JPH0526697A - Display panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a display panel with which a three-dimensional feeling can be expressed while restricting cost increase. CONSTITUTION:For a display panel, a positive image part 2 for showing gauges, characters, numbers, etc., is formed in the surface of a light-transmitting substrate 1, and a negative image part 3 forming a negative part of the positive image part 2 is formed in the back surface side of the substrate 1. Otherwise, the display panel has a plural light-transmitting back image parts formed on the back surface of the substrate positioned just on the back of a plural light- transmitting surface image parts in the surface of the light-transmitting substrate, and an underground back image part for reducing incidental light is provided on the back surface of the substrate surrounding the light transmitting surface image parts and the light transmitting back image parts.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a visual display panel capable of displaying an image having a stereoscopic effect. Such a display board is used, for example, as a dial for a vehicle meter or a display panel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a dial image of a vehicle meter or a display image of a display panel is formed on a resin substrate by screen printing or the like, and is usually a flat image. It is being studied to give a three-dimensional effect to a display image in response to the increasing trend of productization and diversification of products.

In order to give a stereoscopic effect to an image, it is conceivable to form unevenness on the image surface by molding or the like, but this method requires a mold and is not suitable for a large variety of small quantities.
In order to solve this problem, the present inventors have previously proposed a method of forming irregularities using a photoreactive resin (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 122220/1990).

[0004]

However, when the above-mentioned photoreactive resin layer is used, a mold is not required, and although it is suitable for high-mix low-volume production, the process cost is higher than the conventional flat image forming cost. It becomes complicated and the increase of material cost and processing cost is unavoidable. As described above, it has been difficult to create a three-dimensional effect while suppressing an increase in cost.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a display panel capable of expressing a stereoscopic effect while suppressing an increase in cost.

[0006]

A display board according to the first invention comprises a light-transmissive substrate and a front image portion provided on the surface of the substrate.
It is characterized in that it has a negative image portion arranged as a shade of the front image portion at a position on the back surface of the substrate which is a shade of the front image portion. The above-mentioned shaded position means a position where incident light slightly deviated from the vertical direction with respect to the substrate enters the back surface side of the substrate.

In a preferred aspect of the first invention, a back image portion surrounded by the negative image portion is provided on the same plane as the negative image portion. The display panel of the second invention comprises a light-transmissive substrate, a plurality of light-transmissive front image portions formed on the front surface of the substrate to transmit light, and the respective light-transmissive front image portions on the back surface of the substrate. A light-transmissive back image portion that is disposed at a position on the back side of the substrate and that transmits light, and a background back image that is disposed in a region other than the light-transmissive back image portion on the back surface of the substrate to diminish incident light. It is characterized by having a part.

In a preferred aspect of the second invention, the light transmissive back image portion has substantially the same shape as the light transmissive front image portion.

[0009]

In the display panel according to the first aspect of the present invention, the front image portion is formed on the front surface of the light-transmitting substrate, and the negative image portion which is the shadow of the front image portion is provided on the back surface side of the substrate. Has been done. As a result, when viewed from the front side of the substrate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate, the shade is formed deep in the viewing direction, and an image with excellent stereoscopic effect can be obtained.

Further, as compared with the above-mentioned conventional various concavo-convex molding methods, the manufacturing process and cost can be remarkably saved.
Further, the effect of emphasizing the contour can be achieved. Further, the light-transmissive substrate acts as an excellent light guide (light guide) when the background light is emitted from the back light source,
The vicinity of the front image can be made brighter.

In the display panel of the second invention, a plurality of light-transmissive back image portions are provided on the back surface of the substrate directly behind the light-transmissive front image portions on the front surface of the light-transmissive substrate. A background backside image portion that reduces the incident light is provided on the back surface of the substrate so as to surround the light-transmitting front image portion and the light-transmitting backside image portion. As a result, when light is incident on the substrate from the back side of the substrate, the incident light is dimmed in the background back image portion, selectively transmitted through the light-transmissive back image portion, and further transmitted through the substrate surface of the substrate. Reach The light that has reached the surface of the substrate passes through the vicinity of the light-transmitting front image portion and is projected to the outside.

After all, on the surface of the substrate, only a plurality of light transmissive front image portions are individually illuminated by the light transmitted through the respective light transmissive back image portions, so that the light shines brightly. The front image part looks up from each light-transmitting back image part by the thickness of the substrate, and each light-transmitting front image part looks up from the dark background front image part. It becomes possible to display.

Further, as compared with the above-mentioned various conventional concavo-convex molding methods, the manufacturing process and cost can be remarkably reduced. In recent years, the present technology has been increasing the wearing rate of a black face meter, that is, a meter of a system in which a front case has a transparent black color and an illuminated instrument display is displayed regardless of day or night, in a luxury car. In particular, it produces an effect of increasing the image value.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the first invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12, and then an embodiment of the second invention will be described with reference to FIGS. However, common functional elements are denoted by common reference numerals. (Embodiment 1) A sectional view of a display board of this embodiment is shown in FIG. 1, and a front view thereof is shown in FIG.

This display panel is used for a vehicle tachometer (rotometer), 1 is a transparent substrate made of acrylic resin or polycarbonate resin, and 2 is affixed to the surface of the substrate 1. It is a front image part of the scale, numbers, characters, etc. The front image portion 2 is generally light transmissive and has a color such as white, orange, and blue. Three
Is a shadow image portion of the front image portion 2 formed by light emitted from the display side (upper side in FIG. 1), and is attached to the back surface of the substrate 1.

Reference numeral 4 is a back image portion having the same shape as the front image portion 2, and is attached to the back surface of the substrate 1. The back image portion 4 has a light-transmitting property and is colored in the same color or a different color as the front image portion 2. The back image portion 4 is attached to a position where the front image portion 2 is projected by light perpendicular to the substrate 1, and the negative image portion 3 borders the back image portion 4 with a width of about 0.1 to 1.0 mm. Reference numeral 5 denotes a background image portion of this tachometer, which is also attached to a portion other than the back image portion 4 on the back surface of the substrate 1. The background image portion 5 is attached so as to be superimposed on the negative image portion 3, and the color of the background image portion 5 is effectively silver, gray or the like that can emphasize the shadow image portion 3.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a concealed image portion (so-called mask) for shielding the light from the rear light source 7 and transmitting and displaying only the front image portion 2 and the rear image portion 4 at night, and is of a black color. Here, the transparent substrate 1 has a thickness of 0.5 mm to 2
It is about mm. When the thickness is less than 0.5 mm, the three-dimensional effect is poor, and when the thickness is more than 2 mm, the front image portion 2 and the back image portion 4 are double visually recognized when viewed obliquely, which impairs the appearance.

By setting the width, color, brightness, and shape of the shadow image portion 3, it is possible to adjust the visual stereoscopic effect. By doing so, when viewed at right angles to the substrate 1, the negative image portion 3 is seen to be deeper than the front image portion 2 by the thickness of the substrate 1, so that an excellent stereoscopic effect can be obtained. (Embodiment 2) A sectional view of a display board of another embodiment is shown in FIG.

This display board has a structure of a reflection-only format, in which the area of the back image portion 4 of the first embodiment is also the negative image portion 3 (same color as the negative image portion of the first embodiment), and further, the background image. The part 5 and the concealed image part 6 are overlapped with the back image part 4 so that the back light does not pass through the back image part 4. By doing so, a stereoscopic effect can be provided even in the reflection-only format.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of a display board of another embodiment. In this display board, the substrate 1 of Example 1 is replaced with two laminated substrates 1a and 1b.
A black intermediate negative image portion 3a is sandwiched between a and 1b. Also in this embodiment, the inner contour of the intermediate negative image portion 3a substantially overlaps the contour of the front image portion 2 when viewed at right angles to the substrate 1a.

Further, in this embodiment, the width of the negative image portion 3 attached to the back side of the lower substrate 1b is formed wider than the width of the intermediate negative image portion 3a, and when viewed obliquely, the three-dimensional image is formed. I try to make the feeling more natural. (Embodiment 4) A sectional view of a display board of another embodiment is shown in FIG.

This display board is composed of the two substrates 1 of the third embodiment.
Instead of the intermediate negative image portion 3a, an intermediate image portion 2a having the same shape as the front image portion 2 is sandwiched between a and 1b. Also in this embodiment, the contour of the intermediate image portion 2a substantially overlaps with the contour of the front image portion 2 when viewed at right angles to the substrate 1a. The color, lightness, and light transmittance of the intermediate image portion 2a may be the same as or different from those of the front image portion 2.

In this way, the front image portion 2, the intermediate image portion 2a, and the back image portion 4 can render the image thick. (Embodiment 5) A sectional view of a display board of another embodiment is shown in FIG. In this display board, in the first embodiment, the transparent second substrate 9 is arranged below the substrate 1 at a predetermined interval, and
The negative image portion 3, the back image portion 4, and the background image portion 5 are attached to the front surface of the second substrate 9 instead of the rear surface of the substrate 1, and the concealed image portion 6 is attached to the back surface of the second substrate 9. .

The substrate 1 and the second substrate 9 are fixed by a resin frame 8. In this way, although the negative image portion 3 and the back image portion 4 can be arranged deeply apart from the front image portion 2, it is possible to prevent the weight of the display panel from increasing due to the increase in the thickness of the substrate 1. it can. In addition, in each of the above-described embodiments, the concealing image 6 may be omitted.

Next, the shape of the negative image portion 3 will be described. The shadow image portion 3 of FIG. 7 is a shadow when the front image portion 2 is illuminated by the point light source 10 above the substrate 1, and at this time, the point light source 10 is located right above the center of the front image portion 2. . In this case, the negative image portion 3 has a shape that extends uniformly in all directions from the contour of the front image portion 2. A display example in this case is shown in FIG.

On the other hand, the shaded image portion 3 in FIG. 8 is also shaded when the surface image portion 2 is illuminated by the point light source 10 above the substrate 1. At this time, the spot light source 10 is diagonally above the surface image portion 2. Is located in. In this case, the negative image portion 3 has a shape that extends unevenly from the contour of the front image portion 2. It should be noted that it is possible to blur the tips of these negative image portions 3. A display example in this case is shown in FIG.

(Sixth Embodiment) FIG. 11 shows a sectional view of a display board of another embodiment. In this display board, the hidden image portion 6 is also used as the hidden image portion 3 in the first embodiment.
By doing so, the step of attaching the back image portion 4 can be omitted, and the processing cost can be reduced.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the back image portion 4 may be pasted after the concealed image portion 6 is pasted, and the back image portion 4 may be pasted over it. By doing so, the work of aligning the position of the back image portion 4 can be greatly simplified, and the processing cost can be further reduced. (Embodiment 7) An embodiment of the display panel of the second invention will be described below.

FIG. 14 is a front view of this display board.
3 is a perspective view in which a part thereof is cut out in a rectangular shape and enlarged. This display panel is a light transmissive type used for a vehicle tachometer (rotometer), and is illuminated by a back surface light source 7 from the back surface thereof. 10 is a transparent substrate made of acrylic resin or polycarbonate resin, and 2
Reference numeral 0 is a light-transmitting front image portion (hereinafter, simply referred to as front image portion) of scales, numbers, characters, etc. formed on the surface of the substrate 10. The front image portion 20 has a light-transmitting property and is formed in white.

On the back surface of the substrate 10, a black light-shielding black shielding layer (background back image portion in the present invention) 30 is formed, and the shielding layer 30 is seen in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the substrate 10. A cutout portion 40 having the same shape as the front image portion 20 is provided directly behind the front image portion 20. The cutout portion 40 having the same shape as the front image portion 20 is the light-transmissive back image portion in the present invention. Are configured.

Here, the front image portion 20 is formed by pasting, printing or the like, and the color can be appropriately selected from colors such as red, orange and blue. The shielding layer 30 does not need to have a perfect light-shielding property as long as a desired contrast can be secured with respect to the cutout portion 40. Also, the color of the shielding layer 30 can be appropriately selected such as blue or navy.

The cutout portion 40 may have the same shape as the front image portion 20, or may be a linear slit cut out along the centerline of the front image portion 20 directly behind the centerline.
The shape may be slightly larger or smaller. However, if the front image portion 20 is too small with respect to the cutout portion 40, light leakage from the periphery of the front image portion 20 makes it difficult to see, and conversely, if the front image portion 20 is too large than the cutout portion 40, the edge of the image becomes dark and it is aesthetically pleasing. Spoil. Therefore, if the cutout portion 40 is slightly smaller than the front image portion and has a substantially similar shape, the light transmitted through the cutout portion 40 causes the front image portion 2 to move.
0 is preferable because it shines almost uniformly.

Here, the thickness of the substrate 10 is 10 shown in FIG.
About 0.5 to 2 mm is effective for an instrument panel for automobiles of about cm square, and about 1 mm is particularly suitable. If the thickness is less than 0.5 mm, the three-dimensional effect will be poor, and the thickness will be 2 mm.
If the thickness is made thicker, the transmitted light of the cutout portion 40 is directly visually recognized when viewed obliquely, which causes a problem that the characters on the surface are difficult to read. Therefore, in the display board of this embodiment, the thickness of the substrate is correlated with the size of the front image portion 20, especially the letters, numbers, and scales to give an aesthetic stereoscopic effect. More specifically, there is a correlation between each size of the front image portion 20 and the cutout portion 40 and the optimum thickness of the substrate 10.

The relationship between the numeral 1, the letter R, the general thickness 50 of the scale and the thickness of the substrate 10 shown in FIG. 15 was investigated. The result is shown in FIG. In this experiment, the size of the cutout portion 40 is the same as that of the front image portion 20, the distance between the viewer and the substrate 10 is 100 cm, and the illuminance directly behind the substrate 10 is 3000 to 5000 lux. Of 50 to 100 lux.

In FIG. 16, circles indicate good stereoscopic effect, triangles indicate slightly insufficient stereoscopic effect, x indicates insufficient stereoscopic effect, and triangles marked with'are due to light emitted from the cutout portion 40 through the periphery of the front image portion 20. The visibility is deteriorated, and the ones marked with “x” have insufficient stereoscopic effect and the visibility is remarkably decreased by the light emitted from the cutout portion 40 through the periphery of the front image portion 20. From FIG. 16, it was found that there is a linear relationship between the thickness (short side distance) 50 of the front image portion 20, the thickness of the substrate 10 and the stereoscopic effect.

The front image portion 2 of characters, numbers, scales, etc.
As 0 becomes larger, the optimum use distance from the display panel to the viewer usually becomes longer, and as a result, the transmitted light from the rear surface transmissive portion becomes less visible, and the substrate thickness can be increased. Also, for large characters and the like, the stereoscopic effect becomes poor unless the distance between the front and back images is increased. Therefore the letters,
There is a suitable substrate thickness corresponding to each of the numbers and scales, and the thickness 50 of the letters, numbers, and scales is 1t to 4t, preferably about twice as large as the substrate thickness t. It was excellent in developing a three-dimensional effect.

It has been found that even in figures (circles, stars, etc.), illustrations (see FIG. 17) and photographic images that are difficult to quantify based on the size, thickness, etc., the stereoscopic effect is excellent in the above range. Next, the visual effect when viewed from an angle will be described. Normally, it can be considered that the display angle range is within the range of 45 degrees to the left and right with respect to the display direction that is perpendicular to the surface direction of the substrate 10. Therefore, when the display panel is viewed from the angle of 45 degrees to the left and right, FIG. 19 shows.

In the case of FIG. 18, since the substrate 10 is thin, the viewer sees the cutout portion 40 in connection with the front image portion 10 together with the front image portion 10. The cutout portion 40 is a bright portion similar to the front image portion 20, and 60 is an edge that borders the cutout portion 40. When viewed in this way, the front image portion 20 appears to be raised, and a very three-dimensional effect is obtained.
However, in the case of FIG. 19, since the substrate 10 is thick, the shielding layer 30 on the far side beyond the cutout portion 40 and the edge 60 ′ on the far side can be seen, which not only reduces the stereoscopic effect but also the contour line of the image. You can see more than one, which makes it hard to see. Therefore, the maximum substrate thickness is effective up to the same width as the image width, which is the limit at which the image contour on the opposite side from the 45 ° direction is visible.

Next, as a result of examining what the image width of a figure, an illustration, etc. should be considered as a standard, as shown in FIG.
It has been found that the width (thickness) 80 near the center of gravity of the image figure may be used as the reference. Also in these figures and illustrations, the thickness of the substrate 10 is the standard thickness 8
Half of 0 was the most excellent in three-dimensional appearance and aesthetics. Although the light diffusion by the substrate 10 becomes more and more noticeable as the thickness of the substrate 10 increases, according to the study by the present inventors, a hot cathode tube and a diffusion panel (made of an acrylic resin) generally used as a light source for a display are used. In the case of using a surface light source (-5000 nt), the maximum thickness is about 50 mm. Therefore, it is desirable to set the optimum thickness within the range of 50 mm or less.

The substrate 10 is not necessarily a single substrate, but includes a multi-layer body and a hollow body. Further, the substrate 10 may be attached so that it is thick at the wide front image portion and thin at the narrow front image portion. As described above, in this embodiment, the cutout portion 40
The front image portions 20 are uniformly locally illuminated by the light emitted from the above and appear to float, and an excellent effect that an image display having an excellent stereoscopic effect can be realized can be obtained.

Further, when viewed obliquely, since the cutout portion 40 has the same shape as the front image portion 20, a part of the peripheral edge of the front image portion 20 is edged by the bright portion on the back and its edge, and The three-dimensional effect increases. . Further, when viewed obliquely even when not illuminated, the edge of the cutout portion 40 borders a part of the peripheral edge of the front image portion 20 as well, so that the stereoscopic effect is increased. (Embodiment 8) Another embodiment of the second invention is shown in FIG.

This embodiment is characterized in that in Embodiment 7 shown in FIG. 13, a light-transmitting white light-transmitting layer 90 is formed so as to cover the cutout portion 40. By doing so, the front image portion 20 and the cutout portion, that is, the light-transmissive back image portion 40 in the present invention have substantially the same color, so that a natural feeling can be obtained. Of course, the color of the light transmitting layer 90 can be appropriately selected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a vehicle tachometer dial according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the dial.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a reflective display panel of Example 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a display board according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a display board according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a display board according to a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing an example of the shape of a shadow image portion.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the shape of the shadow image portion.

9 is a partially enlarged front view of the display panel of FIG. 7.

10 is a partially enlarged front view of the display panel of FIG.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a sixth embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing a modification of the sixth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of a vehicle tachometer dial according to a seventh embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a front view of a vehicle tachometer dial according to a seventh embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a plan view showing characters, numbers and scales used in the dial of FIG.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the relationship between the substrate thickness, the thickness of the front image portion, and the three-dimensional effect.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a front image portion including an illustration image and a cutout portion having the same shape as that of the front image portion.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view showing a case where the substrate thickness is appropriate and the contour on the opposite side of the cutout portion cannot be seen.

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view showing a case where the substrate is too thick and the contour on the opposite side of the cutout portion is visible.

FIG. 20 is a schematic perspective view showing a reference width in a front image portion having an indefinite width,

FIG. 21 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing Example 8.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Transparent substrate 2 ... Surface image part such as scales, letters and numbers,
3 ... Negative image part, 4 ... Back image part, 5 ... Background image part, 6 ... Hiding image part, 10 ... Substrate, 20 ... Front image part (light transmissive front image part), 30 ... Shielding layer, 40 ... Cutout part (light transparent back image part)

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A light-transmissive substrate, a front image portion provided on the front surface of the substrate, and a back image of the front image portion provided on the back surface of the substrate as a shade of the front image portion. A display board having a negative image portion. 2. The display panel according to claim 1, further comprising a back image portion surrounded by the negative image portion on the same plane as the negative image portion. 3. A light transmissive substrate, a plurality of light transmissive front image portions formed on the front surface of the substrate to transmit light, and a back side of each of the light transmissive front image portions on the back surface of the substrate. A light-transmissive back image portion that is disposed at a position and transmits light, and a background back image portion that is disposed in a region other than the light-transmissive back image portion on the back surface of the substrate and that diminishes incident light. A display panel characterized by having. 4. The display panel according to claim 3, wherein the light transmissive back image portion has substantially the same shape as the light transmissive front image portion.