JP3370053B2 - Liquid crystal display for gaming machines - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device for a game machine. More specifically, it relates to heat dissipation of an image panel of a liquid crystal display device for gaming machines.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A liquid crystal display device is used as a display device of a portable personal computer. Or, even in the devices and equipments in which the CRT display has been used in the past, liquid crystal display devices are often used because of their features such as harmony with other equipments, small size, and small depth dimension. In particular, in recent years, thinning of liquid crystal display devices has been desired, and as a backlight device for illuminating a liquid crystal display panel from the back side, a plate-shaped light guide plate is provided on the back surface of the liquid crystal panel, and cold cathode fluorescent light is provided along the side surface of the light guide plate. A backlight system provided with a rod-shaped light source such as a tube is mainly used. As such an example, JP-A-11-28
There are 1981, JP-A-7-261030, JP-A-5-27229, and JP-A-7-114815.

JP-A-11-281981 and JP-A-7-261030 disclose structures having a fluorescent tube on one side surface of a light guide plate, and JP-A-5-27229 and JP-A-7-114815. The publication discloses a structure in which fluorescent tubes are arranged on both sides.

Also, in game machines, it is common to use a liquid crystal display device in a game in order to improve the taste and change the fun.

[0005]

However, the liquid crystal display device in the game machine is different from the environment such as the display device of the personal computer or the liquid crystal display device used in place of the CRT display device in the equipment or device. Used below. In the latter, at least the display surface of the liquid crystal display element is in contact with the human living environment space, but in the former, it faces the space closed by glass. That is, the display surface of the liquid crystal display device used in the game machine does not directly contact the human living environment space. This causes different influences on the surface temperature of the liquid crystal display element. The influence is mainly the temperature rise of the entire liquid crystal display device. On the contrary, it can be said that it is an environment that does not cause uneven brightness in terms of maintaining the temperature uniformity of the entire liquid crystal display element due to the heat retention effect. On the other hand, in the specifications of general liquid crystal display devices, the ambient temperature range is 0 degrees to 5 degrees.
It is set to 0 degrees C. Liquid crystal display devices used in amusement machines, especially liquid crystal display devices used in pachinko machines, are in a special environment, and it can be said that general ones easily exceed this upper limit. Therefore, JP-A-8-98930
In the publication, a hole for heat dissipation is formed on the back surface of the liquid crystal display device including the light source. In addition, JP-A-6-121872
In the publication, a backlight light source using a fluorescent tube having a substantially M-shaped light emitting portion is provided on the back surface of the liquid crystal display element, and a backlight cover is further provided behind the backlight light source having this reflecting portion. However, an image display device in which an image control device (substrate) for driving a liquid crystal display element is arranged behind this is disclosed. This image display is further attached to the front case, and is combined with the rear case in which the board of the power supply unit is arranged. The front case has a display window corresponding to the display surface of the image display, and the rear case has three side surfaces excluding the upper surface and a plurality of slit holes for ventilation in the upper rear surface.

However, it has been difficult to satisfy the ambient temperature of 0 ° C. to 50 ° C., which is a general specification of liquid crystal display devices, in a game machine that is different from the generally assumed usage state. In particular, since the power consumption of the peripheral circuits of the liquid crystal display device is increasing along with the highly functional display contents, it is necessary to take measures against the heat of the liquid crystal display device itself as a matter of course. In particular, the operating temperature range of the liquid crystal display element is extremely lower than the permissible value of the ambient temperature of general electric parts, and the above-mentioned JP-A-8-98930 and Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 63-18.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 174 or Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 06-21872, there is also a temperature disadvantageous restriction condition that a transparent unit case must be accommodated in order to prevent fraud. In particular, as a result, when the power consumption of the substrate housed in the same case or the case covering the substrate for preventing fraud increases, there is a problem. Especially,
In the case of a liquid crystal display device, it is necessary to make the temperature of the display surface of the liquid crystal display uniform in order to prevent uneven brightness in the liquid crystal display. Results in. In a situation where the liquid crystal display device is installed in a closed space and is required to be housed in the closed space, the temperature of the display surface of the liquid crystal display device is maintained at 50 degrees or less, and the closed space is closed. It was desired to reduce the temperature inside. In particular, in the case described above, there are restrictions on the size of the opening, etc., but it is necessary to be able to see the state of the substrate accommodated from the outside, and acrylic resin with low thermal conductivity should be used. I had no choice.

The object of the present invention is, as described above, in a gaming machine having many restrictions, even when the display surface of a liquid crystal display element is mounted on a gaming machine in which the display surface does not come into direct contact with the outside world, the display surface of the liquid crystal display element. It is to provide a means for keeping the temperature of 50 ° C. or less within the specification range. More specifically, the present invention provides a backlight unit that has an improved structure for a backlight unit that is disposed close to a liquid crystal display element and that is also a heat source, and in particular, an improved structure for a liquid crystal display device for gaming machines. That is.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention according to claim 1 provides a liquid crystal display device for a gaming machine, a liquid crystal display element and a light guide plate type backlight.
A rectangular parallelepiped image panel unit including a unit and an image panel unit drive circuit board that drives the liquid crystal display element and drives the backlight unit, which is near four corners on the back surface of the image panel unit. To
Form a mounting part for mounting the back plate of the image panel unit, and use aluminum that can be mounted through the mounting part.
An image panel unit comprising a back plate having use, the contact portion having a perforated portion engaged with each of the two previous <br/> Symbol mounting portion, contacts a portion of the back plate of the image display panel unit, Aluminium having this contact portion and a vertical portion which is vertical.
An image for displaying a preset image on the liquid crystal display surface of the image panel unit by accepting a command from the outside through the image panel unit drive circuit board , using the two first members A control board and a transparent case that encloses the image control board when the image control board is placed on the back surface of the image panel unit, and the vertical portion of the first member includes: It is characterized in that it is formed so as to substantially shield an opening of an internal space formed by the back surface of the image panel unit and the transparent case.

The invention described in claim 2 is the same as claim 1.
A liquid crystal display device for a game machine according to the first member is a plurality, wherein each of the first member, said Yu
When the liquid crystal display device for machine is attached to the game board,
Arranged section and a lower section, said vertical portion of said first member,
When the liquid crystal display device for gaming machine is attached to the gaming board
Is formed by the image panel unit and the transparent case
It is characterized by having a shape that shields the openings of the upper surface portion and the lower surface portion .

Further, the invention according to claim 3 is the same as claim 2
The liquid crystal display device for a gaming machine according to [1], wherein the vertical portion is
Has a perforated portion for the multiple radiator, the bent portion of the vertical portion
The three sides except for have a shape that engages with a groove provided in the opening of the corresponding transparent case and shields the opening.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a display device 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. However, the screws are omitted.
Reference numeral 205 in the figure denotes an image panel unit that internally includes a liquid crystal display element, a backlight, and a drive circuit that drives the liquid crystal display element and the backlight. In the figure, the display surface of the liquid crystal corresponds to the lower surface, and the front surface corresponds to the lower portion when the display surface is arranged vertically. Therefore, the upper surface of the figure is a surface corresponding to the rear surface of the image panel unit, and the rear plate 23
3 is mounted on the image panel unit 2 via the mounting portion 213.
05 has a structure fixed to the back surface of 05. The back plate 233 is made of an aluminum material. Figure 2
Shows the assembled state of the respective members shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 202 denotes a case formed of a transparent member, which has a shape surrounding the illustrated image control board 204 in order to protect the internal board from tampering prevention. However, the connector that receives signals and drive power from the CPU board that controls the external gaming machine is open, and the connector at the end of the cable extended from the outside in the assembled state should be connected to the connector on the board 204. This enables cable connection between the external board and the image control board 204. At the same time, the same applies to the power cable from the power supply section.

In FIG. 2, the notch on the upper right side of the transparent case is the opening, and the portion corresponding to the bottom of the cube is open, and when assembled, the bottom has no opening. The upper surface of the board of the image control board 204 is positioned, and the connector arranged here is exposed to the outside of the case 202.

The transparent case 202 is made of an acrylic resin, and the upper surface of the figure has a uniform thickness and a mirror finish so that the substrate 204 inside can be visually observed from the outside. Ignoring the concave portion 253, the same is true when the front side is viewed from the back direction, and it has a symmetrical shape. Naturally, acrylic has a low thermal conductivity, which is usually about 1/100 of that of aluminum.

Reference numeral 203 shown in FIG. 1 is a member for heat dissipation, which is formed of an aluminum material, and is attached to the image panel unit 205 by using the attachment portion 213 of the back plate 233 of the image panel unit. And the back plate 2
33 and the member 203 (hereinafter, referred to as a heat radiating plate) are made of the same aluminum material, and the contact surface including the mounting portion conducts the heat of the rear plate 233 and radiates the heat through the portion of the heat radiating plate 203 having the heat radiating hole. I have to. In FIG. 1, two heat dissipation plates 203 are shown. The figure which looked at the heat sink shown in the lower part of this side from the back is the heat sink 203 shown in the upper right part. The horizontal portion of the heat dissipation plate 203 in the drawing is not due to the structural necessity as described above, but the display unit 2
01 has a protruding portion that also serves as a mounting portion to a game board (not shown), and is formed in the shape as shown.

The rear plate 233 of the image panel unit 205
Inside (in the figure) is a drive board, and there is an inverter power supply for driving the fluorescent tube. In the diagram of the image panel 205 in FIG. 1, a liquid crystal display element including a polarizing plate, a glass substrate, a color filter, a liquid crystal plate and the like is provided on the lowermost surface, and a light guide plate type backlight unit is provided above the liquid crystal display element. A substrate containing an inverter for driving a fluorescent tube of the backlight and the like is arranged above the backlight unit. The presence of the back plate 203 is utilized to prevent mutual interference of heat and EMI (electromagnetic interference) between this substrate and the image control substrate 204 and to conduct heat to the heat sink 203. The back plate 203 is included and assembled as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, the transparent case 202 is shown.
Part of the image control board that can be seen through it is drawn in the part. Compare this side with the transparent case shown in FIG. However, since the heat dissipation plate 203 is made of an aluminum material, the image control board cannot be seen in that part.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the display device 201 of FIG. 2 as viewed from the right side. However, it is a diagram for explanation,
2 does not show the case of cutting in one uniform plane. When the display device 202 is mounted on a game machine, the right side of FIG. 3 is located at the top and the left side is located at the bottom. The drawings shown on the left and right of FIG. 3 further show the transparent case at the upper part of FIG. 3, showing a state of a cut surface passing through the center extending from the lower left side to the upper right side of FIG. The inside of FIG. 3 shows how the image control board 204 and the transparent case 202 are attached, and
The parts (connectors) shown in the center of the figure are a connector for connecting to an external board and a connector for receiving power supply from the power supply section. This is illustrated in FIG. Also,
The projecting portion toward the outside in the lower portion of the heat dissipation plate 203 shown in FIG. 3 indicates a cut surface of the left and right side surfaces in FIG. The heat radiating portion of the heat radiating plate 203 (the portion having the heat radiating hole) corresponds to the shape of the transparent case 202, and that portion is inserted into the groove 207 formed in the corresponding portion of the transparent case as shown in FIG. It is fixed. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the transparent case 202 and the image control board 204 are the rear plate attachment portion 21 of the image panel unit 205 shown in FIG.
3, the mounting members 251 and 25 as shown in FIG.
It is linked using 2. A gap 208 is formed between the rear plate 233 and the image control board 204 as shown in the figure.
And the transparent case 202 and the heat dissipation plate 20.
As shown by the arrow in the figure, outside air is taken in through the heat dissipation hole 3 from the right side, passes through the gap 208 and the space on the component surface side of the image control board 204, and the upper side corresponds to the left side of the figure. It is designed to form natural convection discharged from the heat radiation port. At the same time, the air flow from the right side flows into the inside of the image panel unit 205 through the heat dissipation holes of the rear plate 233 shown in FIG. 1, and flows out through the connector outlet for connection or the adjustment opening. , Fig. 3
Is discharged to the outside from the heat dissipation hole of the left heat dissipation plate 203.

FIG. 4 is a view of the game board viewed from the back in this embodiment, and shows a state in which the display device according to the present invention is attached to the game board. The display device 201 is attached to the heat sink 2
The mounting hole provided in the projecting portion 03 and the mounting hole provided in the projecting portion 210 of the transparent case are used to mount the mounting portion 209 fixedly arranged on the back surface of the game board. In the figure, two various control boards are arranged in a case on the right side of the display device 201. Therefore, in this case, it is also inefficient to provide the air circulation port on the side surface, and it also gives the exhaust heat to the control board arranged in the vicinity. No heat dissipation holes are provided. As shown in the figure, a heat radiating plate 203 having a plurality of perforated portions for heat dissipation is arranged on the upper and lower surfaces, and convection from downward to upward is generated through these perforated portions. Although the lower surface of the display device 201 is not clear in FIG. 4, the shape and the like are the same as the upper surface. The shape is vertically symmetrical except for the connector opening on the right side of the figure for connection with an external substrate and power supply. This figure shows a case where a person of average height is observed in an actual game board installation state, and by bending a little, it is possible to observe the substrate inside the display device without the heat sink 203 interfering. Has become.

Here, the reason why the heat dissipation plate 203 and the back plate 233 for heat dissipation are made of aluminum is as follows. The thermal conductivity of aluminum is about 3 times that of iron, and aluminum reflects light, electromagnetic waves, and various heat rays well, and the higher the purity of aluminum, the better this property is. Aluminum with a purity of 99.8% or more is It is said to reflect 90% or more of the radiant energy. Therefore,
In order to shield each circuit and substrate from each other in order to prevent EMI and unfavorable heat transfer, at the same time, efficiently dissipate the internal heat to the outside by using convection air or through a heat conducting member. The use of as a component produces favorable results.

In the present embodiment, since it is configured as described above, heat is not transferred to the liquid crystal display element having a maximum operating temperature that is too low in a general electronic component whose operating ambient temperature is 50 ° C. The heat generated by the backlight and the heat generated by the driving substrate can be discharged to the outside, and at the same time, mutual influences can be blocked, and the surface temperature of the liquid crystal display element can be kept within the specified temperature range. This is because the image control board covered with the transparent case 202 is provided with heat dissipation holes for generating convection as shown in FIG. 3 to radiate heat and reduce heat transfer to the liquid crystal display element section. Conceivable.

Although not shown in the present embodiment, the heat generated by the fluorescent tubes inside the image panel unit is effectively transmitted to the rear plate 233 at the position where the horizontal portion of the heat radiating plate 203 shown in FIG. 1 contacts. is doing. Therefore, the heat generated by the fluorescent tube can be effectively transferred to the heat dissipation plate 203 via the back plate 233, and the heat transferred in the perforated portion of the heat dissipation plate can be radiated to the outside.

Although the present invention has been described using this embodiment, it is easy to change to the following modes without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 1. The heat sink 203 and the rear plate 233 of the image panel unit
Although it is a separate member, it is easy to configure it as a collective member. In the embodiment, it is premised that the image panel unit having the back plate 233 shown in FIG. 2. Corresponding to the heat generation position of the image panel unit or the substrate housed in the transparent case, the heat dissipation plate 203 can be easily arranged on the left and right sides of the mounting posture, instead of being arranged on the upper and lower surfaces. In the present embodiment, the temperature management of the liquid crystal display surface is emphasized, and the upper and lower surfaces are arranged in consideration of the heat generating portion of the backlight inside the image panel unit. 3. The image panel unit has been ordered from a manufacturer specializing in LCDs, and the casing other than the side surface of the image panel unit shown in FIG. 1 is made of a stainless steel material having low thermal conductivity, and the above-mentioned measures are taken. When the exterior material of the image panel unit is formed of aluminum, the temperature control of the liquid crystal display surface becomes easier. Therefore, when the structure of the display device of the present invention is adopted, it is possible to control the image with more advanced functions and performance. The graphic engine of can be adopted.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, the play
The liquid crystal display device for technical equipment has a liquid crystal display element and a light guide plate inside.
An image panel unit comprising formula backlight, the image control substrate having a CPU therein, the image control board in order to place this image panel unit back to the image control board and visually observable, at least that Substrate opposition
Simultaneously with the structure that covers the surface with a transparent case
When a liquid crystal display device for gaming machines is mounted on the back of the gaming board
The aluminum parts on the top and bottom of the case.
Material, and the image panel unit
Since the part that is thermally connected to the back plate of the panel is included, the heat generated by the image panel unit is passed through this member part .
To the outer surface portion of the case of the member can you to radiated exposed to the air <br/> convection cases outside by conduction. Therefore, the effectively perform the heat release of the image display panel unit can <br/> possible.

Further, since the rear surface of the image panel unit and the portions corresponding to the upper surface and the lower surface of the transparent case are made of aluminum material and both are thermally connected, the inside of the image panel unit and the image control board are connected. It is also possible to effectively cut off the heat radiation and the EMI radiation by reflecting each of them . If air is warmed by the respective issuing heat radiating plate that contacts them through aluminum plate on the back of the image display panel unit case outside air
By telling, it has the effect that each reduces the thermal influence from each other. As a result, it is possible to effectively reduce the display surface temperature of the liquid crystal display element whose thermal maximum rating is low, and even when it is placed inside the game machine, the temperature of the display surface of the liquid crystal display element is the specified value. It may be possible to keep:

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where the respective members shown in FIG. 1 are assembled.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a cut surface viewed from a side surface of the assembled state shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which the display unit shown in FIG. 2 is arranged on the back surface of the game board.

[Explanation of symbols]

201 display device 202 transparent case 203 Heat sink 204 image control board 205 image panel unit 206 Heat sink holes on the back panel of the image panel 207 Transparent case groove 208 Gap 209 Display board mounting part on the game board 210 Transparent case protrusion 211 Heat sink protrusion 212 Mounting hole for heat sink to LCD panel 213 Rear panel mounting hole of LCD panel 251 Mounting member 252 mounting member 253 Notch

Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-6-121872 (JP, A) JP-A-5-237233 (JP, A) JP-A-11-281981 (JP, A) JP-A-2000-102504 (JP, A) Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-235786 (JP, A) Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-239088 (JP, A) Actual development No. 3-107983 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) ) G02F 1/1333 G02F 1/13

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A liquid crystal display device for gaming machine, comprising: a liquid crystal display element and a light guide plate type backlight unit; and an image panel unit drive circuit board for driving the liquid crystal display element and driving the backlight unit. Is a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped image panel unit, and a mounting portion for mounting a rear plate of the image panel unit is formed in the vicinity of four corners on the rear surface of the image panel unit ,
A back made of aluminum that can be attached via the attachment part
An image panel unit comprising a face plate, a perforated portion engaged with respective two of said mounting portion, a contact portion which contacts a portion of the back plate of the image display panel unit, the contact portion perpendicular vertical portion Having and al
An image for displaying a preset image on the liquid crystal display surface of the image panel unit by receiving a command from the outside and two first members using minium via the image panel unit drive circuit board And a transparent case that encloses the control board and the image control board when the image control board is placed on the back surface of the image panel unit, wherein the vertical portion of the first member is A liquid crystal display device for a gaming machine, characterized in that it is formed so as to substantially shield an opening of an internal space formed by the back surface of the image panel unit and the transparent case. 2. A liquid crystal display device for a game machine according to claim 1, wherein the first member is a plurality, that of the first member
This is because the liquid crystal display device for the game machine is attached to the game board.
When that is disposed in the upper portion and a lower portion, <br/> the vertical portion of the first member, the game machine for a liquid crystal display device taken on the game board
When attached, the image panel unit and the transparent case
A liquid crystal display device for a gaming machine, having a shape that shields an opening formed on the upper surface and a lower surface of the lower surface . 3. A liquid crystal display device for a game machine according to claim 2, wherein the vertical portion comprises a perforated portion for the multiple radiator, the vertical
A liquid crystal display for a gaming machine, characterized in that three sides excluding the bent portion of the straight portion have a shape that engages with a groove provided in the opening of the corresponding transparent case to shield the opening. apparatus.