Display device

Abstract

To provide a display device capable of easily confirming position precision of a display panel laminated on a front plate.SOLUTION: A display device includes: a front plate having a translucent section, and a light shielding section surrounding the translucent section; a liquid crystal panel provided opposite to at least the translucent section of the front plate; and a backlight provided opposite to the front plate relative to the liquid crystal panel. The front plate has multiple alignment marks provided at positions corresponding to multiple liquid crystal panel side alignment marks provided in the liquid crystal panel, and multiple first linear marks extending along an outer periphery of the liquid crystal panel, in the translucent section, and the first multiple marks include a linear mark provided along a side of the liquid crystal panel, and an L-shaped mark provided in accordance with a corner section of the liquid crystal panel.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a display device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a display device in which a display panel and a protective member are bonded together. The display panel and the protective member are each formed with a reference mark for alignment, and the reference mark of the display panel and the reference mark of the protective member are arranged to overlap each other. Patent Documents 2 to 5 describe display devices in which multiple display panels are bonded together on one front plate (also called a protective plate or protective panel). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-8758 A [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2016 / 113908 [Patent Document 3] JP 2016-49934 A [Patent Document 4] JP 2019-174764 A [Patent Document 5] JP 2020-1223 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In such a display device, it may be difficult to check the positional accuracy of the display panel (presence or absence of misalignment) after the front plate and the display panel are bonded together. For example, in the display devices described in Patent Documents 4 and 5, the front plate and the display panel are curved, and the distance between the alignment mark on the display panel and the alignment mark on the front plate varies depending on the position and angle observed by the camera, so that it may not be possible to accurately detect the misalignment of the display panel.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a display device that makes it possible to easily check the positional accuracy of a display panel attached to a front panel. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A display device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a front panel having a light-transmitting display area and a peripheral area different from the display area, and a display panel arranged opposite at least the display area of ​​the front panel, wherein the front panel has a plurality of alignment marks arranged in the peripheral area at positions corresponding to a plurality of display panel side alignment marks arranged on the display panel, and a plurality of linear first marks extending along the outer periphery of the display panel.

[0007] A display device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a front panel having a curved portion, and a plurality of display panels provided on the front panel, each of which is attached along the front panel, the front panel having a plurality of alignment marks provided at positions corresponding to a plurality of display panel side alignment marks provided on the display panel, and a plurality of linear first marks provided along the outer periphery of the display panel. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the display device according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3]FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the front plate according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a schematic example of alignment between the display panel and the front panel. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of the crimping device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram for explaining the operation of the crimping device. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram for explaining the operation of the crimping device. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram for explaining the operation of the crimping device. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a method for detecting the positional accuracy of a display panel attached to a front plate. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a method for detecting the positional accuracy of a display panel attached to a front plate according to a comparative example. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an enlarged plan view showing a part of the display device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is an enlarged plan view showing a part of a display device according to a modification of the first embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a schematic plan view of the front panel according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is an enlarged plan view of region A in FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a schematic plan view of a display device according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] The form (embodiment) for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure is not limited by the contents described in the following embodiments. The components described below include those that a person skilled in the art can easily imagine and those that are substantially the same. Furthermore, the components described below can be appropriately combined. Note that the disclosure is merely an example, and those that a person skilled in the art can easily imagine appropriate modifications while maintaining the gist of the present disclosure are naturally included in the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, in order to make the explanation clearer, the drawings may be schematic in terms of the width, thickness, shape, etc. of each part compared to the actual embodiment, but they are merely examples and do not limit the interpretation of the present disclosure. In addition, in this disclosure and each figure, elements similar to those described above with respect to the previously mentioned figures may be given the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations may be omitted as appropriate.

[0010] In this specification and the claims, when expressing an aspect of arranging another structure on top of a certain structure, the term "on top" is used, unless otherwise specified, to include both a case in which another structure is arranged directly on top of a certain structure so as to be in contact with the certain structure, and a case in which another structure is arranged above a certain structure via yet another structure.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the display device according to the first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view of the display device according to the first embodiment. Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view of the front panel according to the first embodiment. Fig. 1 is a cross-section taken along line I-I' in Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the front panel 1 in Fig. 2 excluding the multiple display panels 2.

[0012] 1, a display device 3 according to the first embodiment includes a front panel 1 and three display panels 2. The three display panels 2 are attached to the front panel 1 with a gap between them. The display panels 2 are smaller than the front panel 1 in a plan view.

[0013] The front panel 1 is a cover member that protects the display panel 2. The display panel 2 is disposed on one side of the front panel 1, and is attached to the front panel 1 via an adhesive layer (not shown). The front panel 1 is substantially rectangular when viewed from the front as shown in FIG. 2, and is formed with curved chamfered corners. The front panel 1 is also formed symmetrically. However, the shape of the front panel 1 is not limited, and for example, the front panel 1 may be asymmetrical.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 1, the front panel 1 is curved overall with a curvature R1. The front panel 1 is made of glass or synthetic resin having translucency. Therefore, light from the display panel 2 passes through the front panel 1. A viewer sees an image being displayed on a display surface along the surface of the front panel 1. The front panel 1 made of glass is also called a cover glass.

[0015] The display panel 2 is, for example, a liquid crystal panel or an organic light emitting diode panel (hereinafter referred to as an OLED panel). The liquid crystal panel or the OLED panel may include a touch panel. When the display panel 2 is a liquid crystal panel, a backlight 8 (see FIG. 11) is provided on the rear side of the display panel 2 (the side opposite to the front panel 1). The display panel 2 includes a first substrate and a second substrate made of glass or the like, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate. In addition, a wiring board 9 is connected to each of the display panels 2. The wiring board 9 is, for example, a flexible printed circuit board.

[0016] 2, for example, the display panel 2-2 located in the center is rectangular when viewed from the front. The display panels 2-1 and 2-3 located to the left and right of the display panel 2-2 have a shape with a curved portion provided in part of their outer shape when viewed from the front.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the display panel 2 is curved in cross section, and both ends of the display panel 2 in one direction are located in front of the center in one direction as viewed by a viewer. As shown in FIG. 1, the front plate 1 has a curved portion, and the curvature of the curved portion is constant over the entire surface. The front surface of the display panel 2 is bonded to the second surface 1a of the front plate 1, and is bonded in a curved manner along the front plate 1. However, without being limited thereto, the front plate 1 may have a plurality of curved portions with different curvatures. The front plate 1 is not limited to a concave curved portion, and may be a convex curved portion, and may be formed in an S-shaped cross section in which a concave curved portion and a convex curved portion are combined.

[0018] Next, the alignment marks provided on the front panel 1 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. In the following description, the side of the periphery of the display panel 2 to which the wiring board 9 is connected and which extends in one direction may be referred to as the "lower side". The side opposite the lower side and extending in one direction may be referred to as the "upper side". The sides extending in a direction perpendicular to the one direction may be referred to as the "left side" and "right side".

[0019] As shown in Fig. 3, the front plate 1 has a light-transmitting display area CA and a peripheral area BA that is different from the display area CA. A plurality of display areas CA are arranged on one front plate 1, arranged in one direction with the peripheral area BA between them. The display panels 2 are provided opposite each of the display areas CA, and are curved and bonded along the front plate 1.

[0020] The peripheral area BA is a light-shielded area, and for example, a colored decorative layer or a metal layer is formed in the peripheral area BA. The peripheral area BA is printed in black, for example. However, for the sake of explanation, the peripheral area BA is shown without being filled in in Figures 2 and 3.

[0021] The front plate 1 has a plurality of alignment marks 71, a plurality of first marks 72, and a plurality of second marks 73 provided in the peripheral area BA. The plurality of alignment marks 71, the plurality of first marks 72, and the plurality of second marks 73 are printed in white on a black printing layer, for example. However, each alignment mark is not limited to white, and any color combination may be used as long as a contrast between the alignment marks and the decorative layer can be clearly observed.

[0022] The multiple alignment marks 71 are provided for aligning the display panel 2 with the front plate 1 when bonding the display panel 2 to the front plate 1. The multiple alignment marks 71 are provided at positions corresponding to display panel-side alignment marks 75 (see FIG. 4) provided on the display panel 2.

[0023] Three alignment marks 71-1, 71-2, and 71-3 are provided around the left display area CA in Fig. 3. Four alignment marks 71-2, 71-3, 71-4, and 71-5 are provided around the central display area CA. Three alignment marks 71-4, 71-5, and 71-6 are provided around the right display area CA. In the following explanation, when there is no need to distinguish between the alignment marks 71-1, 71-2, 71-3, 71-4, 71-5, and 71-6, they will simply be referred to as alignment marks 71.

[0024] Alignment marks 71-2 and 71-3 are provided between the left display area CA and the central display area CA, and are used in common for positioning the display panels 2-1 and 2-2 shown in Fig. 2. Alignment marks 71-4 and 71-5 are provided between the central display area CA and the right display area CA, and are used in common for positioning the display panels 2-2 and 2-3 shown in Fig. 2.

[0025] The alignment marks 71 are rectangular. For example, the alignment marks 71-1 and 71-6 are square, and the alignment marks 71-2, 71-3, 71-4, and 71-5 are rectangular, and are different shapes from each other. The alignment marks 71 are not limited to being rectangular, and may be any shape that can be image-recognized, such as a circle, a cross, or a polygon.

[0026] The multiple first marks 72 are provided to check the positional accuracy (presence or absence of misalignment) of the display panel 2 after the display panel 2 and the front plate 1 are bonded together. The multiple first marks 72 are each formed in a line extending along the outer periphery of the display panel 2. The line width (width in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction) of each of the multiple first marks 72 is smaller than the width of the alignment mark 71. The shape and line width of the multiple first marks 72 are also different from those of the display panel-side alignment mark 75 (see FIG. 4).

[0027] Specifically, the multiple first marks 72-1 extend in one direction along the bottom side of the display panel 2. Two first marks 72-1 are disposed apart from each other across a center line CL in one direction of the display panel 2. In other words, the two first marks 72-1 are provided at positions that do not overlap with the wiring board 9.

[0028] The multiple first marks 72-2 are formed in an L shape corresponding to corners of the bottom side of the display panel 2. The multiple first marks 72-2 are formed in an L shape by connecting a portion extending along the bottom side of the display panel 2 and a portion extending along the left side or the right side of the display panel 2.

[0029] The multiple first marks 72-3 extend in one direction along the upper side of the display panel 2. The multiple first marks 72-3 are provided in the peripheral area BA on the opposite side of the display area CA to the multiple first marks 72-1. The length of the first marks 72-3 in the extension direction is shorter than that of the first marks 72-1.

[0030] The multiple first marks 72-4 extend obliquely with respect to one direction along a curved portion of the display panel 2. The multiple first marks 72-4 are provided in an area on one end side and an area on the other end side in one direction of the peripheral area BA.

[0031] The multiple second marks 73 are provided to check the positional accuracy (presence or absence of misalignment) of the backlight 8 after the backlight 8 is attached to the rear surface of the display panel 2. The multiple second marks 73 are provided between the first mark 72 and the outer periphery of the front plate 1. They are formed in a line extending along the outer periphery of the front plate 1. In addition, the multiple second marks 73 are provided between the upper side of the display panel 2 and the outer periphery of the front plate 1 after the display panel 2 and the front plate 1 are attached together.

[0032] The numbers and positions of the alignment marks 71, the first marks 72, and the second marks 73 are merely examples and may be changed as appropriate.

[0033] Next, a method for aligning the display panel 2 and a method for checking the positional accuracy will be described. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an example of aligning the display panel and the front plate. FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of the crimping device according to the first embodiment. FIGS. 6 to 8 are configuration diagrams for explaining the operation of the crimping device. As shown in FIG. 5, the crimping device 100 includes a vacuum chamber 5, a vacuum source 51, a stage 10, an elastic body 20, a fixed base 62, installation bases 61 and 63, an elevation device 65, piping 52, and a control device 30. The crimping device 100 also includes a camera 7.

[0034] The vacuum chamber 5 is a container that houses the stage 10, the fixed base 62, the installation bases 61 and 63, and the lifting device 65. The vacuum source 51 is a pump that exhausts air from within the vacuum chamber 5 through a pipe 52, reducing the pressure within the vacuum chamber 5 to below atmospheric pressure.

[0035] The stage 10 is disposed in the vacuum chamber 5, and is a jig for fixing the front panel 1 in a state of close contact with the fixing portion 11 along the surface of the curved portion. The installation table 61 installs the stage 10. The distance between the fixing table 62 and the installation table 61 can be appropriately changed by the lifting device 65. The lifting device 65 raises and lowers the installation table 61 relative to the fixed table 62 by driving a driving mechanism such as hydraulics or a motor based on a control command from the control device 30. The installation table 63 is connected to the XY stage, and is provided so as to be movable within the XY plane by driving a driving mechanism such as a motor based on a control command from the control device 30.

[0036] The elastic body 20 is a base having elasticity. The elastic body 20 is formed of a sheet-like synthetic rubber, elastomer, or the like having a uniform thickness when no pressure is applied. The elastic member may be natural rubber. The elastic body 20 is fixed to the surface of the installation stand 63 on the side where the installation stand 61 is located. As shown in FIG. 5, the elastic body 20 has a concave pressure-receiving surface 20F that fits along the fixing surface 11F of the fixing part 11.

[0037] The carrier sheet 4 is an elastic member. This elastic member is formed of a sheet-like synthetic rubber, elastomer, etc., having a uniform thickness when no pressure is applied. The elastic member may be natural rubber.

[0038] The display panel 2 is attached to the carrier sheet 4 in advance with an adhesive layer or the like. The carrier sheet 4 is positioned at a predetermined position where the display panel 2 overlaps with the front panel 1 in a plan view. The carrier sheet 4 is sandwiched between an elastic body 20 and a stage 10 without contacting the display panel 2. In the carrier sheet 4, a cross-sectional line L1 of the mounting surface on which the display panel 2 is mounted is aligned with a tangent line L2 of the opposing front panel 1 at a minimum distance.

[0039] The control device 30 is, for example, a computer including at least a CPU (Central Processing Unit) which is an arithmetic device and a memory which is a storage device. The control device 30 can also realize various functions by executing computer programs using these hardware resources.

[0040] Specifically, the control device 30 reads out a computer program stored in a predetermined storage unit (not shown), expands it in memory, and causes the CPU to execute instructions included in the program expanded in memory. The control device 30 controls the operation of the vacuum source 51 to control the pressure inside the vacuum chamber 5. The control device 30 also controls the operation of the lifting device 65 to control the distance between the installation table 61 and the installation table 63. As a result, the distance between the elastic body 20 and the stage 10 changes in response to the driving of the lifting device 65.

[0041] Furthermore, the control device 30 calculates the position coordinates of the front panel 1 in the XY plane and the position coordinates of the display panel 2 in the XY plane based on the image data from the camera 7. Based on the results of each calculation, the control device 30 controls the operation of the XY stage to control the position of the installation stand 63. This allows the display panel 2 and the front panel 1 to be aligned with each other.

[0042] 4, the control device 30 calculates the position of the center position CP of the alignment mark 71 provided on the front panel 1 based on the image data from the camera 7. The control device 30 also calculates the position of the intersection of the display panel alignment mark 75 based on the image data from the camera 7. Based on the results of these calculations, the control device 30 moves the installation base 63 so that the display panel alignment mark 75 overlaps with the alignment mark 71. This allows the display panel 2 and the front panel 1 to be aligned.

[0043] Although FIG. 4 shows one set of display panel alignment mark 75 and alignment mark 71, control device 30 detects a plurality of display panel alignment marks 75 and a plurality of alignment marks 71 provided around display panel 2, and calculates the positions of display panel 2 and front plate 1. FIG. 4 is merely an example, and the method of recognizing alignment mark 71 by camera 7 is not limited thereto. For example, the position of alignment mark 71 may be calculated by recognizing edges of at least two sides (sides S1 and S2) of alignment mark 71. Display panel alignment mark 75 has a cross shape, but is not limited thereto. Display panel alignment mark 75 may have another shape as long as it is a shape that allows image recognition.

[0044] Next, a method for manufacturing a display device using the above-mentioned pressure bonding device 100 will be described. First, in a preparation step, as shown in FIG. 5, a first display panel 2 (display panel 2-1) is attached to a carrier sheet 4 in a vacuum chamber 5 via an adhesive layer. At this time, an adhesive layer is also attached to the display panel 2 on the side facing the front panel 1. In addition, the adhesive layer on the carrier sheet 4 side has a smaller adhesive strength than the adhesive layer on the side facing the front panel 1.

[0045] Furthermore, in a preparation step, front panel 1 is fixed in a state of being in close contact with fixing portion 11, and front panel 1 is attached to stage 10 via an adhesive layer. In this manner, front panel 1 is placed on stage 10. Front panel 1 may be attached to stage 10 either before or after attachment of first display panel 2 to carrier sheet 4, or simultaneously.

[0046] After the preparation step, as described above, image data of the alignment mark 71 and the display panel side alignment mark 75 are acquired by the camera 7, and the display panel 2 and the front panel 1 are aligned. Then, a depressurization step is performed to reduce the pressure inside the vacuum chamber 5. The control device 30 controls the operation of the vacuum source 51 to control the pressure inside the vacuum chamber 5.

[0047] After the pressure inside vacuum chamber 5 reaches a predetermined pressure, a pressure bonding process is performed to bond display panel 2 to front plate 1. As shown in Fig. 6, control device 30 raises lifting device 65 to reduce the distance between installation table 61 and installation table 63.

[0048] As a result, the distance between carrier sheet 4 and fixing portion 11 of stage 10 becomes shorter, and the first display panel 2 attached to carrier sheet 4 comes into contact with front plate 1. In the pressure bonding process, when front plate 1 comes into contact with the first display panel 2, the first display panel 2 together with carrier sheet 4 is sandwiched between elastic body 20 and front plate 1.

[0049] 7, in the peeling step after the pressure bonding step, the control device 30 lowers the lifting device 65 to increase the distance between the installation base 61 and the installation base 63. As a result, the carrier sheet 4 is peeled off from the first display panel 2 while the first display panel 2 and the front panel 1 remain attached to each other.

[0050] 7, a second display panel 2 (display panel 2-3) is attached to the carrier sheet 4 via an adhesive layer. The carrier sheet 4 is positioned at a predetermined position that is different from the position at which the first display panel 2 was attached and where the second display panel 2 overlaps with the front plate 1 in a plan view. Next, after aligning the second display panel 2 with the front plate 1, the control device 30 raises the lifting device and reduces the distance between the installation table 61 and the installation table 63 in the pressure bonding process as described above (not shown).

[0051] 8, in the peeling step after the pressure bonding step, the control device 30 lowers the lifting device and increases the distance between the installation base 61 and the installation base 63. As a result, the carrier sheet 4 is peeled off from the second display panel 2 while the second display panel 2 and the front panel 1 remain attached to each other.

[0052] Next, as shown in Fig. 8, a third display panel 2 (display panel 2-2) is attached to the carrier sheet 4 via an adhesive layer. The carrier sheet 4 is positioned at a predetermined position that is different from the positions at which the first and second display panels 2 and 2 are attached, and where the third display panel 2 overlaps with the front plate 1 in a plan view. Next, after aligning the third display panel 2 with the front plate 1, a pressure-bonding process is carried out as described above, although not shown in the figure. Then, a peeling process is carried out.

[0053] Next, the pressure inside the vacuum chamber 5 is returned to atmospheric pressure, and the display device 3 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is removed.

[0054] Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a method for detecting the positional accuracy of a display panel attached to a front plate. Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a method for detecting the positional accuracy of a display panel attached to a front plate according to a comparative example. For ease of explanation, Figs. 9 and 10 show an example in which one display panel 2 is attached to a front plate 1.

[0055] As shown in Fig. 9, after the display panel 2 is attached to the front panel 1, the positional accuracy of the display panel 2 is confirmed by the camera 7. In this case, the camera 7 is disposed in the normal direction of the display panel 2, and detects the positional relationship between the alignment mark 71 and the display panel side alignment mark 75 shown in Fig. 4. Specifically, based on image data from the camera 7, the control device 30 calculates the distance W1 between the display panel side alignment mark 75 and the side S1, and the distance W2 between the display panel side alignment mark 75 and the side S2. If the distances W1 and W2 fall within a predetermined range, it is determined that there is no positional deviation of the display panel 2.

[0056] On the other hand, in the comparative example shown in FIG. 10, when the display panel 2 is tilted, the normal direction of the display panel 2 and the position of the camera 7 are misaligned. In this case, the positional relationship between the alignment mark 71 and the display panel side alignment mark 75 shown in FIG. 4 is detected differently depending on the tilt of the display panel 2. For example, when the display panel 2 is tilted, the distance W1 is detected smaller than that in FIG. 9, and the positional accuracy of the display panel 2 may not be detected accurately. In addition, the distance W1 may be detected differently depending on the magnification and focal length of the camera 7. Alternatively, after the display panel 2 is bonded to the front plate 1, the edge of the alignment mark 71 may not be detected well.

[0057] Fig. 11 is a plan view showing an enlarged portion of the display device according to the first embodiment. In Fig. 11, the backlight 8 is indicated by a two-dot chain line. As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 11, in this embodiment, a plurality of first marks 72 are provided on the front plate 1. As a result, after the display panel 2 is bonded to the front plate 1, the outer periphery of the display panel 2 and the positions of the plurality of first marks 72 can be detected, and the positional accuracy of the display panel 2 can be easily confirmed. The positional accuracy of the display panel 2 may be confirmed based on image data captured by the camera 7, or may be confirmed visually.

[0058] More specifically, since the first marks 72-1 and 72-3 are provided along the lower and upper sides of the display panel 2, the positional accuracy of the display panel 2 in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the first marks 72-1 and 72-3 extend can be easily confirmed based on the intervals and overlapping states between the first marks 72-1 and 72-3 and the lower and upper sides of the display panel 2. Furthermore, since the first marks 72-1 and 72-3 are each arranged in a plurality of rows in one direction, the inclination of the display panel 2 with respect to the one direction can be easily confirmed. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, since the L-shaped first mark 72-2 and the first mark 72-4 along the curved portion are provided, the positional accuracy of the display panel 2 in one direction can be easily confirmed even for the display panels 2-1 and 2-3 having curved portions.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a plurality of second marks 73 are provided on the front plate 1. As a result, after the backlight 8 is attached to the front plate 1 and the rear surface of the display panel 2, the outer periphery of the backlight 8 and the positions of the plurality of second marks 73 can be detected, making it possible to easily check the positional accuracy of the backlight 8.

[0060] In addition, the backlight 8 does not require high positional accuracy compared to the display panel 2, and the tolerance for positional deviation may be relatively large. For this reason, it is sufficient that the second mark 73 is provided along at least one side of the backlight 8, or the second mark 73 may not be provided.

[0061] In the first embodiment, the display device 3 is attached to, for example, the dashboard of a vehicle. The display device 3 has an advantage that the curved surface of the front panel 1 of the display device 3 smoothly blends with the curved interior of the vehicle. The display panel 2 displays, for example, a navigation system, a speedometer, a tachometer, a fuel gauge, a water temperature gauge, and the like.

[0062] The display device 3 does not necessarily have to be mounted on a vehicle, and may be applied to other electronic devices such as a mobile terminal, etc. Even if the display device 3 is mounted on a vehicle, the image displayed by the display device 3 is not limited to the instrumentation of the vehicle, and may be, for example, a map of a car navigation system.

[0063] The display panel 2 may be an organic EL panel. When the display panel 2 is an organic EL panel, a backlight is not required. The display panel 2 may have a touch detection function. That is, a touch panel may be provided inside the display panel 2 or on the surface of the display panel 2.

[0064] It should be noted that front panel 1 does not necessarily have to be made of glass, and may be made of, for example, a light-transmitting synthetic resin.

[0065] As described above, the display device 3 of this embodiment includes a front plate 1 having a light-transmitting display area CA and a peripheral area BA different from the display area CA, and a display panel 2 provided opposite at least the display area CA of the front plate 1. The front plate 1 has, in the peripheral area BA, a plurality of alignment marks 71 provided at positions corresponding to display panel alignment marks 75 provided on the display panel 2, and a plurality of linear first marks 72 extending along the outer periphery of the display panel 2.

[0066] According to this, the control device 30 can perform image recognition of the display panel side alignment mark 75 and the alignment mark 71 based on image data from the camera 7, and align the front plate 1 and the display panel 2. Then, after the front plate 1 and the display panel 2 are bonded together, the positional accuracy of the display panel 2 can be easily confirmed by observing the positional relationship between the linear first marks 72 and the outer periphery of the display panel 2. Furthermore, compared to the case where the positional accuracy of the display panel 2 is confirmed using the alignment mark 71 and the display panel side alignment mark 75 after the front plate 1 and the display panel 2 are bonded together, by providing the first marks 72 different from the alignment marks 71, it is possible to suppress detection variation in the positional accuracy caused by differences in the inclination of the display panel 2 with respect to the observation direction of the camera 7.

[0067] (Modification) 12 is an enlarged plan view showing a part of a display device according to a modification of the first embodiment. In the following description, the same components as those described in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated description will be omitted.

[0068] 12, the front plate 1A of the modified example has a plurality of sub-marks 72a, 72b in addition to a first mark 72. More specifically, the sub-marks 72a, 72b are arranged alongside the first marks 72-1, 72-3 in a direction perpendicular to the outer periphery of the display panel 2. The lengths of the sub-marks 72a, 72b in the extension direction are shorter than that of the first mark 72, and are provided so as to be distinguishable from the first mark 72.

[0069] In this modification, the first mark 72 is disposed between the sub-marks 72a and 72b in a direction perpendicular to the outer periphery of the display panel 2. More specifically, the sub-mark 72a is disposed between the first marks 72-1 and 72-3 and the outer periphery of the front plate 1A. The sub-mark 72b is disposed between the first marks 72-1 and 72-3 and the outer periphery of the display area CA of the front plate 1A.

[0070] In this modified example, after bonding the display panel 2 and the front panel 1A together, the degree of positional misalignment of the display panel 2 can be easily confirmed by checking the positional relationship between the outer periphery of the display panel 2 and the first mark 72 and the sub-marks 72a and 72b.

[0071] In Fig. 12, two submarks 72a, 72b are provided for one first mark 72. Without being limited thereto, three or more submarks 72a, 72b may be provided for one first mark 72. Furthermore, in Fig. 12, the submarks 72a, 72b are provided for the first marks 72-1, 72-3 extending linearly. However, without being limited thereto, the submarks 72a, 72b may be provided for the L-shaped first mark 72-2 or the first mark 72-4 (see Fig. 3) extending at an angle with respect to one direction.

[0072] Second embodiment Fig. 13 is a schematic plan view of a front plate according to a second embodiment. Fig. 14 is an enlarged plan view of region A in Fig. 13. In the first embodiment and the modified example described above, the front plate 1 is formed to have a curved portion, and a plurality of display panels 2 are bonded to one front plate 1, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0073] As shown in Fig. 13, the front panel 1B of the second embodiment is flat, and one display panel 2 (not shown in Fig. 13) is attached to face one display area CA. The display area CA is substantially rectangular, and in the example shown in Fig. 13, it is trapezoidal. The peripheral area BA is formed in a frame shape surrounding the periphery of the display area CA. However, this is not limited to this, and the display area CA may be other shapes such as rectangular, polygonal, circular, etc.

[0074] 13 and 14, in this embodiment, the front plate 1B is provided with an alignment mark 71B and a first mark 72B. The alignment marks 71B are cross-shaped and are disposed at the corners of the peripheral area BA. The first marks 72B are provided near the alignment mark 71B and are disposed at the corners of the peripheral area BA.

[0075] On the upper side of the peripheral area BA, a linear first mark 72B is provided on the upper side of the peripheral area BA and extends in one direction, and linear first marks 72B are provided on the left and right sides of the peripheral area BA and extend in a direction intersecting the one direction, and are arranged at a distance from each other. The alignment marks 71B-1 and 71B-2 are arranged at a distance from the first mark 72B, and are located at the intersections of the extensions of the first marks 72B.

[0076] On the lower side of the peripheral area BA, the linear first mark 72B is provided in a curved shape that curves along a corner of the display area CA. The alignment marks 71B-3 and 71B-4 are provided outside the first mark 72B and between the first mark 72B and the outer periphery of the front plate 1B.

[0077] In this embodiment, after the display panel 2 and the front plate 1B are attached to each other, the alignment marks 71B and the first marks 72B are provided corresponding to the corners of the display panel 2. Then, the positional accuracy of the display panel 2 can be confirmed by the first marks 72B provided at the four corners of the display panel 2. However, this is not limited thereto, and the first marks 72B may be provided along the four sides of the display panel 2.

[0078] Third embodiment FIG. 15 is a schematic plan view of a display device according to the third embodiment. In FIG. 15, the display panel 2C is indicated by a two-dot chain line to make the drawing easier to see. Although not shown, the front plate 1C and the display panel 2C of this embodiment are curved panels having curved portions in a cross-sectional view, similar to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 15, the upper side of the display panel 2C is formed with a curved line that is curved outwardly. The front plate 1C is formed with a curved upper side corresponding to the display panel 2C, and the left and right sides are inclined. In addition, each side of the front plate 1C is connected by a smooth curve.

[0079] In this embodiment, the alignment marks 71C are each rectangular and provided corresponding to the corners of the display panel 2C. The first marks 72C are linear and provided along each of the four sides of the display panel 2C.

[0080] The first mark 72C-1 is provided between the alignment marks 71C-1 and 71C-2 adjacent to each other in one direction, and extends along the bottom side of the display panel 2C. The first mark 72C-2 is provided on the opposite side of the display area CA to the first mark 72C-1. The first mark 72C-2 is provided between the alignment marks 71C-3 and 71C-4 adjacent to each other in one direction, and extends along a part of the top side of the display panel 2C.

[0081] The first mark 72C-3 is provided between the alignment marks 71C-1 and 71C-4 adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to the one direction, and extends along the left side of the display panel 2C. The first mark 72C-4 is provided on the opposite side of the first mark 72C-3 across the display area CA. The first mark 72C-4 is provided between the alignment marks 71C-2 and 71C-3 adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to the one direction, and extends along the right side of the display panel 2C. In this embodiment, the first marks 72C-1, 72C-3, and 72C-4 are formed long along the linearly extending side of the outer periphery of the display panel 2C. This makes it easy to check the positional accuracy and inclination of the display panel 2C after the display panel 2C and the front panel 1C are bonded together.

[0082] The second marks 73C are provided on the four sides of the peripheral area BA, and are each located between the first marks 72C and the outer periphery of the front plate 1C.

[0083] The configurations of the above-mentioned embodiments and modifications can be appropriately combined. For example, the alignment mark 71B and the first mark 72B shown in Fig. 13 and Fig. 14 may be used on the front plates 1 and 1C, or the alignment mark 71C, the first mark 72C, and the second mark 73C shown in Fig. 15 may be used on the front plates 1 and 1B. Alternatively, the sub-marks 72a and 72b shown in Fig. 12 may be used on the front plates 1B and 1C.

[0084] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. The contents disclosed in the embodiment are merely examples, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. Appropriate modifications made within the scope of the present invention naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention. At least one of various omissions, substitutions, and modifications of components can be made within the scope of the gist of each of the above-mentioned embodiments and each modified example. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 1, 1A, 1B, 1C front plate 2, 2C Display Panel 3 Display device 5. Vacuum Chamber 7. Camera 8. Backlight 10 Stages 30 Control device 61, 63 Installation stand 62 Fixed stand 65 Lifting device 71, 71B, 71C Alignment marks 72, 72B, 72C 1st Mark 72a, 72b submarks 73, 73C 2nd Mark 75 Display panel alignment mark 100 Crimping device BA Peripheral Area CA display area CP center position

Claims

1. a front panel having a light-transmitting portion and a light-shielding portion surrounding the light-transmitting portion; a liquid crystal panel provided opposite at least the light transmitting portion of the front panel; a backlight provided on the liquid crystal panel on the opposite side to the front panel; The front panel is a plurality of alignment marks provided in the light-shielding portion at positions corresponding to a plurality of liquid crystal panel side alignment marks provided on the liquid crystal panel; a plurality of linear first marks extending along an outer periphery of the liquid crystal panel; The first marks include linear marks provided along the sides of the liquid crystal panel and L-shaped marks provided corresponding to the corners of the liquid crystal panel. Display device.

2. a front panel having a light-transmitting portion and a light-shielding portion surrounding the light-transmitting portion; a liquid crystal panel provided opposite at least the light transmitting portion of the front panel; a backlight provided on the liquid crystal panel on the opposite side to the front panel; The front panel is a plurality of alignment marks provided in the light-shielding portion at positions corresponding to a plurality of liquid crystal panel side alignment marks provided on the liquid crystal panel; a plurality of linear first marks extending along an outer periphery of the liquid crystal panel; The alignment marks and the first marks are provided in correspondence with corners of the liquid crystal panel. Display device.

3. A plurality of sub-marks are arranged in parallel with the first mark in a direction perpendicular to the outer periphery of the liquid crystal panel. The display device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. Further, the second mark is provided. The second mark is provided between the outer periphery of the liquid crystal panel and the outer periphery of the front plate. The display device according to claim 1 .

5. At least a part of the periphery of the backlight is located between the periphery of the liquid crystal panel and the second mark. The display device according to claim 4.

6. The front panel has a curved surface portion, The liquid crystal panel is curved and bonded to the front plate. The display device according to claim 1 .

Images