Patent Publication Number: US-2011051030-A1

Title: Liquid crystal display device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 98128910, filed on Aug. 27, 2009. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of specification. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly, to an automotive liquid crystal display device. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     With the advantages of slim and light, liquid crystal display device are broadly used in a car for being as an automotive display device. The conventional automotive display device is installed for example at the back side of the pillow of the seat, on the inside wall of the car roof or in the panel besides the driving seat, through specific installation racks. However, the installation racks affects the artistic appearance and surroundings in the car and further limit the available inner space of the car. Therefore, an electric hidden display screen driven by an electrical driving mechanism is proposed. The display screen protrudes outward from the panel and flips up in using to show images. In addition, the display screen is retracted and hidden within the panel without being used to improve the artistic appearance in the car and reduce the risk of being stolen or damaged. 
     However, the horizontal moving stroke of the display screen protruding outward the panel is substantially the body length thereof. The long horizontal stroke of the display screen may lead the display screen striking the shift lever in front of the panel, and thus the altitude of the display screen should be taken into account in design. Furthermore, the display screen obstructs devices such as a stereo host, buttons of air condition or an air outlet, which makes the user feel inconvenient in operating the above devices, and accordingly the original design of the panel needs to be amended. Moreover, in order to retract and hide the display screen into the panel, the size of the display screen is fabricated to be smaller than a standard size of an automotive stereo panel (2DIN). In other words, minimizing the size of the display screen is restricted. 
     The convention electric hidden display screen has the above mentioned drawbacks. Additionally, the electric driving mechanism of the convention electric hidden display screen is complicated and suffers in high failure probability, and thus reduces the lifetime of the convention electric hidden display screen. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device suitable for being installed to an automotive panel and driving a display screen to a predicted position by an actuator to overcome the above problems. 
     The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device with a host hidden in the back of a display screen to save space in a panel. 
     The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device installed in a panel having an accommodating cavity. The liquid crystal display device includes a display screen, two sliding supporters and an actuator. 
     The display screen has a display surface parallel to the panel. The two sliding supporters connect the display screen. The actuator is disposed on a frame accommodated in the accommodating cavity to drive the two sliding supporters and the display screen moving away from the panel horizontally from a horizontal position to a destination position. 
     In an embodiment, the frame has a first guiding portion, and an actuated block of the actuator is slidably coupled to the first guiding portion. 
     In an embodiment, the actuated block has a horizontal sliding slot, and the first guiding portion is installed in the horizontal sliding slot for supporting the actuated block. 
     In an embodiment, the actuator has a transmitting gear coupled to a rack of the actuated block for driving the actuated block. 
     In an embodiment, the actuator has an electric motor to drive the transmitting gear revolving. 
     In an embodiment, the actuated block is provided with a vertical axle, and a sleeve of the sliding supporter is disposed on the axle such that the actuated block connects and drives the sliding supporter. 
     In an embodiment, the sleeve moves along the vertical axle to adjust the altitude of the sliding supporter. 
     In an embodiment, the frame has a second guiding portion, and the sliding supporter is slidably coupled to the second guiding portion. 
     In an embodiment, the sliding supporter has a rail, and the second guiding portion is installed in the rail for supporting the sliding supporter. 
     In an embodiment, the rail has a horizontal section and an inclined section, when the display screen is on the horizontal position and moving outward the panel, the second guiding portion is in the horizontal section, and when the display screen approaches the destination position, the second guiding portion is in the inclined section. 
     In an embodiment, the display screen is provided with a start key for enabling the actuator to drive the display screen moving from the horizontal position to the destination position. 
     In an embodiment, the display screen is provided with a return key for enabling the actuator to drive the display screen moving from the destination position back to the horizontal position. 
     In an embodiment, the display screen obstructs a host when locating at the horizontal position, while the display screen exposes the host with an opening when locating at the destination position. 
     In an embodiment, the host is installed in the frame and electrically connected to the display screen. 
     In an embodiment, a size of the display screen conforms to a standard size of a 2DIN automotive stereo panel. 
     In an embodiment, a size of the host conforms to a standard size of an 1DIN automotive stereo panel. 
     Accordingly, the liquid crystal display device drives the display screen outward the panel from the horizontal position to the destination position. Comparing with the conventional liquid crystal display devices, the display screen of the present invention has a shorter stroke and no more strike the shift lever in front of the panel. Furthermore, the display surface of the display screen always faces the user and the liquid crystal display device performs without flipping the display screen and thus devices on top of the display screen are no more obstructed. 
     In order to make the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the invention more comprehensible, embodiments accompanying figures are described in detail below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic view of a liquid crystal display device according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2A  is a top view of the liquid crystal display device as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 2B  is a bottom view of the liquid crystal display device as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 3A-3F  show operation process of a liquid crystal display device according to one embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic view of a liquid crystal display device according to one embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 2A  is a top view of the liquid crystal display device as shown in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 2B  is a bottom view of the liquid crystal display device as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A and  2 B, the liquid crystal display device  100  is installed in a reserved space, such as in a panel  200  beside the driver seat, for being as an automotive display device, by which the passenger or the driver can watch video program, or surf the internet, email, and transmit motion image through mobile communication system. 
     The panel  200  has a plurality of fixing plates, including a left side plate  210 , a right side plate  220 , a cover plate (not shown), a bottom plate  230  and a back plate  240 . These fixing plates form an accommodating cavity  202  for accommodating a frame  110  and a host  120 . The host  120  is fixed in the frame  110  and electrically connected to a display screen  140  through a flexible cable  130  to display video program or mobile communication information. The host  120  may be an optical disc drive or an automotive host. In addition, the panel  200  is provided with a screen supporting rack  250  at its opening for fixing the display screen  140  at the opening of the panel  200 . The screen supporting rack  250  is connected to the driving mechanism in the accommodating cavity  202  to drive the display screen  140  moving to a predetermined position. Components of the driving mechanism are illustrated in detail in the following paragraphs. Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A and  2 B, the driving mechanism includes two sliding supporters  150  and an actuator  160 . The actuator  160  includes an actuated block  162 , a transmitting gear  164  and an electric motor  166 . The electric motor  166  and the transmitting gear  164  are fixed on a plate  112  of the frame  110 , and the actuated block  162  is movably disposed on a side plate  114  of the frame  110 , as shown in  FIG. 2B . The electric motor  166  drives the transmitting gear  164  revolving, and then the transmitting gear  164  drives the actuated block  162  moving along a straight line on the side plate  114  of the frame  110 . In detail, the actuated block  162  may have a rack  168 , and the transmitting gear  164  is coupled to the rack  168  to drive the actuated block  162 . Furthermore, the actuated block  162  has two horizontal sliding slots, and the frame  110  has a first guiding portion  172 , such as a guiding pin, but not limited thereto. The first guiding portion  172  is arranged in the horizontal sliding slot  170  for supporting the actuated block  162 . Therefore, the actuated block  162  slides to and fro on the first guiding portion  172 . 
     The two sliding supporters  150  are disposed on the two side plates  114  of the frame  110 , i.e. the left side plate and the right side plate. An end of each sliding supporter  150  is connected to the screen supporting rack  250  behind the display screen  140 , while the other end is connected to the actuated block  162 . Thus, the actuated block  162  drives the two sliding supporters  150  and the display screen  140  moving in a horizontal direction. Although an actuator  160  driving the sliding supporter  150  at the right side is illustrated as an example, it is understood that the actuator  160  can further be used to drive both of the two sliding supporters  150 , or two actuators can be used to respectively drive the two sliding supporters  150 , which should not be construed as a limitation to the invention. Specifically, the sliding supporter  150  has a rail  152 , and the side plate  114  of the frame  110  is provided with a second guiding portion  174 , such as a guiding pin, arranged in the rail  152  for supporting the sliding supporter  150 . Therefore, the sliding supporter  150  can move to and fro on the second guiding portion  174 . The rail  152  has a horizontal section L 1  and an inclined section L 2  for defining a horizontal position and a destination position of the display screen  140 , which are illustrated with the operation diagram of the liquid crystal display device, and thus omitted herein. Moreover, in order to drive the display screen  140  stably moving from the horizontal position to the destination position in the follow-up operation process, the actuated block  162  is provided with a vertical axle H, and a sleeve P of the sliding supporter  150  is disposed on the vertical axle H. Two ends of the vertical axle H are closed such that the sleeve P moves freely between the two ends of the vertical axle H. In addition, the actuated block  162  is connected to the sliding supporter  150  through the vertical axle H and the sleeve P and drives the sliding supporter  150  moving in the horizontal direction. 
       FIGS. 3A-3F  show an operation process of a liquid crystal display device according to one embodiment of the invention. Firstly, referring to  FIG. 3A , the display screen  140  is disposed in an opening of the panel  200 . The display screen  140  has a display surface D parallel to the panel  200 . Being favorably installed in the panel  200 , a size of the display screen  140  conforms to a standard size of a 2DIN automotive stereo panel, such as 178 mm×100 mm, while a size of the host  120  conforms to a standard size of an 1DIN automotive stereo panel, such as 178 mm×50 mm, and thus there are available space below the host  120  to be utilized. In addition, the display screen  140  is provided with a start key for enabling the actuator  160  to drive the actuated block  162  moving along a first direction F. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3B , when the actuated block  162  drives the sliding supporter  150  and display screen  140 , the display screen  140  is located on the horizontal position A and moving outward from the panel  200 . At this time, the second guiding portion  174  is located in the horizontal section L 1  of the rail  152  with respect to the moving sliding supporter  150 . Referring to  FIG. 3C , when the actuated block  162  continues to move along the first direction F, the display screen  140  moves from the horizontal position A toward the destination position B. At this time, the second guiding portion  174  is located in the inclined section L 2  of the rail  152  with respect to the moving sliding supporter  150 . 
     Accordingly, the display screen  140  moves horizontally through the actuated block  162  and changes the moving direction by the inclined section L 2  of the rail  152  of the sliding supporter  150  so as to perform a movement from the horizontal position A and downward to the destination position B Furthermore, the actuated block  162  and the sliding supporter  150  are provided with the vertical axle H and the sleeve P respectively, wherein the sleeve P moves along the vertical axle H to adjust the altitude of the sliding supporter  150 , and therefore the display screen  140  can move stably from the horizontal position A to the destination position B along with the position variation of the sliding supporter  150 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3D , when the display screen  140  reaches the destination position B, an opening C corresponding to the host  120  is formed above the display screen  140  to expose the host  120 . By which, an user can put an optical disc E into the host  120  through the opening C to play the optical disc E and show a video with the host  120 . Referring to  FIGS. 3E and 3F , the display screen  140  is provided with a return key  144  for reversely driving the transmitting gear  164  of the actuator  160  and making the actuated block  162  moving along the second direction F 2  (a reverse direction with respect to the first direction F 1 ). At this time, the actuated block  162  drives the sliding supporter  150  and the display screen  140  moving from the destination position B back to the horizontal position A, and the second guiding portion  174  moves from the inclined section L 2  to the horizontal diction L 1 . After that, the actuated block  162  continues moving reversely and drives the display screen  140  and the sliding supporter  150  moving along the horizontal direction to approach the opening of the panel  200 . Finally, the display screen  140  returns to the original position as shown in  FIG. 3A . 
     In summary, the liquid crystal display device drives the display screen outward the panel from the horizontal position to the destination position. Comparing with the conventional liquid crystal display devices, the display screen of the present invention has a shorter stroke and no more strike the shift lever in front of the panel. Furthermore, the display surface of the display screen always faces the user and the liquid crystal display device performs without flipping the display screen and thus devices on top of the display screen are no more obstructed. The display screen are no more retrieved and hidden within the panel, thus the required driving mechanism is simplified, the operation is simple and the reliability is therefore improved. In addition, there exists no requirement to reduce the size of the display screen, a standard size is preferred, and a larger and clearer displaying frame is provided. Moreover, the host can be hidden behind the display screen and exposed in using. Therefore, the available space of the panel is increased and the artistic appearance in the car is improved. The risk of being stolen or damaged of the host is dramatically reduced. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to the above embodiments, it will be apparent to one of the ordinary skill in the art that modifications to the described embodiment may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention will be defined by the attached claims not by the above detailed descriptions.