Display device and method for producing the same

• US 6,453,100 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2000
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NGK Insulators Limited
• Original Assignee: NGK Insulators Limited
• Inventors: Toyama, Nobutoshi, Ohwada, Twao, Takeuchi, Yukihisa, Nanataki, Tsutomu, Tsuji, Hiroyuki, Noguchi, Nobuchika
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanghavi, Hemang
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROJAS, OMAR R
• Application Number:
  US09/539,150
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 385/16-19, 385/30, 385/40, 385/41, 385/120, 359/222-224, 345/85
• US Class Current: 385/120
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/004 based on a displacement or a deformation of a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/12 Picture reproducers H04N9/11 takes precedence

Abstract

A large number of display components are arranged and fixed, for example, in a matrix configuration on a first principal surface of a large optical guide plate to construct a main display device body. A substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to intervene at least between the large optical guide plate and the display components. The refractive index of the substance is preferably similar to the refractive index of the large optical guide plate as closely as possible. As for the light-transmitting property of the substrate, it is preferable that the transmittance is not less than 50% for the perpendicular incident light at the wavelength in the visible light region, and it is more preferable that the transmittance is not less than 70%, in order to successfully introduce the light into the display component and suppress the electric power consumption.

Claims

1. A display device comprising a main display device body including two or more display components arranged on a first principal surface of an optical guide plate for introducing light from a light source thereinto, wherein a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to intervene at least between said optical guide plate and said display components, said substance being a matching oil.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein said optical guide plate itself is used as an optical waveguide plate, and it serves as a constitutive component of said display component.

8. The display device according to claim 1, wherein said optical guide plate includes a plurality of divided optical guide plates which are arranged in a matrix configuration, and said plurality of divided optical guide plates are secured to one another with an adhesive having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

9. The display device according to claim 8, wherein vertically ruled and/or horizontally ruled support members are allowed to intervene between at least two of said divided optical guide plates.

10. The display device according to claim 9, wherein said support members are formed to have a lattice-shaped configuration.

11. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

another optical guide plate arranged for a display surface of said main display device body, wherein;

a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to exist between said display surface and said another optical guide plate.

12. The display device according to claim 11, wherein said substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is matching oil.

13. The display device according to claim 1, wherein a seal member is allowed to intervene between said matching oil and atmospheric air.

14. The display device according to claim 11, wherein said another optical guide plate is constructed such that a plurality of divided optical guide plates are arranged in a matrix configuration, and they are secured to one another with an adhesive having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

15. The display device according to claim 1, wherein:

said main display device body is accommodated in a vessel with at least one surface having transparency; and

a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to exist between a display surface of said main display device body and said surface of said vessel having said transparency.

16. The display device according to claim 15, wherein said vessel is filled therein with said substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

17. The display device according to claim 15, wherein another substance, which is different from said substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index, exists between said vessel and a surface opposite to said display surface of said main display device body.

18. The display device according to claim 15, wherein said substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is matching oil.

19. The display device according to claim 17, wherein:

when said substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is matching oil;

a seal member is allowed to intervene between said matching oil and said another substance.

20. The display device according to claim 15, wherein said vessel has at least a plate member for constructing said surface of said vessel having said transparency, said plate member including a plurality of divided plates arranged in a matrix configuration and secured to one another with an adhesive having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

21. The display device according to claim 1, wherein said optical guide plate is constructed by a transparent vessel having a hollow section.

22. The display device according to claim 21, wherein at least a front panel of said vessel for projecting a display image thereon includes a plurality of divided plates arranged in a matrix configuration and secured to one another with an adhesive having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

23. The display device according to claim 21, wherein said hollow section is filled with a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

24. The display device according to claim 23, wherein said substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is matching oil.

3. A display device comprising a main display device body including two or more display modules arranged on a first principal surface of an optical guide plate for introducing light from a light source thereinto, wherein a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to intervene at least between said optical guide plate and said display modules, said substance being a matching oil.

4. The display device according to claim 3, wherein:

said display module is constructed by arranging two or more display components on a first principal surface of a module optical waveguide plate for introducing said light from said light source thereinto; and

a second substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to intervene at least between said module optical waveguide plate and said display components.

5. The display device according to claim 4, wherein said module optical waveguide plate itself is used as an optical waveguide plate, and it serves as a constitutive component of said display component.

6. The display device according to claim 4, wherein said second substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is an adhesive.

7. The display device according to claim 4, wherein said second substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is matching oil.

25. A method for producing a display device, comprising allowing display surfaces of display components to be opposed to a first principal surface of an optical guide plate for introducing light from a light source thereinto, and allowing a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index to intervene between said surfaces, said substance being a matching oil, wherein said display components are arranged along said first principal surface to produce a main display device body.

27. The method for producing said display device according to claim 25, wherein display surfaces of display components are allowed to be opposed to a first principal surface of a module optical waveguide plate for introducing said light from said light source thereinto, and a second substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to intervene between said surfaces, while said display components are arranged along said first principal surface of said module optical waveguide plate to produce said display module.

28. The method for producing said display device according to claim 25, wherein said optical guide plate is produced by arranging a plurality of divided optical guide plates in a matrix configuration, and securing them to one another with an adhesive having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

29. The method for producing said display device according to claim 25, wherein a surface of said optical guide plate is coated with a hard coating material.

30. The method for producing said display device according to claim 25, wherein an end surface of said optical guide plate is mirror-finished so that Rmax is not more than 0.3.

31. The method for producing said display device according to claim 25, wherein:

when said optical guide plate is machined;

dimensional accuracy of said optical guide plate is not more than ±

0.1 mm with respect to a reference dimension of 100 mm, perpendicularity between end surfaces and between said end surface and a flat surface is not more than 0.1 mm, and parallelism between said end surfaces and between said flat surfaces is not more than 0.1 mm.

32. The method for producing said display device according to claim 27, wherein at least an adhesive is used as said second substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

33. The method for producing said display device according to claim 27, wherein at least matching oil is used as said second substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

34. The method for producing said display device according to claim 28, wherein:

before said plurality of divided optical guide plates are arranged in said matrix configuration;

vertically ruled and/or horizontally ruled support members are installed, and said support members are interposed between at least two of said divided optical guide plates to produce said display device.

35. The method for producing said display device according to claim 34, wherein at least a surface of said support member, to which an end surface of said divided optical guide plate is opposed, is mirror-finished so that Rmax is not more than 0.3.

36. The method for producing said display device according to claim 25, wherein:

another optical guide plate having a large size is prepared; and

a display surface of said main display device body is allowed to be opposed to a first principal surface of said another optical guide plate, and a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to intervene between said surfaces to produce said display device thereby.

37. The method for producing said display device according to claim 36, wherein said another optical guide plate to be used is constructed by a transparent vessel which is filled with a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index at the inside.

38. The method for producing said display device according to claim 25, wherein:

said main display device body is accommodated in a vessel with at least one surface having transparency; and

said vessel is filled therein with a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index to produce said display device.

39. The method for producing said display device according to claim 25, wherein:

a display surface of said main display device body is allowed to be opposed to a first principal surface of a plate member having transparency, and a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to intervene between said surfaces so that said main display device body is fixed;

a vessel including said plate member as one constitutive component is produced; and

said vessel is filled therein with said substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index to produce said display device.

40. The method for producing said display device according to claim 25, wherein:

a display surface of said main display device body is allowed to be opposed to a first principal surface of a plate member having transparency, and a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to intervene between said surfaces so that said main display device body is fixed;

a vessel including said plate member as one constitutive component is produced; and

said vessel is filled therein with another substance which is different from said substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index to produce said display device.

41. The method for producing said display device according to claim 39, wherein said plate member is produced by arranging a plurality of divided plates in a matrix configuration, and securing them to one another with an adhesive having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

26. A method for producing a display device, comprising allowing display surfaces of display modules to be opposed to a first principal surface of an optical guide plate for introducing light from a light source thereinto, and allowing a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index to intervene between said surfaces, said substance being a matching oil, wherein said display modules are arranged along said first principal surface to produce a main display device body.

42. A display device comprising a main display device body including two or more display components arranged on a first principal surface of an optical guide plate for introducing light from a light source thereinto, wherein a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to intervene at least between said optical guide plate and said display components, said substance being an adhesive that is flexible.

43. The display device according to claim 42, wherein said optical guide plate itself is used as an optical waveguide plate, and it serves as a constitutive component of said display component.

49. The display device according to claim 42, wherein said optical guide plate includes a plurality of divided optical guide plates which are arranged in a matrix configuration, and said plurality of divided optical guide plates are secured to one another with an adhesive having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

50. The display device according to claim 49, wherein vertically ruled and/or horizontally ruled support members are allowed to intervene between at least two of said divided optical guide plates.

51. The display device according to claim 50, wherein said support members are formed to have a lattice-shaped configuration.

52. The display device according to claim 42, further comprising:

another optical guide plate arranged for a display surface of said main display device body, wherein;

a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to exist between said display surface and said another optical guide plate.

53. The display device according to claim 52, wherein said substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is matching oil.

54. The display device according to claim 52, wherein said another optical guide plate is constructed such that a plurality of divided optical guide plates are arranged in a matrix configuration, and they are secured to one another with an adhesive having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

55. The display device according to claim 42, wherein:

said main display device body is accommodated in a vessel with at least one surface having transparency; and

a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to exist between a display surface of said main display device body and said surface of said vessel having said transparency.

56. The display device according to claim 55, wherein said vessel is filled therein with said substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

57. The display device according to claim 55, wherein another substance, which is different from said substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index, exists between said vessel and a surface opposite to said display surface of said main display device body.

58. The display device according to claim 55, wherein said substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is matching oil.

59. The display device according to claim 57, wherein:

when said substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is matching oil;

a seal member is allowed to intervene between said matching oil and said another substance.

60. The display device according to claim 55, wherein said vessel has at least a plate member for constructing said surface of said vessel having said transparency, said plate member including a plurality of divided plates arranged in a matrix configuration and secured to one another with an adhesive having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

61. The display device according to claim 42, wherein said optical guide plate is constructed by a transparent vessel having a hollow section.

62. The display device according to claim 61, wherein at least a front panel of said vessel for projecting a display image thereon includes a plurality of divided plates arranged in a matrix configuration and secured to one another with an adhesive having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

63. The display device according to claim 61, wherein said hollow section is filled with a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

64. The display device according to claim 63, wherein said substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is matching oil.

44. A display device comprising a main display device body including two or more display modules arranged on a first principal surface of an optical guide plate for introducing light from a light source thereinto, wherein a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to intervene at least between said optical guide plate and said display modules, said substance being an adhesive that is flexible.

45. The display device according to claim 44, wherein:

said display module is constructed by arranging two or more display components on a first principal surface of a module optical waveguide plate for introducing said light from said light source thereinto; and

a second substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to intervene at least between said module optical waveguide plate and said display components.

46. The display device according to claim 45, wherein said module optical waveguide plate itself is used as an optical waveguide plate, and it serves as a constitutive component of said display component.

47. The display device according to claim 45, wherein said second substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is an adhesive.

48. The display device according to claim 45, wherein said second substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is matching oil.

65. A method for producing a display device, comprising allowing display surfaces of display components to be opposed to a first principal surface of an optical guide plate for introducing light from a light source thereinto, and allowing a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index to intervene between said surfaces, said substance being an adhesive that is flexible, wherein said display components are arranged along said first principal surface to produce a main display device body.

68. The method for producing said display device according to claim 65, wherein said optical guide plate is produced by arranging a plurality of divided optical guide plates in a matrix configuration, and securing them to one another with an adhesive having a light-transmitting transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

69. The method for producing said display device according to claim 65, wherein a surface of said optical guide plate is coated with a hard coating material.

70. The method for producing said display device according to claim 65, wherein an end surface of said optical guide plate is mirror-finished so that Rmax is not more than 0.3.

71. The method for producing said display device according to claim 65, wherein:

when said optical guide plate is machined;

dimensional accuracy of said optical guide plate is not more than ±

0.1 mm with respect to a reference dimension of 100 mm, perpendicularity between end surfaces and between said end surface and a flat surface is not more than 0.1 mm, and parallelism between said end surfaces and between said flat surfaces is not more than 0.1 mm.

74. The method for producing said display device according to claim 68, wherein:

before said plurality of divided optical guide plates are arranged in said matrix configuration;

vertically ruled and/or horizontally ruled support members are installed, and said support members are interposed between at least two of said divided optical guide plates to produce said display device.

75. The method for producing said display device according to claim 74, wherein at least a surface of said support member, to which an end surface of said divided optical guide plate is opposed, is mirror-finished so that Rmax is not more than 0.3.

76. The method for producing said display device according to claim 65, wherein:

another optical guide plate having a large size is prepared; and

a display surface of said main display device body is allowed to be opposed to a first principal surface of said another optical guide plate, and a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to intervene between said surfaces to produce said display device thereby.

77. The method for producing said display device according to claim 76, wherein said another optical guide plate to be used is constructed by a transparent vessel which is filled with a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index at the inside.

78. The method for producing said display device according to claim 65, wherein:

said main display device body is accommodated in a vessel with at least one surface having transparency; and

said vessel is filled therein with a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index to produce said display device.

79. The method for producing said display device according to claim 65, wherein:

a display surface of said main display device body is allowed to be opposed to a first principal surface of a plate member having transparency, and a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to intervene between said surfaces so that said main display device body is fixed;

a vessel including said plate member as one constitutive component is produced; and

said vessel is filled therein with said substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index to produce said display device.

80. The method for producing said display device according to claim 65, wherein:

a display surface of said main display device body is allowed to be opposed to a first principal surface of a plate member having transparency, and a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to intervene between said surfaces so that said main display device body is fixed;

a vessel including said plate member as one constitutive component is produced; and

said vessel is filled therein with another substance which is different from said substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index to produce said display device.

81. The method for producing said display device according to claim 79, wherein said plate member is produced by arranging a plurality of divided plates in a matrix configuration, and securing them to one another with an adhesive having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

66. A method for producing a display device, comprising allowing display surfaces of display modules to be opposed to a first principal surface of an optical guide plate for introducing light from a light source thereinto, and allowing a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index to intervene between said surfaces, said substance being an adhesive that is flexible, wherein said display modules are arranged along said first principal surface to produce a main display device body.

67. The method for producing said display device according to claim 66, wherein display surfaces of display components are allowed to be opposed to a first principal surface of a module optical waveguide plate for introducing said light from said light source thereinto, and a second substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to intervene between said surfaces, while said display components are arranged along said first principal surface of said module optical waveguide plate to produce said display module.

72. The method for producing said display device according to claim 67, wherein at least an adhesive is used as said second substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.

73. The method for producing said display device according to claim 67, wherein at least matching oil is used as said second substance having said light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index.