Abstract:
The present invention is directed to the provision of a high-contrast display apparatus. The display apparatus of the present invention includes a light source, a display section having an electro-optical conversion device for transmitting or scattering light introduced from the light source, light control means for reflecting the light introduced from the light source at a prescribed reflection angle, and a light reflecting member for causing the light reflected by the light control means and transmitted through the electro-optical conversion device to be reflected outside the field of view of a viewer who is viewing the display section straight on.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a display apparatus, and more specifically to a display apparatus that can display high-contrast over the entire display area. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    In a reflective liquid crystal display apparatus, it is known to add an auxiliary light source to illuminate the reflective liquid crystal display apparatus from an edge thereof (refer, for example, to patent document 1). 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is a diagram schematically showing one example of such a reflective liquid crystal display apparatus. 
         [0004]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , reflective liquid crystal display apparatus  1  comprises a liquid crystal panel  2 , an LED light source  30 , and an IC circuit  40  for driving liquid crystal panel  2 . Liquid crystal panel  2  comprises a first transparent substrate  21 , a second transparent substrate  22 , a polymer dispersed liquid crystal  4  sandwiched between the first and second transparent substrates, a sealing member  26  for sealing the polymer dispersed liquid crystal  4  therebetween, a first transparent electrode  28  disposed on the inside of first transparent substrate  21 , a prism  3  disposed on top of first transparent substrate  21 , a second transparent electrode  27  disposed on the inside of second transparent substrate  22 , and a reflector  25  disposed on the outside of second transparent substrate  22 . 
         [0005]    In a region X 1  where voltage is applied between the first and second transparent electrodes, Polymer dispersed liquid crystal  4  allows light to freely pass through it (non-scattering mode), and the region thus appears black except for a portion thereof where the light is reflected from the rear reflector. On the other hand, in a region X 2  where no voltage is applied, the polymer dispersed liquid crystal  4  scatters the light (scattering mode), and the region thus appears white. 
         [0006]    When light introduced from the LED light source  30  into liquid crystal panel  2  is reflected by prism  3  and enters the region X 1 , the light passes through the liquid crystal layer (non-scattering mode), is reflected by the reflector  25 , and emerges on the viewer side (see M 1 ). As a result, the reflected light is observed on the viewer side of the region X 1  where voltage is applied. 
         [0007]    On the other hand, when light introduced from the LED light source  30  into liquid crystal panel  2  is reflected by prism  3  and enters the region X 2 , the light is scattered in the liquid crystal layer (see P 1 ) (scattering mode), and the reflected light is not directly observed on the viewer side (see M 2 ). As a result, the region X 2  where no voltage is applied appears white, since the reflected light emerges as scattered light which is observed on the viewer side. 
         [0008]    Patent document: JP 2003-57645 A 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    As described above, in the prior art reflective liquid crystal display apparatus, the light introduced into the liquid crystal panel  2  in a non-scattering mode is observed as reflected light on the viewer side. As a result, the prior art reflective liquid crystal display apparatus described above has not been able to produce a true black display state, resulting in a problem that the contrast (the ratio between the white display produced in the scattering mode and the black display produced in the non-scattering mode) degrades. 
         [0010]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a high-contrast reflective display apparatus. 
         [0011]    A display apparatus according to the present invention includes a light source, a display section having an electro-optical conversion device for transmitting or scattering light introduced from the light source, light control means for reflecting the light introduced from the light source at a prescribed reflection angle, and a light reflecting member for causing the light reflected by the light control means and transmitted through the electro-optical conversion device to be reflected outside the field of view of a viewer who is viewing the display section straight on. 
         [0012]    Preferably, in the display apparatus according to the present invention, the reflection angle is not smaller than 30°, and not larger than 75°, and by so setting the reflection angle, the light reflected by the light control means and transmitted through the electro-optical conversion device can be appropriately reflected outside the field of view of the viewer. 
         [0013]    Preferably, in the display apparatus according to the present invention, the electro-optical conversion device distributes scattered light within the field of view of the viewer by scattering the light introduced from the light source. When the electro-optical conversion device is in the non-scattering mode (transmission mode), the light from the light source is not distributed within the field of view of the viewer, but when the electro-optical conversion device is in the scattering mode, the light from the light source is distributed within the field of view of the viewer, thereby achieving black and white display states, respectively. 
         [0014]    Preferably, in the display apparatus according to the present invention, the electro-optical conversion device transmits or scatters the introduced light, depending on an applied voltage. As a result Pixels are formed, for example, by transparent electrode patterns arranged in a matrix form, and the application of a voltage is controlled for each pixel so that a desired image can be displayed on the display section. 
         [0015]    Preferably, in the display apparatus according to the present invention, the light from the light source is introduced through an edge face of the display section, the light control means is disposed on the viewer side of the display section, and the light reflecting member is disposed on an opposite side of the display section from the light control means. 
         [0016]    According to the present invention, since the light from the light source is almost completely prevented from emerging on the viewer side of the electro-optical conversion device in the non-scattering mode, the difference between the black and white display states becomes distinct, and a high-contrast display apparatus can thus be achieved. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a diagram schematically showing the structure of a prior art liquid crystal display apparatus. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a diagram schematically showing the structure of a display apparatus  10  according to the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a diagram for explaining the reflection angle θ of light control means  24 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    A display apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a diagram schematically showing the structure of the display apparatus  10  according to the present invention. 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , display apparatus  10  comprises liquid crystal panel  20 , LED light source  30 , and IC circuit  40  for driving liquid crystal panel  20 . Liquid crystal panel  20  comprises first transparent substrate  21 , second transparent substrate  22 , liquid crystal  23  sandwiched between the first and second transparent substrates, sealing member  26  for sealing liquid crystal  23  therebetween, first transparent electrode  28  disposed on the inside of first transparent substrate  21 , light control means  24  disposed on top of first transparent substrate  21 , second transparent electrode  27  disposed on the inside of second transparent substrate  22 , and reflector  25  disposed on the outside of second transparent substrate  22 . 
         [0023]    First and second transparent electrodes  27  and  28  are actually arrays of transparent electrodes arranged in a matrix form on the inside surfaces of first and second transparent substrates  21  and  22 , respectively, and the intersections of first and second electrodes  27  and  28  correspond to display pixels in liquid crystal panel  20 . 
         [0024]    PNLC (Polymer Network Liquid Crystal) is used as liquid crystal  23 . In a region X 1  where voltage is applied between the first and second transparent electrodes, liquid crystal  23  functions so as to transmit light therethrough (non-scattering mode), while in a region X 2  where no voltage is applied, it functions so as to scatter the light (scattering mode). 
         [0025]    Light control means  24  is constructed from a prism having a reflection angle θ such that the light introduced into liquid crystal panel  20  through an edge face thereof is reflected in a direction away from the edge face through which the light was introduced. In the present embodiment, the reflection angle θ of light control means  24  is set at 45° with respect to the normal. 
         [0026]    Of the light rays introduced from LED light source  30  into liquid crystal panel  20 , any light ray that is going to enter the region X 1  is reflected at the reflection angle θ by light control means  24  in a direction that causes the light to substantially move away from the region X 1 . As described earlier, since liquid crystal  23  is in the non-scattering mode in the region X 1 , the light is transmitted through it. However, the transmitted light is reflected at the reflection angle θ by reflector  25  in a further distant direction (see L 1 ). As a result, the viewer viewing liquid crystal panel  20  straight on cannot observe light, but can only observe the background color of liquid crystal panel  20 . In other words, the region X 1  appears black. 
         [0027]    On the other hand, of the light rays introduced from LED light source  30  into liquid crystal panel  20 , any light ray that is going to enter the region X 2  is reflected at the reflection angle θ by light control means  24  in a direction that causes the light to substantially move away from the region X 2 . As earlier described, since liquid crystal  23  is in the scattering mode in the region X 2 , the light is scattered (see P 2 ). Even if the light reflected at the reflection angle θ enters the region X 2  (see L 2 ), the light is scattered and emerges on the viewer side of the substantially same region, and the viewer viewing liquid crystal panel  20  straight on can thus observe the scattered light. In other words, the region X 2  appears white. 
         [0028]    In this way, in the region X 1  corresponding to the non-scattering mode of liquid crystal  23  in display apparatus  10 , since the light from LED light source  30  is reflected at a large angle relative to the normal and is thus directed outside the field of view of the viewer, the viewer can only observe the background color of liquid crystal panel  20 , and the display thus appears black. On the other hand, in the region X 2  corresponding to the scattering mode of the liquid crystal  23  in display apparatus  10 , the light from LED light source  30  is scattered, and the scattered light is observed by the viewer, so that the display appears white. In the prior art liquid crystal display apparatus, the light from the light source was observed on the viewer side not only in the scattering mode but also in the non-scattering mode. By contrast, in display apparatus  10  according to the present invention, the light from the light source is almost completely prevented from emerging on the viewer side in the non-scattering mode. Accordingly, In display apparatus  10  of the present invention, the difference between the black and white display states becomes distinct, and a high-contrast display can thus be achieved. 
         [0029]      FIG. 3  is a diagram for explaining the reflection angle θ of light control means  24 . 
         [0030]    In  FIG. 3 , L indicates the length of liquid crystal panel  20 , and D the distance between liquid crystal panel  20  and the viewer. 
         [0031]    As earlier described, to cause the region X 1  in display apparatus  10  to appear black, the light reflected first by light control means  24  and then by reflector  25  should be directed outside the region extending from the portion directly above the edge of liquid crystal panel  20  that faces LED light source  30  to the portion directly above the edge of the liquid crystal panel  20  opposite from LED light source  30 . Here, if φ=tan −1  (L/D), then φ and the reflection angle θ should be set to satisfy the following relation (1). 
         [0000]      θ≧φ+30°  (1) 
         [0032]    In an ordinary display apparatus, φ satisfies the following relation (2) from the relationship between L and D. 
         [0000]      0°&lt;φ≦45°  (2) 
         [0033]    From the above relations (1) and (2), it is preferable that the reflection angle θ be set within a range not smaller than 30°, and not larger than 75°, i.e., when the reflection angle θ of the light control means  24  satisfies the above condition, liquid crystal  23  can produce a good black display state, and a high-contrast display can thus be achieved. 
         [0034]    While the above embodiment has been described for display apparatus  10  that uses PNLC for liquid crystal panel  20 , the present invention is equally applicable to other kinds of displays as long as the display is constructed using an electro-optical conversion device capable of electrically switching between the non-scattering and scattering modes.