Optical waveguides – Optical fiber bundle – Fiber bundle plate
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-30
2002-09-17
Sanghavi, Hemang (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
Optical fiber bundle
Fiber bundle plate
C345S085000, C359S222100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06453100
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device and a method for producing the same. In particular, the present invention relates to a display device and a method for producing the same to be preferably used for producing a large screen display device by arranging a large number of display components having an optical waveguide plate for introducing light from a light source thereinto.
2. Description of the Related Art
Those hitherto known as the display device include, for example, cathode ray tubes (CRT) and liquid crystal display devices.
Those known as the cathode ray tube include, for example, ordinary television receivers and monitor units for computers. Although the cathode ray tube has a bright screen, it consumes a large amount of electric power. Further, the cathode ray tube involves a problem such that the depth of the entire display device is large as compared with the size of the screen.
On the other hand, the liquid crystal display device is advantageous in that the entire device can be miniaturized, and the display device consumes a small amount of electric power. However, the liquid crystal display device involves problems in that it is inferior in brightness of the screen, and the field angle of the screen is narrow.
In the case of the cathode ray tube and the liquid crystal display device, it is necessary for a color screen to use a number of picture elements (image pixels) which is three times a number of picture elements used in a black-and-white screen. For this reason, other problems occur, for example, the device itself is complicated, a great deal of electric power is consumed, and it is inevitable to cause the increase in cost.
In order to solve the problems described above, the present applicant has suggested a novel display device (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 7-287176). As shown in
FIG. 56
, this display device includes actuator elements
400
arranged for respective picture elements. Each of the actuator elements
400
comprises a main actuator element
408
including a piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer
402
and an upper electrode
404
and a lower electrode
406
formed on upper and lower surfaces of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer
402
respectively, and a substrate
414
including a vibrating section
410
and a fixed section
412
disposed under the main actuator element
408
. The lower electrode
406
of the main actuator element
408
contacts with the vibrating section
410
. The main actuator element
408
is supported by the vibrating section
410
.
The substrate
414
is composed of ceramics in which the vibrating section
410
and the fixed section
412
are integrated into one unit. A recess
416
is formed in the substrate
414
so that the vibrating section
410
is thin-walled.
A displacement-transmitting section
420
for obtaining a predetermined size of contact area with respect to an optical waveguide plate
418
is connected to the upper electrode
404
of the main actuator element
408
. In the illustrative display device shown in
FIG. 56
, the displacement-transmitting section
420
is arranged such that it is located closely near to the optical waveguide plate
418
in the OFF selection state or the unselection state in which the actuator element
400
stands still, while it contacts with the optical waveguide plate
418
in the ON selection state at a distance of not more than the wavelength of the light.
The light
422
is introduced, for example, from a lateral end of the optical waveguide plate
418
. In this arrangement, all of the light
422
is totally reflected at the inside of the optical waveguide plate
418
without being transmitted through front and back surfaces thereof by controlling the magnitude of the refractive index of the optical waveguide plate
418
. In this state, a voltage signal corresponding to an attribute of an image signal is selectively applied to the actuator element
400
by the aid of the upper electrode
404
and the lower electrode
406
so that the actuator element
400
is allowed to make a variety of displacement actions in conformity with the ON selection, the OFF selection, and the unselection. Thus, the displacement-transmitting section
420
is controlled for its contact and separation with respect to the optical waveguide plate
418
. Accordingly, the scattered light (leakage light)
424
is controlled at a predetermined portion of the optical waveguide plate
418
, and a picture image corresponding to the image signal is displayed on the optical waveguide plate
418
.
When a color picture is displayed by using the display component, the following operation is performed. That is, for example, light sources for the three primary colors are switched to control the light emission time for the three primary colors, while synchronizing the contact time between the optical waveguide plate and the displacement-transmitting section with the cycle of color development. Alternatively, the contact time between the optical waveguide plate and the displacement-transmitting section is controlled, while synchronizing the light emission time for the three primary colors with the color development cycle.
Therefore, the illustrative display component suggested by the present applicant is advantageous in that it is unnecessary to increase the number of picture elements as compared with the black-and-white screen, even when the display device is applied to the color display system.
A large number of techniques have been hitherto suggested and practically used in order to produce a large screen display component by arranging a large number of display components (see, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-53675 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 8-17086).
However, when the large screen display device is produced by arranging a large number of display components having the optical waveguide plate as described above, the following problem arises. That is, if the display components are merely assembled with an adhesive or the like, then the light leaks at a boundary portion (juncture portion) of the optical waveguide plate, and the juncture portion is conspicuous.
It is also necessary that the design is made while considering such a feature that any disabled display component can be easily replaced with a new one.
Further, when a large screen display device is installed in a variety of districts, the production cost is effectively reduced if constitutive parts are transported to a working site, and the large screen display device is successfully assembled at the working site, as compared with a case in which the large screen display device is assembled in a factory, and it is transported therefrom.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made taking the foregoing problems into consideration, an object of which is to provide a display device and a method for producing the same which make it possible to allow a juncture portion between display components to be scarcely conspicuous when a large screen display device is produced by arranging the plurality of display components.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a display device excellent in repair performance and a method for producing the same which make it possible to easily exchange a disabled display component with new one, in addition to the requirement described above.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a display device and a method for producing the same which make it possible to assemble the display device at a working site and effectively reduce the production cost.
According to the present invention, there is provided a display device comprising a main display device body including two or more display components arranged on a first principal surface of an optical guide plate for introducing light from a light source thereinto, wherein a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to intervene at least between the op
Nanataki Tsutomu
Noguchi Nobuchika
Ohwada Twao
Takeuchi Yukihisa
Toyama Nobutoshi
Burr & Brown
NGK Insulators Ltd.
Rojas, Jr. Omar
Sanghavi Hemang
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