JP6669433B2 - Display panel and electronic device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a display panel and a method for manufacturing a display panel.

  Display means for displaying operating status, control information, and the like is provided on a front panel and a rear panel of various electronic devices and machines. A typical display means is one in which the display unit shines, and light is emitted from an LED, a light guide, or the like. One type of such display means uses an optical fiber.

  Since the optical fiber is thin and flexible, it is suitable for providing a large number of display sections in a small space. Further, since light from a light source placed far away can be used, even if there is no space for placing the light source in the display unit, it is possible to arrange the optical fibers densely and arrange a large number of display units in a narrow space.

  However, due to the characteristics of the optical fiber, which is thin and supple, a device must be devised to accurately arrange the optical fiber at a target location.

  For example, Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 show a technique for accurately aligning a large number of optical fibers using a fiber holder that holds the optical fibers.

  Patent Document 3 discloses a technique for accurately positioning the length direction of an optical fiber. In this technique, the tip of the optical fiber can be accurately positioned by forming the tip of the optical fiber into a tapered frustoconical shape and fitting the tip into the circular opening of the light shield.

JP 2005-55898 A JP 2000-75145 A JP-A-5-127025

  However, Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 have a problem that positioning in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber cannot be accurately performed.

  Further, the technique of Patent Document 3 has a problem that processing of an optical fiber is difficult. In order to make the tip of the optical fiber into a frustoconical shape as designed, the outer diameter of the optical fiber must be gradually and smoothly reduced toward the tip, and very advanced technology is required. . In addition, the optical fiber used to perform this processing is expensive.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a display panel that can accurately position an optical fiber on a display unit without requiring advanced processing techniques.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a display panel according to the present invention is a cylindrical optical fiber having a notch having a tapered end portion, wherein the outer shape of the notch forms a predetermined angle with the center axis of the cylinder. An optical fiber having a flat surface, a panel having an opening in which the distal end is fitted, and fixing means for fixing the optical fiber with the distal end fitted in the opening.

  An effect of the present invention is to provide a display panel that can accurately position an optical fiber on a display unit without requiring advanced processing technology.

It is a perspective view showing a 1st embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows 2nd Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows 3rd Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows 4th Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows 5th Embodiment. It is a perspective view showing a 6th embodiment. It is a perspective view showing the internal composition of a 6th embodiment. It is a perspective view showing an example of a 7th embodiment. It is a top view showing the 2nd example of a 7th embodiment. FIG. 21 is a plan view illustrating a third specific example of the seventh embodiment. It is a top view showing the 4th example of a 7th embodiment. It is a top view showing the 5th example of a 7th embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments described below have technically preferable limitations for carrying out the present invention, but do not limit the scope of the invention.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the display panel 100 according to the first embodiment. The display panel 100 has a cylindrical optical fiber 2 having a notch 1 at the tip, a panel 4 having an opening 3 into which the tip of the optical fiber 2 fits, and the optical fiber 2 fitted into the opening 3. Fixing means 5 for fixing in a state.

  The notch 1 is provided so as to have a tapered shape in which the diameter of the optical fiber 2 decreases toward the tip. The outer shape of the notch 1 is a substantially flat surface having a predetermined angle with the center axis of the cylindrical optical fiber. Here, the reason why the shape is substantially flat is that it is not always easy to make the outer shape of the cutout portion a strictly flat surface. Therefore, this expression includes a flat surface and a curved surface such as a columnar surface which can be regarded as a substantially flat surface.

  The opening 3 has a shape substantially equal to the cross section of the distal end, and is formed larger than the distal end of the optical fiber and smaller than the diameter of the optical fiber main body. For this reason, the tip of the optical fiber 2 is fitted into the opening 3 halfway through the notch 1. In this state, the fixing means 5 fixes the optical fiber 2. Although there is no particular limitation on the fixing method, for example, the optical fiber 2 can be fixed by using a support 6 whose positional relationship with the panel 4 is fixed as shown in FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the distal end of the optical fiber 2 has a tapered shape having a D-shaped cross section.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, a display panel in which the optical fibers are accurately positioned can be formed by a simple process of providing a notch at the tip of the optical fibers.
(Second embodiment)
FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the present embodiment. A notch 1 is provided at the tip of the cylindrical optical fiber 2. Since the outer shape of the notch 1 is substantially flat, the cross section is substantially straight.

  The distal end of the optical fiber 2 is fitted into the opening 3, and the length of the notch 1 is positioned in the longitudinal direction by abutting the middle of the notch 1 against the edge of the opening 3. The optical fiber 2 is fixed at that position by fixing means 5 fixed to a support 6. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of the optical fiber 2 having a structure having one core 2a and a clad 2b surrounding the core 2a. It can be applied regardless.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the optical fiber can be accurately positioned and arranged with respect to the panel. In the configuration of the above example, light is also emitted from the surface of the notch 1, so that light is emitted at a wider angle than when there is no notch, and the viewing angle can be widened.
(Third embodiment)
Next, a method of processing the optical fiber for forming the notch 1 in the optical fiber 2 will be described. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing this processing method. For this processing, a jig 7 for holding the optical fiber obliquely and a cutter 8 are used. The jig 7 is provided with an optical fiber insertion port 9 into which an optical fiber is obliquely inserted.

  When performing processing, first, the optical fiber 2 is inserted into the optical fiber insertion port 9. Next, the cutter 8 is slid along the upper surface of the jig to cut off a portion of the optical fiber 2 projecting from the upper surface of the jig 7. As described above, the notch 1 can be formed. Note that the size of the notch is determined by the amount of the optical fiber 2 protruding from the upper surface of the jig 7 and may be appropriately adjusted according to the design. If the jigs 7 having different angles of the optical fiber insertion port 9 are used, the cutouts 1 having different taper angles can be formed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, a notch having a desired shape can be formed at the tip of the optical fiber 2 by a simple method. Note that the processing method shown here is merely an example, and the notch may be formed by using a known simple processing technique.
(Fourth embodiment)
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a display panel according to the fourth embodiment. This embodiment is very similar to the second embodiment, except that the tip of the optical fiber 2 projects from the surface of the panel 4. By doing so, it is possible to increase the amount of light emitted upward in the drawing and to increase the viewing angle as compared with the second embodiment.

The positional relationship between the panel surface and the tip of the optical fiber can be arbitrarily determined by adjusting the size of the opening, the thickness of the panel, and the taper angle of the notch. Just do it.
(Fifth embodiment)
FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a fifth embodiment. As a method of using the optical fiber, there is a method in which each of the optical fibers is used as one light source, and a method in which a plurality of optical fibers are bundled and used as one light source. Such a bundle of optical fibers is generally called a light guide. In the example of FIG. 5, the light guide 10 has a structure in which a plurality of optical fibers 10a are bundled and covered with a sheath 10b.

The light guide 10 described above can be handled in the same manner as the optical fibers of the second to fourth embodiments, and a display panel can be formed. By using a light guide, the amount of light can be increased as compared with using a single optical fiber.
(Sixth embodiment)
Although the first to fifth embodiments have been described using one optical fiber or light guide, a display panel is generally provided with a plurality of display units using a plurality of optical fibers. FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the device 200 in which the display panel 100 having the plurality of display units 11 is mounted on the housing 12 as described above. An optical fiber is fitted into each display unit 11, and positioning is performed by the notch 1 abutting against the opening 3.

  FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a display mechanism built in the device. A plurality of optical fibers 2 having the same configuration as in the first embodiment are arranged. The positional relationship and role of each opening 3 and notch 1 are the same as in any one of the first, second, fourth, and fifth embodiments.

In the case where a plurality of display sections are provided using a plurality of optical fibers, it is generally a very laborious operation to accurately position each optical fiber. According to the method, the positioning can be easily performed. Although the example of FIG. 6 shows an example in which six optical fibers 2 are arranged, a display panel using more optical fibers can be formed. Then, as the number of optical fibers increases, the effect of the present embodiment of improving workability becomes more remarkable.
(Seventh embodiment)
In the first to sixth embodiments, the notch 1 has been described as having a tapered shape having a D-shaped cross section, but it is needless to say that a notch having another shape can be provided. 9 to 12 show specific examples. The dotted line in each figure indicates the outer diameter of the optical fiber main body.

  FIG. 9 shows an example in which notches are provided on the upper, left, and right sides. With this shape, the viewing angles in three directions can be widened. FIG. 10 shows an example in which notches are provided in four directions. With this shape, the viewing angles in four directions can be widened. FIG. 11 shows an example in which notches are provided in six directions. By increasing the number of surfaces, the light intensity in all directions becomes nearly uniform. FIG. 12 shows an example in which a wedge-shaped notch is provided. With such a shape, the engagement between the notch and the opening becomes strong, and the position of the optical fiber can be kept stable. As described above, according to the present embodiment, the notch and the opening can be configured according to the purpose.

  The present invention has been described above using the above-described embodiment as a typical example. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. That is, the present invention can apply various aspects that can be understood by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Notch part 2 Optical fiber 3 Opening 4 Panel 5 Fixing means 6 Support body 7 Jig 8 Cutter 9 Optical fiber insertion port 10 Light guide 11 Display part 12 Housing 100 Display panel 200 Device

Claims (7)

A cylindrical optical fiber having a cut-out portion whose tip is tapered, wherein the outer shape of the cut-out portion is a substantially flat surface that forms a predetermined angle with the center axis of the cylinder;
A panel having an opening into which the tip fits,
And fixing means for fixing the optical fiber in a state where the tip is fitted to the opening,
A cross section of the opening and the tip is D-shaped,
A display panel, characterized in that: A cylindrical optical fiber having a cut-out portion whose tip is tapered, wherein the outer shape of the cut-out portion is a substantially flat surface that forms a predetermined angle with the center axis of the cylinder;
A panel having an opening into which the tip fits,
And fixing means for fixing the optical fiber in a state where the tip is fitted to the opening,
The cross section of the opening and the tip is formed by a plurality of sides and an arc.
A display panel, characterized in that: The display panel according to claim 1, wherein:
Having a plurality of the opening and the optical fiber and the fixing means,
A display panel, characterized in that: The display panel according to claim 2, wherein:
Having a plurality of the opening and the optical fiber and the fixing means,
A display panel, characterized in that: A display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
An electronic device, comprising: a housing; A cylindrical light guide having a tapered tip having a straight line in cross section,
A panel having an opening into which the tip fits,
Fixing means for fixing the light guide in a state where the distal end is fitted to the opening,
Has,
The light guide has a bundle of a plurality of optical fibers,
A cross section of the opening and the tip is D-shaped,
A display panel, characterized in that: A cylindrical light guide having a tapered tip having a straight line in cross section,
A panel having an opening into which the tip fits,
Fixing means for fixing the light guide in a state where the distal end is fitted to the opening,
Has,
The light guide has a bundle of a plurality of optical fibers,
The cross section of the opening and the tip is formed by a plurality of sides and an arc.
A display panel, characterized in that:

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