DISPLAY DEVICE

• US 20080018631A1
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Uchikoga, Shuichi, HIOKI, Tsuyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,868,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/206
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133526 Lenses, e.g. microlenses or Fresnel lenses

Abstract

It is made possible to provide a low-cost highly reliable display device which does not lose the flexibility of itself and which can transmit the allowable range of the flexibility to the user. A display device includes: a display part having a display face and being flexible; and a restriction part having a plurality of first convex parts to restrict a bending quantity of the display part.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a display part having a display face and being flexible; and

a restriction part comprising a plurality of first convex parts to restrict a bending quantity of the display part.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first convex parts has side faces inclined inside relative to a direction perpendicular to the display face of the display part when the display part is not bent.

8. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the restriction part is provided on an opposite side of the display part from the display face.

9. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the restriction part is transparent and provided on the display face side of the display part.

10. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising an optical control part provided on the display face side of the display part or between the display part and the restriction part to exercise control so as to change light emitted from the display face of the display part according to bending of the display part.

11. The display device according to claim 10, wherein

the optical control part comprises a scattering plate provided on a display face side of the display part, and

the scattering plate is configured so as to make thickness of the scattering plate in a direction perpendicular to the display face small as the display part is bent.

12. The display device according to claim 11, wherein the optical control part comprises a first organic resin layer having a wave shaped surface, and a second organic resin layer formed so as to cover the surface of the first organic resin layer.

13. The display device according to claim 10, wherein

the optical control part comprises a transparent first support substrate, a plurality of first prisms each having a triangular sectional shape arranged in parallel on the first support substrate, a transparent second support substrate, and a plurality of second prisms each having a triangular sectional shape arranged in parallel on the second support substrate,

the first and second support substrates are arranged so as to cause the first and second prisms to be opposed alternately, and

a distance between the first and second support substrates is decreased as the display part is bent.

14. The display device according to claim 10, wherein

the optical control part comprises a transparent first film substrate, a plurality of first projection parts each having a hemispherical shape arranged on the first film substrate, a transparent second film substrate, and a plurality of second projection parts each having a hemispherical shape arranged on the second film substrate,

the first and second film substrates are arranged so as to cause the first and second projection parts to be opposed alternately, and

a distance between the first and second film substrates is decreased as the display part is bent.

3. A display device comprising:

a display part having a display face and being flexible; and

a restriction part configured to restrict a bending quantity of the display part, and comprising a flexible first support substrate, a second support substrate provided so as to be opposed to the first support substrate, and a plurality of first convex parts provided on a face of the first support substrate opposed to the second support substrate, and the first support substrate and the second support substrate being held so as to have gaps between the first convex parts and the second support substrate.

4. The display device according to claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of first convex parts has side faces inclined inside relative to a direction perpendicular to the display face of the display part when the display part is not bent.

5. The display device according to claim 3, wherein spacers are provided between the first convex parts and the first support substrate.

6. The display device according to claim 3, wherein the restriction part further comprises a plurality of second convex parts provided on a face of the second support substrate opposed to the first support substrate.

7. The display device according to claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of second convex parts has side faces inclined inside relative to a direction perpendicular to the display face of the display part when the display part is not bent.

15. A display device comprising:

a display part having a display face and being flexible; and

an optical control part provided on the display face side of the display part or on the opposite side to control so as to change light emitted from the display face of the display part according to the bending quantity of the display part.

16. The display device according to claim 15, wherein

the optical control part comprises a scattering plate provided on a display face side of the display part, and

the scattering plate is configured so as to make thickness of the scattering plate in a direction perpendicular to the display face small as the display part is bent.

17. The display device according to claim 16, wherein the optical control part comprises a first organic resin layer having a wave shaped surface, and a second organic resin layer formed so as to cover the surface of the first organic resin layer.

18. The display device according to claim 15, wherein

the optical control part comprises a transparent first support substrate, a plurality of first prisms each having a triangular sectional shape arranged in parallel on the first support substrate, a transparent second support substrate, and a plurality of second prisms each having a triangular sectional shape arranged in parallel on the second support substrate,

the first and second support substrates are arranged so as to cause the first and second prisms to be opposed alternately, and

a distance between the first and second support substrates is decreased as the display part is bent.

19. The display device according to claim 15, wherein

the optical control part comprises a transparent first film substrate, a plurality of first projection parts each having a hemispherical shape arranged on the first film substrate, a transparent second film substrate, and a plurality of second projection parts each having a hemispherical shape arranged on the second film substrate,

the first and second film substrates are arranged so as to cause the first and second projection parts to be opposed alternately, and

a distance between the first and second film substrates is decreased as the display part is bent.