Liquid crystal display with curved liquid crystal screen

• US 6,332,690 B1
• Filed: 10/21/1998
• Issued: 12/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Murofushi, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Treas, Jared
• Application Number:
  US09/176,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20020001187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 349/63, 349/65, 349/62, 349/64, 349/112, 362/84, 362/26, 362/27, 362/31, 362/308, 362/278, 362/320
• US Class Current: 362/611
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133615 Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/227 Electroluminescent displays for vehicles

Abstract

A flexible light emitting sheet is curved along a curved liquid crystal screen constituting a meter display, and comprises one of a single sheet of a flexible transparent resin with a system of monoxide silicon particles mixed therein, an electroluminescent substance relatively high of brightness, and a flexible transparent resin sheet and a set of light emitting diodes arranged thereon in a plane conforming manner.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a curved liquid crystal screen having a rearwardly arcuate display surface and a light receiving back side surface;

a flexible light emitting sheet curved along the light receiving back side surface of the curved liquid crystal screen and substantially parallel to the rearwardly arcuate display surface so as to display a curved picture having uniform optical characteristics; and

wherein the curved light emitting sheet comprises a single sheet of a flexible transparent resin having a first refractive index with a system of monoxide silicon particles mixed therein in a pattern configured for compensating for the degree of curvature of the curved light emitting sheet so as to uniformly distribute light passing through the curved light emitting sheet and the light receiving back side of the curved liquid crystal screen, each of the monoxide silicon particles having a second refractive index different from the first refractive index.

2. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1, wherein the curved light emitting sheet comprises an electroluminescent substance configured for emitting light having a relatively high level of brightness.

3. The liquid crystal display device of claim 2, further comprising a drive circuit configured for exciting the electroluminescent substance such that the curved light emitting sheet emits light have a predetermined light density flux.

4. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1, wherein the flexible light emitting sheet comprises:

a flexible transparent resin sheet; and

a set of light emitting diodes arranged thereon in a plane conforming pattern configured for uniformly distributing light passing through the curved light emitting sheet and the rearwardly arcuate display surface.

5. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1, wherein the curved liquid crystal screen includes at least one vehicle display indicator located on the rearwardly arcuate display surface.

6. The liquid crystal display device of claim 5, wherein the liquid crystal screen defines a longitudinal axis and a central axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and is configured to be symmetrically curved relative to the central axis.

7. The liquid crystal display device of claim 5, wherein the at least one vehicle display indicator comprises a plurality of vehicle display indicators including a signal indicator, an alarm indicator, a speedometer, a temperature gage, a fuel gage, and a tachometer.

8. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1, further comprising a connector housing member formed with a curved front face configured for supporting a back side of the curved light emitting sheet thereon.

9. The liquid crystal display device of claim 8, wherein the connector housing member includes upper and lower sides portions configured for engageably supporting upper and lower edges of the curved light emitting sheet.

11. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal screen defines a longitudinal axis and a central axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and is configured to be symmetrically curved relative to the central axis.

12. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1, wherein the pattern of monoxide silicon particles of the curved light emitting sheet is configured for allowing the rearwardly arcuate display surface to display the curved picture having uniform light brightness, density, and refractive characteristics.

10. The liquid crystal display device of clam 1, wherein the rearwardly arcuate display surface faces a first direction, the light receiving back side faces a second direction, and the curved light emitting sheet comprises a rearwardly arcuate light emitting surface facing the light receiving back side.

13. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a curved liquid crystal screen having a rearwardly arcuate display surface, a light receiving back side surface, and at least one vehicle display indicator located on the rearwardly arcuate display surface;

a flexible light emitting sheet curved along the light receiving back side surface of the curved liquid crystal screen and substantially parallel to the rearwardly arcuate display surface such that the at least one vehicle display indicator displays a curved picture having uniform optical characteristics; and

wherein the curved light emitting sheet comprises a single sheet of a flexible transparent resin having a first refractive index with a system of monoxide silicon particles mixed therein in a pattern configured for compensating for the degree of curvature of the curve light emitting sheet so as to uniformly distribute light passing through the curved light emitting sheet and the light receiving back side of the curved liquid crystal screen, each of the monoxide silicon particles having a second refractive index different from the first refractive index.

14. The liquid crystal display device of claim 13, wherein the pattern of monoxide silicon particles of the curved light emitting sheet is configured for allowing the rearwardly arcuate display surface to display the curved picture having uniform light brightness, density, and refractive characteristics.

15. The liquid crystal display device of claim 13, wherein the curved light emitting sheet comprises an electroluminescent substance configuring for emitting light having a relatively high level of brightness.

16. The liquid crystal display device of claim 13, wherein the at least one vehicle display indicator comprises a plurality of vehicle display indicators including a signal indicator, an alarm indicator, a speedometer, a temperature gage, a fuel gage, and a tachometer.

17. The liquid crystal display device of claim 13, further comprising a connector housing member having a curved front face configured for supporting a back side of the curved light emitting sheet thereon and upper and lower sides portions configured for engageably supporting upper and lower edges of the curved light emitting sheet.

18. The liquid crystal display device of claim 13, wherein the liquid crystal screen defines a longitudinal axis and a central axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and is configured to be symmetrically curved relative to the central axis.

19. The liquid crystal display device of claim 13, further comprising a rearwardly curved observation glass assembly and a rearwardly curved reverse assembly adjacent to the rearwardly curved arcuate display surface of the liquid crystal screen.

20. The liquid crystal display device of claim 13, further comprising:

a holding device configured for supporting a convex side of the curved light emitting sheet;

a circuit board device connected to a pin connector of the holding device for providing an electrical connection between the circuit board device and the curved liquid crystal screen; and

a casing member configured for supporting the circuit board device and the holding device.

21. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a curved liquid crystal screen having a rearwardly arcuate display surface and a light receiving back side surface;

a flexible light emitting sheet curved along the light receiving back side surface of the curved liquid crystal screen and substantially parallel to the rearwardly arcuate display surface so as to display a curved picture having uniform optical characteristics; and

wherein the curved light emitting sheet comprises a sheet of flexible transparent film containing a pattern of monoxide silicon particles configured for compensating for the degree of curvature of the curved light emitting sheet and uniformly distributing light passing through the curved light emitting sheet and the light receiving back side of the curved liquid crystal screen.

22. The liquid crystal display device of claim 21, wherein the flexible transparent film has a first refractive index and each of the monoxide silicon particles have a second refractive index different from the first refractive index.

23. The liquid crystal display device of claim 21, wherein the pattern of monoxide silicon particles of the curved light emitting sheet compensates for the degree of curvature of the curved light emitting sheet so as to allow the rearwardly arcuate display surface to display a curved picture having uniform light brightness, density, and refractive characteristics.

24. The liquid crystal display device of claim 21, wherein the liquid crystal screen defines a longitudinal axis and a central axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and is configured to be symmetrically curved relative to the central axis.

25. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

an arcuate liquid crystal screen having an curved display surface, and a curved light receiving surface;

an arcuate light emitting sheet having a curved light emitting surface extending substantially parallel to the curved light receiving surface of the liquid crystal screen, and a light incident surface for receiving light from a light source; and

wherein the arcuate light emitting sheet comprises a transparent resin having a first refractive index, and a pattern of monoxide silicon particles having a second refractive index different from the first refractive index and arranged between the curved light emitting surface and the light incident surface of the arcuate light emitting sheet so as to evenly transmit light passing from the light incident surface to the curved light emitting surface and uniformly display light from the curved light emitting surface of the arcuate light emitting sheet.

26. The liquid crystal display device of claim 25, wherein the light incident surface of the arcuate light emitting sheet is curved and the light source comprises of matrix of light emitting diodes applies to the curved light incident surface.

27. The liquid crystal display device of claim 25, wherein the pattern of monoxide particles is configured to control a light density of the light displayed from the curved light emitting surface of the arcuate light emitting surface.

28. The liquid crystal display device of claim 25, wherein the pattern of monoxide particles is configured to provide a predetermined light scattering distribution of light displayed from the curved light emitting surface of the arcuate light emitting surface.

29. The liquid crystal display device of claim 25, wherein the pattern of monoxide particles is configured to permit the curved display surface of the arcuate liquid crystal screen to display a curved picture having uniform optical characteristics.

30. The liquid crystal display device of claim 25, wherein the liquid crystal screen defines a longitudinal axis and a central axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and is shaped to be symmetrically curved relative to the central axis.

31. The liquid crystal display of claim 25, further comprising:

a holding device arranged to support a convex side of the arcuate light emitting sheet;

a circuit board device connected to a pin connector of the holding device so as to provide an electrical connection between the circuit board device and the curved liquid crystal screen; and

a casing member arranged to support the circuit board device and the holding device.