JPH0533190U - Display device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To improve the appearance of the display panels and selectively use two or more display panels displaying information such as predetermined characters, figures or symbols on the same screen of the display device. To enable. [Configuration] Between the transparent touch switch 1 and the light guide 4,
A display panel 2, which comprises two or more electrophoretic display panels 8, 8.
It is a display device in which 3 is polymerized. Electrophoretic display panel 8 is 2
An uncolored transparent electrode 1 is provided on the inner surface of each of the transparent substrates 9 and 9.
0 and 10 are opposed to each other, and opaque colored electrophoretic particles 13 are mixed in the dispersion medium 14 sealed between the two transparent substrates 9 and 9. Uncolored transparent electrode 10
At least one of them is formed into a display shape for displaying information such as a figure, a symbol or a character.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a display device of an electronic device such as an on-vehicle audio system, and in particular, an electrophoretic phenomenon of opaque colored electrophoretic particles mixed in a dispersion medium such as a transparent organic solvent (hereinafter simply referred to as “dispersion medium”). By using, the electrophoretic display panel that displays information such as figures, symbols, characters, etc. by the color of the colored electrophoretic particles attached to one transparent electrode side when it is not lit is configured, and two or more are displayed on the same screen. The present invention relates to a display device that selectively displays information.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 Conventional display devices for audio equipment such as cassette tapes for cars, AM and FM tuners, or display devices for on-vehicle devices such as auto air conditioners and heater control panels are installed on the back surface of a translucent display panel. There was a structure in which back lighting was performed by a light body. This is a light source such as a bulb inserted and fixed in a recess or an insertion hole formed in a part of the light guide, and each switch such as AM, FM, TAPE, Hi, Lo or a pattern on the upper surface of the light guide. A translucent display panel displaying is displayed, and by touching each switch with a finger, it is applied to the power source of cassette tape, radio, air conditioner, etc. For these display devices, the display devices for audio equipment and the display devices for vehicle-mounted devices were separately installed on the instrument panel (dashboard) for use.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, since the display device having the above-mentioned configuration has a structure in which both the display device for audio equipment and the display device for vehicle-mounted equipment are respectively arranged on the instrument panel, a double area is required, and the equipment There was a problem that the installation space of the instrument became large, the instrument panel became complicated, and the appearance also deteriorated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to improve the appearance of a display panel and display information such as predetermined characters, figures or symbols on the same screen of a display device. It is an object of the present invention to provide a display device capable of selectively using two or more display panels.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, a display device according to the present invention is a display device in which a display panel including two or more electrophoretic display panels is superposed between a transparent touch switch and a light guide. In the electrophoretic display panel, non-colored transparent electrodes are arranged opposite to each other on the inner surfaces of the two transparent substrates, and opaque colored electrophoretic particles are contained in the dispersion medium enclosed between the two transparent substrates. The gist of the invention is that at least one of the uncolored transparent electrodes is mixed and formed in a display shape for displaying information such as figures, symbols or characters. Further, the two or more display panels can be selectively turned on and used.

[0006]

[Action]

 According to the above configuration, when one display panel is used for lighting, the non-colored transparent electrode side corresponding to the display shape of information such as characters, figures or symbols arranged on one transparent substrate constituting the electrophoretic display panel is formed. A voltage is applied to cause the opaque colored electrophoretic particles to be unevenly distributed, and predetermined information is visually observed by the color of the colored electrophoretic particles. At this time, since the other display panels are simply used as transparent plates without being used for lighting, only the information of the display panel being used for lighting can be visually observed. Thus, in one display device, the electrophoretic particles only on the display surface of the display panel, which has been superposed by two or more sheets, are unevenly attached, and the color of the colored electrophoretic particles causes the display panel Predetermined switches can be selectively displayed.

[0007]

【Example】

 Embodiments of a display device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of a display device according to the present invention, and a first display panel of in-vehicle devices and a second display panel of audio devices are configured from the front side. It shows things. Reference numeral 1 denotes a transparent touch switch. On the back surface of the transparent touch switch 1, there are two first and second display panels 2 and 3, which will be described later, and a large number of reflective protrusions or dots are formed on the transparent touch switch 1. The light guide bodies 4 are sequentially stacked and accommodated, and the whole body is fixed by covering the frame body (not shown) with a cover from above. Further, a light source 6 such as a bulb is inserted and fixed in a recess 5 or an insertion hole formed in a part of the light guide 4. The display device 7 configured in this way performs back illumination by the irradiation light emitted from the light guide 4 arranged on the back surfaces of the first and second display panels 2 and 3.

2 and 3 show an electrophoretic display panel. The electrophoretic display panel 8 constituting the display panels 2 and 3 has a structure in which the transparent electrodes 10 and 11 are arranged to face each other on the inner surfaces of two transparent substrates 9 and 9 which are arranged to face each other. In the above, the first display panel 2 of the on-vehicle devices such as the auto air conditioner and the heater control panel and the second display panel 3 of the audio devices are superposed.

For example, the mode switch of the transparent touch switch 1 is arranged on the surface of the second display panel 3 that constitutes a switch of audio equipment, at a position facing the various switches 12, 12 ... .. Further, the transparent electrode 10 on the transparent substrate 9 side of the electrophoretic display panel 8 and the transparent electrode 11 on the other transparent substrate 9 side are formed so as to form a stripe pattern or any other shape over substantially the entire inner surface of the transparent substrate 9. It is arranged regularly or irregularly. Numeral 13 is an opaque electrophoretic particle of an appropriate color dispersed and mixed in a dispersion medium 14 sealed between the two transparent substrates 9 and, and electrophoresed by appropriately applying a voltage to both the electrodes 10 and 11. The particles 13 are arranged to be attached to one side of the electrode, that is, the transparent electrode 10 side appropriately formed in a display shape or the transparent electrodes 11, 11 ... Side formed in a stripe pattern or other arbitrary shape. Reference numeral 15 is a spacer for sealing the peripheral portion between the transparent substrates 9 and 9 and also for keeping a constant space between the transparent substrates 9 and 9 as a seal member for the joint between the transparent substrates 9 and 9. Also works.

The electrophoretic particle 13 has a positive or negative surface charge on its surface, and the direction of the electric field of the AC or DC voltage applied to the electrodes 10 and 11 or the direction opposite to the electric field. It moves in the direction and adheres to the electrode 10 or 11. Therefore, when the electrophoretic particles 13 are attached to one transparent electrode 10 side, the color of the electrophoretic particles 12 serves to make the display panels 2 and 3 visible by the back illumination of the light guide 4. Further, the electrophoretic particles 13 are moved and attached to the opposite transparent electrode 11 side, and the radiated light L of the light guide plate 4 is emitted to the outside of the surface in a non-colored state through the space between the transparent substrates 9 and 9. Enables the construction of 2 and 3 as "transparent plates". For example, when displaying the first display panel 2 of the "green" in-vehicle device, as shown in FIG. 4, the switch for the in-vehicle device of the transparent touch switch 1 is made to function, and conversely, the "orange" When displaying the second display panel 3 of audio equipment, one display device can be selectively used as two or more display panels by making the switch of the audio equipment of the transparent touch switch 1 function. it can.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the display device according to the present invention, in which each switch is individually configured on the electrophoretic display panel. In the second embodiment, for example, the transparent electrodes 10 on the transparent substrate 9 side of the electrophoretic display panel 8 for displaying the switches on the first display panel 3 of the audio equipment are set to AM, FM, TAPE, etc. The transparent electrodes 10 and 10 are configured corresponding to the display shape for displaying information such as figures, symbols or characters displaying switches. According to this structure, the colored and opaque electrophoretic particles 13 mixed in the dispersion medium 14 of the electrophoretic display panel 8 are unevenly attached to one of the transparent electrodes 10 and 10 to appropriately correspond to one information shape. Different display shapes can be viewed. This display form can be back-illuminated by the light guide plate 4 to improve the appearance of the switch. Reference numeral 16 is a light-shielding film that shields the mode switch except for the display surface. Similarly, the transparent electrode 10 on the transparent substrate 9 side of the electrophoretic display panel 8 constituting the first display panel 2 of the in-vehicle device is provided with a figure, a symbol, a character or the like displaying each switch such as Hi and Lo. By configuring the transparent electrodes 10 and 10 corresponding to the display shape for displaying the information, each switch of the display panel 3 can be visually observed in the same manner as above.

FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of the display device according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the light shielding film 16 itself in the second embodiment is formed on the front surface side of the display panel in which the characters and the like are formed in the same shape as the display shape. Reference numeral 17 is a coloring filter. With this configuration, the display of each switch can be seen more clearly with different colors.

[0013]

[Effect of the device]

 Since the display device according to the present invention is configured as described above, two or more display panels displaying information such as predetermined characters, figures or symbols are selectively used on the same screen of the display device. Therefore, the present invention has excellent features such as improving the appearance of the display panel, diversifying the display function, and reducing the weight and size of the display device. Extremely large.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a voltage is applied so that electrophoretic particles adhere to one transparent electrode side of an electrophoretic display panel.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a voltage is applied so that the polarities of the electrophoretic display board are reversed and the electrophoretic particles adhere to the other transparent electrode side.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the display panels in the first embodiment are superposed.

FIG. 5 is a main part perspective view showing an electrophoretic display panel in a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of essential parts of an electrophoretic display panel showing a third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Transparent Touch Switch 2 First Display Panel (In-Vehicle Device) 3 Second Display Panel (Audio) 4 Light Guide 5 Light Source 8 Electrophoretic Display Panel 9 Transparent Substrate 10 Transparent Electrode 13 Electrophoretic Particles 14 Dispersion Medium

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. Between the transparent touch switch and the light guide,
What is claimed is: 1. A display device in which a display panel composed of two or more electrophoretic display panels is superposed, wherein the electrophoretic display panel has two transparent substrates in which uncolored transparent electrodes are arranged so as to face each other. Opaque colored electrophoretic particles are mixed in a dispersion medium enclosed between the transparent substrates, and at least one of the uncolored transparent electrodes has a display shape for displaying information such as figures, symbols or characters. A display device characterized by being a product.