Liquid crystal display device with an input panel

• US 6,771,327 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2001
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Limited (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: Sekiguchi, Kanetaka
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, TARIFUR RASHID
• Application Number:
  US09/953,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20020054261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 345/104, 345/175, 349/122, 349/12, 349/14, 349/117, 349/119, 349/74, 349/149
• US Class Current: 349/12
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A liquid crystal display device comprises a liquid crystal display panel (4) made up by coupling a first substrate (1) and a second substrate (6), having an electrode (2, 7) provided on respective inner surfaces thereof facing each other, with a predetermined gap provided therebetween, and by filling the gap with a liquid crystal layer (15) in the gap, and an input panel (3) made up by coupling an upper substrate (21) and a lower substrate (26), both of which are transparent, having an electrode (22, 27) provided on respective inner surfaces thereof facing each other, with a predetermined gap provided therebetween, and by filling the gap with a filling medium (41), and the first substrate (1) on the visible side of the liquid crystal display panel (3) is disposed so as to be opposed to the lower substrate (26) of the input panel (3). A double-sided adhesive layer (44) having a surface area equivalent to that of a display region of the liquid crystal display panel (4) is disposed between the first substrate (1) and the lower substrate (26) to bonded both the substrates (1, 26) to each other.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a liquid crystal display panel made up by coupling a first substrate and a second substrate, having an electrode provided on respective inner surfaces thereof facing each other, with a predetermined gap provided therebetween, and by filling the gap with a liquid crystal layer; and

an input panel for detecting input information with a structure made up by coupling an upper substrate and a lower substrate, both of which are transparent, each having an electrode provided on respective inner surfaces thereof facing each other, with a predetermined gap provided therebetween, wherein upon depression on the upper substrate, each of the electrode come in contact thus achieving the detecting input information effect;

wherein the first substrate on a visible side of the liquid crystal display panel being disposed so as to be opposed to the lower substrate of the input panel;

a double-sided adhesive layer having a surface area equivalent to that of a display region of the liquid crystal display panel is disposed between the first substrate and the lower substrate;

a second retardation film, a first retardation film, and a first polarizer are disposed in that order by laminating one on top of the other from an upper substrate side of the input panel on a visible side of the upper substrate, and

wherein the first retardation film is a half-wave film and the second retardation film is a quarter-wave film.

2. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the gap between the upper substrate and the lower substrate of the input panel is filled with a filling medium.

3. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the double-sided adhesive layer has optical diffusibility.

4. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the double-sided adhesive layer is more elastic than spacers or a sealing member for maintaining the gap of the liquid crystal display panel.

5. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein a reflector or a transflective reflector is disposed on a face of the second substrate of the liquid crystal display panel, on a side of the liquid crystal layer, and at least one sheet of retardation film and one sheet of polarizer are disposed in that order from an upper substrate side on a visible side of the upper substrate of the input panel.

6. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 5, wherein the retardation films include at least one sheet of twisted retardation film.

7. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein a transflective reflector is disposed on a face of the second substrate of the liquid crystal display panel, on a side of the liquid crystal layer, at least one sheet of retardation film and one sheet of polarizer are disposed in that order from an upper substrate side on a visible side of the upper substrate of the input panel, and an auxiliary light source is disposed on a side of the second substrate, opposite from the side of the liquid crystal layer, with a polarizer interposed therebetween.

8. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein switching elements are disposed on the first substrate or the second substrate of the liquid crystal display panel, and display is effected by the liquid crystal display panel by applying electric signals to the liquid crystal layer via the switching elements.

9. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the upper substrate as well as the lower substrate of the input panel is a retardation film.

10. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the upper substrate and the lower substrate of the input panel are substrates having a substantially even retardation value within planes thereof or optically isotropic substrates having a retardation value nearly at zero, respectively.

11. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the input panel is provided with positioning marks for aligning an absorption axis of the first polarizer with an alignment direction of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer of the liquid crystal display panel.

12. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the upper substrate of the input panel, the second retardation film, the first retardation film, and the first polarizer are bonded to each other with an adhesive.

13. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein an external shape of the first polarizer is equivalent in size to or smaller than that of the first retardation film, the second retardation film, and the upper substrate of the input panel, respectively.

14. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1,

wherein a first adhesive layer, a polarizing layer not retained by a protective layer, a second adhesive layer and a protective film are disposed in that order from an upper substrate side by laminating one on top of the other on a visible side of the upper substrate of the input panel.

15. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1,

wherein a first adhesive layer, at least one layer of retardation layer not retained by a protective layer, a second adhesive layer, a polarizing layer not retained by a protective layer, a third adhesive layer and a protective film are disposed in that order from an upper substrate side by laminating one on top of the other on a visible side of the upper substrate of the input panel.

16. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1,

said liquid crystal display device further comprises:

a second retardation film, a first retardation film, and a first polarizer are disposed in that order by laminating one on top of the other from an upper substrate side of the input panel on a visible side of the upper substrate;

wherein a liquid crystal display panel connection portion for connecting the liquid crystal display panel to a driving circuit for the liquid crystal display panel is disposed in a peripheral region of the first substrate of the liquid crystal display panel, on one side thereof while an input panel connection portion for connecting the input panel to a driving circuit for the input panel is disposed in a peripheral region of the lower substrate of the input panel, on one side thereof,

said one side of the first substrate where the liquid crystal display panel connection portion is disposed is on the same side as said one side of the lower substrate where the input panel connection portion is disposed,

said one side of the lower substrate where the input panel connection portion is disposed is positioned on an inner side of said one side of the first substrate where the liquid crystal display panel connection portion is disposed, and

an input panel connection means for connecting the input panel connection portion and the driving circuit for the input panel is installed along a side face of the lower substrate and the first substrate.

17. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a liquid crystal display panel made up by coupling a first substrate and a second substrate, having an electrode provided on respective inner surfaces thereof facing each other, with a predetermined gap provided therebetween, and by filling the gap with a liquid crystal layer; and

an input panel made up by coupling an upper substrate and a lower substrate, both of which are transparent, having an electrode provided on respective inner surfaces thereof facing each other, with a predetermined gap provided therebetween,

wherein the first substrate on a visible side of the liquid crystal display panel being disposed so as to be opposed to the lower substrate of the input panel, and

a double-sided adhesive layer having a surface area equivalent to that of a display region of the liquid crystal display panel is disposed between the first substrate and the lower substrate, wherein a liquid crystal display panel connection portion for connecting the liquid crystal display panel to a driving circuit for the liquid crystal display panel is disposed in a peripheral region of the first substrate of the liquid crystal display panel, on one side thereof while an input panel connection portion for connecting the input panel to a driving circuit for the input panel is disposed in a peripheral region of the lower substrate of the input panel, on one side thereof,

said one side of the first substrate where the liquid crystal display panel connection portion is disposed is on the same side as said one side of the lower substrate where the input panel connection portion is disposed, and

an input panel connection means for connecting the input panel connection portion and the driving circuit for the input panel is installed along a side face of the lower substrate and the first substrate.

18. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a liquid crystal display panel made up by coupling a first substrate and a second substrate, having an electrode provided on respective inner surfaces thereof facing each other, with a predetermined gap provided therebetween, and by filling the gap with a liquid crystal layer; and

an input panel made up by coupling an upper substrate and a lower substrate, both of which are transparent, having an electrode provided on respective inner surfaces thereof facing each other, with a predetermined gap provided therebetween,

wherein the first substrate on a visible side of the liquid crystal display panel being disposed so as to be opposed to the lower substrate of the input panel, and

a double-sided adhesive layer having a surface area equivalent to that of a display region of the liquid crystal display panel is disposed between the first substrate and the lower substrate,

wherein the input panel is provided with at least four units of electrodes for detection of position, comprising at least a pair of X-electrodes and at least a pair of Y-electrodes, and wiring electrodes for providing wiring between each of the electrodes for detection of position and an input panel connection portion for connecting the input panel to a driving circuit therefor, and at least three lengths of the wiring electrodes are disposed in a region where the same horizontally overlay a liquid crystal display panel connection portion for connecting the liquid crystal display panel to a driving circuit therefor as seen from a visible side.

19. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a liquid crystal display panel made up by coupling a first substrate and a second substrate, having an electrode provided on respective inner surfaces thereof facing each other, with a predetermined gap provided therebetween, and by filling the gap with a liquid crystal layer; and

an input panel for detecting input information with a structure made up by coupling an upper substrate and a lower substrate, both of which are transparent, each having an electrode provided on respective inner surfaces thereof facing each other, with a predetermined gap provided therebetween, wherein upon depression on the upper substrate, each of the electrode come in contact thus achieving the detecting input information effect;

wherein the first substrate on a visible side of the liquid crystal display panel being disposed so as to be opposed to the lower substrate of the input panel;

a double-sided adhesive layer having a surface area equivalent to that of a display region of the liquid crystal display panel is disposed between the first substrate and the lower substrate;

a second retardation film, a first retardation film, and a first polarizer are disposed in that order by laminating one on top of the other from an upper substrate side of the input panel on a visible side of the upper substrate;

wherein a liquid crystal display panel connection portion for connecting the liquid crystal display panel to a driving circuit for the liquid crystal display panel is disposed in a peripheral region of the first substrate of the liquid crystal display panel, on one side thereof while an input panel connection portion for connecting the input panel to a driving circuit for the input panel is disposed in a peripheral region of the lower substrate of the input panel, on one side thereof,

said one side of the first substrate where the liquid crystal display panel connection portion is disposed on the same side as said one side of the lower substrate where the input panel connection portion is disposed,

said one side of the lower substrate where the input panel connection portion is disposed is positioned on an inner side of said one side of the first substrate where the liquid crystal display panel connection portion is disposed, and

an input panel connection means for connecting the input panel connection portion and the driving circuit for the input panel is installed along a side face of the lower substrate and the first substrate.