JP2002278466A - Display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a display device which can be freely bent in such a manner that the relative position of the display panel and the exterior member is identical before and after the device is bent. SOLUTION: The display device 2 has a flexible display panel 4, a flexible upper cover 6 as an exterior of the display panel 4, and a lower cover 8. The display panel 4 is fixed at one point out of the display region by the upper cover 6 through an adhesive sheet 18. The display panel 4 is not fixed but supported on an elastic member 16 disposed on the lower cover 8.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a display device.
The present invention particularly relates to a display device having a flexible display panel (for example, a liquid crystal display panel) provided with a flexible exterior member and having flexibility as a whole.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a flexible liquid crystal display panel is manufactured by forming electrodes on a light and thin film substrate made of resin and holding a liquid crystal layer on the film substrate on which the electrodes are formed. It is possible to do.
One of the applications using such a flexible liquid crystal display panel is to use a flexible exterior member for the exterior of the display panel, to have flexibility as a whole, and to bend freely. The realization of a thin display device that can be performed is expected.

[0003] However, according to the study of the present inventors,
Depending on how the LCD panel is supported on the exterior member,
When the liquid crystal display panel is bent together with the outer member by bending the display device, the liquid crystal display panel portion supported by the outer member receives a tensile force and a compressive force, and in some cases, the electrodes are broken and the liquid crystal display panel is broken. It was found to be damaged. It has also been found that, depending on the way the liquid crystal display panel is packaged by the package member, when the display device is bent back, the positional relationship between the liquid crystal display panel and the package member may be different from before the device was bent.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a display device in which a display panel such as a liquid crystal display panel is externally covered with an external member and which does not easily damage the display panel even if the display device having flexibility as a whole is bent. The purpose is to do.

[0005] The present invention also provides a method for bending a display device before and after bending.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a display device in which the relative positions of a display panel and an exterior member are equal.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of a display device according to the present invention is a display device having a flexible display panel which performs display by being energized, and a flexible display panel. An exterior member for exteriorizing the display panel, wherein the display panel is housed in the exterior member so that at least one end of the display panel and the exterior member slide relatively with the curvature of the exterior member. Features. This allows
When the display device is bent, the exterior member hardly exerts a tensile force or a compressive force on the display panel, and therefore, the display panel is not damaged.

[0007] The display panel may be accommodated in a non-fixed state with respect to the exterior member, or a restriction area may be provided in a part of the display panel to regulate a relative position of the display panel with respect to the exterior member in a surface direction of the display panel. Is also good. In the former case, the degree of freedom in the bending direction of the display device is increased. The former mode can be realized, for example, by providing the exterior member with an upper cover and a lower cover that cover the front and back surfaces of the display panel, and sandwiching the display panel between the upper and lower covers in a non-fixed state.

[0008] The restriction area can be formed in a point shape or a line shape. In the former case, the degree of freedom in the bending direction of the display device is increased, and in the latter case, the relative positions of the exterior member and the display panel are more likely to be equal before and after bending the display device.

The position of the display panel is regulated by fixing the display panel and the exterior member, or by providing a hole in one of the display panel and the exterior member and projecting the other to engage the two. be able to. In the latter case, the shape of the hole may be made directional to restrict the position to only a predetermined direction. Alternatively, linear position regulation may be realized by fixing a plurality of locations or combining holes and projections.

If the position control area is provided outside the display area, the display is hardly hindered and the position control is easily performed.

By further providing an urging member for urging the display panel in the surface direction, it is possible to more easily return the display panel to its original position when the display device is bent.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display device including a flexible display panel for displaying by energization and an exterior member for exteriorly enclosing the display panel, wherein the display panel has a polygonal shape. And at least one corner is held in the exterior member in an unfixed state.

In this aspect, at least the end region including the corner in the non-fixed state, the exterior member exerts a tensile force or a compressive force on the display panel even when the display device is bent at the portion including the corner. It is difficult to operate, so that damage to the display panel can be prevented.

A restricting region for restricting the relative position of the display panel with respect to the exterior member in the surface direction may be provided only on one side of the polygonal display panel or only on one corner of the display panel.

The polygonal shape is typically a rectangle such as a rectangle or a square, but is not limited to this, and various shapes such as a polygon having a triangular shape, a pentagonal shape or more, and a concave shape are available. Used.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display device including a flexible display panel for displaying by energization and an exterior member for exteriorly enclosing the display panel, wherein the display panel includes at least an entire display panel. The peripheral end is held in the exterior member in an unfixed state.

In this embodiment, even when the display device is bent, the exterior member does not easily exert a tensile force or a compressive force on the display panel, and therefore, it is possible to prevent the display panel from being damaged. Further, since the entire peripheral end is in a non-fixed state, the degree of freedom in the bending direction is high.

The display panel may be held in the exterior member in an unfixed state over the entire area, or a part near the center may be fixed to the exterior member.

In any of the above embodiments, the exterior member may have directionality in its bending rigidity.
Thereby, it becomes difficult to bend the display device in a certain direction, and it becomes easy to arrange an electronic component or the like that is vulnerable to bending in the exterior member. In the case where the linear position regulation region is provided, if the bending rigidity is increased in a direction along the regulation region, it is possible to prevent the display panel from being carelessly bent against the position regulation and being damaged.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a display device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, a liquid crystal display panel is adopted as a display panel. However, the present invention is not limited to the liquid crystal display panel, and a flexible display such as an organic electroluminescent display panel using a resin film substrate is used. Applicable to panels.

Embodiment 1 (see FIGS. 1 to 5) FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2 show a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. a)
, The display device 2 is formed in a rectangular shape as a whole. For convenience of explanation, the longitudinal direction of the display device 2 is the front-rear direction, the short direction is the left-right direction, and the thickness direction is the up-down direction.
This will be described below. The display device 2 has a flexible rectangular liquid crystal display panel 4, and the display panel 4 is covered with flexible upper and lower covers 6 and 8.

The upper cover 6 has a rectangular frame-shaped horizontal portion 12 for covering a frame region surrounding the display region 10 of the liquid crystal display panel 4, and extends downward from the horizontal portion 12 along the outer peripheral edge of the horizontal portion 12. And a bent vertical portion 14. The lower cover 8 has substantially the same outer shape as the upper cover 6, and is shown in FIG.
When the upper cover 6 and the lower cover 8 are overlapped with each other as shown in FIG.
Is fixed to the outer peripheral portion through fixing means such as an adhesive (not shown), screws, and fitting portions provided on both the upper cover 6 and the lower cover 8. On the lower cover 8, an elastic member 16 having a shape slightly larger than that of the liquid crystal display panel 4 and made of, for example, polyurethane foam is attached to support the lower surface of the liquid crystal display panel 4. The elastic property of the elastic member 16 is such that even when the liquid crystal display panel 4 is bent together with the display device 2, the liquid crystal display panel 4 receives a local force to change the state of the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal display panel 4, The setting is made so as to prevent the panel 4 from being damaged.

The left and right side surfaces outside the display area 10 of the liquid crystal display panel 4, for example, the left side surface, and the upper cover 6 opposed thereto.
The horizontal portion 12 is a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet 18 extending in the front-rear direction.
Is pasted through. As described above, the liquid crystal display panel 4 is only fixed to the upper cover 6 in a linear manner, and is not fixed to the lower cover 8.
In FIG. 2 which is an exploded perspective view of the display device, the adhesive sheet 18 is shown on the liquid crystal display panel 4 side for convenience, but in the manufacturing process of the display device, the adhesive sheet 18 is placed on the liquid crystal display panel 4 side in advance. After pasting, the liquid crystal display panel 4 and the upper cover 6 may be pasted, or the adhesive sheet 18 may be pasted on the upper cover 6 side before the liquid crystal display panel 4 and the upper cover 6 are pasted. You may make it attach.

Flexible upper and lower covers 6, 8
Is preferably formed of a resin having a low Young's modulus such as ABS resin, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyurethane, vinyl chloride, and nylon. It is desirable to do.

The liquid crystal display panel 4 is formed by sandwiching liquid crystal between resin film substrates made of, for example, flexible polycarbonate or the like, and is a reflection type liquid crystal utilizing selective reflection by a cholesteric phase of the liquid crystal. Panels can be used. A specific example is 100 μm in thickness.
By using a film substrate of about m, a total thickness of 70 is achieved even in a laminated full-color display panel in which three liquid crystal display panels for red display, green display, and blue display are laminated.
It can be suppressed to about 0 μm. Therefore, a very thin flexible display panel having a thickness of less than 1 mm can be obtained even if it is thick.
A flexible display device having a thickness of several mm as described below can be manufactured. In the case of a reflection type liquid crystal display panel using selective reflection of liquid crystal, it is necessary to apply a black paint on the back surface of the liquid crystal display panel 4 or to provide a light absorber such as a black film. When the surface of the elastic member 16 is made black to absorb light, the number of components of the display device 2 can be reduced. A more detailed configuration of the liquid crystal display panel 4 and a control unit that controls display on the liquid crystal display panel 4 will be described in Embodiment 2.

According to such a configuration, when the display device 2 is bent in the left-right direction as shown by the arrow in FIG. 1A, there is a circumferential difference between the upper cover 6 and the liquid crystal display panel 4. . However, the liquid crystal display panel 4 is fixed to the upper cover 6 only on one side, while
Since the liquid crystal display panel 4 and the lower cover 8 are not fixed, a part of the liquid crystal display panel 4 other than the fixed one end at the time of the above bending has a difference in circumferential length between the upper cover 6 and the upper cover 6. You can slide as much as you want. Further, the liquid crystal display panel 4 can freely slide on the elastic member 16 of the lower cover 8. Therefore, even if the peripheral length difference occurs, the liquid crystal display panel 4 does not receive a tensile force or a compressive force as would occur when, for example, the entire peripheral portion surrounding the display area 10 is fixed to the exterior member. 2 can be freely bent in the left-right direction. Also, when the display device 2 is returned to the flat state, the liquid crystal display panel 4 is
8, the display device 2 can return to the position before bending. More specifically, when the display device 2 is returned to the flat state, the display region 10 of the liquid crystal display panel 4 and the frame (horizontal portion 12) of the exterior member 6 configured to surround the region 10 are positioned. Then, the display returns to the positional relationship before the display device 2 is bent without being shifted from each other.

When the display device 2 is bent in the front-rear direction, the liquid crystal display panel 4 is fixed to the upper cover 6 via an adhesive sheet 18 extending in the front-rear direction. It is bent in cooperation with 6. Therefore, if the degree of bending is large, the liquid crystal display panel 4 may be damaged by receiving an excessive tensile force or compressive force from the upper cover 6. Therefore, in order to prevent this, it is desirable to make the bending rigidity of the exterior members 6 and 8 surrounding the liquid crystal display panel 4 have directionality so that the display device 2 is harder to bend in the front-back direction than in the left-right direction. preferable.

Specifically, for example, a large number of rectangular slots 20 whose longitudinal direction is the longitudinal direction are formed in the lower cover 8 as shown in FIG. By forming a large number of grooves 22 extending in the vertical direction, it is possible to make the display device using the lower cover 8 harder to bend in the front-rear direction than in the left-right direction. In these cases, when the display device is bent in the left-right direction, the exterior members 6 and 8 are bent along the slots 20 and the grooves 22.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5 (a), a number of round bars 24 made of a material such as a metal having a spring property, stainless steel, phosphor bronze, or spring steel are connected in parallel to each other. 5B, the lower cover 8 is moved between the elastic member 16 and the lower cover 8 such that the extending direction of the round bar 24 coincides with the front-rear direction of the display device 2 as shown in FIG.
Also, the display device 2 can be harder to bend in the front-rear direction than in the left-right direction. In this case, when bending the display device in the left-right direction, the exterior members 6 and 8 are bent between the round bars 24. As a method of fixing the blind member 26, bonding, welding, and the like can be performed.

Embodiment 2 (See FIGS. 6 to 9) FIGS. 6 and 7 are external views of a display device, that is, an electronic book device according to another embodiment of the present invention. This electronic book device 4
0 has a rectangular first unit 44a and a second unit 44b that are openably and closably connected with the center connecting portion 42 as a fulcrum. For convenience of explanation, each unit 44a, 4
Hereinafter, the longitudinal direction of 4b will be described as the front-back direction, the short direction as the left-right direction, and the thickness direction as the up-down direction. The first and second units 44a and 44b are provided with first and second liquid crystal display panels 4a and 4b driven in a matrix system, respectively. Further, various operation buttons 46 such as a page feed button are arranged in a frame front side area surrounding the display area of the first liquid crystal display panel 4a of the first unit 44a.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 6, and FIG. 9 is an electronic book device 4 without an exterior member.
0 shows a plan view. The configuration of each unit 44a, 44b is similar to the display device 2 described in the first embodiment. Therefore, in the following, different points and points not described in the first embodiment will be described.

Each of the liquid crystal display panels 4a, 4b has flexible upper and lower film substrates 48 (48a, 48b), 50 (50a, 50) arranged at a predetermined interval.
b) and the liquid crystal 52 (52a, 52a,
52b). Although illustration is omitted, a spherical spacer for keeping the distance between the upper and lower substrates 48 and 50 constant is also included. The liquid crystal 52 (5
2a and 52b) are sealed by seal walls 54 (54a and 54b) provided so as to surround the display area 53 (53a and 53b).

A large number of scanning electrodes 56 (56a, 56b) extending in the front-rear direction are formed on the lower surface of each upper substrate 48, and the signal electrodes extending in the left-right direction are formed on the upper surface of each lower substrate 50. A large number 58 (58a, 58b) are formed.

Lower substrate 50 of first liquid crystal display panel 4a
“a” projects leftward and rightward from the upper substrate 48a facing the substrate 50a. The lower substrate 50b of the second liquid crystal display panel 4b projects leftward from the upper substrate 48b facing the substrate 50b. FIG.
As shown in the figure, between the first unit 44a and the second unit 44b, the upper cover 6 of the first unit 44a is provided.
a and an elastic member 60 connecting the upper cover 6b of the second unit 44b and an elastic member 62 connecting the lower cover 8a of the first unit 44a and the lower cover 8b of the second unit 44b. Space is formed. These elastic members 60 and 62 form a part of the appearance of the connecting portion 42.

Lower substrate 50 of first liquid crystal display panel 4a
The right-side protruding end portion a of FIG. 4A and the left-side protruding end portion of the lower substrate 50b of the second liquid crystal display panel 4b are connected by a first flexible substrate 64 extending through the space.

On the surface of the first flexible substrate 64,
A large number of wiring electrodes (not shown) are formed, and these wiring electrodes allow the signal electrode 58a on the right protruding end of the lower substrate 50a of the first liquid crystal display panel 4a and the second liquid crystal display panel. 4b is electrically connected to the signal electrode 58b on the left protruding end of the lower substrate 50b.

The wiring electrodes on the first flexible substrate 64 are connected to the lower substrate 50a of the first and second liquid crystal display panels,
It is preferable that only the portion connected to 50b is exposed and the remaining portion is coated. Further, the first flexible substrate 64 and the lower substrates 50a and 50b of the first and second liquid crystal display panels may be directly connected to each other, but may be an anisotropic conductive member (not shown). It is preferred to connect via. As the flexible substrate, for example, a substrate called a heat seal in which an anisotropic conductive adhesive is previously attached to an exposed portion of the wiring electrode can be suitably used. These matters also apply to the second to fourth flexible substrates described later.

The lower substrate 50 of the first liquid crystal display panel 4a
The left protruding end of the second flexible substrate 6 on which the driving IC 66 for driving the signal electrodes 58a and 58b is mounted.
8 is connected. A large number of wiring electrodes (not shown) are formed on the surface of the second flexible substrate 68, and the signal electrode 58a on the left protruding end is electrically connected to the driving IC 66 via the wiring electrode. It is to be done.

Upper substrate 48 of first liquid crystal display panel 4a
“a” protrudes forward from the lower substrate 50a facing the substrate 48a. The scanning electrode 56a extended to the front protruding end is pulled out to the left, and the third flexible substrate 70 disposed on the left of the front protruding end is provided.
It is electrically connected to a wiring electrode (not shown) formed above. Similarly, the upper substrate 48b of the second liquid crystal display panel 4b projects forward from the lower substrate 50b facing the substrate 48b. The scanning electrode 56b extending to the front protruding end is drawn out to the left, and the fourth flexible substrate 72 disposed between the left side of the front protruding end and the right side of the front protruding end of the upper substrate 48a. It is electrically connected to a wiring electrode on the third flexible substrate 70 via a wiring electrode (not shown) formed thereon and an electrode group 74 formed at a front protruding end of the upper substrate 48a. . The wiring electrodes of the third flexible substrate 70 are connected to a driving IC 76 for driving the scanning electrodes 56a and 56b.

In the first unit 44a, the first liquid crystal display panel 4a includes an upper cover 6a and a display area 53.
The left side surface 78a of a is fixed via an adhesive sheet (not shown) extending in the front-rear direction. On the other hand, the second unit 4
In 4b, the second liquid crystal display panel 4b is fixed to the upper cover 6b via an adhesive sheet (not shown) extending in the front-rear direction on the right side surface 78b of the display area 53b.

According to such a configuration, as in the first embodiment, each unit 44a, 44b of the electronic book device 40
Can be freely bent in the left-right direction as shown by arrows in FIG. However, when one of the units is bent, the bending of the liquid crystal display panel in that unit is caused by the first bending.
The first flexible substrate 64 should be connected with a sufficient length between the liquid crystal display panels 4a and 4b so as not to act as a tensile force on the flexible substrate 64 and the other liquid crystal display panel. desirable.

When each unit 44a, 44b is bent in the front-rear direction, as in the first embodiment, if the degree of bending is large, the liquid crystal display panels 4a, 4b
a, 6b may be damaged by excessive tensile or compressive force. Also, the first and second units 4a, 4a
There is a possibility that the connecting portion 42 connecting between 4b may be broken.
Further, in order to prevent this, Embodiment 1
Each unit 44 is used in the front-rear direction as compared with the left-right direction by using the method using the slot 20 or the groove 22 illustrated in FIG.
Preferably, a and 44b are hardly bent.

A slot for inserting a recording medium such as a memory card storing information to be displayed on the liquid crystal display panels 4a and 4b, a control unit for controlling the drive ICs 66 and 76, and other electronic book devices are required. Parts, electronic components, for example, the display area 53 of the first unit 44a.
It is provided together with the drive ICs 66 and 76 on the left side of FIG. In the latter case, the electronic components and the like are arranged so as to avoid the bent positions of the exterior members 6a and 8a (the positions along the slots 20 and the grooves 22 shown in the first embodiment).

Third Embodiment (See FIGS. 10 to 14) FIGS. 10 to 12 show a display device according to still another embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 80 is formed in a rectangular shape as a whole. For convenience of explanation, the longitudinal direction of the display device 80 is the front-back direction, the short direction is the left-right direction, and the thickness direction is the up-down direction.
This will be described below. The display device 80 is similar to the display device 2 according to the first embodiment, but instead of the upper cover, a film-like protective sheet 82 covers the upper surface of the liquid crystal display panel 4c. In the protective sheet 82, at least a portion 84 corresponding to the display area 10c of the liquid crystal display panel 4c is formed of a transparent material. As shown in FIG. 10B, the entire peripheral edge of the protective sheet 82 is formed of the lower cover 8c. It is attached to the outer peripheral edge with an adhesive or the like.

Although the liquid crystal display panel 4c is disposed on the elastic member 16c attached to the lower cover 8c, it is not fixed to any of the elastic member 16c and the protection sheet 82. The protection sheet 82 supports the upper and lower surfaces of the panel.

As shown in FIG. 11C, a flexible substrate 68c on which a drive IC 66c, a control unit of the drive IC, a power supply and the like are mounted is anisotropically mounted on an end of the lower substrate 50c of the liquid crystal display panel 4c. They are connected by a conductive member (not shown). In addition, as shown in FIG.
The electrode 56c of c is laterally routed at the end, and is further connected to an electrode group 79 formed on the lower substrate 50c via an anisotropic conductive member (not shown) (for example, regions A and B in the figure). Connected). Electrode group 79 and lower substrate 50c
Of the driving IC on the flexible substrate 68c
66 is electrically connected.

According to such a configuration, even if the display device 80 is bent in the left-right direction and the front-rear direction as shown by the arrows in FIG. 10A, the liquid crystal display panel 4c can maintain the protective sheet 82 and lower cover 8c. Is not fixed to any of the above, and therefore, it does not receive the above-described tensile force / compressive force. Therefore, the display device 80 can be freely bent in the left-right direction and the front-back direction.

The portion 84 of the protective sheet 82 corresponding to the display area 10c may be an opening instead of being formed of a transparent material.

As shown in FIG. 13, when the display device 80 is returned to a flat state by attaching the center of the rear surface of the display panel to the lower cover 8c side with an adhesive 85 in a dot-like manner. The liquid crystal display panel 4c is attached to the protective sheet 82
Alternatively, the lower cover 8c may be returned to the original position. Also in this case, since the entire peripheral end of the display panel is not fixed to the exterior member, the degree of freedom in the bending direction of the display device is high.

Further, as shown in FIG. 14, a pin 88 is projected from the lower cover 8c so as to penetrate the elastic member 16c, and is fitted in a fitting hole 87 formed in the display panel 4c to form a point-like regulation. By providing the region, when the display device 80 is returned to a flat state, the liquid crystal display panel 4
c may be returned to the original position with respect to the protection sheet 82 and the lower cover 8c.

In any case, as shown in FIG. 14, for example, when a guide 88 is provided on the exterior member side along the side surface of the display panel, when the bending of the display device is eliminated, the display panel returns to the original position. Return will be smoother.

Embodiment 4 (see FIGS. 15 to 17) FIGS. 15 and 16 show a display device according to still another embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. It is formed in a rectangular shape as a whole. For convenience of description, the display device 90 according to the present embodiment will be described below with the longitudinal direction being the front-rear direction, the short direction being the left-right direction, and the thickness direction being the up-down direction. The display device 90 is similar to the display device 2 according to the first embodiment, but differs in a method of fixing the upper cover 6d to the liquid crystal display panel 4d.
Note that the liquid crystal display panel 4d is not fixed to the lower cover 8d and is only supported by the elastic member 16d attached to the lower cover 8d, as in the above embodiment.

Hereinafter, a specific method of fixing the upper cover 6d and the liquid crystal display panel 4d will be described with reference to FIGS. 17 (a) and 17 (b). In FIG. 17A, the upper cover 6d
The horizontal portion 12d has pins 92A and 92B having a circular cross section extending perpendicularly to the surface of the horizontal portion, facing the right rear portion and the right front portion of the liquid crystal display panel 4d, respectively. As shown in FIG. 17B, these two pins 92A and 92B are provided with holes 94A and 94 formed at two corners of the liquid crystal display panel 4d.
B, and a liquid crystal display panel 4d with a washer (not shown) attached as a stopper.
Are supported by the upper cover 6d. In addition,
In the figure, the shapes of the holes 94A and 94B and the pins 92A and 9B are shown.
In order to clarify the relationship with 2B, only the holes 94A and 94B and the pins 92A and 92B are enlarged and exaggerated.

Two holes 94A provided in the upper cover 6d,
94B has a different shape as shown in the figure. That is, the right rear hole 94A is provided with the pin 92A of the liquid crystal display panel 4d.
The hole 94B at the right front part
Is an oblong hole long in the front-rear direction.

More specifically, the right rear reference hole 94A
Has an inner diameter that fits into the pin 92A with little or no play in any radial direction.

The oblong hole 94B on the right front has a minor axis that is the same as the diameter of the reference hole 94A, and has no or little play in the left-right direction with respect to the pin 92B. , And has a predetermined play in the front-rear direction with respect to the pin 92B. The dimension having the predetermined play is a dimension that allows a perimeter difference generated between the upper cover 6d and the liquid crystal display panel 4d when the display device 90 is bent in the front-rear direction.

According to such a configuration, when the display device 90 is bent in the front-rear direction, a peripheral length difference occurs between the upper cover 6d and the liquid crystal display panel 4d.
d does not receive a tensile or compressive force from the upper cover 6d. On the other hand, the liquid crystal display panel 4d and the lower cover 8d are not fixed, and the liquid crystal display panel 4d is
d can freely slide on the elastic member 16d. As described above, the display device 90 can be freely bent in the front-rear direction. Further, when the display device 90 is returned to the flat state, the liquid crystal display panel 4d can return to the original position with respect to the exterior members 6d and 8d by the pins 92A and 92B as the regulating members.

On the other hand, when the display device 90 is bent in the left-right direction, there is a circumferential difference in the left-right direction between the upper cover 6d and the liquid crystal display panel 4d. However, the liquid crystal display panel 4d is fixed linearly only on the upper cover 6d and on one side (upper two places) outside the display area 10d, while the liquid crystal display panel 4d and the lower cover 8d are fixed. As a result, during the bending, the liquid crystal display panel 4d is connected to the elastic member 16 of the lower cover 8d.
d. It can slide freely on the left and right directions. Therefore, the liquid crystal display panel 4d does not receive a tensile force or a compressive force even if the circumferential length difference occurs, and the display device 90 can be freely bent in the left-right direction. When the display device 90 is returned to the flat state, the liquid crystal display panel 4
d can return to the original position with respect to the exterior members 6d and 8d.

Embodiment 5 (see FIG. 18) FIGS. 18A and 18B show another method of supporting the liquid crystal display panel by the upper cover. For convenience of description, the longitudinal direction of the upper cover and the liquid crystal display panel will be referred to as the front-rear direction, the lateral direction will be referred to as the left-right direction, and the thickness direction will be referred to as the vertical direction.

More specifically, in the case of FIG. 18A, a pin 100 is provided at one corner (right rear part) of the horizontal portion of the upper cover 6e in the same manner as in the fourth embodiment, and the liquid crystal display panel 4e is correspondingly provided. Is provided with a hole 102. The relationship between the pin 100 and the hole 102 is the same as the relationship between the pin 92A and the hole 94A in the fourth embodiment, and the hole 102 fits the pin 100 exactly.

Elastic members 104R and 104L made of, for example, polyurethane foam, rubber, etc. are attached to the right front portion and the left front portion of the horizontal portion, respectively. These elastic members 104R and 104L respectively have flat display devices. In this state, a part of the right end face and a part of the left end face of the liquid crystal display panel 4e are brought into contact with a small pressing force to urge the display panel in the surface direction. The magnitude of the pressing force is determined by bending the display device (the liquid crystal display panel 4e and the upper cover 6e) in the left-right direction.
The elastic members 104R and 104L are set so as to keep in contact with the right and left end surfaces of the liquid crystal display panel 4e even when a circumferential length difference occurs between the liquid crystal display panel 4e and the upper cover 6e. According to this configuration, the display device (the liquid crystal display panel 4e)
When the upper cover 6e) is returned to the flat state, the liquid crystal display panel 4e can return to the original position with respect to the upper cover 6e (and the lower cover (not shown)).

The contact surfaces of the elastic members 104R and 104L with the liquid crystal display panel 4e are formed in a substantially flat surface so as to be parallel to the right end surface and the left end surface of the liquid crystal display panel 4e. When the (liquid crystal display panel 4e and the upper cover 6e) are bent in the front-rear direction,
The liquid crystal display panel 4e can slide along the contact surface. Therefore, when the display device (the liquid crystal display panel 4e and the upper cover 6e) is thereafter returned to the flat state, the liquid crystal display panel 4e becomes the upper cover 6e.
(And a lower cover (not shown)).

The upper cover 6 of the liquid crystal display panel 4e
e, members 104 (104R, 104R,
As 4L), for example, a resin spring, a coil spring, a leaf spring, or the like may be used instead of using polyurethane foam, rubber, or the like.

Further, the liquid crystal display panel 4e is
18E, instead of using the pin 100 and the hole 102 to fix it, a point may be fixed via an adhesive tape, an adhesive, or the like as shown in FIG.
Indicated at 06. ).

[0065]

According to the present invention, in a display device having a flexible structure as a whole, in which the display panel is covered with a cover member, the display device can be bent without damaging the display panel. Further, by providing the restriction region, when the display device is returned to the original flat state after being bent, the display panel and the exterior member can be returned to the original positional relationship without displacement.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of a display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1B is a sectional view taken along the line Ib-Ib in FIG.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the display device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the lower cover.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing still another embodiment of the lower cover.

FIG. 5A is a schematic perspective view showing a cord-like member to be sandwiched between a lower cover and an elastic member. (B) FIG.
Sectional drawing which shows the modification of the display device which interposed the cord-shaped member of (a).

FIG. 6 is a schematic top view showing a state in which an electronic book device which is a display device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention is opened.

7 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the electronic book device shown in FIG. 6 is closed.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. 6;

9 is a plan view of the electronic book device of FIG. 6 without an exterior member.

10A is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of a display device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. FIG. (B) Xb-X in FIG.
Sectional drawing along the b line.

FIG. 11 (c) is an enlarged sectional view showing the periphery of a control unit of the display device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. (D) In the display device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, a plan view when only the liquid crystal display panel and the control unit are viewed from the lower surface side of the liquid crystal display panel.

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing a display device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view showing a modification of the display device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view showing another modification of the display device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a display device according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view showing a display device according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

FIG. 17A is a perspective view of FIG. 16 when only the liquid crystal display panel and the upper cover are viewed from the lower surface side of the liquid crystal display panel. (B) A top view showing a state where the liquid crystal display panel is supported by the upper cover in the display device according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

FIG. 18A is a top view showing a state where the liquid crystal display panel is supported on the upper cover by another supporting method. (B)
FIG. 9 is a top view showing a state where the liquid crystal display panel is supported on the upper cover by another supporting method.

[Explanation of symbols]

2: display device, 4: liquid crystal display panel, 6: upper cover,
8: lower cover, 10: display area, 12: horizontal portion of upper cover, 14: vertical portion of upper cover, 16: elastic member,
18: adhesive sheet, 40: electronic book device, 42: connecting portion, 44a: first unit, 44b: second unit, 82: protective sheet, 92A: pin, 92B: pin,
94A: Reference hole, 94B: Oval hole, 100: Pin, 1
02: hole, 104R: elastic member, 104L: elastic member.

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A display device comprising: a flexible display panel for displaying by energization; and a flexible exterior member for covering the display panel, wherein the display is performed according to the curvature of the exterior member. A display device, wherein a display panel is housed in an exterior member such that at least one end of the panel and the exterior member relatively slide. 2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display panel is accommodated in a non-fixed state with respect to the exterior member. 3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein a restriction area is provided in a part of the display panel, the restriction position being restricted in a plane direction of the display panel with respect to an exterior member. 4. The display device according to claim 3, wherein the regulation area is formed in a linear shape. 5. The display device according to claim 3, wherein the restriction area is formed in a point shape. 6. The display device according to claim 3, wherein the restriction area is provided outside a display area. 7. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising an urging member for urging the display panel in a surface direction thereof. 8. A display device comprising: a flexible display panel for displaying by energization; and a flexible exterior member for covering the display panel, wherein the display panel is formed in a polygonal shape. A display device, wherein at least one corner portion is held by an exterior member in a non-fixed state. 9. The display device according to claim 8, wherein a restricting region for restricting a relative position of the display panel with respect to the exterior member in a surface direction of the display panel is provided only on one side of the display panel. 10. The display device according to claim 8, wherein a regulation region is provided only at one corner of the display panel to regulate a relative position of the display panel with respect to the exterior member in a surface direction of the display panel. 11. A display device comprising: a flexible display panel that performs display by being energized; and a flexible outer member that externally covers the display panel, wherein the display panel has at least an entire peripheral portion. Is held by the exterior member in a non-fixed state. 12. The display device according to claim 11, wherein the display panel is held by the exterior member in a non-fixed state over the entire area. 13. The display device according to claim 1, wherein said exterior member has directionality in bending rigidity. 14. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display panel is a liquid crystal display panel.