JP2004085513A - Liquid crystal display device and portable electronic equipment or electronic timepiece equipped with it - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid crystal display device that can display data, pictures, etc., on a curved displaying surface having a displaying area which is increased to the maximum while suppressing the increase of the external size and has little possibility of causing uneven displays, and to provide portable electronic equipment equipped with the display device. <P>SOLUTION: The liquid crystal display device 10 of the portable electronic equipment 1 has a flexible liquid crystal panel 20 provided with the main body 23 of the panel 20 constituted by interposing a liquid crystal layer between a pair of flexible substrates 21 and 22, and a polarizing plate 24 arranged on the front face of the front-side flexible substrate 21 of the main body 23 and a holding frame structure 40 which holds the liquid crystal panel 20 in a forwardly projecting curved state. In addition, reinforcing layers having rigidity of almost equal to that of the polarizing plate 24 which is higher in rigidity than the main body 23 are respectively laminated upon portions 28, 29, and 30 at the ends in the curved direction of the outer peripheral edge section 21a of the front face of the flexible substrate 21. The reinforcing layers 28, 29, and 30 are typically composed of the integrally extended outer peripheral edge section 24a of the polarizing plate 24 itself. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device having a curved display surface and a portable electronic device or an electronic timepiece provided with the liquid crystal display device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A liquid crystal display device has been proposed in which a flexible liquid crystal panel is held in a curved state by a holding frame structure. In the liquid crystal display device 110 of the related art, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the flexible liquid crystal panel 150 is held in a curved state by the holding frame structure 140 including the rear holding frame 120 and the front holding frame 130. I do. The back side holding frame 120 includes a peripheral wall portion 122 and a bottom wall portion 123 that define the concave portion 121. The bottom wall portion 123 is curved substantially along the Y-axis or along a direction parallel to the Y-axis such that a line of intersection with a cross section perpendicular to the X-axis in FIG. 4 has a constant curvature. I have.
[0003]
The flexible liquid crystal panel 150 includes a flexible liquid crystal panel main body 153 having a liquid crystal layer sandwiched inside a seal line PA between a pair of flexible substrates or base materials 151 and 152, and a flexible liquid crystal panel main body 153 on the front side thereof. It has front and rear polarizers 154 and 155 attached to the front of the flexible substrate 151 and the rear of the flexible substrate 152 on the rear. Reference numeral 157 denotes an EL panel structure including an EL panel main body 158 serving as a backlight. 157a denotes a shielding metal plate of the EL panel main body 158, and 157b denotes an insulating sheet between the shield plate 157a and the EL panel main body 158. When the polarizers 154 and 155 are attached to the surfaces of the corresponding flexible substrates 151 and 152, the adhesive protruding from the periphery of the polarizers 154 and 155 adheres to the display area and the contact area of the liquid crystal panel 150. The polarizers 154 and 155 are located far enough from the outer peripheral surface 156 of the liquid crystal panel 150, that is, flexible, so that the sticking operation can be performed quickly while avoiding the risk of hindering display and electrical connection. It is formed sufficiently smaller than the substrates 151 and 152.
[0004]
The rear side holding frame 120 is more rigid than the flexible substrate 151 on the front side of the flexible liquid crystal panel 150 so as to hold the flexible liquid crystal panel 150 curved along the Y direction in a curved state at an end portion in the Y direction. Of the front-side polarizing plate 154 having a high height. The front side holding frame 130 contacts the liquid crystal panel 150 outside the seal line PA to hold the liquid crystal panel 150 in a curved state.
[0005]
When the rear holding frame 120 intends to hold the liquid crystal panel 150 in a curved state, in order to ensure that the liquid crystal panel 150 is held in a curved state, the eaves-shaped projections of the front polarizing plate 154 of the liquid crystal panel 150 and the rear holding frame 120 are required. It is desired that the overlap length PK1 with the length 124 is not less than the minimum length δ1. On the other hand, in order to avoid the possibility of display unevenness or the like in the liquid crystal display area PD, it is desirable that the interval PK2 between the inner edge 131 of the front side holding frame 130 and the seal line PA is equal to or longer than the minimum length δ2. It is. When the thickness of the liquid crystal panel 150 and the EL panel structure 157 is about 1 mm as a whole, the lengths δ1 and δ2 are, for example, about 0.3 mm and 0.8 mm, respectively. At the end in the bending direction Y, a gap is provided between the back surface of the EL panel structure 157 and the front surface of the bottom wall 123 of the back-side holding frame 120 to leave room for elastic bending of the liquid crystal panel 150. PG is formed. The size of the gap PG is, for example, about 0.2 mm in this example.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional liquid crystal display device 110 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, if the lengths PK1 and PK2 are to be surely made larger than the respective minimum lengths δ1 and δ2, the panel holding frame structure The display area PD defined by the seal line PA is likely to be smaller than the size of 140. On the other hand, if it is intended to ensure that the lengths PK1 and PK2 are larger than the respective minimum lengths δ1 and δ2 while securing a sufficiently large display area PD, the size of the panel holding frame structure 140 is increased. Thus, it is necessary to increase the outer shape of the display device 110. In addition, when the size of the panel holding frame structure 140 is to be reduced as much as possible while securing a sufficiently large display area PD, the lengths PK1 and PK2 are smaller than the minimum lengths δ1 and δ2, and the There is a possibility that it may be difficult to maintain a proper curvature or display unevenness may occur.
[0007]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described points, and has as its object the possibility of displaying an image on a curved display surface having a maximum display area while suppressing an increase in external shape, which may cause display unevenness. It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal display device with less occurrence and a portable electronic device having the same.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a liquid crystal display device of the present invention has a flexible liquid crystal panel main body having a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a pair of flexible substrates, and a front surface of the flexible substrate on the front side of the liquid crystal panel main body. A liquid crystal display device comprising: a flexible liquid crystal panel having a polarizing plate disposed on the liquid crystal panel; and a holding frame structure for holding the flexible liquid crystal panel in a forwardly convex curved state. A reinforcing layer having the same degree of rigidity as a polarizing plate having higher rigidity than the flexible liquid crystal panel main body is laminated on a portion of the outer peripheral edge located at the end in the bending direction.
[0009]
In the liquid crystal display device of the present invention, “a portion of the outer peripheral edge of the front surface of the front side flexible substrate located at the end in the curved direction has the same rigidity as the polarizing plate having higher rigidity than the flexible liquid crystal panel body. Since the reinforcing layer provided is laminated '', the outer peripheral edge of the reinforcing layer can be regarded as the outer peripheral edge of the front side polarizing plate, so that the holding frame structure holds the liquid crystal panel in a convexly curved state forward. When pressing at least a part of the peripheral portion on the front side of the liquid crystal panel, the holding frame structure presses the reinforcing layer itself or the polarizing plate portion located inside the reinforcing layer and reinforced by the reinforcing layer. obtain. As a result, in the liquid crystal display device of the present invention, the pressing portion of the liquid crystal panel by the holding frame structure is moved only to the inside of the conventional liquid crystal display device (where the polarizing plate is located substantially inside the outer peripheral edge of the liquid crystal panel. (Which did not extend). That is, in the liquid-phase display device of the present invention, the pressing portion that can avoid the occurrence of display unevenness due to uneven pressing force applied to the liquid crystal panel due to the curvature is located outside the reinforcing layer width. Therefore, it is possible to apply a pressing force for bending in the vicinity of the outer peripheral edge of the liquid crystal panel. In addition, due to the shift of the curved holding position of the holding frame structure to the outside, a portion of the holding frame structure that contacts the front surface of the liquid crystal panel in relation to holding the liquid crystal panel is also closer to the outer periphery of the liquid crystal panel. Where it is located, ie more outwardly. Therefore, even if a minimum space for preventing the occurrence of display unevenness is secured between the inner edge of the portion of the holding frame structure abutting on the front surface of the liquid crystal panel and the seal line or the seal boundary line of the liquid crystal panel, The position of the seal boundary line can be made as close as possible to the outer peripheral edge of the liquid crystal panel. That is, when the size of the outer shape of the liquid crystal display device defined by the size of the holding frame structure is constant, the display area defined by the seal boundary line is reduced while suppressing the possibility of display unevenness of the liquid crystal panel. It is possible to expand to the maximum. In other words, even if the display area defined by the seal boundary line is considerably large, there is less possibility that display unevenness will occur. Conversely, since the distance from the seal boundary to the outer edge of the liquid crystal panel can be minimized, the size of the holding frame structure should be minimized when the display area defined by the seal boundary is constant. And the outer shape of the display device can be minimized.
[0010]
The holding frame structure may have any structure as long as the liquid crystal panel can be held in a curved state by pressing the outer peripheral edge on the front side of the liquid crystal panel so that the display area of the liquid crystal panel can be viewed from the front side. Typically, it comprises front and rear holding frame members that hold the flexible liquid crystal panel in a curved state that is convex forward. In this case, typically, the holding frame member on the back side includes a bottom wall and a peripheral wall that define a concave portion for accommodating the flexible liquid crystal panel, and a projection that holds or temporarily fixes the flexible liquid crystal panel is formed around the peripheral wall. A plurality is provided at intervals in the direction. The bottom wall has a front convex surface (front surface) to support the flexible liquid crystal panel in a curved state from the rear side. In addition, the holding frame member on the front side typically has a ring-like shape that overlaps the front surface of the flexible liquid crystal panel along the outer peripheral edge of the liquid crystal panel on the curved surface of the curved shape to be finally provided by the flexible liquid crystal panel. And a complementary-shaped surface, opening, or side edge that overlaps or fits with the front surface of the holding frame member on the back side. Therefore, the width of the overlap between the outer edge of the reinforcing layer and the holding frame structure is typically defined by the length (distance) between the outer edge of the reinforcing layer and the inner edge of the protrusion of the rear-side holding frame member, The distance between the seal boundary and the inner edge of the holding frame structure is typically defined by the distance between the seal boundary and the inner edge of the front holding frame member.
[0011]
The reinforcing layer may be the same as or different from the polarizing plate on the front side, and typically comprises the former. That is, typically, the reinforcing layer is the same as the polarizing plate on the front side, that is, the reinforcing layer is a part of the polarizing plate itself on the front side. In this case, the front-side polarizing plate extends to a portion of the outer peripheral edge of the front surface of the front-side flexible substrate located at the end in the curved direction, and the front-side polarizing plate extends outside the surface of the front-side flexible substrate. An end portion of the front-side polarizing plate that extends to an end in the curved direction of the peripheral portion and is located at an end in the curved direction of the outer peripheral portion of the surface of the front-side flexible substrate serves as a reinforcing layer. The polarizing plate may extend not only at the end in the bending direction but also over substantially the entire area to the outer edge of the front-side flexible substrate of the liquid crystal panel main body and overlap the front-side flexible substrate.
[0012]
However, if desired, the reinforcing layer is made of a material having a thickness similar to that of the front-side polarizing plate and having a higher rigidity than the flexible liquid crystal panel main body, and substantially the entire periphery of the flexible liquid crystal panel main body around the front-side polarizing plate. , A ring-shaped support disposed on the surface of the front-side flexible substrate may be used. In this case as well, although it is possible to form the end in the bending direction as a separate body, unlike the case where the whole is formed of a polarizing plate, the boundary region becomes weak against bending deformation. It is preferable that substantially the entire periphery of the main body overlaps the surface of the front-side flexible substrate.
[0013]
In the liquid crystal display device of the present invention, typically, the flexible liquid crystal panel includes a back side polarizing plate on the back side of the liquid crystal panel main body, and a periphery of the back side polarizing plate is substantially equal to a periphery of the flexible liquid crystal panel main body. It has a size that overlaps the whole area.
[0014]
The liquid crystal display device of the present invention can be incorporated in, for example, a portable electronic device. The portable electronic device may be a watch itself, a device having a watch function, or a device having no watch function.
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described based on a preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.
[0016]
【Example】
FIGS. 1 to 3 show a liquid crystal display device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention and a portable information device 1 as a portable electronic device provided with the liquid crystal display device. The portable information device 1 is a wearable electronic device of a type worn on the wrist W like a wristwatch, and has a time display function as an arm-mounted watch, that is, a wristwatch, and other information processing functions as desired. In the following, for the sake of simplicity, the portable information device 1 is regarded as a watch having a timekeeping function and the like, and the information device 1 is also referred to as a clock. However, the information device 1 may have other information processing functions as desired.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 3, the portable information device 1 includes a case 2, a processing device main body (not shown) arranged in a housing recess of the case 2, and a case 2 on the front side of the processing device main body. The liquid crystal display device 10 is disposed in the housing recess and displays processing information by the processing apparatus main body. The lid 5 has a glass plate 4 that closes the front opening 3 of the housing recess.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 1, the portable information device 1 has a substantially elliptical display area D that extends diagonally with respect to the extending direction L1 of the wrist W of the left hand. The display area D is further obliquely curved. This curved shape may be given only to the liquid crystal display device 10, that is, the flexible liquid crystal panel 20, its holding mechanism (holding frame structure) 40, and the bottom 6 of the case 2, but in the portable information device 1, In addition, the glass plate 4 of the lid 5 of the case 10 also has a curved shape.
[0019]
Therefore, in the following, this curved shape will be described in detail by taking the glass plate 4 as an example, but the description of the curved shape of the glass plate 4 applies to, for example, the flexible liquid crystal panel 20 substantially as it is. In the following, for simplicity of description, a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system XYZ (left-handed system) having the origin at the center of the surface of the glass plate 4 is adopted. Here, the X axis is the direction toward the hand along the extending direction L1 of the wrist W, the Y axis is the front when the left wrist W is arranged parallel to the front of the body and horizontally, and the Z axis Is assumed to coincide vertically upward when the XY plane is horizontal. It is also assumed that the XY plane is a tangent plane of the glass plate 4 at the origin of the coordinate system.
[0020]
In the illustrated example, the glass plate 4 of the portable information device 1 extends obliquely with respect to both the X axis and the Y axis in a direction connecting the second image limit and the fourth image limit, as can be seen from FIG. It has a major axis R01 and a minor axis R02 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the major axis R01 extends. More specifically, the outer peripheral portion or peripheral edge portion 7 of the glass plate 4 having a substantially elliptical planar shape has a large-diameter end portion whose curvature near the large-diameter end portion R01a located at the second image limit is located at the fourth image limit. It is sharpened so as to be larger than the curvature of the vicinity of R01b, and has a contour shape like a distorted spoon as a whole. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3D, when the wrist W is disposed obliquely and horizontally with respect to the front of the body, the long axis R01 extends right and left substantially parallel to the front of the body. The glass plate 4 has a substantially oblong shape elongated obliquely so that the short axis R02 takes a position extending back and forth substantially perpendicularly to the front surface of the body.
[0021]
When viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the X-axis, the glass plate 4 has a curved surface with a radius of curvature C1, for example, as shown in FIG. Here, it is considered that the thickness of the timepiece 1 is small compared to the radius of curvature and can be ignored. However, when the curved surfaces of the respective parts of the timepiece 1 are concentric, depending on the position of the timepiece 1 in the thickness direction. The variation in the radius of curvature may be considered. The radius of curvature C1 is constant, for example, without depending on the position on the X-axis. That is, in this example, the glass plate 4 has a shape obtained by obliquely cutting out a part of a cylinder having a radius C1 whose generatrix extends in a direction parallel to the X-axis. Therefore, the edge 7 of the glass plate 4 has a complicated shape curved in a three-dimensional space.
[0022]
Note that the shape of the glass plate 4 exemplified here is an example, and as long as there are advantages such as easy-to-see and a favorable design for the user, for example, the curvature of the glass plate 4 viewed in a plane perpendicular to the X axis The radius may not be constant. For example, the radius of curvature may gradually increase or decrease gradually as approaching both ends in the Y direction from the center, and in the + Y direction (forward). Other shapes such as a gradually increasing radius of curvature or a gradually decreasing radius are also possible. Here, the glass plate 4 refers to a transparent plate, and the material may be glass or ceramic or resin which is not generally called glass.
[0023]
Similarly, the shape in the extending surface of the glass plate 4 may be any other shape such as an elliptical shape or an oval shape instead of the spoon-shaped elliptical shape.
[0024]
In any case, when the bending direction of the flexible liquid crystal panel 20 (the direction of the cross section where the curvature is maximum (the radius of curvature is minimum)) intersects with an imaginary line extending in the extending direction of the long axis, The warped oval edge of the slab no longer rests on a horizontal plane and may have a complex three-dimensional shape.
[0025]
A pair of band parts 8 and 9 ((b) in FIG. 1) are attached to the case 2. The band parts 8, 9 have respective base ends 8a, 9a at positions displaced in the X direction, and can be engaged with the tip parts of the other band parts 6, 5 on the opposite side of the wrist W. , And extend slightly inclining in the + X and -X directions, respectively.
[0026]
Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 3D, when the wrist W is attached to the left wrist W, when the wrist W is inclined, the long axis of the ellipse of the glass plate 4 extends right and left and the short axis Takes a position that extends from the front to the back. That is, the display of the portable information device 1 is performed in the direction shown in FIG.
[0027]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the liquid crystal display device 10 includes a flexible liquid crystal panel 20 and a holding frame structure 40 that holds the flexible liquid crystal panel 20 in a curved state. A lower holding frame 50 that is located on the back side and temporarily temporarily fixes the flexible liquid crystal panel 20, and an upper holding frame 70 that fixes and holds the flexible liquid crystal panel 20 in a curved state in cooperation with the lower holding frame 50. Become.
[0028]
A film liquid crystal panel 20 as a flexible liquid crystal panel is typically made of polycarbonate having electrodes provided on both sides (up and down) of the liquid crystal layer and the liquid crystal layer within a range of an elliptical seal boundary line A. A liquid crystal panel main body 23 composed of a pair of transparent electrode carrying film layers 21 and 22 such as a film, and polarizing plate layers 24 and 25 disposed on both sides of the film layers 21 and 22 of the liquid crystal panel main body 23. It has a typical laminate (FIG. 2) and is bendable under the action of external forces.
[0029]
In this example, the polarizers 24 and 25 on the front and rear sides have substantially the same outer shape as the outer shape of the liquid crystal panel main body 23, that is, the outer shape of the flexible substrates or base materials 21 and 22 constituting the panel main body 23. As shown in FIG. 2, the peripheral parts 24a and 25a of the polarizing plates 24 and 25 just overlap the peripheral parts 21a and 22a of the substrates 21 and 22. Here, when attaching the polarizing plates 24 and 25 to the corresponding surfaces of the flexible substrates 21 and 22, precise positioning and attaching operations are performed. This operation may be performed manually or by a mechanical process, and requires extra steps and time as compared with the conventional formation of the liquid crystal panel 120. However, compared to the time and cost required for this, The usefulness of the panel 20 will more than recover from this cost.
[0030]
On the back side, that is, on the back side of the lower polarizing plate 25, typically, an EL panel structure 35 is arranged as a backlight. The EL panel structure 35 also has substantially the same size and outer shape as the film liquid crystal panel 23 and the polarizing plates 24 and 25, for example. The EL panel structure 35 includes an EL panel main body 36, a shield plate 37, and an insulating protection layer 38 that insulates between the main body 36 and the shield plate 37. Here, the liquid crystal panel 20 and the EL panel structure 35 superposed on the liquid crystal panel 20 form a liquid crystal panel structure 15. The EL panel structure 35 is typically attached to the back of the liquid crystal panel 20. However, in a case where the EL panel structure 35 is at least partially engaged with each other so that there is practically no risk of the EL panel structure 35 being displaced with respect to the liquid crystal panel 20 during bending and fixing. The EL panel structure 35 does not have to be attached to the back surface of the liquid crystal panel 20. In some cases, the EL panel structure 35 may not be provided, and in this case, the lower surface (back surface) of the lower polarizing plate 25 becomes a reflection surface.
[0031]
Each of the polarizing plate layers 24 and 25 of the film liquid crystal panel 20 is composed of a polarizing filter layer such as a stretched film of PVA (polyvinyl alcohol), and a protective layer for protecting the polarizing filter layer from both sides. When the polarizing filter layer is formed of a stretched film having a thickness of about 25 μm, the protective layer is formed of a relatively hard film such as a TAC (triacetyl cellulose) film which is thicker than the polarizing filter layer (for example, about 80 μm). As a result, the bending rigidity of the film liquid crystal panel 20 becomes relatively high, and when the film liquid crystal panel 20 is deformed along the curved surface defined by the holding mechanism 40 as the holding frame structure, it tends to return to the original planar shape. It is difficult to disregard the properties, and it is necessary to maintain the curved state relatively firmly.
[0032]
As can be seen from FIG. 1, the film liquid crystal panel 20 has an elliptical shape substantially similar to the glass plate 4 and the like, and its outer peripheral edge 26 is further provided with one or more protruding portions 27 as desired. Is formed.
[0033]
The film liquid crystal panel holding mechanism 40 as a holding frame structure includes a receiving recess 51 for accommodating the film liquid crystal panel 20, and a lower holding frame member or a lower holding frame member as a holding frame body for temporarily temporarily fixing and holding the film liquid crystal panel 20. A holding member 50 and an upper holding member or a lid-side holding frame member that is placed on the lower holding member 50 and securely holds the film liquid crystal panel 20 in a curved state along the lower holding member 50. And a lid member 70. In FIG. 1, the outline of the upper holding member 70 is shown by an imaginary line for easy viewing.
[0034]
The holding frame main body, that is, the lower holding member 50 is made of, for example, an integrally molded product of a thermoplastic resin, has an approximately elliptical outer shape (FIG. 1), and has a curved surface that is curved almost similarly to the lower surface 6 of the bottom wall of the case 10. It has a shape. That is, the holding frame main body 50, more specifically, the concave portion 51 is curved with a constant curvature when viewed in a plane perpendicular to the X-axis that extends obliquely to both the major axis and the minor axis of the ellipse. And has a shape extending along the curved surface. That is, the curved surface defined as a whole by the surface of the bottom wall of the holding frame main body 50 is such that, when an arbitrary straight line parallel to one axis X intersects with the curved surface, the straight line is included in the plane. It is curved in one direction. More specifically, as can be seen from FIG. 2 in addition to FIG. 1, the holding frame main body 50 cooperates with the thick peripheral wall 52 extending along the peripheral edge of the holding frame main body 50. And a bottom wall 53 defining a receiving recess 51 on the front side.
[0035]
Although the peripheral wall portion 52 may be formed over the entire periphery of the bottom wall portion 53, in this example, the peripheral wall portion 52 has three continuously extending peripheral wall portions 54, as can be seen from FIG. Between the adjacent peripheral wall portions 54, 55 or 55, 56 or 56, 54, the notches or recesses 57a, 57b, 57c having a bottom surface flush with the bottom wall portion 53 ( (When denoted generically or not distinguished from each other). The projections 27 of the liquid crystal panel 23 fit into these notches or recesses 57.
[0036]
In FIG. 1, the peripheral wall portion 54 extends over substantially the entire range from the first quadrant to the second quadrant, including the vertex R21a located at one end of the major axis R21, and stands upright from the top surface near the vertex R21a. It has a columnar engaging projection 58 and a hook-shaped or eave-shaped projection 59, and, in other words, a portion near the one end R22a of the short diameter R22 of the ellipse, in other words, a pair of opposing substantially linear long ellipses. An eave-shaped protruding portion 60 similar to the protruding portion 59 is provided at a substantially intermediate portion of one long side S1 of the sides S1 and S2. Therefore, guide grooves or gaps 61, 61 corresponding to the height of the peripheral wall portion 54 are formed between the respective lower surfaces of the eave-shaped protrusions 59, 60 and the facing surface portion of the bottom wall 53. The width (height) H of the guide grooves, that is, the gaps 61, is slightly larger than the overall thickness T of the film liquid crystal panel structure 15 in which the film liquid crystal panel 20 and the EL panel structure 35 are integrated.
[0037]
In FIG. 3, the peripheral wall portion 56 extends over substantially the entire region from the third quadrant to the fourth quadrant, including the vertex R21b located at the other end of the long diameter R21, and stands upright from the top surface near the vertex R22a. In addition, in the vicinity of the other end R22b of the short diameter R22 of the ellipse, in other words, the other long side S2 of the pair of opposing long sides S1 and S2 of the ellipse Has a small eave-shaped protrusion 63 similar to the protrusions 59 and 60 at a substantially middle portion of. A gap 61 corresponding to the height H of the peripheral wall portion 56 is also formed between the lower surface of the eave-shaped protrusion 63 and the facing surface portion of the bottom wall 53.
[0038]
An engaged portion 64 including a concave portion and a convex portion is formed on the outer periphery of the peripheral wall portion 52, and the engaged portion 64 engages with an engaging portion of a desired supporting means such as a bent sheet metal. -It is supported and fixed in the case 2.
[0039]
The inner surfaces or inner peripheral surfaces 65 of the peripheral wall portions 54, 55, 56 constituting the peripheral wall portion 52 define the peripheral surface of the concave portion 51 and are defined as a whole (the skipped portions of the surface 65 are imaginary so as to form an envelope as a whole. The liquid crystal panel 20 has substantially the same contour as the outer peripheral edge 26 of the liquid crystal panel 20. The liquid crystal panel 20, more specifically, the liquid crystal panel structure 15 is attached to the concave portion 51 defined by the peripheral wall portion 52 and the bottom wall portion 53.
[0040]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the liquid crystal panel structure 15 has a width or height H defined by the lower surfaces of the eave-shaped protrusions 59, 60, 63 of the holding frame body 50 and the surface of the bottom wall 63. In the recess 51 so that the corresponding peripheral edges 28, 29, 30 are sandwiched in the groove portion 61 of the, and the protrusion 27 fits into the corresponding recess 57 between the peripheral wall portions 64, 65, 66. Be placed. In the mounted state, the eaves-shaped projections prevent the liquid crystal panel structure 15 that is to be disposed to be curved and arranged along the direction parallel to the X-axis from rising from the holding frame main body 50 (displaced in a direction to come out of the concave portion 51). 59, 60, and 63 press down on the surfaces of the corresponding portions 28, 29, and 30 with their respective lower surfaces, thereby restricting and actually prohibiting. As a result, the liquid crystal panel 20 can be temporarily fixed and held in a curved state along the holding frame main body 50.
[0041]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower holding frame member, that is, the holding frame body 50 is substantially fixed to the holding frame body 50 so that the liquid crystal panel 20 mounted along the curved shape is completely fixed. An upper holding frame member 70 having a complementary shape, that is, a front side or a lid side is put on the holding frame main body 50 holding the liquid crystal panel 20.
[0042]
The front side holding frame member 70 is made of, for example, a punched curved body made of a sheet metal having a relatively large thickness, and has a planar shape as shown by an imaginary line in FIG. That is, the front-side holding frame member 70 formed by bending an oval sheet metal ring has an outer peripheral edge or outer peripheral surface 71 having substantially the same shape as the outer peripheral surface of the rear-side holding member 50 and a peripheral wall portion 52 of the rear-side holding member 50. It is formed of a wide and thin ring-shaped body defined by an inner peripheral edge or an inner peripheral surface 72 protruding to a region inside the inner peripheral surface 65 and outside the seal boundary line A of the liquid crystal panel main body 23.
[0043]
The outer peripheral edge 71 of the front-side holding frame member 70 except for a point lacking a convex portion corresponding to the engaged convex portion 64a of the engaged portion 64 and an outer peripheral side notch 73 that escapes the eaves-like projection 60. Thus, it has substantially the same shape as the outer peripheral surface of the back side holding frame member 50. That is, the front-side holding frame member 70 can press the liquid crystal panel structure 15 placed and fixed on the rear-side holding frame member 50 in as large an area as possible, and falls within the range of expansion of the rear-side holding frame member 70. In order to minimize the occupation of the extra space, it is preferable to have the same shape as the outer peripheral surface of the rear side holding frame member 50 as much as possible, but as long as these requirements can be substantially satisfied, Thus, there may be a portion that extends outside the outer peripheral surface of the back side holding frame member 50, or a portion that does not extend to the outer peripheral surface of the back side holding frame member 50.
[0044]
The front-side holding frame member 70 has holes 74 and 75 in which cylindrical projections 58 and 62 projecting forward from the top surface of the peripheral wall portion 52 of the rear-side holding frame member 50 are fitted. These holes 74, 75 may have a circular cross-section complementary to the cross-sectional shape of the projections 58, 62, but may allow for some errors due to engagement in a curved state and misalignment due to bending. As described above, a long hole as shown in FIG. 1 may be used.
[0045]
The front-side holding frame member 70 further protrudes forward from the top surface of the peripheral wall portion 52 of the rear-side holding frame member 50 and has holes or protrusions in which the inwardly protruding eave-shaped protrusions 59 and 63 are fitted or loosely fitted. It has openings 76 and 77. Therefore, the front-side holding frame member 70 is attached to the top surface 68 of the peripheral wall portion 52 of the back-side holding frame member 50 at most of the rear surface or the lower surface 78, more specifically, at the outer peripheral portion 79 of the lower surface 78. At the inner peripheral side portion 70 of the lower surface 78 that abuts and expands inside the peripheral wall portion 52 of the rear holding frame member 50, the outer peripheral region or the outer peripheral portion 32 of the surface 31 of the liquid crystal panel 20 of the liquid crystal panel structure 15. Abut
[0046]
In the liquid crystal display device 10 configured as described above, the protruding end 59a of the lower surface of the eave-shaped protruding portion 59 such as the protruding portion 59 and the edge 28a of the portion 28 of the liquid crystal panel 20 facing the protruding portion 59 (front surface side). (In other words, it coincides with the end face of the end portion 24a of the polarizing plate 24), in other words, the overlapping length of the front polarizing plate 24 of the liquid crystal panel 20 and the eave-shaped protrusion 59 of the rear holding frame 50. The length K1 is equal to or longer than the minimum length δ1. However, in this liquid crystal display device 10, the front-side polarizing plate 24 substantially overlaps the corresponding edge 23a of the liquid-crystal panel main body 23 (coincides with the edge 21a of the front-side substrate 21). Since the length K1 extends to the end face 23c, the length K1 is substantially equal to the length of the liquid crystal panel main body 23 facing the eave-shaped protrusion 59. As a result, even if the length F of the eave-shaped protrusion 59 itself is shorter than the length PF of the conventional eave-shaped protrusion 124 (FIG. 5), the liquid crystal panel 20 can be reliably pressed in a curved state. Becomes possible.
[0047]
Further, in the liquid crystal display device 10, the interval K2 between the seal wire A and the portion 72a inside the eave-shaped protrusion 59 of the inner edge 72 of the front side holding frame 70 is not less than the minimum length δ2. Accordingly, it is possible to practically avoid the occurrence of display unevenness due to the pressing of the liquid crystal panel 20 in the liquid crystal display area D inside the seal line A.
[0048]
When the thickness of the liquid crystal panel structure 15 including the liquid crystal panel 20 and the EL panel structure 35 is about 1 mm as a whole, the lengths δ1 and δ2 are, for example, about 0.3 mm and 0.8 mm, respectively. At the end in the bending direction Y, a gap is provided between the back surface of the EL panel structure 35 and the front surface of the bottom wall 53 of the back-side holding frame 50 in order to leave room for elastic deformation of the liquid crystal panel 20. G is formed. The size of the gap G is, for example, about 0.2 mm in this example.
[0049]
As described above, in the liquid crystal display device 10, since the edge 24a of the front-side polarizing plate 24 overlaps the corresponding edge of the liquid crystal panel main body 23, the lengths K1 and K2 are the minimum lengths, respectively. Even if the sizes of δ1 and δ2 or more are secured, it is easy to secure a large display area D defined by the seal line A for the size of the panel holding frame structure 40 (the outer shape of the panel frame structure 40). Is constant, for example, it is possible to expand the seal boundary line A, as shown by the imaginary line A in FIG. 1). On the other hand, in the liquid crystal display device 10, since the edge 24 a of the front-side polarizing plate 24 overlaps the corresponding edge 23 a of the liquid crystal panel main body 23, the length F of the eave-shaped protrusion 59 is equal to the length K 1. Since it can be suppressed to the minimum size within the range exceeding, the display areas D of sufficient size are secured and the lengths K1 and K2 are set to the minimum lengths δ1 and δ2 or more. Even so, the size of the panel holding frame structure 40 can be minimized, and the outer shape of the liquid crystal display device 10 can be minimized. Therefore, even if the size of the panel holding frame structure 40 is reduced as much as possible while securing a sufficiently large display area D, the minimum lengths δ1 and δ2 are secured as the lengths K1 and K2. It is possible to minimize the risk of display unevenness while enabling stable holding of the liquid crystal panel 20.
[0050]
In the above, an example in which the front side, that is, the upper polarizing plate 24 extends to the outer peripheral edge of the liquid crystal panel main body 23 over the entire outer peripheral edge (the reinforcing layer forms an integral part of the front side polarizing plate 24 itself) Although the example formed by the outer peripheral edge portion has been described, the front-side polarizing plate (upper polarizing plate) 24 includes, for example, the regions 28, 29, and 30 facing the eave-shaped protrusions 59, 60, and 63, respectively. As long as it extends to the outer peripheral edge in a range having a certain extent in the direction, it does not have to extend to the outer peripheral edge in other portions. The same applies to the rear-side polarizing plate (lower polarizing plate) 25.
[0051]
Further, in the above description, although the rear-side polarizing plate 25 is also shown as extending to the outer peripheral edge of the liquid crystal panel main body 23 over the entire outer peripheral edge, for example, the electrode extraction terminal of the liquid crystal panel 20 is connected to the rear substrate. 22 may be formed at a position indicated by a wavy line 34 in FIG. In this case, typically, the rear-side polarizing plate 25 is cut out so as to expose the electrode extraction terminal 34. The notch is preferably relatively small so as to minimize the unevenness of the curvature of the liquid crystal panel 20, and is more or less away from the pressing portion by the eave-shaped protrusions 59 and 60. preferable. If desired, a flexible cable or the like is connected to the electrode extraction terminal 34 so that the cable protrudes from the peripheral surface (end surface) of the outer peripheral edge of the liquid crystal panel 20, and the rear polarizing plate 25 is connected to the electrode extraction terminal 34. The entire outer peripheral edge may be extended to the outer peripheral edge of the liquid crystal panel main body 23 so as to cover.
[0052]
Instead of extending the outer peripheral edge of the front-side polarizing plate 24 outward as a reinforcing layer and overlapping the outer peripheral edge of the liquid crystal panel main body 23 with a corresponding surface portion, the size of the front-side polarizing plate 24 is, for example, as shown in FIG. And the same size as the polarizing plate 154 of the conventional liquid crystal display device as shown in FIG. 5, and the remaining outer peripheral portion is mechanically similar to the front side polarizing plate 24 in terms of rigidity and the like. A ring-shaped material having properties or higher rigidity than the front-side polarizing plate 24 may be provided as the reinforcing layer. In this case, the ring-shaped material as the reinforcing layer is, for example, coated and cured in a ring shape with a resin-based adhesive or an adhesive filler instead of having a ring-shaped shape in advance. It may be made to be. In addition, this ring-shaped object may be attached to only a part (for example, both ends in the bending direction) instead of being provided on the entire circumference, but from the viewpoint of the adhesion strength and the like, the ring-shaped object is as wide as possible in the circumferential direction. Preferably, it extends over the range.
[0053]
Note that the force required for the eaves-shaped protrusion of the back side holding frame member 50 and the front side holding frame member 70 to press the liquid crystal panel 20 may be different between the bending direction Y and the direction X perpendicular thereto. The magnitudes of the limit lengths δ1 and δ2 may differ depending not only on the type and thickness of the material, but also on the relative positional relationship with the bending direction and the orientation. Therefore, the end in the bending direction is typically the end in the Y direction or the vicinity thereof (for example, the portion 28), but the eaves-like projections 63, 60 and the like also have the peripheral edge of the liquid crystal panel 20 so as to provide the Y direction bending. Since it plays a role of pressing the portions, considering the imaginary line passing through the protruding portions 63 and 60 and being parallel to the Y direction, the eaves-like protruding portions 63 and 60 can be regarded as the ends in the bending direction Y.
[0054]
Further, the number and arrangement of the eave-shaped protrusions may be different as long as the plurality of eave-shaped protrusions can give the liquid crystal panel 20 a curvature in the Y direction as a whole.
[0055]
Further, in the illustrated example, the bending direction Y extends obliquely with respect to the major axis R21 of the ellipse, but may be parallel if desired. For example, the bending direction Y extends parallel to the long side of the rectangle. May be. In this case, for example, short sides located at both ends in the Y direction are pressed by eave-shaped protrusions or the like to maintain the curvature, and a front-side polarizing plate or a ring-shaped material as a reinforcing layer is provided on the edge of the short side. Will be arranged.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory plan view of a liquid crystal display device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory cross-sectional view of a part of the liquid crystal display device of FIG.
3A and 3B show a portable information device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention provided with the liquid crystal display device of FIG. 1; FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the appearance of the portable information device in a state of being mounted on an arm; FIG. 1B is an explanatory top view of the outline of the portable information device of FIG. 2A, and FIG. 2C is a side explanatory diagram showing a curved state of the portable information device in a state where the liquid crystal display device is incorporated (only the glass plate is used). (D) is an explanatory diagram for explaining a normal visual recognition state of the display of the portable information device in (a).
FIG. 4 is an explanatory plan view similar to FIG. 1 of a conventional liquid crystal display device.
5 is a cross-sectional explanatory view similar to FIG. 2 of a conventional liquid crystal display device, and is a cross-sectional explanatory view taken along a line VV of the liquid crystal display device of FIG. 4 (shown exaggerated in the thickness direction).
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Portable information devices (portable electronic devices)
2 cases
4 Glass plate
5 Lid
10 Liquid crystal display device
15 Liquid crystal panel structure
20 LCD panel
21,22 Flexible substrate (base material)
21a, 22a Peripheral edge of substrate
23 LCD panel body
24,25 polarizing plate
24a, 25a Peripheral edge of polarizing plate
40 Holding frame structure
50 Back side holding frame member
59,60,63 Eaves-like protrusion
70 Front side holding frame member
A Seal boundary line (seal line)
D Display area
K1, K2 length
δ1, δ2 Minimum length

Claims (8)

A flexible liquid crystal panel main body having a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a pair of flexible substrates, and a flexible liquid crystal panel including a polarizing plate disposed on the front surface of the flexible substrate on the front side of the liquid crystal panel main body;
A holding frame structure that holds the flexible liquid crystal panel in a forwardly convex curved state,
A reinforcing layer having the same degree of rigidity as a polarizing plate having higher rigidity than the flexible liquid crystal panel main body is laminated on a portion of the outer peripheral edge of the front side of the front side flexible substrate which is located at the end in the bending direction. Liquid crystal display device. A front-side polarizing plate extends to a portion located at an end in a curved direction of an outer peripheral edge of a front surface of the front-side flexible substrate, and the front-side polarizing plate is provided on a surface of the front-side flexible substrate. Wherein the end portion of the front-side polarizing plate, which is located at the end of the outer peripheral edge of the front-side flexible substrate in the curved direction, is a reinforcing layer. Item 2. The liquid crystal display device according to item 1. The reinforcing layer is made of a material having the same thickness as the front-side polarizing plate and having a higher rigidity than the flexible liquid crystal panel main body, and the outer periphery of the front-side polarizing plate has substantially the entire peripheral edge of the flexible liquid crystal panel main body. 2. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal display device is a ring-shaped support disposed on the surface of the front-side flexible substrate. 4. The holding frame structure according to claim 1, wherein the holding frame structure includes front and rear holding frames that hold the flexible liquid crystal panel therebetween in a curved state that is convex forward. 5. Liquid crystal display device. 5. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 4, wherein the front side holding frame portion is configured to abut on an end portion including the reinforcing layer to hold the flexible liquid crystal panel in a curved state. 2. The flexible liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, further comprising a rear polarizer on a rear side of the liquid crystal panel main body, wherein a peripheral portion of the rear polarizer has a size substantially overlapping the entire peripheral portion of the flexible liquid crystal panel main body. 6. The liquid crystal display device according to any one of the items up to 5. A portable electronic device comprising the liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The electronic timepiece according to claim 7, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a watch.

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