Patent Application
20240427072
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC 119 of Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-103885 filed on Jun. 26, 2023, the entire disclosure of which, including the specification, claims, drawings and abstract, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates to a display apparatus and an electronic instrument.
There have conventionally been known display apparatuses including a light guiding unit for guiding light from a light source which is incident on an incident surface to make the light emitted from an emitting surface which lies opposite to the incident surface. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-127909 (JP-A-2007-127909) discloses an LED display as a display apparatus which includes multiple LEDs (Light Emitting Devices) as multiple light sources, and a light guiding unit for guiding lights from the multiple LEDs. In this LED display, a light receiving surface (an incident surface) is provided on an end face of the light guiding unit which faces the LEDs, and a display surface (an emitting surface) is provided on an end face of the light guiding unit which lies opposite to the light receiving surface in such a manner as to be parallel to the light receiving surface.
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a display apparatus including a plurality of light sources which are aligned side by side in a first direction, and a light guiding unit configured to have an incident surface on which light from the at least one of the plurality of light sources is incident and an emitting surface from which light from the incident surface is emitted and include openings provided in positions along a second direction with respect to positions of the plurality of light sources respectively, the second direction intersects the first direction.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a display apparatus including at least one light source, a light guiding plate configured to have an incident surface on which light from the at least one light source is incident and an emitting surface from which the light from the incident surface is emitted, and a support formed from the same material as a material of the light guiding plate and having a support section configured to support the light guiding plate, wherein the support includes an opening provided in a position contiguous with the support section.
According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an electronic instrument that includes the display apparatus described above, configured to display information effectively.
Referring to drawings, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. An electronic keyboard instrument (an electronic instrument) 1 shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The left side arm plate 34 and the right side arm plate 35 each have a substantially rectangular shape which is elongated in the front-back direction. In each of the left side arm plate 34 and the right side arm plate 35, a step is provided at a substantially central portion in the front-back direction so that the height of a front half portion becomes substantially equal to the height of the keyboard 20. The left side arm plate 34 and the right side arm plate 35 are provided individually at a left side and a right side of the main body part 10, constituting a left side surface and a right side surface of the main body case 30, respectively. The front top plate 36F has a substantially rectangular shape which is elongated in the left-right direction and is provided on a front-side portion of an upper backward section of the main body part 10, constituting a part of an upper surface of the main body case 30. The back top plate 36B has a substantially rectangular shape which is elongated in the left-right direction and is provided on a back-side portion of the upper backward section of the main body part 10, constituting another part of the upper surface of the main body case 30. Here, as shown in
The back top plate 36B is attached rotatably to the back plate 33 in such a manner that the back plate 33 is opened from a front side thereof. A cover plate 11, having a substantially rectangular plate-like shape which is elongated in the left-right direction, is provided on a lower side of the back top plate 36B in such a posture that both plate surfaces thereof are oriented in the upper-lower direction. A plurality of upper openings 11a, each having a substantially rectangular shape and opened upwards, are provided in the cover plate 11 in such a manner as to be disposed at predetermined intervals in the left-right direction. An upper surface and side surfaces of the cover plate 11 are covered with a saran net. With the back top plate 36B left open, an opening on a lower side of the back top plate 36B is covered by the cover plate 11, so that an interior of the main body case 30 is made invisible. In addition, a music stand 36F1 is attached to a substantially central portion of the front top plate 36F in the left-right direction thereof. The lower plate 37 has a substantially rectangular shape which is elongated in the left-right direction and is provided on a lower side of the main body part 10, constituting a lower surface of the main body case 30.
As shown in
As shown in
A metallic sheet 16 is attached to a lower surface of the front top plate 36F in such a manner as to extend in the left-right direction (refer to
Next, the operation/working-effect and configuration of the display unit 40, which constitutes a main part of the present disclosure, will be described in detail. As shown in
When the display section 42 displays a metronome function, firstly, in the plurality of LEDs 72, some successive LEDs 72 are turned on to be illuminated as a mass of illuminated LEDs, while the other LEDs 72 are left turned off to be unilluminated. Here, according to a set tempo, in the illuminated LEDs 72, the LED 72 positioned at one end in the left-right direction (for example, at a left end) is turned off, and in the unilluminated LEDs 72, the LED 72 positioned adjacent to the illuminated LED 72 at the other end in the left-right direction (for example, a right end) is turned on, so that the same number of successive LEDs 72 are always illuminated all together. Hereafter, this series of turning-on and turning-off operations is repeated, and when there is left no more unilluminated LEDs 72 at the other end side of the mass of illuminated LEDs, the illuminated LED 72 at the other end is turned off, and the unilluminated LED 72 positioned adjacent to the illuminated LED 72 of the mass of illuminated LEDs which is positioned at the one end is turned on, and thereafter, this series of turning-on and turning-off operations is repeated. That is, some successive illuminated LEDs 72 are seen as if performing a reciprocating motion repeatedly in the left-right direction in the display area 42a to the set tempo, whereby the metronome function is realized.
As shown in
The light shielding case 50 is a component of a substantially rectangular plate-like shape which is elongated in the left-right direction. The light shielding case 50 is formed from, for example, black polystyrene and has a light shielding characteristic. The light shielding case 50 is disposed in such a posture that both case surfaces including the front surface 50a are oriented in the front-back direction. In the front surface 50a of the light shielding case 50, an outer edge portion 50b lying along an outer edge of the front surface 50a slightly protrudes towards the front side, whereby a substantially recessed concave section in the front surface 50a is surrounded by the outer edge portion 50b in such a manner as to be opened towards the front side. The acryl panel 44 is fitted in this concave section 50b. As shown in an enlarged view E1 in
The LED substrate 70 is a laterally elongated, substantially rectangular component plate having a shape corresponding to that of the display section 42 and is sized on size larger than the display section 42. Two main surfaces of the LED substrate 70 including a front surface 70a are oriented in the front-back direction. As shown in an enlarged view E2 in
Next, the configuration of the light guiding unit 60 will be described in detail. As shown in
The first component plate 62 includes a plate section 62a which constitutes the plate surfaces of the first component plate 62, a plurality of protruding sections 62b which are slightly lowered in a step-like fashion from external edge portions of longitudinal sides of the plate section 62a towards the back side and are caused to protrude outwards (in an upward direction or a downward direction) into substantially rectangular shapes, and support sections 62c (refer to
A plurality of openings (hereinafter, referred to as “LED openings 62a1”), which are each opened into a substantially rectangular shape, are provided in the plate section 62a of the first component plate 62 in such a manner as to penetrate the plate section 62a in the front-back direction above and below a position where the first component plate 62 faces the individual LEDs 72 in such a state that the first component plate 62 is superposed on the front surface 70a of the LED substrate 70. The plurality of LED openings 62al work in pairs as a set or pair of LED openings 62al and are disposed in such a manner as to face each other in the upper-lower direction (a second direction), while disposing one LED 72 therebetween.
In the plurality of LED openings 62al, corner portions positioned at both ends of a lower side of the upper LED opening 62al which lie closer to the LED 72 and corner portions positioned at both ends of an upper side of the lower LED opening 62al which lie closer to the LED 72 are each opened substantially at an angle of 90 degrees. In contrast with this, corner portions positioned at both ends of an upper side of the upper LED opening 62a1 which lie farther from the LED 72 and corner portions at both ends of a lower side of the lower LED opening 62al which lie farther from the LED 72 are each opened round into a curve. As a result, strictly speaking, a rectilinear length of the lower side of the upper LED opening 62al is slightly longer than a rectilinear length of the upper side of the upper LED opening 62a1, and a rectilinear length of the upper side of the lower LED opening 62al is slightly longer than a rectilinear length of the lower side of the lower LED opening 62a1.
Each LED opening 62al is opened in a larger size than a light emitting surface of each LED 72. That is, an opening dimension D1 (refer to
In the first component plate 62, the support sections 62c are provided individually at portions corresponding to the intervals D2 where the LED opening 62a1 is not provided in the left-right direction. The first component plate 62 is a component which supports the second component plate 64 which protrudes to the front. The second component plate 64 has a characteristic of easily transmitting light to a component which is in contact with the second component plate 64, and hence, the first component plate 62 supports the second component plate 64 at the support sections 62c in such a manner that the second component plate 64 is brought into contact as little as possible with other components than the first component plate 62.
The second component plate 64 is a thick laterally elongated, substantially rectangular component plate and is disposed in such a posture that both plate surfaces are oriented in the upper-lower direction, that is, in such a state that the second component plate 64 stands at right angles with respect to the plate section 62a of the first component plate 62. In addition, dimensions in the upper-lower direction and the left-right direction of the second component plate 64 are made slightly smaller than dimensions in the upper-lower direction and the left-right direction of the emission opening 52a. The second component plate 64 is disposed in such a manner that both the plate surfaces thereof become substantially perpendicular to the substrate surfaces of the LED substrate 70 in such a state that the first component plate 62 is superposed on the front surface 70a of the LED substrate 70. The second component plate 64 includes a light guiding section 64a which is positioned at a front portion of the second component plate 64 not only to constitute the plate surfaces of the second component plate 64 and but also to guide lights from the LEDs 72 and a light receiving section 64b which is disposed in a position lying backwards of the light guiding section 64a in such a manner as to face the light emitting surfaces of the LEDs 72 to receive lights from the LEDs 72. Each LED opening 62a1 is opened in the front-back direction on upper and lower sides of the light receiving section 64b.
A front end face (a top surface) of the light guiding section 64a of the second component plate 64 constitutes an emitting surface 64a1 from which lights from the LEDs 72 are configured to be emitted. On the other hand, a back end face of the light receiving section 64b constitutes an incident surface 64b1 on which lights from the LEDs 72 are configured to be incident. In the second component plate 64, the incident surface 64b1 and the emitting surface 64al constitute opposite sides. The incident surface 64b1 is level with a back surface (a rear surface) of the plate section 62a of the first component plate 62. In this way, the first component plate 62 and the second component plate 64 are provided in such a manner that the incident surface 64b1 extends along the left-right direction between the pairs of upper and lower LED openings 62a1.
The emitting surface 64a1 is a rough surface rougher than the incident surface 64b1. Specifically speaking, a grain finish is applied to the emitting surface 64al so as to provide a fine uneven surface. In addition, an upper surface 64c and a lower surface 64d (refer to
A wall section (not shown) is provided on a back side of the emission opening 52a of the light shielding case 50 in such a manner as to extend backwards from an opening end of the emission opening 52a into an angular cylindrical shape. An internal side of this wall section has substantially the same shape as an external shape of the light guiding section 64a and is sized one size larger than the light guiding section 64a. The light guiding section 64a is accommodated in the inner side of the wall section in such a manner that the emitting surface 64al is exposed from the emission opening 52a, and most of external circumferential surfaces (the upper surface 64c, the lower surface 64d, a right side surface, a left side surface) of the second component plate 64 excluding the emitting surface 64al and the incident surface 64b1 are covered by the light shielding case 50 in such a state that the light guiding unit 60 is assembled to the light shielding case 50. As a result, in the case that lights from the LEDs 72 are incident on the incident surface 64b1 to be emitted from the emitting surface 64a1, only the display area 42a is seen as if being illuminated or shining when the electronic keyboard instrument 1 is seen from the front side.
Here, a form of disposition of the LEDs 72 and the light guiding unit 60 in the display unit 40 will be described. As shown in
In addition, the protruding sections 62b of the first component plate 62 are provided in the step-like fashion towards the back side by a distance larger than a thickness dimension of each LED 72. As a result, in such a state that the light guiding unit 60 is attached to the metallic sheet 16, the plate section 62a is spaced apart slightly from the LED substrate 70, whereby the light emitting surface of each LED 72 comes closer to the incident surface 64b1 of the second component plate 64 (refer to
Next, optical paths of lights emitted from the individual LEDs 72 provided on the LED substrate 70 will be described. As shown in
In addition, as shown in
Here, the upper surface 64c and the lower surface 64d of the second component plate 64 on a circumference of each LED 72 are opened in the LED opening 62al, and hence, the upper surface 64c and the lower surface 64d are surrounded by a layer of air whose refractive index is lower than a refractive index of the light guiding unit 60. The first component plate 62 and the second component plate 64 are formed integrally from the same material, and hence, there is provided no interface at a coupled portion of the first component plate 62 and the second component plate 64. As a result, the first component plate 62 and the second component plate 64 have a characteristic that light is easily propagated therebetween. Due to this characteristic, there is a risk that a part of light within the second component plate 64 is propagated to the first component plate 62 without being emitted from the emitting surface 64a1. However, the LED openings 62al are provided in the first component plate 62, and hence, when light that is incident on the incident surface 64b1 of the second component plate 64 reaches the upper surface 64c and the lower surface 64d of the second component plate 64, the light is made to be reflected easily on an interface with a layer of air.
In other words, with a structure in which the LED openings 62al of the present disclosure are not provided individually around the LEDs 72, light that is incident on the incident surface 64b1 into the second component plate 64 is propagated to the first component plate 62 in the upper-lower direction to thereby be diffused, and as a result, a luminance brightness per unit area in the upper-lower direction of a light guiding unit 60 of this structure will be reduced to be lower than that of the light guiding unit 60 of the present disclosure. In contrast with the structure described above, with the light guiding unit 60 of the present disclosure, bright light can be allowed to be emitted efficiently in the upper-lower direction and at an appropriate contrast ratio with the surroundings.
Additionally, as shown in
Light emitted from each LED 72 in the way described above reaches the emitting surface 64a1 by way of any of the first optical path L1, the second optical path L2 and the third optical path L3, and hence, in the emitting surface 64al, not only portions positioned directly in front of the LEDs 72 are illuminated brightly into a dot by the light, but also portions of the emitting surface 64al which correspond to intervals defined between the adjacent LEDs 72 are illuminated by the light, whereafter the light is allowed to be emitted from the emitting surface 64a1. As a result, an area of the emitting surface 64al in the left-right direction which corresponds to a length of a number of LEDs 72 which are illuminated simultaneously is illuminated uniformly at a substantially equal luminance brightness. Thus, in the metronome function described above, it is not seen that the LEDs 72 emit light individually and separately but seen that a mass of light extending in the left-right direction is emitted while moving in the left-right direction, whereby the player can visually recognize the tempo well. In addition, for illumination at a desired luminance brightness, a load borne by each LED 72 can be less in a case in which some or all of the plurality of LEDs 72 are illuminated simultaneously than in a case in which only one LED 72 is illuminated.
As has been described heretofore, the display unit 40 according to the present embodiment includes the LED substrate 70 on which the plurality of LEDs 72 are provided in such a manner as to be aligned side by side in the left-right direction and the light guiding unit 60 which has the first component plate 62 including the plurality of LED openings 62al which are opened in the plate surfaces thereof which are substantially parallel to the LED substrate 70 in such a manner as to correspond individually to the plurality of LEDs 72 along the left-right direction and the second component plate 64 including the incident surface 64b1 positioned at the back end face of the second component plate 64 and the emitting surface 64a1 positioned at the front end face of the second component plate 64. The second component plate 64 is substantially perpendicular to the LED substrate 70 and is configured to guide light from at least one LED of the plurality of LEDs 72 which is incident on the incident surface 64b1, allowing the light to be emitted from the emitting surface 64a1. Then, the first component plate 62 and the second component plate 64 are connected together in such a manner that the incident surface 64b1 is positioned within the LED openings 62a1 along the left-right direction.
In the display unit 40 of the present embodiment configured in the way described above, most of light emitted from the individual LEDs 72 is incident on the incident surface 64b1 to enter the light guiding unit 60. The LED openings 62al are provided individually on the upper side and the lower side of the incident surface 64b1 in the upper-lower direction, and hence, among the lights which enter the light guiding unit 60, light that reaches an opening end of the LED opening 62al is reflected on an interface between the light guiding unit 60 and the opening end of the LED opening 62al to stay within the light guiding unit 60. As a result, an amount of light that is diffused in the upper-lower direction towards the LED openings 62al to escape therefrom can be suppressed to as low a level as possible, whereby light can be emitted from the incident surface 64b1 efficiently.
In addition, the first component plate 62 includes the support sections 62c which are formed integrally with the second component plate 64 at the portions where the LEDs 72 are not disposed in the upper-lower direction, and hence, the second component plate 64 can be prevented from falling from the first component plate 62. The support sections 62c are spaced farther apart from the light emitting surfaces of the LEDs 72 than the opening ends of the LED openings 62al positioned above and below the LEDs 72 which lie adjacent thereto, and hence, among lights entering into the second component plate 64 from the incident surface 64b1 of the light receiving section 64b, an amount of light that reaches the support sections 62c to be diffused in the upper-lower direction via the support sections 62c is small.
In addition, light that is diffused in the left-right direction within the second component plate 64 can also be emitted from the portions of the emitting surface 64a1 which correspond to the intervals defined between the adjacent LEDs 72 by adjusting the intervals between the LEDs 72, and hence, even with a relatively small number of LEDs 72, light can be output which is caused to expand in the left-right direction. In this way, with the present embodiment, lights emitted from the LEDs 72 can be caused to enter the second component plate 64 efficiently by giving a specific feature in shape to the light guiding unit 60, so that the light can be caused to reach a wide area of the emitting surface 64a1 in the left-right direction. As a result, the luminance brightness of the light guiding unit 60 can be enhanced while suppressing an increase in the number of LEDs 72 provided on the LED substrate 70 and suppressing the unevenness of luminance brightness.
In the display unit 40 according to the present embodiment, both the plate surfaces (the upper surface 64c and the lower surface 64d) of the second component plate 64 constitute the smooth surfaces which are smoother than the incident surface 64b1. Specifically speaking, the incident surface 64b1, which is the smooth surface, constitutes the surface to which the glossy finish is applied. According to this configuration, light diffused to both the sides in the upper-lower direction within the second component plate 64 to reach the upper surface 64c and the lower surface 64d is reflected easily totally due to the glossy finish applied to the upper surface 64c and the lower surface 64d to eventually reach the emitting surface 64al. As a result, light diffused within the second component plate 64 can be caused to reach the emitting surface 64al effectively, thereby making it possible to increase the luminance brightness further.
In the display unit 40 according to the present embodiment, the emitting surface 64al of the second component plate 64 constitutes the rough surface that is rougher than the incident surface 64b1. Specifically speaking, the emitting surface 64a1, which is the rough surface, constitutes the surface to which the grain finish is applied. According to this configuration, light that is guided within the second component plate 64 to reach the emitting surface 64al is reflected diffusely on the emitting surface 64a1 due to the grain finish applied to the emitting surface 64a1 to thereby illuminate the emitting surface 64al uniformly. As a result, the unevenness of luminance brightness on the emitting surface 64a1 can be suppressed effectively.
In the display unit 40 according to the present embodiment, the plurality of LEDs 72 are provided on the LED substrate 70 at the equal intervals in the left-right direction as plurality of light sources, and the incident surface 64b1 of the second component plate 64 also extends in the left-right direction. This can realize the specific configuration in which most of lights emitted from the individual LEDs 72 can be made to be incident on the incident surface 64b1.
The electronic keyboard instrument 1 according to the present embodiment includes the display unit 40 for displaying information related to playing of the electronic keyboard instrument 1 effectively. According to this configuration, the display unit 40 of the present embodiment in which the unevenness of luminance brightness is suppressed to thereby improve the luminance brightness can be used as the apparatus for displaying, for example, the metronome function or the intensity of a key press value of the key 22 which is pressed by the player in the electronic keyboard instrument 1. As a result, light displayed on the emitting surface 64al can be shone to be seen as light of a small width in the upper-lower direction and can be shone to be seen as not light of a dot but light continuously extending in the left-right direction, thereby making it possible to realize the electronic keyboard instrument 1 including the display unit 40 which is superior in visibility and design.
The electronic keyboard instrument 1 according to the present embodiment includes the metallic sheet 16 for attaching the display unit 40 to the main body case 30 of the electronic keyboard instrument 1 and the insulating sheet 80 which is held between the LED substrate 70 and the metallic sheet 16. This can realize the specific configuration in which the display unit 40 can be attached strongly to the electronic keyboard instrument 1 with the metallic sheet 16, and a short-circuit between the metallic sheet 16 and the LED substrate 70 can be prevented.
Here, the embodiment of the present disclosure that has been described heretofore is presented as the example, and hence, there is no intention to limit the scope of the present disclosure by the embodiment. The novel embodiment can be carried out in other various forms, and various omissions, replacements, and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Those resulting embodiments and modified examples thereof are included in the scope and gist of the present disclosure and are also included in the scope of disclosures claimed for patent under claims below and their equivalents. For example, in the embodiment that has been described heretofore, the LEDs are used as the light sources, however, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and hence, other types of light sources such as an organic EL (electroluminescence) device may be used. In addition, in the embodiment that has been described heretofore, the first component plate and the second component plate are both described as being made up of the plates, however, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and hence, at least either of the first component plate and the second component plate need only be made up of a plate.
In addition, in the embodiment that has been described heretofore, the first component plate and the second component plate are described as being formed integrally, however, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and hence, in place of this configuration, a configuration may be adopted in which the first component plate and the second component plate are made to be separate components, and the first component plate and the second component plate are assembled together in such a manner as to be brought into contact with each other at the support sections. In this case, no cap is preferably produced in a position where the first component plate and the second component plate are brought into contact with each other. Additionally, in the embodiment that has been described heretofore, the LED openings are described as being opened into the substantially rectangular shape in the front-back direction, however, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and hence, the LED openings may be opened into other polygonal shapes than the rectangular shape, or a substantially semicircular shape or a substantially semi-elliptical shape of which a side facing the LED constitutes a diameter thereof. Further, in the embodiment that has been described heretofore, the pair of LED openings is disposed in such a manner as to face one LED, however, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and hence, only one of the pair of LED openings need only be disposed in such a manner as to face one LED.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-103885 | Jun 2023 | JP | national |
