JP2004259656A - Display module and electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

A thin electronic device and a display module mounted on the electronic device are prevented from being damaged.
An electronic device includes a casing and an organic EL panel. The organic EL panel 13 includes a panel main body 18 and a frame 19 that are stacked on each other. The panel main body 18 includes a substrate 21, an organic EL element, and a sealing material 23 that are sequentially stacked. The frame 19 is made of stainless steel, and the upper surface thereof is fixed to the sealing member 23 of the panel body 18. Both ends of the frame 19 are bent to form a pair of bent portions 31 and 32. Spaces S1 and S2 are formed between the bent portions 31 and 32 and the panel body 18. Then, the panel main body 18 is fitted into the concave portion 14 of the casing 12 from the frame 19 side and attached to the casing 12. At this time, the outer surfaces of the bent portions 31 and 32 come into contact with the inner surfaces of the side walls 14 b and 14 d of the casing 12.
[Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a display module and an electronic device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, an organic EL panel having excellent display performance such as low power consumption, a wide viewing angle, and a high contrast ratio has attracted attention as a display module. Such an organic EL panel is formed by sequentially laminating an anode layer having an anode made of a transparent electrode, an organic EL layer, a cathode layer having a cathode, and the like on a substrate made of glass or the like. .
[0003]
In addition, the organic EL panel is often formed of a material that easily reacts with oxygen or moisture, and is oxidized by contact with the outside air to reduce the light emitting function or the conductive function of the organic EL panel. Could be. Therefore, it has been known that a sealing glass is provided on a cathode layer or the like in order to block outside air, and an organic EL layer, an anode layer, a cathode layer, and the like are sandwiched between the substrate and the sealing glass. Then, the organic EL layer, the anode layer, the cathode layer, and the like are prevented from coming into contact with the outside air to prevent the light emitting function of the organic EL panel from being deteriorated.
[0004]
By the way, when an organic EL panel provided with the above sealing glass is mounted on an electronic device such as a personal computer, a mobile phone, or a digital camera, the sealing glass is directly applied to the casing of the electronic device. It was thought to be fixed. This is because the sealing glass is provided on the non-display surface of the organic EL panel. However, since the sealing glass is made of glass, the sealing glass is weak against an impact. If the sealing glass is directly fixed to the casing, the sealing glass may be damaged by vibration from the casing. .
[0005]
Therefore, when the organic EL panel is fixed to the casing of the electronic device, it is known that the organic EL panel and the casing are fixed via a housing called a frame (for example, Patent Document 1). reference.). As a result, it has been possible to provide a gap between the sealing glass and the casing of the electronic device so that they do not contact each other. Then, the vibration generated in the casing can be prevented from being directly transmitted to the sealing glass, so that the organic EL panel is prevented from being damaged.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2002-56969
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in recent years, some electronic devices including the above-described organic EL panel, such as a mobile phone and a digital camera, are desired to be thinner in order to enhance portability. . In such electronic devices, as described above, providing a gap between the sealing glass and the casing of the electronic device in order to prevent damage to the sealing glass is a factor that hinders thinning. Was a problem.
[0008]
SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide a display module that can reduce the thickness of an electronic device without causing a reduction in a light-emitting function or damage to the electronic device. It is in.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention provides a display module in which at least a first electrode, a light emitting layer, and a second electrode are laminated on a substrate, and a cover that sandwiches the laminated member together with the substrate. Material, and a filler interposed between the laminated member and the cover material to fix the cover material and the laminated member, wherein the cover material is formed of a material having higher toughness than glass. The filler is formed of a material having gas barrier properties.
[0010]
According to the present invention, since the cover member is formed of a high-toughness material, the cover member can have excellent impact resistance. As a result, when the display module is mounted on the electronic device, the cover member can be directly attached to the casing or the like of the electronic device. Therefore, there is no need to provide mechanical parts or provide a gap between the cover material and the casing of the electronic device in order to prevent damage to the cover material, and it is possible to reduce the thickness of the electronic device.
[0011]
In addition, since the filler for fixing the cover member to the laminated member has gas barrier properties, contact of the laminated member with the outside air is prevented, and it is possible to prevent a reduction in the light emitting function of the display module. That is, since the filler for fixing the cover member and the laminated member also has the function of sealing the laminated member, there is no need to provide a dedicated component for sealing the laminated member, and the number of components is reduced. And the thickness of the electronic device can be further reduced.
[0012]
In this display module, the cover member may be formed of at least stainless steel or plastic.
According to this, a material having much higher toughness than glass can be applied to the cover material. As a result, when the display module is mounted on the electronic device, even if the cover material is directly attached to the casing of the electronic device, it is possible to effectively prevent the cover material from being damaged by the impact from the electronic device.
[0013]
In this display module, the filler may be provided so as to cover a side surface of the laminated member, and an end of the filler may be in contact with the substrate.
According to this, the entire lamination member is covered by the filler and the substrate, so that it is possible to more effectively prevent the lamination member from coming into contact with the outside air, and prevent the light emitting function of the display module from deteriorating. be able to.
[0014]
In this display module, the cover member has at least the lamination member or an area larger than the substrate in the plane direction of the substrate, and is formed so that an end thereof is bent toward the substrate. A bent portion may be provided, and the bent portion may not be in contact with at least the laminated member or the substrate.
[0015]
According to this, in the display module, the bent portion of the cover member can be positioned at least outside the substrate or the laminated member in the plane direction of the substrate. Therefore, when the display module is mounted on an electronic device or the like, the outermost bent portion in the planar direction of the substrate comes into contact with the casing of the electronic device or the like. And since the bent portion is at least non-contact with the substrate or the laminated member, at least the impact from the casing of the electronic device transmitted to the bent portion is not transmitted directly to the substrate or the laminated member. can do. Therefore, at least the substrate or the laminated member can be protected from impact to prevent damage.
[0016]
Further, a dimensional error between the display module and a casing of an electronic device or the like can be absorbed by deforming the bent portion.
In this display module, the cover member may include a protrusion.
[0017]
According to this, when the display module is mounted on the electronic device or the like, the protrusion is engaged with the casing of the electronic device or the like, so that the display module is prevented from moving in a predetermined direction with respect to the electronic device or the like. can do. Thus, the display position of the display module in the electronic device or the like can always be the fixed position, and the visibility of the image displayed on the display module can be improved.
[0018]
The electronic device according to the present invention has the display module mounted thereon.
According to this, it is possible to provide an electronic device including a display module that prevents a decrease in light emitting function and is less likely to be damaged by an impact. Further, a thin electronic device can be provided.
[0019]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
(1st Embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0020]
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of an electronic device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the organic EL panel.
As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic device 11 according to the present embodiment includes a casing 12 and an organic EL panel 13 as a display module attached to the casing 12. The casing 12 is made of resin or the like, and has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped concave portion 14 formed on an upper surface thereof. More specifically, the concave portion 14 is formed by four side walls 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d and a bottom surface 15. Of the four side walls 14a to 14d, two opposing side walls 14b and 14d are formed with a pair of cutouts 16 and 17 at the upper part.
[0021]
The organic EL panel 13 includes a panel main body 18 and a frame 19 as a cover material which are laminated. As shown in FIG. 2, the panel body 18 is formed by sequentially laminating a substrate 21, an organic EL element 22 as a lamination member, and a sealing material 23 as a filler from the top to the bottom of the drawing. The substrate 21 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is formed of a translucent material, for example, glass. This is because, in the present embodiment, the light emitted from the organic EL element 22 is extracted to the substrate 21 side, passes through the substrate 21 and reaches the observer.
[0022]
The organic EL element 22 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape slightly smaller in a planar direction than the substrate 21, and a thin film transistor layer (hereinafter, referred to as a TFT layer) in which a thin film transistor is formed in order from the substrate 21 side. 24, an anode layer 25 on which an anode as a first electrode is formed, an organic EL layer 26 as a light emitting layer, and a cathode layer 27 on which a cathode as a second electrode is formed. I have. The TFT layer 24 includes various drive circuits (not shown). The anode layer 25 is formed of a conductive transparent material such as ITO, and is electrically connected to various driving circuits of the TFT layer 24. Further, the organic EL layer 26 is formed of a hole injection layer, an organic light emitting layer, and the like (not shown). The cathode layer 27 is formed of a metal thin film or the like.
[0023]
Various driving circuits for the TFT layer 24 can apply a voltage between the anode layer 25 and the cathode layer 27 based on a signal from an external device (not shown). As a result, electrons and holes are recombined in the organic EL layer 26 to emit light. As described above, since the size of the organic EL element 22 in the planar direction is slightly smaller than that of the substrate 21, a step 28 is formed between the substrate 21 and the organic EL element 22. I have.
[0024]
The entire side surface of the organic EL element 22 and the surface located on the side opposite to the substrate 21 are all covered with a passivation film 29. Although the passivation film 29 can be omitted, it is preferable to provide the passivation film 29 in order to more reliably shut off the organic EL element from the outside air.
[0025]
In the present embodiment, the sealing material 23 is formed of an epoxy resin. That is, the sealing material 23 has an adhesive property, and is interposed between the passivation film 29 and the frame 19 so that the organic EL element 22 and the frame 19 covered with the passivation film 29 It functions as an adhesive that fixes
[0026]
Further, the sealing material 23 has a high gas barrier property. Note that the gas barrier property means a property that does not allow oxygen or water vapor to pass through at least. Then, outside the passivation film 29, the organic EL device 22 is attached to the organic EL device 22 so as to cover the side surface of the organic EL device 22 and the surface opposite to the substrate 21. The end of the sealing material 23 is attached to the substrate 21 so as to fill a step 28 formed between the substrate 21 and the organic EL element 22. Therefore, the organic EL element 22 is entirely covered with the substrate 21 and the sealing material 23 and is sealed so as not to come into contact with the outside air.
[0027]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the frame 19 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape from stainless steel. The area of the frame 19 in the plane direction is larger than that of the panel main body 18, and the upper surface of the frame 19 contacts the entire lower surface of the panel main body 18, that is, the organic EL element 22. Is fixed.
[0028]
The frame 19 has two opposite sides bent toward the substrate 21, thereby forming a pair of bent portions 31 and 32 positioned parallel to each other. In addition, predetermined spaces S1 and S2 are formed between the bent portions 31 and 32, the substrate 21, and the organic EL element 22, respectively. That is, the bent portions 31 and 32 are not in contact with the substrate 21 and the organic EL element 22. When the organic EL panel 13 is attached to the casing 12, the outer surface of each of the bent portions 31 and 32 is set so that the outer surface of each of the bent portions 31 and 32 is inside of each of the side walls 14b and 14d of the casing 12. The interval is such that it comes into contact with the surface of
[0029]
Further, at the upper ends of the bent portions 31 and 32, locking portions 34 and 35 as plate-like projections having a substantially rectangular shape extending outward in the surface direction of the substrate 21 are provided at the center thereof. ing. When the organic EL panel 13 is mounted on the casing 12, the locking portions 34 and 35 have positions and sizes that can be locked to the cutout portions 16 and 17 of the casing 12.
[0030]
Then, the organic EL panel 13 configured as described above is attached to the casing 12 by being fitted into the recess 14 of the casing 12 from the frame 19 side, as shown in FIG. The outer surfaces of the bent portions 31 and 32 of the frame 19 abut against the inner surfaces of the side walls 14 b and 14 d of the casing 12. This prevents the organic EL panel 13 from coming off the casing 12.
[0031]
Further, the locking portions 34 and 35 of the frame 19 are locked to the cutout portions 16 and 17 (see FIG. 1) of the casing 12, and the movement of the organic EL panel 13 in the plane direction with respect to the casing 12 is restricted. Is done. Thus, the position of the organic EL panel 13 in the plane direction can always be the fixed position with respect to the casing 12. Then, in the electronic device 11, the display position of the organic EL panel 13 can always be the fixed position, and the visibility of the image displayed on the organic EL panel 13 can be improved.
[0032]
According to the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) In the first embodiment, the organic EL element 22 is sandwiched between the substrate 21 and the stainless steel frame 19, and the sealing material 23 is interposed between the frame 19 and the organic EL element 22. .
[0033]
Therefore, since the frame 19 is made of stainless steel, the frame 19 can be made excellent in impact resistance. As a result, when mounting the organic EL panel 13 on the electronic device 11, the frame 19 can be attached while directly contacting the recess 14 of the electronic device 11. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide new mechanical parts or provide a gap between the frame 19 and the casing 12 of the electronic device 11 in order to prevent the frame 19 from being damaged, and the electronic device 11 can be made thinner. It becomes.
[0034]
In addition, since the sealing material 23 for fixing the frame 19 to the organic EL element 22 has a gas barrier property, the organic EL element 22 is prevented from contacting the outside air, and the light emitting function of the organic EL panel 13 is reduced. Can be prevented. That is, since the sealing member 23 for fixing the frame 19 and the organic EL element 22 has a function of sealing the organic EL element 22, a dedicated component for sealing the organic EL element 22 is used. There is no need to provide them, and the number of parts can be reduced. As a result, the thickness of the electronic device 11 can be reduced without lowering the light emitting function.
[0035]
(2) In the first embodiment, the sealing material 23 is provided so as to cover the side surface of the organic EL element 22 and to have the end thereof in contact with the substrate 21. Therefore, the entire organic EL element 22 is covered by the sealing material 23 and the substrate 21, and the contact with the outside air can be more effectively prevented. Then, it is possible to prevent the light emitting function of the organic EL panel 13 from being lowered.
[0036]
(3) In the first embodiment, the frame 19 has a larger area in the plane direction of the substrate 21 than the substrate 21 and the organic EL element 22. Then, the end of the frame 19 is bent toward the substrate 21 so that the bent portions 31 and 32 are provided. That is, in the organic EL panel 13, the bent portions 31 and 32 of the frame 19 are located outside the substrate 21 and the organic EL element 22 in the plane direction of the substrate 21. In addition, spaces S1 and S2 are formed between the bent portions 31 and 32 and the organic EL element 22 so that the bent portions 31 and 32 are not in contact with the substrate 21 and the organic EL element 22. did.
[0037]
Therefore, when the organic EL panel 13 is mounted on the electronic device 11, the outermost bent portions 31 and 32 in the plane direction of the substrate 21 come into contact with the casing 12 of the electronic device 11. Since the bent portions 31 and 32 are not in contact with the substrate 21 and the organic EL element 22, the impact transmitted from the casing 12 to the bent portions 31 and 32 is not transmitted directly to the substrate 21 and the organic EL element 22. Become. As a result, the substrate 21 and the organic EL element 22 can be protected from impact, and the organic EL panel 13 can be prevented from being damaged.
[0038]
Even if a dimensional error occurs between the organic EL panel 13 and the concave portion 14 of the electronic device 11, the dimensional error can be absorbed by deforming the bent portions 31 and 32.
[0039]
(4) In the first embodiment, the locking portions 34 and 35 are provided on the bent portions 31 and 32 of the frame 19. According to this, when the organic EL panel 13 is mounted on the electronic device 11, the engaging portions 34 and 35 are engaged with the cutout portions 16 and 17 of the casing 12 of the electronic device 11, so that the organic EL panel 13 is mounted. It is possible to restrict the electronic device 11 from moving in a predetermined direction with respect to the electronic device 11. Thereby, the display position of the organic EL panel 13 in the electronic device 11 can always be the fixed position, and the visibility of the image displayed on the organic EL panel 13 can be improved.
(2nd Embodiment)
Next, a specific example of the electronic device 11 described in the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The electronic device 11 can be embodied in various electronic devices such as a mobile phone, a mobile personal computer, and a digital camera.
[0040]
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a mobile phone. In FIG. 4, a mobile phone 40 as the electronic apparatus 11 includes a plurality of operation buttons 41, an earpiece 42, a mouthpiece 43, and a display unit 44 using the organic EL panel 13 in the first embodiment. . Also in this case, the display unit 44 using the organic EL panel 13 exhibits the same effect as in the first embodiment.
[0041]
The above embodiment may be modified as follows.
In the first and second embodiments, the frame 19 is made of stainless steel. Other materials may be used as long as they have higher toughness than glass. For example, plastic, aluminum, iron, FRP (Fiber Reinforced Plastics) and the like may be used.
[0042]
In the first and second embodiments, the seal member 23 is formed of an epoxy resin. This may be formed of another material as long as it has a gas barrier property and a function as an adhesive. Further, a desiccant may be contained in the sealing material 23.
[0043]
In the first and second embodiments, the sealing material 23 is provided so as to cover the entire side surface of the organic EL element 22. However, the sealing material 23 may be provided so as to cover only a part, not the whole. Further, the sealing material 23 may not be provided on the side surface of the organic EL element 22.
[0044]
In the first and second embodiments, the area of the frame 19 in the plane direction is larger than the panel body 18, but may be the same or smaller.
[0045]
In the first and second embodiments, the bent portions 31 and 32 are provided on the frame 19; however, only one of the bent portions 31 and 32 may be provided. Further, both the bent portions 31 and 32 may not be provided.
[0046]
In the first and second embodiments, spaces S1 and S2 are formed between the bent portions 31 and 32 of the frame 19 and the organic EL element 22, and the bent portions 31 and 32 The organic EL element 22 was made non-contact. In this case, the bent portions 31 and 32 may contact at least the substrate 21 or the organic EL element 22 without providing the spaces S1 and S2.
[0047]
In the first and second embodiments, the frame 19 is provided with the substantially rectangular parallelepiped plate-shaped locking portions 34 and 35. As long as the organic EL panel 13 can be positioned in the electronic device 11, a locking portion having another shape may be provided at an arbitrary position on the frame 19. Further, the locking portions 34 and 35 may not be provided on the frame 19.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of an electronic device according to a first embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the organic EL panel.
FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the electronic device.
FIG. 4 is an exemplary perspective view of a mobile phone according to a second embodiment;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Electronic equipment, 13 ... Organic EL panel as a display module, 19 ... Frame as a cover material, 21 ... Substrate, 22 ... Organic EL element as a laminated member, 23 ... Sealant as a filler, 26 ... Emitting layer An organic EL layer, 31 and 32... Bent portions, 34 and 35... Locking portions as projecting portions, and 40.

Claims (6)

At least a display module in which a laminated member provided to laminate a first electrode, a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode is formed on a substrate,
A cover material sandwiching the laminated member together with the substrate,
A filler interposed between the laminated member and the cover member to fix the cover member and the laminated member,
The cover material is formed of a material having higher toughness than glass,
The display module, wherein the filler is formed of a material having gas barrier properties. The display module according to claim 1,
The display module, wherein the cover member is formed of at least stainless steel or plastic. The display module according to claim 1 or 2,
The display module, wherein the filler is provided so as to cover a side surface of the laminated member, and an end of the filler is in contact with the substrate. The display module according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The cover material, in the plane direction of the substrate, at least, the laminated member, or, having a larger area than the substrate, provided with a bent portion formed to bend the end thereof to the substrate side,
The display module, wherein the bent portion is at least not in contact with the laminated member or the substrate. The display module according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The display module, wherein the cover member includes a protrusion. An electronic device comprising the display module according to claim 1.

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