JPH11353916A - Information display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an downsized information display device heightened in luminance of an information display panel by directing the rays backlighting the information display panel in the most easy-to-see direction of the information display panel according to the mounting position. SOLUTION: This device is constituted by at least one information display unit A composed of an information display panel 11 provided with an information display surface for displaying information and a backlight device 12 set behind the information display panel 11. The backlight device 12 is composed of a light guide plate 13 arranged approximately in parallel to the information display panel 11, and a tubular light source 20 arranged along at least one side surface orthogonal to one surface of the light guide plate 13 opposite to the information display surface of the information display panel 11. One surface 13a of the light guide plate 13 is roughened flat, and incident light scattering and reflecting structural parts 14, 15 are formed on the other surface 13b opposite to the one surface. The incident light from the tubular light source 20 through the side surface as an incident surface is emitted from the one surface obliquely to the normal line of the surface as an emitting surface, to illuminate the information display surface of the information display panel downward or upward from behind.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information display device, and more particularly, to an information display device, which is installed on a passage or ceiling inside a building or on an exterior wall of a building, and displays an evacuation passage, a doorway, a telephone, a store, a smoking area, The present invention relates to an information display device suitable as an emergency guide light, an entrance / exit indicator light, a guide indicator light, or the like used for various guidance displays such as hand washing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a variety of buildings such as theaters, department stores, hospitals, and underground malls, there are emergency guide lights for displaying evacuation passages, doorway lights for indicating entrances, telephones, shops, smoking areas, etc. An information display device such as a guide display lamp for displaying various kinds of guidance such as hand washing is provided.

Conventionally, this type of information display device has a light-transmitting resin plate displaying information consisting of characters or pictures inserted into a side opening of a box-shaped casing in which a light source such as a fluorescent lamp is installed. It was composed of

[0004]

However, in the conventional information display device, it is general that a plurality of fluorescent lamps are arranged on the back side of the information display plate. Brightness unevenness that only the part where the fluorescent lamp is arranged is bright and the other parts are dark is likely to occur,
Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to confirm characters and pictures on the information display board depending on a viewing angle. Further, in this type of conventional information display device, the thickness of the fluorescent lamp increases,
There is a problem that the whole apparatus becomes large.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems. In addition to reducing the size of the apparatus, a light beam that illuminates the information display panel from the back in accordance with the mounting position is best used for displaying information. An object of the present invention is to provide an information display device whose brightness is increased in a direction in which a panel is easy to see.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is an information display device, and has the following configuration to solve the above-mentioned technical problem. That is, the information display device of the present invention includes at least one information display unit including an information display panel having an information display surface on which information is displayed, and a backlight device disposed on the back side of the information display panel. The backlight device is configured to be disposed along at least one side surface of the light guide plate substantially parallel to the information display panel and substantially perpendicular to one surface of the light guide plate facing the information display surface of the information display panel. An incident light scattering / reflecting structure is formed on the other surface opposite to one surface of the light guide plate, and light incident from the tubular light source is used as a light exit surface with one side as a light incident surface. The light is emitted at a certain angle with respect to the normal line, and the information display surface of the information display panel is illuminated from the back side.

<Additional Configuration in the Present Invention> The information display device of the present invention comprises the above-mentioned essential components. However, the present invention can be realized even if the following configuration is further added to the components. The additional component is that the backlight device further includes a prism sheet disposed on one surface of the light guide plate, and light incident from the tubular light source is formed on one surface with a light incident surface on one side and a light output surface on one surface. The light is emitted at an angle with respect to the normal line, and the emitted light is further converted into a light beam substantially parallel to the normal line by the prism sheet, and the information display surface of the information display panel is irradiated substantially orthogonally from the back side. The illumination is characterized by

<Specific Configuration of the Present Invention> The information display device of the present invention is composed of the above-mentioned essential components. However, the present invention is established even when the components are specifically as follows. The specific constituent element is characterized in that two information display units are arranged so that the other surfaces of the light guide plate in the backlight device are almost aligned with each other. In such an information display device, it is also preferable that one surface of the light guide plate is processed into a rough surface.

According to the information display device of the present invention having such features, the light emitted from the tubular light source disposed along one side of the light guide plate constituting the backlight device emits one side of the light guide plate. From the inside. Light incident from one side surface of the light guide plate is reflected to one surface side by an incident light scattering / reflecting structure formed on the other surface of the light guide plate.

The incident light scattering / reflecting structure can be constituted by, for example, a convex dot pattern. In this case, the convex dots constituting the convex dot pattern are arranged in accordance with the distance from the tubular light source and / or the arrangement density and / or size thereof are increased. By changing the height, the brightness of light emitted from one surface of the light guide plate can be made substantially uniform over the entire surface. In this manner, light emitted from the light exit surface of the light guide plate in the backlight device is substantially perpendicular to the one side surface because one side surface of the light guide plate is an incident surface of light from the tubular light source and the reflector plate. The light is emitted from the surface in an oblique direction with respect to a normal line perpendicular to the surface, and illuminates the information display surface of the information display panel facing the one surface in an oblique direction.

The information display device for illuminating the information display surface of the information display panel in an oblique direction is suitable for installation at relatively high and low positions where a person looks up from below or looks down from above. It is. Here, the “relatively high position and low position” indicate, for example, a position higher or lower than the position of the eyes of a person in a passage where a person passes in a normal state.

When the information display device of the present invention is installed at substantially the same position as the line of sight of a person, it is necessary to irradiate the information display surface of the information display panel substantially orthogonally from the back side. In that case, the deflector lens means is arranged on one surface of the light guide plate, and the light emitted at a certain angle with respect to the normal line is set to the normal surface by using the one surface as the light exit surface. The light is refracted into parallel rays, and irradiates the information display surface of the information display panel from the back side thereof so as to be substantially orthogonal to the display surface. A prism sheet or the like can be used as the deflection lens means.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The information display device of the present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG.
Is a cross-sectional view showing an information display device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view partially showing a reflection surface of one light guide plate, and FIGS. 3 and 4 constitute a reflection surface of the light guide plate. It is sectional drawing which shows the convex dot of a convex dot pattern partially.

As shown in FIG. 1, this information display device 10 has an information display panel 11 in which information consisting of characters or pictures is displayed on the surface of a translucent resin plate, and the information display panel 11 is illuminated from the back. And an information display unit A comprising a backlight device 12 which performs the operation. The backlight device 12 includes a light guide plate 13 formed of a rectangular thin plate having a plate thickness of about 4 mm.
One surface which is the right surface as viewed in FIG.
a, the other surface on the opposite side (left side in FIG. 1)
Is a reflecting surface 13b for reflecting light.

The light exit surface 13a, which is one surface of the light guide plate 13, is a rough flat surface. On the other hand, a convex dot pattern which is an incident light scattering / reflecting structure is formed on the reflection surface 13b which is the other surface of the light guide plate 13, as shown in FIG. The convex dot pattern is composed of a large number of convex dots 14, 15, 16, 17, 18,. Can be.

These convex dots 14, 15, 16, 1
The top surfaces of 7, 18,... Are rough surfaces as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, and flat portions between a number of convex dots are smooth surfaces. The dot pattern may be concave, and a dot pattern having a rough surface may be provided on a flat portion without making the dot pattern particularly uneven.

A light reflection film 19 is provided on the reflection surface 13b, which is the other surface of the light guide plate 13, and the light reflection film 19 extends to the left, right and lower side surfaces of the light guide plate 13. In addition, in the light guide plate 13, a tubular light source 20 is provided on an upper side surface which is not covered with the light reflection film 19, along the side surface.

Outside these tubular light sources 20, a reflecting hood or reflector 21 is arranged. Thus, the light directly reflected by the tubular light source 20 and the light reflected by the reflector 21 are incident on the inside of the light guide plate 13.

By the way, the size of each convex dot of the convex dot pattern formed on the reflection surface of the light guide plate 13 as the incident light scattering / reflecting structure portion increases as the distance from the tubular light source 20 increases (when viewed in plan). (For example, when the convex dots are cylindrical, the diameter of the column is designed to be large).

Therefore, in the light guide plate 13 of this embodiment,
As shown in FIG. 2, the size of the convex dot gradually increases from one side where the tubular light source 20 is arranged to the other side opposite to the side. Thereby, regardless of the distance from the tubular light source 20, almost the same amount of light is reflected from any of the convex dots 14 to 18.

Next, the information display device 1 according to this embodiment
The operation of 0 will be described. When using the information display device 10, the tubular light source 20 installed on the upper surface, which is one side surface of the light guide plate 13, is turned on. Then, the direct light from the tubular light source 20 and the reflected light reflected by the reflector 21 enter the inside of the light guide plate 13 from the upper surface thereof.

Of the light incident on the light guide plate 13 from the upper side thereof, the light irradiated on the smooth surface of the reflecting surface 13b (the surface other than the convex dots 14 to 18) is totally reflected, and the convex dots 14 to 18 are reflected.
The light applied to the top surface of the light guide plate 18 is scattered and reflected and exits from the exit surface 13a of the light guide plate 13. At that time, the light reflection film 19 attached to the reflection surface 13b of the light guide plate 13 enhances the reflection efficiency of the above-described total reflection and scattering reflection.

In this manner, the light emitted from the light exit surface 13a of the light guide plate 13 in the backlight device 12 is reflected by the light guide plate 1
3 is an incident surface of the light from the tubular light source 20 and the reflector 21, the emission surface 13a substantially perpendicular to the upper surface is obliquely downward with respect to a normal line perpendicular to this surface. The light is emitted, and the information display surface of the information display panel 11 facing the emission surface 13a is illuminated obliquely downward from the back surface.

By the way, the size of the convex dots 14 to 18 on the reflection surface 13b of the light guide plate 13 gradually increases from one side where the tubular light source 20 is arranged to the other side opposite to each other as described above. Has been enlarged. This means that any of the convex dots 14 will not matter regardless of the distance from the tubular light source 20.
This is because the light of approximately the same amount is reflected from .about.18....

Thus, the emission surface 13a of each light guide plate 13
The amount of light emitted to the light exit surface 13a is substantially equal over the entire exit surface 13a, and the luminance of the light exit surface 13a of the light guide plate 13 is equalized (uniformly distributed). In this way, even if the size of the convex dots 14 to 18... Increases as the distance from the tubular light source 20 increases, the arrangement density of the convex dots 14 to 18. The luminance of the surface 13a can be equalized.

The information display device 10 according to this embodiment is
An information display unit A comprising an information display panel 11 and a backlight device 12 for illuminating the information display panel 11 from behind is provided on a box-shaped casing 22 through an opening 23 formed on one wall surface of the casing 22. It is installed and configured so that the entire surface is exposed. The information display device 10 shown in FIG. 1 is a single-sided display device, but may be a two-sided information display device by using two information display units A.

That is, FIG. 5 shows an information display device 30 according to another embodiment of the present invention. The information display device 30 is configured by arranging the two information display units A described above in a reverse direction (back to back). In other words,
In each information display unit A, each backlight device 1
The two light guide plates 13 are arranged such that the other surfaces 13b of the two light guide plates 13 face each other. In the casing 31, almost the entire surface of each information display panel 11 is exposed from the opening 32 formed on the opposed wall surface of the casing 31. It is configured to be stored.

In the information display device 30 according to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, it is preferable to arrange a double-sided reflection film 33 between the other surfaces 13b of the backlight devices 12 where the light guide plates 13 face each other. Other configurations are substantially the same as those of the information display device 10 shown in FIG. 1, and the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference characters and description thereof will be omitted.

In the information display device 30 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, two light guide plates 13 are used to emit light toward the same surface. Such a configuration can be adopted when the number of information display panels 11 is one and it is desired to increase the amount of light. The information display panel 1
The surface of the light guide plate facing 1 is a flat surface processed into a rough surface, but the other surface and each surface of the other light guide plate may or may not be provided with a rough surface or an incident light scattering / reflecting structure. Or you may.

According to such an information display device 30, 1
Since various information can be displayed from both sides by the two relevant devices, this can be displayed on the passage of the building, the ceiling in the room, etc.
The display efficiency can be improved by hanging the display.

The information display device 1 according to each of the embodiments described above.
Reference numerals 0 and 30 denote an emission surface 13a which is substantially perpendicular to the incident surface because the light incident from the upper surface is reflected by the incident light scattering / reflecting structure because the tubular light source 20 is disposed on the upper surface of the light guide plate 13. Since the light is emitted obliquely downward with respect to the normal line, it is suitable for installation at a position where a person looks up. From such a meaning, it can be said that the information display devices 10 and 30 according to these embodiments are for high-position installation.

Further, the information display devices 10 and 20 shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 5 may be mounted on a building or the like in a state where the information display devices 10 and 20 are turned over so that the tubular light source 20 is located on the lower surface of the light guide plate 13. it can. In such a case, it goes without saying that light is incident on the light guide plate from the lower surface, and the light is reflected by the incident light scattering / reflecting structure, and changes from the exit surface almost perpendicular to the entrance surface to the normal line perpendicular to this surface. Since the light is emitted obliquely upward, such an information display device is suitable for installation in a position where a person looks down. Therefore, it can be said that the information display device of such an embodiment is for installation at a low position.

On the other hand, when the information display device is installed at substantially the same position as the line of sight of the person, the information display panel 11
It is necessary to irradiate the backlight substantially perpendicular to the information display surface from the back side. An information display device 40 according to an embodiment in such a case is shown in FIG.

The information display device 40 according to this embodiment includes a backlight device 42 formed by arranging a prism sheet 41 as a deflection lens means on one surface 13a of the light guide plate 13. . The prism sheet 41 is, as schematically shown in FIG.
A plurality of triangular prisms or polygonal prisms 41a formed on the side facing the one surface 13a, and whether the exit surface 41b on the opposite side is rough enough not to affect the refraction angle of the prism. , And a smooth flat surface.

The prism portions 41a of the prism sheet 41 extend in a direction along the longitudinal direction of the tubular light source 20, that is, in a parallel direction, and are formed at equal intervals.
By arranging the prism portion 41a of the prism sheet 41 so as to face the emission surface 13a of the light guide plate 13 in this manner, light emitted from the emission surface 13a of the light guide plate 13 obliquely downward with respect to the normal line is reduced. As shown in FIG. 7, the light is refracted by light rays parallel to the normal and emitted from the prism sheet 41.

As a result, the information display panel 11 is illuminated from the back side thereof with a light beam substantially orthogonal to the information display surface. Such a prism sheet 41 is connected to the light guide plate 13.
The arrangement is substantially the same as that of the information display device 10 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 except that it is arranged on the exit surface side of FIG. 1. The same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. I do.

The material of the prism sheet 41 is made of a transparent resin such as a thermoplastic resin, a thermosetting resin, and an energy ray-curable resin such as ultraviolet rays. For example, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polyolefin-based resin, polyester-based resin and the like can be mentioned.
In addition, at least for the prism part, an energy ray-curable resin such as ultraviolet rays is preferable from the viewpoint of ease of manufacture and resistance to damage.

For example, acrylate resins such as polyester acrylate, urethane acrylate and epoxy acrylate can be used. These resins are transparent, optically homogeneous and isotropic. The range of the refractive index of visible light to these airs is preferably 1.45 to 1.6.
0, particularly preferably about 1.48 to 1.59.

The prism sheet 41 can be manufactured by either an integral molding method or a two-piece method. The integral molding method is a method in which the above-mentioned resin film is pressed against a mold or the above-mentioned softened or melted resin is put into a mold and molded. The two-piece method is a method in which a sheet is formed in advance, and then a prism portion is formed.Specifically, a resin solution described above is put into a mold, and then the resin solution is covered with the resin sheet described above, and the resin solution is coated. This is a method of curing and molding.

Although not shown, two information display units B each having such a backlight device 42 and the information display panel 11 are provided similarly to the information display device 30 of the embodiment shown in FIG. It goes without saying that the information display device can be configured by arranging the devices back to back. According to such an information display device, various information can be displayed from both sides by one device.

In the information display devices 10, 30, and 40 in each of the above-described embodiments, a cold cathode tube or the like can be used as the tubular light source 20, and the reflection film 19 and the double-sided reflection film 33 can be silver, aluminum, or the like. Metal layer can be used. The light guide plate 13 is, for example, PM
It can be formed as a transparent, optically homogeneous and isotropic resin plate such as MA or PC.

[0042]

As described above, according to the information display device of the present invention, the incident light scattering / reflecting structure is formed on the other surface opposite to the one surface from which the light is emitted. Since the information display surface of the information display panel is illuminated from the back side thereof by the backlight device in which the tubular light sources are arranged along at least one side surface orthogonal to the device, it is possible to reduce the size of the device and to improve the brightness unevenness. There can be provided an information display device in which light rays illuminating the information display panel from the back according to the mounting position are directed in the direction in which the information display panel is most easily viewed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an information display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view partially showing a reflection surface of a light guide plate in the information display device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view partially showing convex dots of a convex dot pattern constituting a reflection surface of a light guide plate in the information display device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view partially showing another shape of a convex dot constituting a convex dot pattern constituting a reflection surface of a light guide plate.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an information display device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view schematically showing an information display device according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a configuration explanatory view showing a part of the information display device shown in FIG. 6 in an enlarged manner and schematically.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view schematically showing an information display device according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 30, 40 Information display device 11 Information display panel 12 Information display unit 13 Light guide plate 13a Emission surface 13b Reflection surface 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 Convex dots 19 Light reflection film 20 Tubular light source 21 Reflector (reflection plate) 22 Casing 23 Opening 31 Casing 32 Opening 33 Double-sided reflective film 41 Prism sheet (deviation lens means)

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. The information display device comprising: an information display panel having an information display surface on which information is displayed; and at least one information display unit including a backlight device disposed on a back side of the information display panel. A light device is disposed along at least one side surface of the light guide plate substantially parallel to the information display panel, and at least one side surface of the light guide plate facing the information display surface of the information display panel. An incident light scattering / reflecting structure is formed on the other surface of the light guide plate opposite to the one surface, and the light incident from the tubular light source with the one side as a light incident surface. The information is characterized in that the light is emitted at a certain angle to the normal line with the surface as a light emitting surface, and the information display surface of the information display panel is illuminated from the back side. Display devices. 2. The backlight device further includes a prism sheet disposed on the one surface of the light guide plate,
Light incident from the tubular light source with the one side as a light incident surface is emitted at a certain angle with respect to its normal with the one surface as a light emitting surface, and the emitted light is further substantially aligned with the normal by the prism sheet. The information display device according to claim 1, wherein the information display surface of the information display panel is illuminated by being made into parallel light beams so as to irradiate the information display surface of the information display panel substantially orthogonally from a back side thereof. 3. The information display according to claim 1, wherein the two information display units are arranged so that the other surfaces of the light guide plate in the backlight device are substantially aligned with each other. apparatus. 4. The information display device according to claim 1, wherein the one surface of the light guide plate is roughened.