JPH08160398A - Liquid crystal display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To prevent the failure of a liquid crystal panel even if unnecessary transverse impact force and external force are applied to this panel by connecting the liquid crystal panel and a circuit board via a rubber connector and providing the side walls of the liquid crystal panel with projections for buffer. CONSTITUTION: Electrode terminals of pixel electrodes, etc., led out to both ends of the liquid crystal panel 1 and the terminal parts of the circuit board 2 provided with driving circuits, etc., are held by a metallic frame 4 and are fixed in such a manner that both are connected by the rubber connector 3. The metallic frame 4 is formed by providing the inside surface with the projecting parts in such a manner that the liquid crystal panel 1 and the circuit board 2 are brought into pressurized contact with each other via the rubber connector 3 to press the liquid crystal panel 1. Collars 4b disposed at the bottom ends are tightened under specified force and are then fixed by caulking. Further, the side walls of the liquid crystal panel 1 are provided with the projecting parts 1a for buffer. The projections 1a for buffer come into contact with the metallic frame 4 and the glass parts of the liquid crystal panel 1 do not come into direct contact therewith even if the position of the liquid crystal panel 1 is deviated by the impact applied to the liquid crystal display device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device that prevents damage to a liquid crystal panel or a touch panel provided as an input device on the surface of the liquid crystal panel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional liquid crystal display device having a simple structure has electrode terminals such as pixel electrodes led out at both ends of a liquid crystal panel 1 as shown in a partial sectional perspective view of FIG. The terminals of the circuit board 2 on which the drive circuit etc. are formed,
Metal frame 4 so that it can be connected by the rubber connector 3
It is pinched and fixed by.

The liquid crystal panel 1 has the same structure as that used in a normal liquid crystal display device, and is provided with a transparent electrode such as a pixel electrode and, if necessary, a glass substrate provided with a switching element such as a thin film transistor and a counter electrode. The other glass substrate is formed by sandwiching and adhering the liquid crystal material between them. A driving IC or the like is mounted on the back surface of the circuit board 2, and each electrode terminal of the liquid crystal panel 1 is respectively connected by the rubber connector 3 so that a signal from the driving circuit is supplied to the electrode terminals of the liquid crystal panel 1 or the like. It is connected to the terminals of the circuit board 2. The rubber connector 3 includes a large number of conductive materials such as carbon provided in the form of lead wires between elastic insulating materials such as silicone rubber, and the adjacent lead wires are electrically insulated from each other and have a narrow gap between the electrode terminals. Are independently connected to each terminal of the circuit board 2. In order to ensure this electrical connection, they are sandwiched by a metal frame 4 called a so-called metal bezel. The metal frame 4
A protrusion 4a is provided on the inner surface to press the liquid crystal panel 1 and the circuit board 2 via the rubber connector 3 to press the liquid crystal panel 1, and a flange 4b is provided at the lower end to tighten with a constant pressure. It has a structure that is fixed by crimping. As a result, the elasticity of the rubber connector 3 ensures that the electrode terminals are electrically connected and the liquid crystal panel 1 is also fixed so as not to move. An opening window 4c is provided in the center of the metal frame 4 so that the display image on the liquid crystal panel 1 can be observed. Although not shown, a backlight is usually provided between the liquid crystal panel 1 and the circuit board 2.

Since the above-mentioned metal frame 4 presses the liquid crystal panel 1 against the circuit board 2, the projection 4a is different from the liquid crystal panel 1.
A gap of about 0.1 to 1 mm is usually provided between the liquid crystal panel 1 and the metal frame 4 without any contact with other parts.

[0005]

The liquid crystal display device as described above may be dropped during manufacturing or after being manufactured.
Alternatively, when an impact force larger than the force of hitting against something and fixing is applied, the contact part of the metal frame 4 with the projection 4a slips due to the elasticity of the rubber connector 3, and the side wall of the liquid crystal panel 1 has a metal frame. 4, the glass substrate of the liquid crystal panel 1 is cracked, chipped, or broken such as cracked. Even if the impact force such as dropping does not act, the metal frame 4 is deformed by an external force applied thereto, and when the liquid crystal panel 1 is hit, similar cracks, chips, and cracks are likely to occur. If the glass substrate of the liquid crystal panel 1 is cracked or cracked, the liquid crystal material leaks, resulting in a display failure and a decrease in reliability.

On the other hand, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-231079 discloses a liquid crystal panel or a touch panel provided on the surface of a liquid crystal panel. A technology has been disclosed in which a cushioning material or the like is interposed between the front and back surfaces of the panel and the frame, or between the touch panel and the upper case, etc., but both are interposed between the upper and lower surfaces. No measures have been disclosed for damage from the side wall due to displacement, and rather the damage is greatly affected by the impact from the side wall.

The present invention solves such a problem, and provides a highly reliable liquid crystal display device in which the liquid crystal panel is not damaged even if unnecessary lateral impact force or external force is applied. To aim.

Another object of the present invention is to prevent similar touch panel damage in a liquid crystal display device in which a touch panel is provided on the surface of a liquid crystal panel and input and display are integrated.

[0009]

A liquid crystal display device of the present invention is a liquid crystal display device in which a liquid crystal panel and a circuit board are connected via a rubber connector and fixed by a metal frame provided on the outer periphery thereof. A buffer protrusion is provided on the side wall of the liquid crystal panel.

If a touch panel is further provided on the surface of the liquid crystal panel and a cushioning projection is provided on the side wall of the touch panel, reliability is improved even in a liquid crystal display device in which input and display are integrated, which is preferable. .

It is preferable that the buffer protrusions are made of an ultraviolet curable resin because the protrusions can be easily provided and the cushion protrusions have some elasticity.

[0012]

According to the liquid crystal display device of the present invention, since the buffering projection is provided on the side wall of the liquid crystal panel or the touch panel, an impact force is applied even if it is dropped, so that the projection of the liquid crystal panel on the inner surface of the metal frame is applied. Even if misalignment occurs, the buffer protrusions on the side wall of the liquid crystal panel hit the side surface of the metal frame and absorb the impact force. No damage such as cracks. Also, since the gap between the liquid crystal panel and the side surface of the metal frame is almost eliminated, the amount of displacement will be small even if an impact force is applied, and the display quality will not be deteriorated. Even if the protrusions come into contact with each other, the pressure contact force is not lowered because the contact is not a surface contact but a point contact.

Further, when the touch panel is provided on the surface of the liquid crystal panel, even if the buffering projection is provided on the side wall of the touch panel, the touch panel can be prevented from being damaged by the same action.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the liquid crystal display device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the liquid crystal display device of the present invention, FIG. 2 (a) is a sectional explanatory view of the liquid crystal display device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2 (b) is a sectional view taken along line BB thereof.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the positional relationship with the metal frame in the case where the liquid crystal panel 1 is displaced due to the impact force, and FIG. 4 is a sectional explanatory view showing another embodiment of the liquid crystal display device of the present invention. Is.

As shown in the exploded perspective view of FIG. 1, the liquid crystal display device of the present invention has a circuit board 2 provided with electrode terminals such as pixel electrodes led to both ends of the liquid crystal panel 1 and a drive circuit. The liquid crystal panel 1 has the same structure as the structure described in the conventional example in which it is sandwiched and fixed by the metal frame 4 so that it is connected to the terminal portion of the liquid crystal connector 3 by the rubber connector 3. A liquid crystal material is sandwiched between a plurality of glass substrates, and the structure and function of the circuit substrate 2, the rubber connector 3, the metal frame 4, a backlight (not shown) and the like are the same as those described in the prior art.

The liquid crystal display device of the present invention is characterized in that a buffering projection 1a is provided on the side wall of the liquid crystal panel 1 as shown in FIG. Therefore, as shown in a partially enlarged view in FIG. 3, even if the liquid crystal display device is impacted and the liquid crystal panel 1 is displaced from the metal frame 4, the metal frame 4 has a buffering projection 1a on the liquid crystal panel 1. The glass 1d portion of the liquid crystal panel 1 does not directly hit. As a result, damage to the glass 1d due to impact can be prevented.

The buffer protrusion 1a is, for example, the liquid crystal panel 1.
One may be provided at each end of each side wall of the liquid crystal material, and the buffering protrusion 1 may be provided at a position facing the sealant 1c of the liquid crystal material injection port.
b may be provided, and although not shown in FIG. 2, one to several cushioning protrusions may be provided in the intermediate portion on the long side of FIG. The sealant 1c of the liquid crystal material injection port may be used as a buffering protrusion, but as shown in FIG. 1, the opening 4d provided in the metal frame 4 prevents the metal frame 4 from hitting the structure. May be The number and location of the bumps 1a for buffering are not particularly limited, but if a position shift occurs, the corners of the liquid crystal panel 1 are most likely to hit the metal frame 4, so at least one at each end of each side wall. It is preferable to provide each of them.

The height of the buffer protrusions 1a and 1b is 0.05.
It is preferable that the thickness is about 1 mm. That is,
At the same height as the protrusion of the liquid crystal material sealing port sealant 1c,
Because of this sealant 1c, the gap between the liquid crystal panel 1 and the metal frame 4 is conventionally provided to be about 0.1 to 1 mm, and the gap is set within the gap.

The buffer protrusions 1a and 1b are not particularly limited in material and method of providing them, but an ultraviolet curable resin, a silicone or epoxy thermosetting resin, a rubber resin or the like can be used. Usually, an ultraviolet curable resin is used as a sealant for the liquid crystal material injection port, and since it can be similarly applied and cured in the same step, it can be cured in a very short time.
Furthermore, since it has a certain degree of hardness and flexibility and easily absorbs impact force, it is particularly preferable to apply and cure an ultraviolet curable resin. When a resin such as an ultraviolet curable resin is applied and cured, in order to provide protrusions on each side wall of the liquid crystal panel 1, the protrusion is formed by applying and curing the resin on one side wall, and then the liquid crystal panel. 1
Must be rotated so that the different side wall is on top, and then the resin application and curing must be repeated. However, if a UV curable resin is used, it will be cured by irradiating it with UV light for several seconds, so that several liquid crystal panels are lined up and the UV curable resin is sequentially applied using a dispenser, etc. It can be formed, and it can be easily formed in a short time without requiring a lot of work steps.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2A of another embodiment of the liquid crystal display device of the present invention. In this embodiment, the function key sheet 5 is further provided on the surface of the liquid crystal panel 1.
A liquid crystal display device in which an input device and a display device are integrated by providing a touch panel 6 made of a transparent material such as a glass plate via the touch panel 6, and the buffering protrusion 1a of the liquid crystal panel 1 is also provided on the side wall of the touch panel 6. A buffering projection 6a similar to that is provided. As a result, even if an impact force such as a drop is applied, the glass or plastic film portion of the touch panel 6 does not directly contact the metal frame 4, and like the buffer protrusion 1a of the liquid crystal panel 1 described above, the buffer protrusion 6a. Thus, the impact force is absorbed and the touch panel 6 can be prevented from being damaged.

[0021]

According to the liquid crystal display device of the present invention, since the buffering projections are provided on the side walls of the liquid crystal panel or both the liquid crystal panel and the touch panel, if a shock force due to the dropping of the product is applied. Even in the meantime, the glass part of the liquid crystal panel or the touch panel does not directly hit the surrounding metal frame, and the shock absorbing force is absorbed by the cushioning projections, so that the liquid crystal panel or the touch panel is not broken, cracked, or broken. Therefore, display defects due to leakage of liquid crystal material and scratches on the display screen do not occur. Therefore, the yield is improved and a highly reliable liquid crystal display device can be obtained.

Further, the degree of freedom of the gap between these panels and the surrounding metal frame is small, and it is possible to prevent the deterioration of the display quality due to the displacement of the liquid crystal panel.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of an embodiment of the liquid crystal display device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a function of a buffer protrusion according to an embodiment of the liquid crystal display device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of another embodiment of the liquid crystal display device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of an example of a conventional liquid crystal display device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Liquid crystal panel 1a Buffer protrusion 1b Buffer protrusion 2 Circuit board 3 Rubber connector 4 Metal frame 6 Touch panel

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A liquid crystal display device in which a liquid crystal panel and a circuit board are connected via a rubber connector and fixed by a metal frame provided on the outer periphery thereof, wherein a cushioning protrusion is provided on a side wall of the liquid crystal panel. Liquid crystal display device. 2. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein a touch panel is further provided on the surface of the liquid crystal panel, and a cushioning projection is also provided on a side wall of the touch panel. 3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the buffer protrusion is made of an ultraviolet curable resin.