Liquid crystal cells – elements and systems – Particular structure – Holder – support – frame – or housing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-25
2001-04-24
Parker, Kenneth (Department: 2871)
Liquid crystal cells, elements and systems
Particular structure
Holder, support, frame, or housing
C349S062000, C349S064000, C349S065000, C361S615000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06222597
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal device including a liquid crystal sealed between a pair of substrates and also to an electronic apparatus constructed using such a liquid crystal device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, liquid crystal devices are used as image display units in a wide variety of devices such as portable telephones, portable electronic terminals, electronic personal organizers, and other electronic devices. Liquid crystal devices are produced by bonding a pair of substrates to each other and enclosing a liquid crystal within a space called a cell gap formed between the substrates.
The substrates are each formed of, for example, a transparent substrate, and transparent electrodes are formed on both substrates such that the transparent electrodes face each other. Polarizers are disposed, as necessary, on the outer surfaces of the pair of substrates. Furthermore, if required, a color filter is disposed on the inner surface of one substrate.
In these liquid crystal devices, the alignment of the liquid crystal is controlled by varying the voltage applied between the electrodes opposing each other via the liquid crystal so as to modulate light supplied to the liquid crystal, thereby displaying an image such as a character, numeral, or pattern. In common liquid crystal devices, the control of the voltage applied between the opposing electrodes is accomplished by a liquid crystal driving integrated circuit (IC) electrically connected to the electrodes.
In a conventional liquid crystal device, as shown in
FIGS. 8 and 9
, a light guide
87
serving as a panel supporting member is disposed on a main substrate
83
which is one component of an electronic apparatus such as a portable telephone, and a liquid crystal panel
82
is placed on the light guide
87
. Furthermore, a cover
80
is placed thereon from above. The cover
80
is connected to the main substrate
83
by engaging an engagement lug
81
formed at the bottom of the cover
80
into an engagement hole
85
thereby fixing the liquid crystal panel
82
at a predetermined location on the main substrate
83
. The cover
80
is usually formed of a metal such as stainless steel.
In the conventional liquid crystal device, the cover
80
is provided primarily to fix the liquid crystal panel
82
to the light guide
87
in such a manner that the liquid crystal panel
82
and the light guide
87
are combined together in an integral fashion. The cover also applies a uniform pressure to an elastic connector
84
disposed between the liquid crystal panel
82
and the main substrate
83
, thereby electrically conductively connecting a panel-side electrode terminal formed on the liquid crystal panel
82
to a main substrate-side electrode terminal formed on the main substrate
83
. However, the cover employed in the conventional liquid crystal device results in an increase in cost and also an increase in the number of assembly steps.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal device having a structure which allows a liquid crystal panel to be fixed using only a light guide (panel supporting member) without necessitating an additional member such as a cover, thereby achieving a reduction in cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
(1) According to an aspect of the present invention, to achieve the above object, there is provided a liquid crystal device comprising a liquid crystal panel including a liquid crystal enclosed between a pair of substrates, at least one of which includes a panel-side electrode terminal, and a light guide which supports the liquid crystal panel and which transmits light from a light source. The liquid crystal device is characterized in that the light guide includes panel fixing means for fixing the liquid crystal panel.
In this liquid crystal device, the liquid crystal panel is fixed on the light guide by the fixing means provided on the light guide, and the light guide is engaged with a main substrate via the engagement means provided on the light guide, thereby mounting the liquid crystal panel at a predetermined location on the main substrate. This ensures that a highly-reliable conductive connection is achieved between the panel-side electrode terminal and the main substrate-side electrode terminal. When an elastic connector is employed to make the electric connection between the panel-side electrode terminal and the main substrate-side electrode terminal, the above-described construction of the liquid crystal device according to the present aspect allows pressure to be applied uniformly to a conductive part of the elastic connector, thereby ensuring that highly-reliable conductive connection is achieved between the panel-side electrode terminal and the main substrate-side electrode terminal. Because such a highly-reliable conductive connection can be obtained using only the light guide without necessitating an additional component such as a cover, reductions in both component cost and assembly cost are achieved.
(2) According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a liquid crystal device comprising a liquid crystal panel including a liquid crystal enclosed between a pair of substrates, at least one of which including a panel-side electrode terminal, a panel supporting member for supporting the liquid crystal panel above a main substrate including a main substrate-side electrode terminal, and an elastic connector for conductively connecting the panel-side electrode terminal and the main substrate-side electrode terminal to each other. The liquid crystal device is characterized in that the panel supporting member includes engagement means which includes an engagement member for engagement with the main substrate and a pressing member for pressing the elastic connector so as to apply pressure thereto.
In this liquid crystal display device, the panel supporting member is fixed on the main substrate via the engagement member and the liquid crystal panel is supported by the panel supporting member such that the liquid crystal panel is fixedly placed at a predetermined location above the main substrate. Furthermore, the pressing member formed on the panel supporting member allows pressure to be applied uniformly to a conductive part of the elastic connector, thereby ensuring that a highly-reliable conductive connection is achieved between the panel-side electrode terminal and the main substrate-side electrode terminal. Because such a highly-reliable conductive connection can be obtained using only the panel supporting member without necessitating an additional member such as a cover, reductions in both component cost and assembly cost are achieved.
In the liquid crystal device constructed in the above-described manner, the “elastic connector” is a connector which is elastically deformed when pressure is applied thereto, wherein the elastic deformation produces an elastic restoring force which allows the pair of terminals opposing each other to be conductively connected. More specifically, a rubber connector shown in
FIG. 3
, a rubber connector shown in
FIG. 4
, or a spring connector shown in
FIG. 5
may be employed.
(3) In the liquid crystal device described above, the pressing member of the engagement means may be formed in an arbitrary structure that allows pressure to be uniformly applied to the elastic connector. More specifically, the uniformly pressing member may be formed as follows: (i) an engagement member for engagement with the main substrate is formed, at a location near the elastic connector, on the panel supporting member such that the engagement member also serves as the pressing member; (ii) the pressing member is realized by a screw or another fastening member which is located near the elastic connector and which serves to fasten the panel supporting member to the main substrate; or (iii) a part of the panel supporting member in accordance with the elastic connector is enhanced in rigidity, thereby allowing the part to serve as the pressing
Harness & Dickey & Pierce P.L.C.
Parker Kenneth
Qi Mike
Seiko Epson Corporation
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