Liquid crystal display with reflective support member and heating device

• US 6,747,726 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2002
• Issued: 06/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive Electronics & Components GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Automotive Electronics & Components GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Birke, Lars
• Primary Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Tarifur R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Caley, Michael H
• Application Number:
  US09/979,582
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 349/56, 349/58, 349/113, 349/114, 349/161
• US Class Current: 349/161
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133382 Heating or cooling of liquid crystal cells other than for activation, e.g. circuits or arrangements for temperature control, stabilisation or uniform distribution over the cell
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/12 characterised by the composition or nature of the conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/267 the insulating base being an organic material, e.g. plastic H05B3/262 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to a liquid crystal display, whereby a housing thereof contains a display (1) which functions as a liquid crystal cell, a support (2) which is configured as a reflector and a heating device for the display. According to the invention, the heating device is a metallic layer (8) which is applied directly to the support (2).

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display comprising:

a housing;

a liquid crystal cell functioning as display, disposed on said housing;

a plastic support configured as reflector; and

,

a heating device for the display, the heating device including a metallic layer applied directly onto the support, the metallic layer being formed by coating the plastic support with a primer bonding layer followed by a subsequent galvanic coating.

2. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the support consists of metal-coatable and metal non-coatable plastic, and the metal-coatable plastic is in part chemically metallized.

3. The display apparatus according to claim 1 further including at least one of:

contact pins injected into the support contacting the metallic layer; and

,

metallized plastic surfaces soldered together with a conductor plate.

4. The display apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

the housing and the support, equipped with the metallic layer as heating device, are a single-piece component.

5. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the plastic support is irradiated with a short-wave ultra-violet light of an excimer lamp or an excimer laser and immersed in a water solution.

6. The display apparatus according to claim 5, further including:

a galvanic reinforcement of the metallic layer.

7. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the galvanic coating is copper.

8. A display apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a liquid crystal cell functioning as display and disposed on said housing;

a support configured as reflector; and

,

a heating device for the display, the heating device including a metallic layer applied directly onto the support, the metallic layer being a foil coated with a galvanic bonding layer by deep-drawing and connected with the support by rear-spraying of the foil.

9. The display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the galvanic coating is copper.

10. The display apparatus according to claim 8 further including at least one of:

contact pins injected into the support contacting the metallic layer; and

,

metallized plastic surfaces soldered together with a conductor plate.

11. The display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the housing and the support, equipped with the metallic layer as heating device, are a single-piece component.

12. A method of forming a heated liquid crystal display comprising:

providing a liquid crystal cell functioning as a display;

providing a plastic support configured as a reflector and being adapted to receive said liquid crystal cell; and

applying a metallic layer directly onto said support as a heating device for heating said liquid crystal cell, the applying including coating selected portions of the plastic support with a primer bonding layer and then subsequently galvanic coating the primer bonding layer.

13. A method of forming a heated liquid crystal display comprising:

providing a liquid crystal cell functioning as a display;

providing a plastic support configured as a reflector and being adapted to receive said liquid crystal cell; and

applying a metallic layer directly onto said support as a heating device for heating said liquid crystal cell, the applying including coating a foil with a primer layer, subjecting the foil to a galvanic treatment, deep-drawing the foil, and connecting he foil with the plastic support by rear-spraying.