Patent Description:
There has already been proposed a display device in which a display panel including liquid crystal elements and a backlight as a light source are stacked together (for example, see PTLs <NUM> to <NUM>). For example, PTL <NUM> shows a display device where a U-shaped holding member is used to hold both a light guide (at the inside of the U-shape) and a liquid crystal display (at the outside of the (U-shape). PTL <NUM> discloses display which includes: a display panel; a front-face member being provided on a front face of the display panel, the front-face member covering a surrounding section, or the surrounding section and other part of the display panel; a back-face member being provided on a back face of the display panel, the back-face member covering the back face, or the back face and other part of the display panel; and an adhesion section adhering the back-face member and the front-face member to each other, the adhesion section covering a circumference section of the display panel. PTL <NUM> discloses a display that is configured to allow an image to be displayed on a display screen; a back chassis disposed on an opposite surface side to the display screen of the display; and a support body disposed on a peripheral side of the display and the back chassis.

It is provided a display device as defined in appended claim <NUM>. Further aspects are set out in the appended set of claims.

Nowadays, demands for a display device having a thin profile are growing even stronger. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a display device having a structure suitable for a thin profile, and a light emitting unit and a liquid crystal module that are suitable for the display device.

In the liquid crystal module, the holding member provided along the outer edge of the support substrate holds the light guide member with its facing surface joined to the second end surface of the light guide member. Accordingly, the thickness of the holding member is reduced compared with a case where the holding member has a structure that holds an end of the light guide member in a thickness direction, for example.

According to the liquid crystal module, of the embodiments of the disclosure, it is possible to achieve a structure suitable for a thin profile. It is to be noted that effects of the disclosure are not limited to the effects described above, and may be any of the effects described below.

In the following, some embodiments of the disclosure are described in detail with reference to the drawings. It is to be noted that description is made in the following order.

An example of a display device in which a bezel takes hold of a display panel and a light emitting unit.

An example of a display device in which a portion of the bezel is held between the display panel and the light emitting unit.

<FIG> illustrates a cross-sectional configuration example of a main part of a display device <NUM> as a first embodiment of the disclosure; <FIG> is a partially cut-away perspective view illustrating an internal configuration example of the display device <NUM>. Furthermore, <FIG> illustrates an entire configuration of the display device <NUM>. The display device <NUM> is a liquid crystal display device used, for example, as a television apparatus.

The display device <NUM> includes a display panel <NUM>, a light emitting unit <NUM>, a bezel <NUM>, and a stand <NUM>. In the display device <NUM>, the display panel <NUM> and the light emitting unit <NUM> are disposed to face each other, and the bezel <NUM> covers their peripheries. Here, for example, the display panel <NUM>, the light emitting unit <NUM>, and the bezel <NUM> are a specific example corresponding to a liquid crystal module of the disclosure. As illustrated in <FIG>, the stand <NUM> is for standing a display section that the display panel <NUM>, the light emitting unit <NUM>, and the bezel <NUM> are integrated thereinto on the floor. The stand <NUM> mounts thereon, for example, a drive circuit that drives a light source <NUM> (to be described later), a speaker, etc. It is to be noted that in this specification, a horizontal direction of the display panel <NUM> is referred to as an X-axis direction; a height direction of the display panel <NUM> is referred to as a Y-axis direction; and a direction in which the display panel <NUM> and the light emitting unit <NUM> are stacked is referred to as a Z-axis direction.

The light emitting unit <NUM> is a so-called backlight unit that provides illumination light for the display panel <NUM>. The light emitting unit <NUM> includes a light guide plate <NUM>, a plurality of the light sources <NUM> (<FIG>), an optical sheet group <NUM>, a support substrate <NUM>, a holding member <NUM>, an adhesion layer <NUM>, a reflection sheet <NUM>, and an optical film <NUM>.

The support substrate <NUM> is a so-called back chassis disposed to face a back surface <NUM> (to be described later) of the display panel <NUM>, and includes, as a main constituent material, a metal material having high rigidity, such as stainless-steel plate or color steel plate. The support substrate <NUM> has a front surface <NUM> that faces the back surface <NUM> and a back surface <NUM> on the side opposite to the front surface <NUM>. A projecting claw portion <NUM> is provided near an outer edge of the back surface <NUM>.

The light guide plate <NUM> is a flat plate member that is provided between the display panel <NUM> and the support substrate <NUM>, and includes, for example, front and back surfaces <NUM> and <NUM> that face each other and end surfaces <NUM> to <NUM> that connect the front and back surfaces <NUM> and <NUM>. It is to be noted that in the present embodiment, a plane on which the front and back surfaces <NUM> and <NUM> spread is referred to as an XY plane; a plane on which the end surfaces <NUM> and <NUM> spread is referred to as an XZ plane; and a plane on which the end surfaces <NUM> and <NUM> that are a pair of side surfaces spread is referred to as a YZ plane. Here, the end surface <NUM> that is an undersurface serves as a light incident surface. The light guide plate <NUM> is a member that guides light from the light sources <NUM> to the display panel <NUM>. Specifically, the light guide plate <NUM> serves to propagate, inside the light guide plate <NUM>, light that has been emitted from the light sources <NUM> and entered the end surface <NUM> that is a light incident surface, and output through the front surface <NUM> that is a light emitting surface toward the display panel <NUM>. As a constituent material of the light guide plate <NUM>, a high-transparent material is suitable; such high-transparent materials include, for example, glass as well as acrylic resin, such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and other resin materials, such as polycarbonate (PC) and cyclic polyolefin (COP). Of these constituent materials, glass is particularly preferable. This is because glass is small in dimensional change in accordance with a temperature change (i.e., coefficient of cubical expansion) and has high rigidity, compared with resin materials.

It is to be noted that in the present embodiment, it is configured to let light enter only through the end surface <NUM> that is an undersurface; however, it may be configured to let light enter, for example, through the end surface <NUM> that is a top surface. Alternatively, it may be configured to let light enter through the end surfaces <NUM> and <NUM> that are side surfaces.

The end surfaces <NUM> to <NUM> are mirror surfaces processed by polishing or the like, and are covered with the optical film <NUM>. The optical film <NUM> serves, for example, as a light reflecting layer, and is obtained by applying reflective ink or the like onto the end surfaces <NUM> to <NUM> by printing, coating, or vapor deposition. Furthermore, the optical film <NUM> may serve as a light absorbing layer. In that case, the light absorbing layer may be formed, for example, by printing, coating, or vapor deposition of a light absorbing material, such as black resin. Providing such an optical film <NUM> makes it possible to prevent light that has been emitted from the light sources <NUM> and reached the end surfaces <NUM> to <NUM> from leaking out of the light guide plate <NUM> through the end surfaces <NUM> to <NUM> or from being scattered on the end surfaces <NUM> to <NUM>. However, from a perspective of luminous efficiency, the optical film <NUM> is desirably a light reflecting layer rather than a light absorbing layer but.

It is to be noted that although the optical film <NUM> and the adhesion layer <NUM> are provided as separate components in the present embodiment, an adhesive tape that serves as both the optical film <NUM> and the adhesion layer <NUM> may be provided instead.

The plurality of light sources <NUM> are all a point light source and each include a light emitting diode (LED) that emits, for example, white light. The plurality of light sources <NUM> face the end surface <NUM> as a light incident surface of the light guide plate <NUM>, and are disposed to align in the X-axis direction. One or more light sources <NUM> mounted on one circuit board may configure one light source unit.

The reflection sheet <NUM> is provided to face the back surface <NUM> of the light guide plate <NUM>. The reflection sheet <NUM> serves to reflect light that has been emitted from the light sources <NUM> and leaked through the back surface <NUM> of the light guide plate <NUM> and return the light back to the light guide plate <NUM>. This makes it possible to increase luminous efficiency of the light emitting unit <NUM>. A constituent material of the reflection sheet <NUM> is, for example, polycarbonate resin, acrylic resin such as polymethyl methacrylate resin (PMMA), polyester resin such as polyethylene terephthalate, amorphous copolyester resin such as a copolymer of methyl methacrylate and styrene (MS), polystyrene resin, or polyvinylchloride resin.

The holding member <NUM> is provided between the display panel <NUM> and the support substrate <NUM> along an outer edge of the support substrate <NUM>. The holding member <NUM> has a facing surface <NUM> joined, for example, to the end surface <NUM> of the light guide plate <NUM>. The facing surface <NUM> of the holding member <NUM> and the end surface <NUM> of the light guide plate <NUM> are joined through the adhesion layer <NUM>. A constituent material of the adhesion layer <NUM> is, for example, an adhesive having sufficient adhesive force and elasticity, specifically, an adhesive such as acrylic resin, urethane resin, epoxy resin, vinyl chloride resin, or modified silicone resin. Furthermore, the holding member <NUM> and the support substrate <NUM> are fixed to each other, for example, with a screw <NUM>. The holding member <NUM> may include a metal material such as aluminum or stainless steel. Furthermore, the holding member <NUM> is provided on, of a region on the support substrate <NUM>, a peripheral region other than a central region that the light guide plate <NUM> occupies. Moreover, the holding member <NUM> holds the display panel <NUM> through a buffer <NUM>. It is to be noted that <FIG> illustrates an example where the holding member <NUM> is provided only in a position facing the end surface <NUM> of the light guide plate <NUM>; however, other holding members <NUM> may also be provided, for example, in positions facing the end surfaces <NUM> and <NUM>.

The optical sheet group <NUM> exerts various optical effects on light emitted from the light sources <NUM> to the display panel <NUM> through the light guide plate <NUM>. The optical sheet group <NUM> is a laminate of multiple sheet members, such as a diffuser panel, a diffusion sheet, a lens film, and a polarization separation sheet.

The display panel <NUM> is a transmissive liquid crystal display panel that displays an image such as a moving image or a still image, and is provided with a liquid crystal layer between a TFT substrate and a color filter substrate, for example. The display panel <NUM> has the back surface <NUM> where light from the light emitting unit <NUM> enters and a front surface <NUM> through which the light exits. The display panel <NUM> may further include a polarizing plate or the like.

The bezel <NUM> is a frame member for protecting the peripheries of the display panel <NUM> and the light emitting unit <NUM> and improving aesthetics. As illustrated in <FIG>, the bezel <NUM> is configured to be able to be divided into, for example, four members 30A to 30D. The members 30A to 30D are provided to face the end surfaces <NUM> to <NUM> of the light guide plate <NUM>, respectively. Note that, the holding member <NUM> is provided between the member 30B and the end surface <NUM> of the light guide plate <NUM>. Furthermore, the holding members <NUM> may be provided between the member 30C and the end surface <NUM> and between the member 30D and the end surface <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the members 30A to 30D each have an anterior portion <NUM> and a posterior portion <NUM> that are provided to hold the peripheries of the display panel <NUM> and the light emitting unit <NUM> between the anterior portion <NUM> and the posterior portion <NUM>, for example, in a thickness direction (the Z-axis direction), and a lateral portion <NUM> provided to connect the anterior portion <NUM> and the posterior portion <NUM>. Each of the members 30A to 30D may have the anterior portion <NUM>, the posterior portion <NUM>, and the lateral portion <NUM> that are all integrally molded together. Alternatively, each of the members 30A to 30D may have the anterior portion <NUM>, the posterior portion <NUM>, and the lateral portion <NUM> that are individually molded and joined together by screwing or adhesive bonding, for example. Furthermore, the posterior portion <NUM> may have a depressed portion 32U provided to be engageable with the claw portion <NUM> of the support substrate <NUM>. In that case, the depressed portion 32U is engaged with the claw portion <NUM>, thereby the bezel <NUM> is held at a predetermined position on the support substrate <NUM>. Moreover, the bezel <NUM> is held on the support substrate <NUM> by magnetic force. Furthermore, a light shielding sheet <NUM> for blocking light leaking through the periphery of the light emitting unit <NUM> may be provided between a front surface of the display panel <NUM> and the anterior portion <NUM> of the bezel <NUM>. The light shielding sheet <NUM> may have elasticity so as to also serve as a buffer for stably holding the display panel <NUM> and the bezel <NUM>.

In this way, in the display device <NUM> of the present embodiment, the holding member <NUM> held between the display panel <NUM> and the support substrate <NUM> holds the light guide plate <NUM> with its facing surface <NUM> joined to the end surface <NUM> of the light guide plate <NUM>. Accordingly, the thickness of the holding member <NUM> is reduced compared with a case where the holding member <NUM> has a structure that holds an end of the light guide plate <NUM> in the thickness direction (the Z-axis direction), for example. Therefore, according to the display device <NUM>, it is possible to achieve a structure suitable for a thin profile.

Furthermore, in the display device <NUM>, the light guide plate <NUM> includes a glass material. This enables a thinner profile. Since glass materials have higher rigidity than resin materials, the light guide plate <NUM> including a glass material serves as a structure. That is, by using not a resin material but a glass material, distortion and deflection of the light guide plate <NUM> are suppressed, and a space between the display panel <NUM> and the light emitting unit <NUM> (for example, a space between the back surface <NUM> and a front surface <NUM> of the optical sheet group <NUM>) is able to be narrowed. As a result, the display device <NUM> having a thin profile as a whole is achieved.

Moreover, as the light guide plate <NUM> includes a glass material, it is advantageous to a so-called slim bezel. Since glass materials have a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than resin materials, it is possible to suppress expansion and contraction of the light guide plate <NUM> including a glass material in accordance with a temperature change. Accordingly, in <FIG>, for example, a gap between an inner surface of the lateral portion <NUM> of the bezel <NUM> and the holding member <NUM> is able to be reduced. As a result, a dimension of the bezel <NUM> in the Y-axis direction is able to be reduced, and it is possible to achieve the slim bezel display device <NUM>.

Furthermore, in the display device <NUM>, the holding member <NUM> and the support substrate <NUM> are fastened with the screw <NUM>, and the bezel <NUM> is engaged with the claw portion <NUM> of the support substrate <NUM> and thereby held on the support substrate <NUM>. This ensures high dismantlability.

Moreover, in the display device <NUM>, the light guide plate <NUM> includes a glass material, and the support substrate <NUM> includes a metal material. Therefore, it is possible to achieve the light emitting unit <NUM> having high rigidity.

A display device <NUM> as a second embodiment of the disclosure is described with reference to mainly <FIG> and <FIG>. <FIG> illustrates a cross-sectional configuration example of a main part of the display device <NUM>. <FIG> is a partially cut-away perspective view illustrating an internal configuration example of the display device <NUM>. The display device <NUM> is also a liquid crystal display device used, for example, as a television apparatus. The display device <NUM> has the same structure as the display device <NUM> of the foregoing first embodiment, except that the display device <NUM> is provided with a bezel <NUM> instead of the bezel <NUM>.

In the display device <NUM>, the bezel <NUM> has the anterior portion <NUM> and the posterior portion <NUM> that are provided to hold the display panel <NUM> and the light emitting unit <NUM> in the thickness direction. In contrast, in the display device <NUM>, the bezel <NUM> has a portion (a second portion <NUM>) held between the display panel <NUM> and the light emitting unit <NUM> in the thickness direction.

Specifically, the bezel <NUM> has a first portion <NUM> that covers both end surfaces of the display panel <NUM> and the light emitting unit <NUM>, the second portion <NUM> standing out from the first portion <NUM>, and a third portion <NUM> standing out from the second portion <NUM>.

Here, the third portion <NUM> of the bezel <NUM> includes a permanent magnet so that the third portion <NUM> magnetically attracts the support substrate <NUM>. Furthermore, due to the fixing of the third portion <NUM> of the bezel <NUM> and the support substrate <NUM>, the holding member <NUM> is held between them.

Also in this display device <NUM>, the holding member <NUM> holds the light guide plate <NUM> with its facing surface <NUM> joined to the end surface <NUM> of the light guide plate <NUM>. Accordingly, it is possible to expect effects similar to the display device <NUM> in the foregoing first embodiment.

In the foregoing embodiments, the optical film <NUM> is provided on all of the end surfaces <NUM> to <NUM> other than the end surface <NUM> of the light guide plate <NUM>. However, the disclosure is not limited to such a configuration. For example, in a display device <NUM> as a first modification example illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, for example, a lenticular lens 21LL with a plurality of minute convex portions (cylindrical lenses) that extend in the Y-axis direction and aligned in the X-axis direction is provided on the front surface <NUM>. The presence of such a lenticular lens 21LL allows for improvement of rectilinear propagation of light propagating in the light guide plate <NUM>. In this case, light that has been emitted from the light sources <NUM> and entered the end surface <NUM> goes straight substantially in a +Y direction, and its spread in the X-axis direction is suppressed. Accordingly, in the display device <NUM>, light components that reach the end surfaces <NUM> and <NUM> are reduced sufficiently. Therefore, it is only necessary to form the optical film <NUM> only on the end surface <NUM> facing the end surface <NUM>, and it is not necessary to provide the optical film <NUM> on the end surfaces <NUM> and <NUM>.

Furthermore, although the plurality of light sources <NUM> are disposed to face the end surface <NUM> located at the bottom of the light guide plate <NUM> in the foregoing embodiments, the disclosure is not limited to this. For example, like a display device <NUM> as a second modification example illustrated in <FIG>, for example, the light sources <NUM> may be disposed in both positions facing the end surfaces <NUM> and <NUM> of the light guide plate <NUM>. Also in this case, the lenticular lens 21LL is provided on the front surface <NUM> of the light guide plate <NUM> to enhance the rectilinear propagation of light incident on the light guide plate <NUM> in the Y-axis direction, so that the optical film <NUM> need not be provided on the end surfaces <NUM> and <NUM>.

Moreover, as a scattering section that scatters light propagating in the light guide plate <NUM> to uniformize the light, a scattering structure may be formed, for example, by discretely printing a scattering agent on the back surface <NUM> of the light guide plate <NUM>. It is to be noted that such a scattering structure may be formed by providing a part including a filler, instead of printing a pattern with the scattering agent, or may be formed by roughening part of the surface. This configuration makes it possible to further homogenize an emission luminance distribution of the light emitting unit <NUM>.

Although the description has been made by referring to the embodiments and the modification examples as mentioned above, the disclosure is not limited to the foregoing embodiments, etc. and may be modified in a variety of ways. For example, the arrangement positions and shapes of the holding member, the bezel, the support substrate, etc. described in the foregoing embodiments, etc. are mere examples, and are not limited to those described above.

Furthermore, the dimensions, dimensional ratio, and shape of each component illustrated in the drawings are mere examples, and the disclosure is not limited to them.

Moreover, although LEDs are used as the light sources <NUM> in the foregoing embodiments, etc., semiconductor lasers or the like may be used as the light sources <NUM>.

Furthermore, for example, the display devices described in the foregoing embodiments, etc. are not limited to a case where each display device includes all the components described above, and may be devoid of some of the components, and may further include other components.

For example, the display devices <NUM> and <NUM> described in the foregoing embodiments, etc. may further include a rear cover disposed on the side, of the support substrate <NUM> of the light emitting unit <NUM>, opposite to the display panel <NUM>. The rear cover includes, for example, polystyrene (PS) or a mixed material of polystyrene and polyphenylene ether (PPE). The display devices <NUM> and <NUM> may further include another decorating member. Furthermore, the support substrate <NUM> may include aluminum. Moreover, a circuit board including a drive circuit that drives the light emitting unit <NUM>, and a tuner may be mounted on the back surface <NUM> of the support substrate <NUM>.

Furthermore, the display devices <NUM> and <NUM> described in the foregoing embodiments, etc. are not limited to a home-use television but also include apparatuses that are used to display information in a wide indoor or outdoor space. Moreover, they have a potential application to various medical equipment (for example, an endoscopic surgical system, an operating room system, a micrographic surgical system, etc.).

It is to be noted that the effects described in this specification are mere examples and are not limited to those described above, and there may be other effects.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Priority Patent Application <CIT>.

Claim 1:
A display device (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>) comprising:
a liquid crystal module including a display panel (<NUM>) and a light emitting unit (<NUM>) that illuminates the display panel (<NUM>);
the light emitting unit (<NUM>) comprising:
a support substrate (<NUM>);
a light guide member (<NUM>) that is disposed to face the support substrate, and has a first end surface (<NUM>) and a second end surface (<NUM>);
a light source (<NUM>) that is disposed to face the first end surface; and
a holding member (<NUM>) that is provided along an outer edge of the support substrate, and has a facing surface joined to the second end surface, wherein the second end surface and the facing surface are joined by an adhesive member,
wherein the holding member is provided on a peripheral region of the support substrate other than a central region that the light guide member occupies,
wherein the support substrate (<NUM>) of the light emitting unit (<NUM>) is disposed to face the display panel; and
a frame member (<NUM>) arranged to cover a periphery of the display panel (<NUM>) and the light emitting unit (<NUM>),
wherein the frame member is held on the support substrate by magnetic force; and
the light guide member (<NUM>) of the light emitting unit (<NUM>) is provided between the display panel (<NUM>) and the support substrate (<NUM>), and the holding member (<NUM>) of the light emitting unit (<NUM>) is provided between the display panel (<NUM>) and the support substrate.