modification, the thickness of the gap layer G is the same as described in the above embodiment. Each boss 33b of the light guide plate 30A extends through the through hole 123 of each diffusion plate 120 and into the through hole 21 of the diffusion plate 20. Other configurations are the same as those of the above embodiment.

In the first modification configured as described above, when the light of each cold cathode tube 40 enters the light guide plate 30A instead of the light guide plate 30 from the inner wall of each opening 35,
The incident light travels while being reflected in the light guide plate 30A. The light in the light guide plate 30A is reflected by the reflection layer 60 and enters the diffusion plate 120 from the bottom wall 33a of each recess 33 of the light guide plate 30A. The light enters the main body 100a.

Next, the light that has entered the diffusion plate 120 is diffused in the diffusion plate 120 and enters the gap layer G. Then, the light that has entered the gap layer G is
Between the diffuser 2 0 and the bottom wall 121 of the diffuser 120 by being mutually reflected at an inner, a more is more uniformly diffused,
A uniform amount of light is distributed over the entire back surface of the diffusion plate 20 corresponding to each recess 33.

Thus, even if the light of each cold cathode tube 40 is introduced into the light guide plate 30A from the inner surface of each opening 35, that is, the peripheral wall portion, the diffusion plate 120 and the gap layer G are provided to diffuse the light. The light diffused by the plate 120 and incident on the gap layer G enters the diffuser plate 20 from the back surface thereof with a more uniform light amount as described above, and is further uniformly diffused by the diffuser plate 20 to produce the scale plate. The light enters the back surface 10 from the back surface. As a result, each display pattern 15, 1
6, the brightness over the entire portion through which light is transmitted becomes more uniform than in the above-described embodiment without causing unevenness.

As a result, FIGS. 5 and 6, which can further improve the operation and effect described in the above embodiment, show second and third modifications of the above embodiment, respectively. In the second modified example, as shown in FIG. 5, both cold cathode tubes 40A are employed instead of both cold cathode tubes 40. Further, in the third modification, as shown in FIG. 6, both cold cathode tubes 40B are employed instead of both cold cathode tubes 40.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, each of the cold cathode tubes 40A is formed in an opening formed in the light guide plate 20 on both upper and lower sides of the pattern display sections 15 and 16 so as to be parallel to each other. Contained and supported. In FIG. 6, the left cold cathode tube 40B is U-shaped. The left cold cathode tube 40B is accommodated and supported in a U-shaped opening formed around the pattern display section 15. The right-side cold cathode tube 40B is an L-shaped one.
The light guide plate 3 extends along the upper and right sides of the pattern display section 16.
It is housed and supported in an L-shaped opening at 0 and 30A. Other configurations are the same as those of the above embodiment.

In the second and third modified examples configured as described above, the same operation and effect as those in the above-described embodiment can be achieved, though the shape and arrangement of each cold-cathode tube are different from those in the above-described embodiment. In implementing the present invention, both luminous hands 100
May be a normal pointer (one that does not emit light). In this case, each boss 33b of the light guide plate 30 may be a simple through hole.

In implementing the present invention, when the light emission of each light emitting pointer 100 is realized not by the light from the light guide plate 30 but by a light source incorporated in each pointer main body 100a, Alternatively, a material in which a large number of silicon-based fine particles are mixed so as to diffuse light therein may be employed. In implementing the present invention, the reflection layer 60
For example, a reflective layer is used in which a large number of circular white points are formed on the back surfaces of the light guide plates 30 and 30A, and the inner diameter of each white point is increased as the distance from the cold cathode tube 40 increases. Is also good.

In this case, the space between the white points is transparent or black. However, due to the light diffusion effect of the gap layer G described in the above embodiment, the light amount depends on the incident position of the light on the scale plate 10. There is no variation, and uniform brightness can be secured over the entire light transmitting portion of each of the pattern display sections 15 and 16. In practicing the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the vehicular pointer device, and may be applied to various display devices used in vehicles, ships, aircraft, and various industrial devices.
In this case, the scale plate 10 may be various display plates.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially broken plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a plane of a portion within a circle indicated by reference numeral A in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part showing a first modification of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a partially broken plan view showing a second modification of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a partially broken plan view showing a third modification of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: Scale plate, 20, 120: Diffusion plate, 30, 30A
... light guide plate, 35 ... opening, 40, 40A, 40B ... cold cathode tubes.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G01D 11/28 B60K 35/00 G01D 13/28

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A display plate (10), linear light emitters (40, 40A, 40B), and a light guide plate disposed on the back side of the display plate, and the light emission from the peripheral wall portion (35). body light introducing light guide plate you emitted from the surface to the panel side (3 0A) and the panel table示板side diffuser plate along provided et the the back surface of the (2
0), the light guide plate in between the display panel side diffusion plate and the light guide plate
The light guide plate side diffusion plate provided along the surface of
(122) and the display panel side diffusion inside the outer peripheral portion.
A bottom wall (121) for forming a gap layer (G) between the plate and the plate;
The light-guiding plate-side diffusion plate (1
20), the light guide plate-side diffusion plate is provided on the bottom wall at the surface of the light guide plate.
Is emitted from the bottom wall and diffused from the bottom wall.
So that it is mutually reflected between the wall and the display panel side diffusion plate
The light is emitted into the gap layer, and the display panel-side diffusion plate is in the gap layer from the back surface thereof.
The mutually reflected light is incident, diffused, and incident on the display panel.
Viewing apparatus to so that.