Display device

Abstract

The invention provides a display device, which can make a welding part not easy to be visually recognized and improve the bonding strength of the welding part. The display device (100) is provided with: a protective panel member (1) having a light-transmitting region (1b) and a light-blocking region (1c) formed from a light-blocking printed layer (1e); a display (2) disposed on the rear surface side of the protective panel member (1); and a case member (4) that supports a rear surface portion (1d) on the outer peripheral side of the protective panel member (1), the protective panel member (1) and the case member (4) being joined by laser welding, the color of the printed layer (1e) being the same as or similar to the color of the case member (4). A back surface section (1d) on the outer peripheral side of the protective panel member (1) has a non-printed area (1f) in which a printed layer (1e) is not formed at a position corresponding to a joining region (S) formed by laser welding, and a surface section on the outer peripheral side of the protective panel member (1) has a flat surface, a tapered surface (1h), or a curved surface (1i) in a region facing a welded section (Y) formed by laser welding.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a display device. Background Technology

[0002] Display devices are known to join translucent protective panel components and housing components by laser welding. For example, the display device in Patent Document 1 prints a light-shielding layer and a semi-transparent layer on the back of the protective panel, and uses a laser that passes through the semi-transparent layer to weld the protective panel components and housing components, thereby making the welded part difficult to be visually identified.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-67696 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] However, in the display device of Patent Document 1, the semi-transparent layer may hinder the fusion bonding of the protective panel component and the housing component during laser welding, and there is room for improvement.

[0008] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a display device that makes the welded portion difficult to visually identify and can improve the bonding strength of the welded portion.

[0009] Technical solutions adopted to solve technical problems

[0010] One approach provides the following solution.

[0011] A display device comprising:

[0012] The protective panel component is composed of a light-transmitting plate component, having a light-transmitting area and a light-shielding area formed by a light-shielding printed layer;

[0013] A display, disposed on the rear side of the protective panel component, displays information via the light-transmitting area; and

[0014] A housing component, which is disposed on the rear side of the protective panel component in a manner that surrounds the display, supports the rear portion of the outer peripheral side of the protective panel component.

[0015] The outer peripheral back portion of the protective panel component is joined to the housing component by laser welding, wherein...

[0016] The printed layer is the same as or similar in color to the housing component.

[0017] The outer periphery of the protective panel component has a non-printed area where the printed layer is not formed at the position corresponding to the bonding area formed by the laser welding.

[0018] The outer peripheral surface of the protective panel component has a flat, conical, or curved surface in the area opposite to the welded portion formed by the laser welding.

[0019] Invention Effects

[0020] According to the present invention, the bonding strength of the welded portion can be improved while making the welded portion less visually identifiable. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic front view of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A rough cross-sectional view of AA.

[0023] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Enlarged sectional view of the main part of BB.

[0024] Figure 4 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the display device according to the first variation of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 5 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the display device according to the second variation of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 6 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the display device according to the third variation of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 7 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the display device according to the fourth variation of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 8 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the display device according to the fifth variation of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] (Composition of the display device)

[0031] Reference Figures 1-3 The display device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The display device 100 is mounted on a vehicle (automobile, motorcycle, agricultural machinery, construction machinery, etc.) and is configured as an instrument device for displaying information such as vehicle speed.

[0032] Furthermore, in order to facilitate understanding of the configuration of the display device 100, for each component, the direction from which the user sitting in the driver's seat of the vehicle is viewed from the display device 100 is designated as "front (front view)", and the opposite side is designated as "rear".

[0033] The display device 100 includes: a protective panel component 1; a display 2 and a circuit board 3 disposed on the rear side of the protective panel component 1; and a housing component 4 that supports the protective panel component 1 on the rear side of the protective panel component 1 in a manner that surrounds the display 2 and houses the display 2 and the circuit board 3.

[0034] The protective panel component 1 uses a light-transmitting (including transparent and translucent) panel component 1a as the base material, and has a light-transmitting area 1b and a light-shielding area 1c. The panel component 1a, as the base material, is made of resins such as acrylic resin and polycarbonate resin. Furthermore, the protective panel component 1 is disposed on the front side of the display 2 in a manner that covers (protects) the display 2.

[0035] The light-shielding area 1c is formed by a light-shielding printed layer 1e applied to the back portion 1d on the outer periphery of the protective panel member 1. The color of the printed layer 1e is the same as or similar to the color of the housing member 4. For example, if the color of the housing member 4 is black, black ink is used to form the printed layer 1e.

[0036] The light-transmitting area 1b is formed inside the light-blocking area 1c. The light-transmitting area 1b is the area that maintains the light transmittance of the board component 1a without forming the printing layer 1e, for example, having a horizontally elongated quadrilateral shape.

[0037] The back portion 1d of the outer periphery of the protective panel component 1 is joined to the housing component 4 by laser welding. Furthermore, the laser welding will be described later.

[0038] Display 2 is a display such as an LCD panel that displays various vehicle information. The display status (display content) of Display 2 is controlled by a control unit (such as the vehicle ECU (Electronic Control Unit)) not shown in the figure. In addition, Display 2 displays various vehicle information such as vehicle speed, engine speed, cumulative driving distance, remaining driving range, average fuel consumption, and the status of other vehicles in the vicinity.

[0039] The display 2, viewed from the user's (front) perspective, has a horizontally elongated quadrilateral shape of the same size as the light-transmitting area 1b, and is positioned on the back side of the protective panel component 1 opposite to the light-transmitting area 1b. Thus, the display 2 is visually recognized by the driver through the light-transmitting area 1b of the protective panel component 1.

[0040] A backlight (not shown) is provided on the display 2 to provide transmitted illumination from the rear side. The backlight has a light-emitting element such as a light-emitting diode, an optical sheet such as a diffuser or prism, and a light guide made of transparent resin, which uniformly illuminates the display 2 from the rear side.

[0041] The circuit board 3, for example, is a rigid wiring substrate on which a wiring pattern (not shown) has been applied to a flat glass epoxy substrate, and supports the display 2. Various circuit components (not shown) are mounted on the circuit board 3, and these circuit components and the wiring pattern constitute the driving circuit of the display 2.

[0042] The housing component 4 is made of a light-absorbing and thermoplastic synthetic resin (e.g., ABS resin). The color of the housing component 4 is the same as or similar to the color of the printed layer 1e. In this embodiment, both the housing component 4 and the printed layer 1e are set to black.

[0043] The housing component 4 has a box shape formed by a bottom portion 4a and a side wall portion 4b, and an opening 4c is formed on the front side. A protective panel component 1 is joined to the front side of the housing component 4 in a manner that blocks the opening 4c.

[0044] The bottom portion 4a is located on the back side of the circuit board 3. The side wall portion 4b rises from the outer periphery of the bottom portion 4a and is formed on the back side of the protective panel component 1 in a manner that surrounds the display 2. The front end of the side wall portion 4b has a joint surface 4d that is joined to the back portion 1d of the outer periphery of the protective panel component 1 by laser welding.

[0045] (Laser welding)

[0046] Next, refer to Figure 3 The laser welding described above will be explained.

[0047] The back surface 1d on the outer periphery of the protective panel component 1 and the mating surface 4d of the housing component 4 are joined by laser welding. A laser beam irradiates the mating surface 4d of the housing component 4 from the front side of the protective panel component 1. The mating surface 4d of the housing component 4 absorbs the laser beam and heats up, causing the mating area S of the housing component 4 and the protective panel component 1 to fuse together through this heating, forming a welded portion Y upon solidification. Thus, the back surface 1d on the outer periphery of the protective panel component 1 and the mating surface 4d of the housing component 4 are joined via the welded portion Y.

[0048] The laser used for laser welding is a YAG laser, diode laser, fiber laser, infrared laser, etc. While the laser moves along the long side of the bonding area S (the outer periphery of the protective panel component 1), it irradiates the bonding area S with a specified laser irradiation diameter R.

[0049] The back portion 1d on the outer periphery of the protective panel component 1 has a non-printed area 1f at a position corresponding to the bonding area S formed by laser welding, in which no printed layer 1e is formed. In the non-printed area 1f, neither a light-shielding printed layer 1e nor a translucent or semi-translucent printed layer is formed.

[0050] The unprinted area 1f has a strip shape with a specified width W. Furthermore, the specified width W is set to be narrower than the laser irradiation diameter R of the laser welding process. With this configuration, in the aforementioned laser welding, when laser light is irradiated from the front side to the back side of the protective panel component 1, the laser light passing through the unprinted area 1f irradiates the mating surface 4d of the housing component 4. The mating surface 4d of the housing component 4 absorbs the laser light and heats up, causing the mating area S of the heated housing component 4 and the protective panel component 1 to fuse together. At this time, in the mating area S, the printed layer 1e is not located between the housing component 4 and the protective panel component 1, thus preventing the fusion bonding of the housing component 4 and the protective panel component 1 from being hindered by the printed layer 1e, and improving the bonding strength of the welded portion Y.

[0051] Furthermore, since the width W of the unprinted area 1f is set to be narrower than the laser irradiation diameter R, during laser welding, the unprinted area 1f can be fused with the housing component 4 over a wide area to form a welded portion Y in the shape of a roughly uniform black band. Moreover, since the welded portion Y can be formed seamlessly with the adjacent black printed layer 1e on the inside, the welded portion Y and the printed layer 1e appear assimilated, making the welded portion Y less visually distinguishable.

[0052] Furthermore, the outer peripheral side portion 1j of the protective panel component 1 is formed as a tapered surface that slopes outwards towards the surface portion 1g. This allows the unprinted area 1f to be fused to the housing component 4 entirely during laser welding when the laser irradiates the outer peripheral end of the back portion 1d of the protective panel component 1. Consequently, even if no printed layer 1e is formed on the outer peripheral side of the unprinted area 1f in the back portion 1d of the outer peripheral side of the protective panel component 1, a substantially uniform black color can be displayed through the welded portion Y formed by laser welding. Additionally, it has the advantage that by not forming a printed layer 1e on the outer peripheral side of the unprinted area 1f, the thickness of the side wall portion 4b of the housing component 4 can be reduced.

[0053] Furthermore, the outer peripheral surface portion (front portion) 1g of the protective panel component 1 has a conical surface 1h in the area opposite to the welded portion Y, which is inclined in a manner that recedes further outward relative to the surface portion 1g of the light-transmitting area 1b. In this way, from the perspective of the user of the visual recognition display device 100 (display 2), the conical surface 1h promotes the reflection of external light, thus making the state of the welded portion Y less visually discernible.

[0054] (Modified Example)

[0055] Next, refer to Figures 4-8 Modifications to the above embodiments will be described. However, for configurations common to the above embodiments, the description of the above embodiments is sometimes referred to by using the same reference numerals as those in the above embodiments.

[0056] Figure 4 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the display device 100 according to the first variation of the present invention.

[0057] like Figure 4 As shown, the protective panel component 1 of the display device 100 involved in the first modification differs from that of the above embodiment in that, in the region forming the conical surface 1h of the above embodiment, a curved surface 1i is provided instead of the conical surface 1h. Even in this first modification, based on the optical effect that is substantially equivalent to that of the above embodiment, the state of the welded portion Y can be made less visually discernible.

[0058] Figure 5 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the display device 100 according to the second variation of the present invention.

[0059] like Figure 5 As shown, the difference between the protective panel component 1 of the display device 100 in the second modification and the above embodiment is that the area forming the conical surface 1h of the above embodiment is not formed with a conical surface 1h but is set as a flat surface. Such a second modification is also included in the present invention.

[0060] Figure 6 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the display device 100 according to the third variation of the present invention.

[0061] like Figure 6 As shown, the display device 100 in the third modification differs from the embodiment described above in that the side portion 1j on the outer periphery of the protective panel component 1 is a flat surface perpendicular to the back portion 1d of the protective panel component 1. In this third modification, it is also possible to irradiate the outer periphery of the back portion 1d of the protective panel component 1 with a laser during laser welding, so that the unprinted area 1f is entirely fused with the housing component 4.

[0062] Figure 7 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the display device 100 according to the fourth variation of the present invention.

[0063] like Figure 7As shown, the display device 100 in the fourth modification differs from the above embodiment in that the side portion 1j on the outer periphery of the protective panel component 1 is formed in a "U" shape that extends outward. In this fourth modification, it is also possible to irradiate the outer periphery of the back portion 1d of the protective panel component 1 with a laser during laser welding, so that the unprinted area 1f is fused together with the housing component 4.

[0064] Figure 8 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the display device 100 according to the fifth modification of the present invention.

[0065] like Figure 8 As shown, the protective panel component 1 of the display device 100 in the fifth modification differs from the above embodiment in that it has a raised pattern 1k in the area (conical surface 1h, curved surface 1i, etc.) opposite the welded portion Y on the surface portion 1g. The raised pattern 1k can be, for example, a matte, carbon-toned, metallic, or leather-like texture. According to this fifth modification, the raised pattern 1k can generate diffuse reflection of light, making the state of the welded portion Y less visually discernible.

[0066] Furthermore, in the fifth modification, the protective panel component 1 of the display device 100 also has an embossed pattern 1k on its outer peripheral side portion 1j. This allows for diffuse reflection of light on the side portion 1j using the embossed pattern 1k, making the state of the welded portion Y less visually discernible. Additionally, the embossed pattern 1k can be formed only on the surface portion 1g, opposite to the welded portion Y, or only on the side portion 1j.

[0067] The embodiments have been described in detail above, but are not limited to specific embodiments. Various modifications and alterations can be made within the scope of the claims. Furthermore, all or more of the constituent elements of the above embodiments can be combined.

[0068] The present invention includes the following embodiments.

[0069] [1] A display device comprising:

[0070] The protective panel component is composed of a light-transmitting plate component, having a light-transmitting area and a light-shielding area formed by a light-shielding printed layer;

[0071] A display, disposed on the rear side of the protective panel component, displays information via the light-transmitting area; and

[0072] A housing component, which is disposed on the rear side of the protective panel component in a manner that surrounds the display, supports the rear portion of the outer peripheral side of the protective panel component.

[0073] The outer peripheral back portion of the protective panel component is joined to the housing component by laser welding, wherein...

[0074] The printed layer is the same as or similar in color to the housing component.

[0075] The outer periphery of the protective panel component has a non-printed area where the printed layer is not formed at the position corresponding to the bonding area formed by the laser welding.

[0076] The outer peripheral surface of the protective panel component has a flat, conical, or curved surface in the area opposite to the welded portion formed by the laser welding.

[0077] [2] According to the display device of [1], the width of the unprinted area is set to be narrower than the laser irradiation diameter of the laser welding.

[0078] [3] According to the display device of [1] or [2], the back portion of the outer peripheral side of the protective panel component does not have the printed layer on the outer peripheral side of the unprinted area.

[0079] [4] The display device according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the side portion of the outer periphery of the protective panel member is a flat surface perpendicular to the back portion of the protective panel member, or a conical surface that is located further outward towards the surface portion.

[0080] [5] The display device according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the surface portion of the outer peripheral side of the protective panel component has a raised or recessed pattern in the area opposite to the weld portion formed by the laser welding.

[0081] [6] The display device according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the outer peripheral side of the protective panel component has an embossed pattern.

[0082] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0083] 100: Display device;

[0084] 1: Protect the panel components;

[0085] 1a: Plate component;

[0086] 1b: Translucent area;

[0087] 1c: Shaded area;

[0088] 1d: Back side;

[0089] 1e: Printed layer;

[0090] 1f: No printing area;

[0091] 1g: Surface portion;

[0092] 1h: Conical surface;

[0093] 1i: Curved surface;

[0094] 1j: Side view;

[0095] 1k: Embossed pattern;

[0096] 2: Monitor;

[0097] 3: Circuit board;

[0098] 4: Housing components;

[0099] 4a: Bottom surface;

[0100] 4b: Side wall portion;

[0101] 4c: Opening;

[0102] 4d: Joint surface;

[0103] Y: Welded section;

[0104] S: Joint area;

[0105] R: Laser irradiation diameter;

[0106] W: Width of the non-printing area.

Claims

1. A display device, characterized in that, The display device has the following features: The protective panel component is composed of a light-transmitting plate component, having a light-transmitting area and a light-shielding area formed by a light-shielding printed layer; A display, which is disposed on the rear side of the protective panel component, displays information via the light-transmitting area; as well as A housing component, which is disposed on the rear side of the protective panel component in a manner that surrounds the display, supports the rear portion of the outer peripheral side of the protective panel component. The outer peripheral back portion of the protective panel component is joined to the housing component by laser welding, wherein... The printed layer is the same as or similar in color to the housing component. The outer periphery of the protective panel component has a non-printed area where the printed layer is not formed at the position corresponding to the bonding area formed by the laser welding. The outer peripheral surface of the protective panel component has a flat, conical, or curved surface in the area opposite to the welded portion formed by the laser welding.

2. The display device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The width of the unprinted area is set to be narrower than the laser irradiation diameter of the laser welding.

3. The display device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The back portion of the outer periphery of the protective panel component does not have the printed layer on the outer periphery of the non-printed area.

4. The display device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer peripheral side of the protective panel component is a flat surface perpendicular to the back of the protective panel component, or a conical surface that is located further outwards towards the surface.

5. The display device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer peripheral surface of the protective panel component has a raised or recessed pattern in the area opposite to the welded portion formed by the laser welding.

6. The display device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer peripheral side of the protective panel component has a raised or recessed pattern.

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