1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display panel device including a flat display panel and a front sheet that is glued on the display panel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Technology development of a plasma display panel (PDP) that is a self-luminous device is directed to a large screen for providing more powerful display. One of the important tasks for a large screen is weight reduction of the panel.
In general, a display device including a plasma display panel has a filter plate having a base of a tempered glass. This filter plate is arranged in front of the plasma display panel with air gap. The filter plate has various functions of adjusting a display color optically, preventing reflection of external light, shielding electromagnetic waves, and shielding near infrared rays concerning displaying operation and a function of protecting the plasma display panel mechanically. However, the filter plate is not suitable for a large screen of the plasma display panel because it has a large weight.
In order to reduce a weight of the display device, another structure is proposed in which a filter film having a base of a resin film is glued directly on the front face of the plasma display panel instead of the filter plate. Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 2001-343898 discloses a front face filter that includes a transparent conductive film for reducing electromagnetic wave radiation noise and a anti-reflection film that is glued on the front side of the transparent conductive film. A plane size of the anti-reflection film is smaller than a plane size of the transparent conductive film, and the peripheral portion of the transparent conductive film is not covered with the anti-reflection film. The peripheral portion of the transparent conductive film is connected to a conductive housing, so that electromagnetic wave energy flows from the transparent conductive film to the housing in the form of current and disappears.
It is difficult to realize plural functions by a single layer necessary for the front face of the display panel. The functions include improving optical characteristics of the screen, shielding EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) and protecting the screen mechanically. In order to provide a display panel device having plural functions required by a specification, it is necessary to glue a multi-layered film on the front face of the display panel. In addition, it is also important to provide it at low cost.
An object of the present invention is to provide a structure of a display panel device that can satisfy functions easily and has good productivity.
According to the present invention, a structure of the front sheet that is a layered film glued on a front face of the display panel includes a front portion that has a plurality of laminated layers having the same plane size and different functions and a rear portion having a plane size smaller than the front portion and larger than the screen, and the rear portion is adjacent to the front face of the display panel.
The plane sizes of the plural layers are made the same as each other, and only one or no layer is permitted to have a nonuniform pattern, so that a method of winding plural films drawn out of plural rolls being put together on another roll (a roll-to-roll method) can be used for manufacturing the front portion. In the roll-to-roll method, a precise alignment is not required if the widths of the plural band-like films to be overlapped are made the same each other, so that multilayered film can be manufactured efficiently. In addition, plural sheets of a predetermined size can be obtained by one cut. The roll-to-roll method is suitable for laminated plural layers each of which has a thickness of 500 μm or less.
A plane size of the rear portion is smaller than that of the front portion, and the rear portion is arranged at the rear side of the front portion, so that the alignmnet accuracy required between the front portion and the rear portion can be relieved. It is because misalignment cannot be conspicuous. In particular, if translucency of the peripheral area of the front portion is low, the rim of the rear portion is hidden when viewed from the front. Therefore, an appearance is not deteriorated even if the rim of the rear portion is something indefinite in shape. In this case, painting method with low accuracy of pattern can be adopted for forming the rear portion. However, it is possible to form a sheet to be the rear portion in advance, and to glue the sheet on the front portion.
If the display panel is a plasma display panel, it is necessary to shield electromagnetic waves because a drive voltage for discharge is relatively high. A film having a conductive mesh is already developed, so it is possible to incorporate an electromagnetic wave shielding layer into the front portion. When the electromagnetic wave shielding layer is arranged as a lowest layer in the front portion, the peripheral area of the electromagnetic wave shielding layer can be exposed for connection with the conductive housing, and the function of preventing reflection or glare can be assigned to the top layer of the front portion.
If the front sheet is peelable from the display panel or if the front portion is peelable from the rear portion, it is possible to repair them by redoing the step of gluing them.
According to the present invention, a display panel device that can satisfy functions easily and has good productivity can be obtained.
Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained more in detail with reference to embodiments and drawings.
A plasma display panel that is useful as a color display device is a preferable object to which the present invention is applied. Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described in which a plasma display panel is used as a display panel.
As shown in
The front sheet 3 is a flexible layered film including a front portion 3A having a thickness of 0.2 mm and having a base of a resin film and a rear portion 3B having a thickness of 0.5 mm made of a resin layer that are put on each other, which will be described later. In particular, the thin front portion 3A that is a functional film having a multilayered structure has a good flexibility. The plane size of the front sheet 3, more specifically the plane size of the front portion 3A is larger than the plane size of the plasma display panel 2, so that the peripheral portion of the front portion 3A is positioned outside the plasma display panel 2. The plane size of the rear portion 3B is smaller than that of the front portion 3A and larger than that of the screen.
The conductive housing 102 is a metal plate molded in a boxed shape having a rectangular rear face, four side faces and a looped front face. It is also a conductive member surrounding the side faces and the rear face of the plasma display panel 2 apart from them (see
In the display device 100, the front sheet 3 extends along the plasma display panel 2 substantially in flat, and only the end portion thereof contacts the front face of the conductive housing 102. A looped pressure member 103 is disposed in front of the front sheet 3, which is sandwiched between the pressure member 103 and the front face of the conductive housing 102 so that the end portion of the front sheet 3 is fixed to the conductive housing 102. Actually, however, the end portion of the front portion 3A of the front sheet 3 is fixed to the conductive housing 102 as shown in
As shown in
As a method of fixing the end portion of the front sheet 3, it is preferable to use a plastic rivet 150 for mass production and reducing weight. It is preferable that the front sheet 3, the conductive housing 102 and the pressure member 103 are provided with holes 3Ah, 102h and 103h, respectively in advance, which are adapted to the rivet 150. Punching process can make many holes at the same time. Although a protrusion corresponding to a thickness of the pressure member 103 may be generated at the end portion of the front sheet 3, increase of a thickness of the display device 100 due to the protrusion is only approximately 1-2 mm.
The optical film layer 310 includes a film 311 made of a PET (polyethylene terephthalate), a anti-reflection film 312 that is coated on the front side of the film 311, and a coloring layer 313 that is formed on the rear side of the film 311. The anti-reflection film 312 prevents reflection of external light. However, the function of the anti-reflection film 312 may be changed from AR (anti reflection) to AG (anti glare). The anti-reflection film 312 includes a hard coat for increasing scratch resistance of the surface of the sheet up to pencil hardness 4H. The coloring layer 313 adjusts visible light transmittance of red (R), green (G) and blue (B) for a color display and shields near infrared rays. The coloring layer 313 contains an infrared absorption coloring matter for absorbing light having a wavelength within the range of approximately 850-1100 nm, a neon light absorption coloring matter for absorbing light having a wavelength of approximately 580 nm and a coloring matter for adjusting visible light transmittance in a resin. An external light reflection factor of the optical film layer 310 is 3% after the spectral luminous efficiency correction, and the visible light transmittance is 55% after the spectral luminous efficiency correction. In addition, the infrared transmittance is 10% as an average in the wavelength range.
The electromagnetic wave shielding layer 320 includes a film 321 made of PET and a conductive layer 322 having a thickness of 10 microns that is a copper foil having a mesh portion. The visible light transmittance of an area of the conductive layer 322 that overlaps the screen is 80%. As the front surface of the conductive layer 322 is black, the electromagnetic wave shielding layer 320 looks substantially coal-black when it is viewed through the optical film layer 310.
The film 311 of the optical film layer 310 and the film 321 of the electromagnetic wave shielding layer 320 have a function of preventing a glass plate of the plasma display panel 2 from scattering when it is broken in an abnormal situation. In order to realize this function, it is preferable that a total thickness of the film 311 and the film 321 is 50 μm or more.
The impact absorbing layer 351 is made of a soft resin of an acrylic system, and a visible light transmittance thereof is 90%. The impact absorbing layer 351 is formed by applying the resin. When the resin is applied, it enters spaces of the mesh of the conductive layer 322, so that the conductive layer 322 becomes flat. Thus, scattering of light that may be generated by unevenness of the conductive layer 322 can be prevented.
The impact absorbing layer 351 made of the soft resin contributes to thinning of the front sheet 3. A test was conducted in which the display panel device 1 was placed on a horizontal hard floor, and an iron ball having a weight of approximately 500 grams was dropped on the center of the screen. An impact force just before the plasma display panel 2 was broken was approximately 0.40 J. When the plasma display panel 2 without the front sheet 3 was tested under the same condition, the result was approximately 0.13 J. When the display panel device in which only the optical film layer 310 was glued on the plasma display panel 2 was tested under the same condition, the result was approximately 0.15 J. Namely, an improved portion of the shock resistance due to the front sheet 3 is approximately 0.26 J, and most of the improvement that is approximately 0.24 J is obtained by the impact absorbing layer 351. The impact absorbing layer 351 having a thickness of 0.5 mm is practical.
In this example, a rear side surface portion of the resin layer that constitutes the impact absorbing layer 351 has a function as the adhesive layer 352. The impact absorbing layer 351 has relatively strong adhesiveness to the electromagnetic wave shielding layer 320 made of PET and copper. On the contrary, the adhesive layer 352 has loose adhesiveness to the glass surface that is the front face of the plasma display panel 2. The adhesion force thereof is approximately 2N/25 mm. When the front sheet 3 is peeled, the optical film layer 310 is not separated from the electromagnetic wave shielding layer 320 so that the front sheet 3 is separated from the plasma display panel 2 normally. “Normally” means that an even peeled surface without a visible remaining matter can be obtained.
Note that although the conductive mesh 322A is drawn to be coarse in
As the front portion 3A of the front sheet 3 is formed by cutting the multilayered film 3AR, at least one of the length and the width is the same completely between the optical film layer 310 and the electromagnetic wave shielding layer 320 that constitute the front portion 3A. If cutting of the multilayered film 3AR is performed by punching, the length as well as the width becomes completely the same.
If a foreign matter is found that entered a space between the front sheet 3 and the plasma display panel 2 after the display panel device 1 is completed, manufacturing yield of the display panel device 1 is still high because the front sheet 3 can be reglued. When the structure of the display panel device 1 is adopted, cost reduction by 20% or more can be realized compared with the case where the conventional filter plate is fixed to the front of the plasma display panel 2.
Concerning the device structure, there is a variation in which the conductive housing 102 is divided into the front portion and the rear portion, and the front portion is fixed to the chassis 105 via an insulator. In this variation, it is possible to reduce cost of the panel module by optimal design of the front sheet 3, the plasma display panel 2 and the driving circuit substrate on the common concept as elements of the panel module.
The display device 200 includes a display panel device 5 that is a screen module. The display panel device 5 includes the plasma display panel 2 and a front sheet 6, and the front sheet 6 includes a front portion 6A and a rear portion 6B. A layer structure of the front sheet 6 is the same as shown in
When the front portion 6A is bent, the fixing position becomes closer to the plasma display panel 2 than the case where it is not bent so that a plane size of the conductive housing 202 can be reduced. In addition, the fixing position becomes rear more than the case where the front portion 6A is not bent, so a thickness of the conductive housing 202 (size of the side face) can be reduced. Downsizing of the conductive housing 202 contributes to weight saving of the display device 200.
Note that if a factory that manufactures the display panel device 5 (a device manufacturer) and a factory that completes the display device 200 by assembling the display panel device 5 in the housing (a set manufacturer) are separated, it is necessary to prevent the front portion 6A from being damaged at the peripheral portion during transportation of the display panel device 5. For example, when the display panel device 5 is attached to the chassis 205 made of aluminum for being transported, a package size can be downsized by fixing the end portion of the front portion 6A to the chassis 205 via an insulator.
In the fourth example, cost of the panel module can be reduced by optimal design of the structural elements of the panel module on the common concept. In a manufacturing form that a device manufacturer and a set manufacturer complete the display device 400, it is possible to incorporate the entire or a part of the electric circuit including a power source into the panel module, or it is possible that the set manufacturer attaches a part or the entire of the electric circuit to the panel module together with the facing cover 301.
According to the above-mentioned first through fourth examples, the conductive mesh 322A that passes light and the looped conductive member 322B that surrounds the conductive mesh 322A are formed integrally in the conductive layer 322 of the electromagnetic wave shielding layer 320, so cost of the display panel device 1 or 5 can be reduced compared with the structure in which a conductive tape is attached around the mesh made of woven conductive fibers.
According to the above-mentioned first through fourth examples, end portions of the front portion 3A or 6A of the front sheet 3 or 6 protrude from the rear portion 3B or 6B by 1 cm or more so that the protruding portions can be used for gripping when peeling the same. Namely, it is easy to peel the front sheet 3 or 6 from the plasma display panel 2, so that the peeling process can be mechanized at low cost.
The above-mentioned embodiments have the following variations.
As the electromagnetic wave shielding layer 320 having translucency and conductivity, a multilayered silver film can be incorporated instead of the mesh. The multilayered silver film has a function of interrupting infrared rays, so the infrared absorption coloring matter is not necessary for forming the optical film layer 310. Concerning the coloring layer 313, a multilayered structure having plural layers including different coloring matters can be adopted instead of the single layered structure.
The most rear face of the front sheet 3 or 6 can be formed as an adsorption surface having a self adsorption function. For example, after forming the impact absorbing layer 351, a film made of a silicone material is formed on the surface of the impact absorbing layer 351. Thus, it is possible to repeat peeling and sticking between the front sheet 3 or 6 and the plasma display panel 2 many times. This can reduce a loss of the display panel device during manufacturing process and also contribute to maintenance after it is assembled to the display device. It is because that the front sheet can be replaced easily when it is damaged. It is also possible that only the anti-reflection layer 312 is made as a sheet having the self adsorption function and is glued on the remaining portion of the front sheet 3 or 6. In this case, the anti-reflection layer 312 may be glued in a step other than the step of gluing the remaining portion of the front sheet 3 on the plasma display panel 2, so that a size thereof may be different from a size of the electromagnetic wave shielding layer 320. A strength of the adsorption is desirably adjusted so that peeling can be done only by a force applied in the perpendicular direction, and the adsorption force is desirably 4N/25 mm or less (when peeling speed is 50 mm/min).
Instead of a silicone material, an acrylic foam material that is similar to the material of the impact absorbing layer 351 may be used, and similar effect can be obtained.
Note that a cleaning process such as using water or air injection should be performed prior to gluing the front sheet 3 or 6, if necessary, and such cleaning process should also be performed on an adsorption surface when a peeled front sheet is reused.
It is useful to design a red color fluorescent material (for example, (Y, Gd, Eu)PVO4) and a discharge gas (for example, Ne—Xe gas having Xe ratio of 5% or more and gas pressure of 500 Torr , and Xe partial pressure of 20 Torr or more) of the plasma display panel 2 appropriately so as to reduce quantity of orange color light. If an optical filter having a narrow wavelength range of absorbing orange color light selectively can be eliminated, cost of the front sheet 3 can be reduced more.
A material of the conductive housing 102, 202 and 402 is not limited to a metal sheet, and it can be a resin sheet on which a conductive material is coated, a resin sheet on which metal foil or metal fibers are applied or other material that has at least a part of the surface or the inner portion has conductivity to be suitable for shielding electromagnetic waves. It is not necessary that the structure 402A and the structure 402B of the conductive housing 402 are made of the same material in the fourth example.
Although a plasma display panel is exemplified in the above description, the device constituting a screen is not limited to the plasma display panel, and the present invention can also be applied to devices in which other display panels including an EL (Electro Luminescence), an FED (Field Emission Display) and a liquid crystal display constitute screens. In particular, the present invention is suitable for a device that is required to shield electromagnetic waves.
The present invention is useful for reducing cost of a display panel having a front sheet, which contributes to providing a display device having a large screen and a light weight.
While example embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that the present invention is not limited thereto, and that various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims and their equivalents.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2004-024837 | Jan 2004 | JP | national |