JP2019129135A - Light-emitting display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a light emitting display device at low cost, in which band-shaped light emission moves smoothly and the chromaticity gradation changes continuously. SOLUTION: This is a long light guide body, in which an LED is arranged at one end and a prism pattern for reflecting and emitting incident light to the front is arranged on the back surface in the longitudinal direction, and a length. It is a scale, and a certain range in the longitudinal direction is arranged along the leading light part, the LED is placed at one end, and the other end is connected to the side surface side of the leading light part with an elongated connecting surface, and the LED. It is composed of a sub-light guide portion in which the incident light of the above is emitted from the connecting surface to the leading light portion. The synchrotron radiation from the LEDs of the main light guide and the sub light guide is emitted in a band shape from the front of the lead light unit, and the emission intensity and emission color of the LED are changed to change the brightness gradation in the band-shaped display area of the lead light unit. It is possible to perform a dynamic effect display by changing the emission color gradation. [Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a light emitting display using LEDs. More particularly, the present invention relates to a light emitting display capable of dynamic expression by light emission of a light guide.

  A light-emitting display device that is an elongated line-shaped light-emitting device that expresses the flow of light by moving a point or region that emits light on the line is a direct light, a rendering device such as a gaming machine or a vending machine, an advertising signboard, etc. , Store displays, illumination for vehicles, etc. are used in various applications. Generally used is a system in which a large number of LEDs are arranged and blinked in sequence, but such a display device is such that the light emission of each LED appears to shine in a tab. is there.

  In recent years, in various fields such as home appliances and vehicle illuminations, there is an increasing need for light-emitting display devices that express the flow of light. The purpose is to provide a display for intuitively grasping the traveling direction of an object moving by the flow of light, or to give a high-class feeling by performing dynamic effects as illumination. Here, the display device in which a large number of LEDs are arrayed, which has been conventionally used, is excessively stimulating because each LED looks like glaring like a gourd, and although the effect of attracting attention is high, In the environment, it is not suitable for a display that requires a sense of luxury and comfort. In indoor and vehicle interiors, there are many cases where an effect display that moves so that a strip-like light emission having gradation flows smoothly is desired.

  By providing a diffusion plate in front of the LED, it is possible to reduce the LED-like feeling. However, in order to make the elongated area emit light without the slippery feeling of the LED by the diffusion plate, (1) use a diffusion plate having strong backscattering property, (2) take a large distance between the diffusion plate and the LED, (3) It is necessary to take any method such as increasing the thickness of the diffusion plate. In the case of {circle around (1)}, since the light transmittance is low, there arises a problem that the light utilization efficiency deteriorates and the light becomes dark. In the case of (2), there arises a problem that the depth of the display device becomes extremely thick. In the case of {circle around (3)}, the situation becomes intermediate between {circle around (1)} and {circle around (2)}, and there arises a problem that the depth of the apparatus becomes thick and the light utilization efficiency deteriorates.

  In order to avoid such a problem, there is a method of arranging a large number of LEDs at a narrow pitch. In this case, since the number of LEDs used is large and a large number of LEDs need to be driven to light, there arises a problem that the device cost increases.

  On the other hand, a light-emitting display unit that emits light in an elongated line-shaped region by placing LEDs on the end face of a rod-shaped light guide has been put into practical use (Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 proposes a light emitting display device (illumination device) in which a plurality of such light guide units are cascaded to express the flow of light. In this display device, a light emitting method is devised so that band-like light emission flows smoothly, but there is a region where the LED substrate is arranged in the connecting portion of each unit, and this region does not emit light. Therefore, there is a problem for the effect that the strip light emission moves smoothly and continuously.

JP 2013-143252 A

  In view of the above situation, the present invention provides a light-emitting display device that can be expressed so that strip-shaped light emission flows smoothly and continuously, is thin, and has high light utilization efficiency.

The present invention was made to solve the problems of the conventional line-shaped light emitting display device expressing the flow of light,
One or more LEDs that allow light to enter the light guide are disposed at least at one end of the long light guide, and incident light to the light guide is directed to the viewer on the back in the longitudinal direction. A leading light part consisting of an array of reflection patterns to be reflected and emitted to the front,
A long light guide, which is arranged with a certain range in the longitudinal direction attached to the main light part, and at least one LED that makes light incident on the light guide is arranged at one end thereof, and the other One or more sub light guide parts connected at the side of the main light part by a long and narrow connection surface, and the connection surface reflects incident light from the LED to the sub light guide part on the inner surface. And the incident light beam has a shape that is uniform in the longitudinal direction of the connection surface when being incident on the main light portion from the connection surface,
The emission light from the LEDs of the main light portion and the LEDs of the sub light guide portion is displayed in a strip shape from the front of the main light portion,
By changing the light emission order, the light emission intensity, and the light emission color of the LEDs, the luminance gradation and the light emission color gradation in the band-like display area of the leading light part are changed, and dynamic effect display is performed. It is a light emitting display.

  The light-emitting display device of the present invention is preferably a light-emitting display device characterized in that the connecting surface has a shape that gradually becomes wider as it goes away from the LED side of the main light portion.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a typical configuration of an LED and a light guide, which are components of a display device of the present invention. An upper view is a view from the front side (observer side), and a lower view is It is the sectional side view. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the display device of the present invention. 1 and FIG. 2, it consists of one main light part consisting of the light guide 5 and the LED 1, the light guide 6 and the light guide 7, and two sub light guide parts consisting of the LED 2 and the LED 3 arranged on each of them. Basic configuration. A reflection pattern for reflecting or diffusing light and emitting it to the outside of the light guide is formed on the back side (opposite to the observer) of the light guide 5 of the main light guide.

  Light from the LED 1 is radiated in the longitudinal direction of the light guide 5, is transmitted through the inside of the light guide, and is reflected from the exit surface (observer side) of the light guide 5 of the main light portion by the reflection pattern to the outside of the light guide. The main light unit emits light with an appropriate luminance distribution. The light guide body 6 and the light guide body 7 of the sub light guide section are connected by a connection surface on the side face side of the main light guide section. In the lower view of FIG. 1, 8 and 9 indicated by hatching portions indicate connecting surfaces in which the light guides 6 and 7 are connected to the side surfaces of the main light portion, respectively.

  In FIG. 1, light emitted from the LED 2 is incident from the end of the light guide 6 to the inside. Most of the light transmitted through the inside of the light guide 6 is repeatedly reflected from the inside without being emitted to the outside, reaches the connection surface 8, and enters the light guide 5 from the connection surface. Light incident on the main light guide portion light guide 5 and transmitted inside in a direction away from the LED 1 (end side) is emitted from the light exit surface of the light guide 5 to the outside by the reflection pattern formed on the back side The

  In the same manner as described above, the light from the LED 3 is guided through the light guide 7, enters the main light guide 5 from the connection surface 9, and exits from the exit surface.

  The principle of changing light emission from the front side (observer side) of the main light portion by changing the light emission intensity of each of the LED1, LED2, and LED3 will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the light emission luminance distribution from the main light portion in the longitudinal direction when the LEDs 1, 2, and 3 emit light. The horizontal axis indicates the longitudinal distance from the LED side of the light emitting display portion, and the vertical axis indicates the relative value of the luminance. In the example, the length of the light emitting display portion in the longitudinal direction is 300 mm. The luminance distribution when LED1 emits 100% is 12, the luminance distribution when LED2 emits 100%, 17 and the luminance distribution when LED3 emits 100%.

  FIG. 4 shows a change in the luminance distribution of the main light portion when the light emission intensity is changed by 20% while simultaneously lighting the three LEDs. Since the light from each LED exhibits independent behavior without interfering with each other, the luminance distribution when a plurality of LEDs are simultaneously turned on is simply the sum of the luminance distributions when the individual LEDs are turned on. Become.

Here, the emission intensity ratios of the LEDs 1, 2 and 3 and the numbers in the graph are as follows.
12: LED 1 to 100%
13: LED 1-80% LED 2-20%
14: LED 1-60% LED 2-40%
15: LED 1-40% LED 2-60%
16: 1 LED 1-20% LED 2-80%
17: LED 2-100%
18: LED 2-80% LED 3-20%
19: LED 2-60% LED 3-40%
20: LED 2-40% LED 3-60%
21: LED 2-20% LED 3-80%
22: LED 3-100%

  The peak value of the luminance distribution in each state is indicated by an arrow in the graph. When the state changes from 12 to 22, the luminance peak position changes from left to right (from LED 1 side to the terminal side). And you can see that they are moving. That is, by changing the light emission intensity of the LED from the 12 state to the 22 state, the luminance distribution moves from the LED 1 side to the terminal side. Here, for the sake of explanation, a graph in which the light emission intensity of the LED is changed by 20% is shown as a representative, but actually, the luminance distribution is smoothly changed from 12 to 22 by changing more finely and continuously. As a result, it is possible to obtain an effect that the light flows smoothly from left to right. In addition, if the light emission intensity of the LED is continuously changed so as to change from 22 to 12 in the reverse direction, an effect that the light flows smoothly from right to left can be obtained. become.

  In the present invention, in order to achieve a dynamic effect that flows smoothly, it is essential that the light emitted from the main light has an appropriate luminance distribution as shown in FIG. Next, in the light-emitting display device of the present invention, the principle that light can be emitted from the main light unit with an appropriate luminance distribution will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a side sectional view schematically showing the behavior of light inside the light guide 5 from the side surface direction. Light emitted from the LED 1 enters the inside from the end of the light guide 5 and guides the inside of the light guide while repeating internal reflection at the interface between the light guide and air. A part of the light reaching the reflective pattern 11 is emitted to the front side (observer side), and a part is emitted to the back side (opposite side of the observer). By controlling the area (light emitting area) to which the reflection pattern is applied and the pitch and height within the area, it is possible to control the area and luminance distribution emitted by the emitted light.

  In FIG. 1, light from the LEDs 2 and 3 enters the light guides 6 and 7, guides the inside thereof, enters the light guide 5 from the connection surfaces 8 and 9, and guides the inside of the light guide. After that, the light reaches the light emitting region and exits from the exit surface of the light guide 5. As shown in FIG. 1, each of the connecting surfaces 8 and 9 has a shape that gradually becomes wider (H becomes higher) from the LED 1 side (starting end side) toward the terminal end direction. With this shape, the incident light beam to the light guide 5 becomes uniform in the longitudinal direction of the connection surface, and the light emission from the light exit surface of the light guide 5 has an appropriate luminance distribution as shown in FIG.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the connection surfaces of the sub light guide light guides 6 and 7 to the main light guide light guide 5 are the longitudinal directions of the light guide 5, like the connection surfaces 26 and 27. When H is constant, the luminance distribution of the light guide 5 due to the light incident on the main light portion from the sub light guide portion is a distribution that is biased to one place as shown by 28 and 29 in FIG. On the other hand, since the connecting surface of the present invention has a low H at the start end and a high at the end, the luminance distribution of the light guide 5 by the incident light from the connecting surface is as indicated by 17 and 22 in FIG. , It becomes possible to make it uniform distribution over the output surface whole area.

  The higher the height H of the coupling surface, the larger the incident light beam to the main light portion, and the smaller the H, the smaller. The light that has entered the main light guide 5 is emitted to the outside by the reflection pattern on the back surface, but the emitted light beam is proportional to the incident light beam to the light guide. Here, in FIG. 1, the reaching light flux density to each of the coupling surfaces 8 and 9 is high on the start end side and decreases toward the end side. Therefore, by making H low on the starting end side where the light beam density is high and increasing H on the terminal side where the light beam density is low, the incident light beam from the coupling surface to the main light portion becomes uniform in the longitudinal direction.

  As described above, the luminance distribution of the outgoing light from the outgoing surface of the main light guide 5 is determined by appropriately designing the pitch and height of the reflection pattern, and the length and H in the longitudinal direction of the connecting surface. By appropriately designing, it is possible to obtain a distribution like the curve 22 in FIG.

  Further, a reflection member may be provided on the end face 10 in FIG. 1 to change the luminance distribution.

  In the light-emitting display device of the present invention, in addition to the effect display by the luminance change as described above, the effect display that dynamically changes the color gradation by using the three RGB chips in one package. It is also possible to perform. In FIG. 1, if LED1 is blue (B), LED2 is green (G), and LED3 is red (R) at the same time, the display changes in blue-light blue-green-yellow-red and gradation. Become. By changing the light emission color and light emission intensity of each LED, a dynamic effect display can be performed in various variations. As an example, first, all of the LEDs 1, 2, and 3 are lit in blue, and then the red light emission is changed sequentially and continuously as described above. The band-like light emission having a magenta color gradation on the blue background smoothly moves from the LED 1 side to the terminal side.

  In the present embodiment, one main light part and two sub light guide parts are connected, and LEDs are respectively arranged at one end of the main light part and each sub light guide part. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The number of sub light guides can be increased or decreased or the number of LEDs can be increased according to the desired effect.

  In the present invention, the light emitting region can be formed on the back surface of the main light body with a free design. For example, in FIG. 8, the hatched portion is a light emitting region, but various shapes such as a wave shape such as A, a green bean shape such as B, and an arrow shape such as C can be used in various shapes. Design can be given.

  In the present invention, the main light may not be linear. For example, a curved shape may be used as long as light guide in the light guide is not hindered. An example thereof is shown in FIG. 9, but various shapes such as a curved shape as in A and a wave shape as in B can be used.

  Furthermore, in the light emitting display device of the present invention, the structure shown in FIG. 1 can be used as one structural unit, and a plurality of light guides can be integrated by connecting a number of structural units. As a specific example, as shown in FIG. 10, light is made incident from both ends and a structure in which the main light emitting portion is formed into one continuous long shape, or as shown in FIG. Examples of such a structure include a structure in which the light is incident from six directions as shown in FIG. 12, and the main light portion extends in six directions to form a radial star shape.

  As described above, in the light emitting display device of the present invention, there are various variations such as the shape of the light emitting region, the shape of the main light emitter, and how to combine the structural units, and various utilization methods are possible.

  In the display device of the present invention, in particular, by placing a plurality of LEDs on the same substrate, the cost of electronic components and harnesses can be reduced, so that a great advantage is produced. Some electronic products have a detachable structure, such as a front structure of a domestic air conditioner indoor unit. When it is desired to display and light such a member, it is necessary to route the harness using a connector or the like in order to attach the electronic component directly to the removable structure. If this is done, the structure becomes complicated, which increases costs, and makes maintenance cumbersome and easily causes failure. On the other hand, according to the present invention, the LED base can be installed on the structure side fixed to the main body (not attached / detached), and the light guide can be installed on the structure side to be attached / detached. A simple light emitting display device free from troubles can be realized.

  In the light emitting display device of the present invention, it is the light emitting area of the main light section directly related to the display, and the sub light guiding section regardless of the display and the installation portion of the LED base are covered with the opaque member and exposed. It is preferable not to do so. The first reason is for aesthetic reasons. Next, if the LED base portion is exposed, light leaking without being incident on the light guide directly enters the viewer's field of view, leading to deterioration in display quality due to extra light. Further, in the light emitting display device of the present invention, dynamic light emission display is possible as it is, but a diffusion plate for diffusing light is provided in front of the display area to diffuse light emitted from the light guide, It is also possible to emit light as the whole diffusion plate surface, and new designability can be given. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, the light emitting display itself is disposed directly out of sight, and the light emitted from the main light is irradiated onto the irradiated object 23 to indirectly observe the illuminated light. Such usage is also possible.

  As the light guide material of the present invention, a highly transparent thermoplastic resin is preferably used, and specific examples thereof include polymethyl (meth) acrylate, polycarbonate, and polyolefin resin. The light guide can be mass-produced at low cost by injection molding using a corresponding mold.

  In the light guide member comprising the main light part and the sub light guide part of the present invention, the sub light guide part is connected to the main light part by an elongated connecting surface in order to guide the controlled light to the main light part. In order to facilitate the molding of the light guide member, to provide mechanical strength, and to facilitate incorporation into an electronic component, the main light part and the sub light guide part and / or It is preferable that the sub light guide parts are partially connected to each other at a place other than the connection surface. In FIG. 14, the connecting portion 24 is provided for the above purpose. Since light leaks also from the main light body and the sub light guide to the connecting portion, the connecting portion can be made as small as possible. Desirably, it is possible to suppress unnecessary light emission and increase the light utilization efficiency.

  As described above, in FIG. 5, a part of the light reaching the reflection pattern 11 is emitted not to the observer side but to the back side. By arranging a material (diffuse reflective or specular reflective) that reflects light behind this back side (back side), the reflected light is also displayed by reflecting the light emitted to the back side to the viewer side. Therefore, such a configuration may be used depending on the purpose.

  One feature of the display device of the present invention is that the back side can be seen through because the light guide is transparent. Therefore, when the display device of the present invention is arranged in front of some structure or in front of a display object such as another display panel, when the display device is not emitting light, the structure on the back side is transparent. It can be used such that the light emitting display of the display device of the present invention can be seen when it is seen and emits light. Specifically, multi-layered display can be performed by disposing the display device of the present invention in front of a liquid crystal panel or the like.

  Furthermore, one or more LEDs can be additionally arranged behind the leading light unit so as to emit light toward the observer side. For example, by controlling each light emission so that the light emission of the rear LED can be seen through the display device of the present invention, the dot-like light of the LED and the belt-like light of the display device of the present invention are controlled. It is possible to provide a display device that displays images in multiple layers.

Effect of the invention

  According to the light emitting display device of the present invention, the light emitted from the LEDs of the main light body and the sub light guide body emits light in a gentle mountain distribution with peaks at different positions of the main light section. Since they overlap, the band-like light emission from the main light part becomes light emission that moves continuously and smoothly by continuously changing the light emission intensity of the LED. This makes it possible to produce effects such that light flows smoothly.

  The present invention can be used as a light emitting display that emits light on a line. In particular, it can be suitably used as a vehicle or game machine illumination.

本発明の発光表示装置を間接照明として使用する使用形態を示す図 導光体の構造を示す斜視図 The figure which shows the basic composition of the light emission display apparatus of this invention The perspective view which shows the basic composition of the light emission display apparatus of this invention Luminance distribution of the main light when the LEDs 1, 2 and 3 emit light respectively Diagram for explaining changes in luminance distribution when the light emission intensities of the LEDs 1, 2 and 3 are changed Side sectional view for explaining the behavior of light transmitted inside the main light guide Figure showing a comparative example with an inappropriate connection surface The figure explaining the difference of the luminance distribution in an example and a comparative example Diagram showing an example of the design of the light emitting area The figure which shows the example of a shape of a main light guide

The figure which shows the usage form which uses the light emission display apparatus of this invention as indirect lighting The perspective view which shows the structure of a light guide

1 LED placed at the end of the main light guide
2, 3 LED arranged at the end of the sub light guide
4 Light-Emitting Display Device 5 Main Light Guide 6, 7 Sub Light Guide 8, 9, 26, 27 Connecting Surface 10 Termination Surface 11 Reflecting Patterns 12-22, 28, 29 Curve 23 Showing Luminance Distribution Irradiated Object 24 Additional Connecting Portion 25 light emitting area

Claims (2)

One or more LEDs that allow light to enter the light guide are arranged at least on one end of the long light guide, and the incident light is reflected to the front in the viewer direction on the back in the longitudinal direction. A leading light portion formed by arranging and forming reflection patterns to be emitted;
A long light guide, which is arranged with a certain range in the longitudinal direction attached to the main light part, and at least one LED that makes light incident on the light guide is arranged at one end thereof, and the other One or more sub light guide parts connected at the side of the main light part by a long and narrow connection surface, and the connection surface reflects incident light from the LED to the sub light guide part on the inner surface. And the incident light beam has a shape that is uniform in the longitudinal direction of the connection surface when being incident on the main light portion from the connection surface,
The emission light from the LEDs of the main light portion and the LEDs of the sub light guide portion is displayed in a strip shape from the front of the main light portion,
By changing the light emission order, the light emission intensity, and the light emission color of the LEDs, the luminance gradation and the light emission color gradation in the band-like display area of the leading light part are changed, and dynamic effect display is performed. Light emitting display. The light-emitting display device according to claim 1, wherein the connection surface has a shape that gradually increases in width in a direction away from the LED side of the main light portion.

Images