JPH0661023B2 - Dot matrix type EL display device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a dot matrix type EL display device configured by arranging EL (electroluminescence) elements in a dot matrix form.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, when displaying numbers, characters, etc. using an EL element, generally, as shown in FIG.
A filter 3 having a display pattern 3a such as desired numbers and letters to be displayed on the upper surface of the EL element 2 which is a surface light emitter.
It is constituted by stacking and sticking.

In the display device 1 configured as described above, the EL element 2
When the EL element 2 is powered by the power source 4 to emit light,
The light emitted from the light impinges on the filter 3 above the EL element 2 and, according to the display pattern provided on the filter 3, in the case of a positive pattern (illustrated), a portion 3a such as characters, and a negative In the case of a pattern, the positive display or the negative display of the display pattern can be performed by transmitting the light through the transparent area of the filter 3 which is the portion 3b other than the characters and ejecting it to the outside.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the EL display device 1 configured as described above, since only a part of the light emitted from the EL element 2 is transmitted through the transparent region 3a or 3b of the filter 3 and used for display, When the use efficiency for the display of is relatively low and there are a plurality of types of display patterns such as numbers and characters to be displayed, it is necessary to prepare the filter 3 for each display pattern, resulting in high cost. Also, when one type of filter 3 is used, other display patterns cannot be displayed,
When the display is fixed by the one type of filter 3 described above and the display pattern is changed to another display pattern, the filter 3 must be replaced each time, and the operation is troublesome. It was completely impossible to switch and display different types of display patterns.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide an EL display device that has high utilization efficiency for light emission display and that can change a display pattern with time.

[Means and Actions for Solving Problems]

According to the present invention, the above object is to provide a plurality of EL elements each having a non-light emitting portion such as an auxiliary electrode along two adjacent sides,
Each of the holding members has a frame composed of a holding member having upper and lower portions of the EL element fixed on the back surface and extending in the lateral direction, and a vertical arm fixing the holding members to each other. The part that holds the EL element
An EL in which a non-light emitting portion on one side edge of each EL element is adjacent
The display device comprises a plurality of display units which are arranged in a row in a horizontal direction and are slightly inclined so as to be located behind the other side edge of the element with a space therebetween, and the plurality of display units are provided for each display. The frame is connected so that the non-light emitting portion of each EL element extending along the upper edge or the lower edge of the unit is located behind the lower edge or the upper edge of each EL element of the display unit which is adjacent above or below the EL element. Thus, the dot matrix type EL display in which a plurality of EL elements are arranged in a dot matrix form so that a non-light emitting portion does not exist between each EL element Achieved by the device.

According to the present invention, since each EL element is used as a light emitting dot forming a display pattern, the EL element corresponding to the desired display pattern is caused to emit light by an appropriate method, so that the desired display pattern Display is performed, and since there is no non-light emitting portion between each EL element at this time, a display of characters, numbers, etc. which are very easy to see without a seam can be obtained. Moreover, for example, if a sequence controller is used, the display patterns can be sequentially switched to different display patterns after a lapse of a predetermined time, so that it is possible to display a plurality of types of display patterns with a very simple operation and at low cost. At the same time, since only the EL elements corresponding to the desired display pattern, that is, the EL elements necessary for display, are made to emit light, all the light emission of each EL element is used for display, and the utilization efficiency of light emission for display is improved. To do. Further, when all the EL elements are made to emit light, since there is no non-light emitting portion between each EL element, the entire EL element emits light as one surface-emitting body, and the EL display device has a plurality of display units. Since each display unit is composed of an EL element and a frame for fixing and supporting the EL element, it is very thin and lightweight, and each display unit is disassembled during transportation. If so, it can be easily transported, and a large-sized display used outdoors can be easily configured. In this case, since the EL elements constituting each display unit are arranged with a space between them, for example, even if the wind hits the wind, it is configured so that the wind can escape through the above-mentioned space, so that the EL devices are damaged by the wind. There is no such thing.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail based on an embodiment shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a dot matrix type EL display device according to the present invention.
It is composed of a plurality (n × n) of thick film EL elements 11 arranged in a dot matrix of rows and n columns.

As shown in FIG. 2, each thick film EL element 11 has a transparent moisture-proof margin 11a formed by a moisture-proof film along the periphery thereof, and has two adjacent sides, that is, an upper edge portion and a left edge portion in the illustrated case. Is provided with non-light emitting portions 11b and 11c by auxiliary electrodes, and lead terminals 11d are provided above the upper edge portion.
Is protruding.

As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of thick film EL elements 11, four in the illustrated case, are arranged in a row in the lateral direction and fixed to the frame 12. The frame 12 is composed of holding members 12a and 12b which extend laterally on the upper and lower parts of the entire EL element 11 and arms 12c which fix these members to each other. As shown in FIG. 3C, each EL element 11 has a vertical non-light-emitting portion 11c.
Is overlapped so as to be hidden behind the side edge of the adjacent EL element 11 opposite to the non-light emitting portion 11c and is slightly inclined to have a distance d ₁ and its lead terminal 11d is folded back to the back surface. (Not shown), frame 1
The display unit 13 is configured by being fixed along the upper surfaces of the two holding members 12a and 12b by an appropriate method, for example, a double-sided adhesive tape or the like. As a result, the non-light-emitting portion 11b at the upper edge of each EL element 11 extends in a straight line along the upper edge of the display unit 13 when observed from the front, as shown in FIG. 3 (A).

As shown in FIG. 3B, the holding member 12b below the frame 12 has a predetermined dimension from the lower edge of each EL element 11, that is, from the upper edge of the display unit 13 to each EL element 11.
The non-light emitting portion 11b is attached by being displaced upward by a dimension d ₂ capable of covering the non-light emitting portion 11b.

As shown in FIG. 4, the display units 13 are vertically connected to each other. That is, as shown in FIG. 4 (A), first, the lower edge of the holding member 12b below the frame 12 of one display unit 13 is set to the holding member 12a above the frame of the display unit 13 which should be adjacent to the lower side. The lower edge portion of each EL element 11 of the display unit 13 is overlapped with the upper edge portion of each EL element 11 of the lower display unit 13 while contacting the upper edge. As a result, the lower display unit 13
The non-light emitting portion 11b of each EL element 11 is covered with the light emitting portion at the lower edge of the display unit 13.

Here, the arm 1 of the frame 12 of each display unit 13
2c has its upper end projecting beyond the upper edge of each EL element 11, and this projecting part is screwed to the holding member 12b below the frame 12 of the display unit 13 which should be adjacent to the upper side with the screw 1c.
The lower holding member 12b of the upper display unit 13 and the upper holding member 12a of the lower display unit 13, which are vertically abutted, are fixed to each other with screws 1 and the like.
By fixing with 5 etc., each display unit 13
Are vertically connected to each other, as shown in FIGS. 4 (B) and (C).

Since the arms 12c of the frame 12 of the display unit 13 which are vertically adjacent to each other are arranged so as to be displaced from each other as shown in FIG. 4 (C), the upper ends of the arms 12c are arranged above the upper display unit 13. It does not hit the arm 12c.

In this way, the respective display units 13 are vertically connected to each other, whereby the dot matrix type E shown in FIG.
The L display device 10 is configured. Incidentally, the lead terminal 11d of each EL element 11 is configured to be appropriately and selectively supplied with power by a known method, for example, by using a sequence controller or the like.

The embodiment of the present invention is configured as described above. When displaying, for example, if a plurality of desired display patterns and sequence programs are input to and stored in a sequence controller or the like, they are stored according to the sequence programs. By sequentially reading the displayed display patterns with the passage of time, in the dot matrix EL display device 10, only one of the EL elements 11 corresponding to the display pattern is selectively made to emit light, whereby m × Light emission display of a desired display pattern by n dots is performed.

At this time, since the non-light emitting portions 11b and 11c of the EL elements 11 are covered by the light emitting portions of the adjacent EL elements 11, there is no non-light emitting portion between the EL elements 11, and the display pattern Since there is no seam between the dots forming each of the dots due to the non-light emitting portion, it is possible to obtain a very easy-to-see light-emitting display, and when all the EL elements 11 are made to emit light, as described above, Since there is no seam due to the non-light emitting portion between the two, planar light emission display can be performed as an integral surface light emitter.

In addition, the EL display device 10 can easily be used for each display unit 1.
3, and each EL element 11 can be disassembled, and when transported, each display unit 13 or each E unit can be disassembled.
If each L element 11 is disassembled, it can be easily transported.
Also, since it is easy to assemble, a large display can be constructed relatively easily and at low cost.

In this case, each EL element 11 forming the display unit 13
Is slightly tilted with respect to the frame 12
Since the EL elements 11 are fixed with respect to each other, there is a space in the front-rear direction between the EL elements 11. Therefore, even if wind blows on the EL display device 10, this wind passes through the above-mentioned space. It is possible to prevent damage to the EL display device 10 due to the wind without particularly reinforcing the frame 12 in consideration of the wind and without reinforcing the EL element 11 itself.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of EL elements each having a non-light emitting portion formed by an auxiliary electrode or the like along two adjacent sides are provided with a non-light emitting portion at one side edge of each EL element. A plurality of display units formed by horizontally arranging them in a row and fixing them to the frame with a slight inclination so as to be positioned behind the other side edge of the adjacent EL elements with a space, The frame is connected so that the non-light emitting portion of each EL element extending along the upper edge or the lower edge of the display unit is located behind the lower edge or the upper edge of each EL element of the display unit which is adjacent above or below it. In this way, the dot matrix type EL display device is arranged so that a plurality of EL elements are arranged in a dot matrix form so that there is no non-light emitting portion between each EL element. Construct Since the respective EL elements, because it is being used as a light-emitting dots forming the display pattern,
A desired display pattern is displayed by causing an EL element corresponding to a desired display pattern to emit light by an appropriate method. At this time, since there is no non-light-emitting portion between the EL elements, there is no seam. It is possible to obtain very easy-to-read characters and numbers.

Moreover, if you use a sequence controller, for example,
Since the display patterns can be sequentially switched to different display patterns after a lapse of a predetermined time, it is possible to display a plurality of types of display patterns with a very simple operation and at low cost, and an EL corresponding to a desired display pattern can be displayed. Since only the elements, that is, the EL elements necessary for display, are made to emit light, all the light emission of each EL element is used for display,
The utilization efficiency of light emission is improved.

Further, when all the EL elements are made to emit light, since there is no non-light emitting portion between each EL element, the entire EL element emits light as one surface-emitting body, and this EL display device is composed of a plurality of display units. Since each display unit is composed of the EL element and the frame for fixing and supporting the EL element, it is very thin and lightweight, and each display unit can be disassembled during transportation. If it is easy to carry, a large display can be easily constructed.

Thus, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an extremely excellent EL display device, which has a high utilization efficiency for light emission display and is capable of temporally changing the display pattern, and which is suitable for a large-area display. become.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a dot matrix type EL display device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view of an EL element in the embodiment of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an embodiment of FIG. The display unit in is shown, (A) is a front view, (B)
Is a side view, (C) is a bottom view, FIG. 4 is a side view of the display unit of FIG. 3 before connection, (B) is a side view after connection, and (C) is a rear view after connection. Is. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an example of a conventional EL display device. 10 ... Dot matrix type EL display device; 11 ... Thick film EL element; 11a ... Moisture proof margin; 11b, 11c ... Non-light emitting part; 11d ... Lead terminal; 12 ... Frame; 12a, 12b ... Holding member; 12c ... Arm; ... Display unit; 14, 15 ... Screws.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of EL elements each having a non-light emitting portion formed by an auxiliary electrode or the like along two adjoining sides, and a plurality of holding elements extending in the lateral direction for fixing the upper and lower portions of the EL elements on their respective back surfaces. A frame composed of a member and a vertical arm for fixing the holding member to each other, and a non-light-emitting portion at one side edge of each EL element is adjacent to a portion of the holding member that holds each EL element. A plurality of display units are formed side by side in a row in the lateral direction and slightly inclined so as to be positioned behind the other side edge of the EL element to be spaced apart. The frame is arranged so that the non-light-emitting part of each EL element extending along the upper edge or the lower edge of each display unit is located behind the lower edge or the upper edge of each EL element of the display unit adjacent above or below it. By connecting The dot matrix is characterized in that a plurality of EL elements are arranged in a dot matrix form so that there is no non-light emitting portion between each EL element. EL display device.