JP2857854B2 - EL display device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thin-type EL display device in which characters and figures are formed by using EL elements and arranged on a signboard or the like and used for advertising.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional EL display device, characters and patterns are printed on a thin EL element, cut, and arranged on a base material in a fixed layout, and an FPC is installed on an electrode portion of the EL element. In addition, there is a configuration in which a drive circuit of the EL element and the FPC are connected using a lead wire, and this is covered with a transparent plate.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional device, wiring for connecting a drive circuit with EL elements such as characters and figures arranged on a base material after deciding a certain advertising layout is troublesome. It was expensive and expensive. In addition, once the layout is determined and the EL elements are arranged, the layout cannot be changed. Even if the user wants to change characters and graphics to display different advertising contents, he must create a new one completely separately. However, there is a problem that reuse is difficult and wasteful. In particular, when a plurality of characters or figures are independently controlled to blink, there has been a problem that wiring becomes more complicated and the cost increases in terms of work processes and parts.

[0004]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a method of separating an EL element forming characters and figures from a base material on which electrodes connected to a drive circuit are formed. And the EL element and the base material are elastically sandwiched between them so that they are electrically connected to each other. Then, by releasing the sandwiching, the characters and figures, which are EL elements, are separated again, appropriately rearranged, and then combined with the same base material to be reused. In addition, since wiring is not performed one by one, it is easy to make, the work process is simple, and the cost can be reduced.

[0005]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a light emitting layer containing a light emitting body, an insulating layer containing a high dielectric substance, and a back electrode layer are sequentially laminated on a transparent electrode layer formed on the back surface of a transparent substrate. At least one EL element is formed.
The above-described EL element is placed between a substrate on which at least one pair of electrodes connected to a driving circuit for driving the L element is disposed and at least one elastic body facing the electrode. The part is sandwiched so as to be connected to a part of the electrode on the base material.

When a plurality of the above EL elements are provided, by providing a plurality of pairs of electrodes on the base material so that the plurality of EL elements can be independently controlled to be turned on, it is possible to display a variety of effects, which is effective. . The plurality of pairs of electrodes are arranged on the base material, each being arranged in a straight line, and it is preferable that the length of each is shortened stepwise, and further, each is arranged on the base material in a straight line. The distances may be set so that the EL elements can be arranged.

It is preferable to dispose a transparent plate on the front surface of the elastic body so as to cover the EL element, or to form the base material so as to cover the EL element in order to protect the EL element. Further, the material of the base material may be an elastic body or a transparent base material. In addition, it is preferable that the electrode portion of the EL element be formed in a shape that matches the electrode formed on the base material, from the viewpoint of making the connection reliable and easy. Further, the above-mentioned EL element has a meaningful shape or a multicolor printing surface by itself.

[0008] In the EL display device configured as described above, only by sandwiching the base material, the EL element, and the elastic body, the EL display device is provided.
Since the connection between the element and the driving circuit for supplying the driving signal to the element is completed, the wiring is not troublesome, and stable lighting control of the EL element is realized. Further, when it is desired to change the display content, the substrate, the EL element and the elastic body are separated by simply releasing the sandwich, so that the EL element having the desired display content is selected and held between the base material and the elastic body. If this is the case, the display device of the present invention is completed again, so that the assembly can be made extremely easy and inexpensive.
Since the EL element, the base material, and the elastic body can be reused, the cost can be reduced accordingly.

[0009]

1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the present invention. The substrate 1 made of a transparent acrylic plate is made of EL described later.
The electrodes are formed in a shape covering the element, and bus electrodes 3a and 3b made of copper tape electrically connected to the drive circuit 2 are arranged in pairs at the upper end and lower end, respectively. doing. Since the two pairs of electrodes 3 are used to independently control the lighting of two EL elements described later, one pair is provided for one EL element, and three pairs are provided for three EL elements. The bus electrode 3a is connected to the transparent electrode layer of the EL element, and the bus electrode 3b is connected to the back electrode layer of the EL element, and is provided in a mutually insulated state.

The EL element 4 has a transparent electrode formed by depositing ITO on the back surface of a transparent base film (transparent substrate) 4a made of a synthetic resin such as a PET film, as shown in a cross section in FIG. A layer (4b) is formed, a part (peripheral portion) of this transparent electrode layer is exposed, and a light emitting layer (4c), an insulating layer (4d), and a back electrode layer (4e) are sequentially laminated on the other transparent electrode layers. It is. The light emitting layer 4c is made of an ink obtained by mixing and agitating a light emitting body obtained by doping copper into zinc sulfide as a fluorescent substance, and a fluororesin binder.
The back electrode layer 4e is made of an ink obtained by mixing and stirring barium titanate as a high dielectric substance and a fluororesin binder.
Are sequentially formed by screen printing or the like using a carbon paste. A back protective layer 4f is provided on the back surface of the back electrode layer 4e, and is formed of an insulating material such as silicon, vinyl chloride, or the like. An exposed portion is also provided on a part (peripheral portion) of the insulating layer 4d, and an exposed portion is also provided on a part (peripheral portion) of the back electrode layer 4e.

As shown in FIG. 3, a character such as "A" or "x", which has a meaning itself, is cut from an EL element plate laminated and formed in such a configuration.
They are used as elements 4 and 4. In the letter A, the lower end is cut so as to include the transparent electrode layer 4b exposed on the lower side of the EL element plate, and in the letter x, the upper end is a transparent electrode exposed on the upper side of the EL element plate. Cutting is performed so as to include the electrode layer 4b. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, at the lower end of the letter A, the transparent electrode layer 4b and the back electrode layer 4e are exposed in an insulated state by the insulating layer 4d.
The electrode section of the element 4 is formed. Although not shown, a similar electrode portion is formed on the upper end of the character X. This electrode portion is provided with an electrode 3 (bus electrodes 3a, 3b) on the base material 1.
It is formed in the shape which matches.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a transparent plate 5 made of an acrylic plate is provided so as to cover the front surfaces of the EL elements 4 and 4. 3
a, an elastic body 6 made of rubber or the like so as to face
6 are arranged.

The EL elements 4 and 4 are sandwiched between the substrate 1 and the elastic body 6. That is, the electrode portions of the EL elements 4 and 4 are
The elastic body 6 on the back of the transparent plate 5 is brought into contact with the upper electrodes 3 and 3.
The electrode 6 is opposed to the electrodes 3, 3, and is sandwiched and integrated by the sandwiching members 7, 7. A metal elastic body is used for the holding member 7, and the electrodes of the EL elements 4, 4 are pressed against the electrodes 3, 3 on the substrate 1 and electrically connected together with the elastic force of the elastic body 6. It is.

The bus electrodes 3a, 3b are connected to the lead wires 8a, 8
It is connected to the drive circuit 2 via b. The drive circuit 2 has a power supply turned on and off.
A toggle switch Sw for supplying a current of V, 400 Hz is provided, and a dial D whose frequency can be changed is provided. C is a code, and P is a plug.

When the EL elements 4 and 4 are sandwiched between the base material 1 and the transparent plate 5 as described above, the character A as the EL element
Is electrically connected to the bus electrodes 3a and 3b at its lower end, and the character x, which is an EL element, is electrically connected to the bus electrodes 3a and 3b at its upper end. Thus, the connection with the drive circuit 2 is completed. Therefore, by supplying a drive signal from the drive circuit 2 to each of the EL elements 4 and 4, lighting control of the EL elements can be independently performed.

When the holding members 7, 7 are removed, the EL element 4
Is separated from the base material 1, it is extremely easy to connect the drive circuit 2 at the same time by replacing the EL element with another EL element so as to display a different display and holding it again.

In the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the transparent plate shown in the first embodiment is omitted and
The lighting of the two EL elements is linked. For this purpose, an electrode 13 composed of bus electrodes 13a and 13b is provided only on the upper end of the base material 11 having a shape covering the EL elements 14 and 14, and as shown in FIG.
Each of the elements 4 and 14 is cut from the EL element plate so that the upper end has an electrode portion composed of the transparent electrode layer 14b, the insulating layer 14d, and the back electrode layer 14e. Then, the elastic member 16 similar to that of the first embodiment is interposed and held by the holding member 17. Therefore, the lead wires 8a, 8
b when the driving signal is supplied via the two ELs
The elements 14 are controlled so as to be turned on at the same time.
14f is a back protective layer.

In the third embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the base material shown in the first embodiment is used as a base material 21 having the minimum shape required for arranging the bus electrodes. An electrode 23 composed of bus electrodes 23a and 23b is provided thereon. E
The L elements 24, 24 are the same as those described with reference to FIG. 8, and have an electrode at the upper end. An elastic body 26 is provided at the upper end of the rear surface of the transparent plate 25 similar to that of the first embodiment, and is held by a holding member 27. The lighting of the two EL elements 24, 24 is controlled simultaneously. When the base member 21 is formed of an elastic body, the elastic body 26 on the transparent plate 25 side may be omitted.

In the fourth embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the transparent plate shown in the first embodiment is omitted,
The base material is a base material 31 having a minimum necessary shape for arranging the bus electrode, and the electrode 33 including the bus electrodes 33a and 33b is provided on the base material. The EL elements 34, 34 are the same as those described with reference to FIG. 8, and have an electrode portion at the upper end. The elastic body 3 facing the bus electrodes 33a, 33b
6 are provided and held by the holding member 37. The lighting control of the two EL elements 34, 34 is simultaneously performed. Also in this case, when the base material 31 is formed of an elastic body, the elastic body 36 may be omitted.

In the fifth embodiment shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the plurality of EL elements 44, 44, 44 are controlled to be turned on independently, and are similar to those shown in the first embodiment. A pair of bus electrodes 43a, 43 is provided on the lower end of the base 41.
Three pairs of electrodes 43 made of b are arranged. The electrodes of each pair are arranged in a straight line, and the length is reduced stepwise. "A"
EL elements 44, 44, 44 consisting of the characters "x" and "y"
Have an electrode portion at the lower end thereof. The letter A is connected to the shortest bus electrodes 43a, 43b, the letter x is connected to the intermediate bus electrodes 43a, 43b, and the letter y is connected to the longest bus electrodes 43a, 43b. The elastic bodies 46 are provided at the upper end and the lower end of the transparent plate 45, and the elastic body at the lower end is configured to face all of the three pairs of electrodes 43. The three pairs of electrodes 43 are connected to the drive circuit 2 via corresponding lead wires 48a and 48b, respectively. As described in the first embodiment, the upper and lower ends are held by the holding members 47 and 47. With this configuration, the lighting of the three EL elements 44 is independently controlled. Other substantially same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

FIGS. 15 to 18 show a sixth embodiment. This example also has two ELs consisting of the letters "A" and "x".
The lighting of the elements 54 and 54 is controlled independently, and a pair of bus electrodes 5 are provided at the center and right end of the base material 51.
Two pairs of electrodes 53 composed of 3a and 53b are arranged. The electrodes of each pair are arranged in a straight line, and the distance between the electrodes is a distance at which the EL element can be arranged. Each of the EL elements 54 has an electrode portion projecting rightward from the lower end thereof. The letter A is the central bus electrode 53a, 53
b, and the letter x is the rightmost bus electrode 53a, 53b.
b. An elastic body 56 is provided at the left end on the back surface of the transparent plate 55, and at the center and right end facing the bus electrode. The two pairs of electrodes 53 are respectively associated with lead wires 58.
The lead wires are connected to the drive circuit 2 through through holes 57a formed in a holding member 57 for holding the upper end. The lower end side is also held by the holding member 57 in the same manner as described in the first embodiment. With this configuration, the lighting of the two EL elements 54 is independently controlled. Other substantially same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

FIG. 17 shows an EL device having the same structure as that described with reference to FIG. 3 except that an electrode portion comprising a transparent electrode layer 54b, an insulating layer 54d, and a back electrode layer 54e is formed to project rightward from the lower end. An example of cutting the elements 54, 54 is shown. The electrode portion of the letter A may be cut so as to include the electrode portion located on the right side of the back surface of the rectangular element plate, and the electrode portion of the letter x may include the electrode portion located on the lower side of the rectangular element plate. What is necessary is to cut. By this cutting, as shown in FIG. 18, an electrode portion projecting leftward can be formed at the lower end of the character A when viewed from the back side. The same applies to the character x. 54f is a back surface protective layer.

FIGS. 19 and 20 show a seventh embodiment. In this example, an EL element 64 in which the character "A" is displayed on a multicolor printing surface is used. As shown in the cross section of FIG. 19B, a transparent electrode layer 64b is formed on the back surface of the transparent base material 64a, and the outer peripheral portion of the transparent electrode layer is used as an exposed portion, and the transparent electrode layer 64b is formed on other transparent electrode layers. The light emitting layer 64c and the insulating layer 64d are sequentially laminated, and the EL element is formed by laminating the back electrode layer 64e on the other back surface with the outer peripheral portion of the insulating layer 64d as an exposed portion. This is the same as the configuration of the EL element used in the first embodiment. However, in the EL element 64 in this example, when forming the above-mentioned light emitting layer 64c, the portion 64c1 of the character A to be displayed is made to emit red light, for example, and the other portion 64c2 of the ground is made to emit yellow light. After the portion 64c1 of the character A is screen-printed using an ink containing a luminous body that emits red light in a binder, the other portion 64c2 of the background is printed.
Is screen-printed using an ink containing a luminous body that emits yellow light in a binder. In each of the portions 64c1 and 64c2, a slit 64c3 is formed along the lower side, and another slit 64c4 is formed above the slit 64c3 at a predetermined interval. Both slits have a depth reaching the transparent electrode layer 64b. Therefore, when the insulating layer 64d is formed on the back surface of the light emitting layer 64c, the insulating ink enters the slits 64c3 and 64c4 and comes into contact with the transparent electrode layer 64b.

In the EL element 64 having such a structure, when a voltage is applied between the transparent electrode layer 64b and the back electrode layer 64e, the letter "A" that emits red light changes to the ground color that emits yellow light. Appears as a background. The characters to be displayed are not limited to A, and various characters and graphics can be displayed on the multicolor printing surface having the above-described configuration.

FIG. 20 shows the EL element 64 created in FIG.
Is disposed on the base material 61, and the base material 61 is provided with electrodes 63 composed of a pair of bus electrodes 63a and 63b as described with reference to FIG.
The letter "A" has an electrode portion at the lower end where the transparent electrode layer 64b, the insulating layer 64d, and the back electrode layer 64e are exposed, and is therefore connected to the lower bus electrodes 63a and 63b. Since the back electrode layer 64e is an opaque portion separated by the slits 64c3 and 64c4 into which the insulating layer 64d enters, accurate positioning can be easily performed by overlapping this portion on the bus electrode 63b. . The structure for connecting the electrode portion of the EL element and the bus electrode by sandwiching them is the same as in the above-described example. In addition, you may comprise so that it may clamp using a screw etc. without using a clamping member.

[0026]

The present invention is embodied in the form described above and has the following effects. The EL element is pressed and sandwiched via an elastic body so that the electrode portion of the EL element is connected to a part of the electrode provided on the base material and connected to the driving circuit. Is completed, the wiring is not troublesome, and stable lighting control of the EL element can be realized. If you want to change the display content, simply release the pinch and
Since the L element and the elastic body are separated, the desired display content E
If the L element is selected and sandwiched between the above-described base material and the elastic body, the display device of the present invention is completed again, and assembly is extremely easy and inexpensive. Since the EL element, the base material, and the elastic body can be reused, it is effective for achieving a reduction in cost.

Also, since a plurality of EL elements are provided and a plurality of pairs of electrodes are provided and connected on the base material, a plurality of EL elements are provided.
It is possible to control the lighting of the L element independently, and it is possible to display in a variety of ways, and to significantly enhance the display effect. Since the plurality of pairs of electrodes are arranged in a straight line and their lengths are shortly arranged in a stepwise manner, or the mutual distances are arranged so as to be a distance at which the EL element can be arranged.
The electrode configuration is simple and space efficiency can be improved.

Further, since a transparent plate is disposed on the front surface of the elastic body so as to cover the EL element, or the base is formed so as to cover the EL element, the protection of the EL element can be ensured. Further, when the material of the base material is an elastic body, the elastic body can also serve as the base material, so that the configuration can be simplified and the cost can be reduced. When the base material is a transparent base material, only the display by the EL element can be emphasized. In addition, since the electrode portion of the EL element is formed in a shape that matches the electrode formed on the base material, the connection of the electrode can be reliably and easily performed when sandwiching.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of the same.

FIG. 3 shows an EL for cutting the EL element used in the above.
It is a rear view of an element plate.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of an electrode portion of the EL element.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the cut EL element.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a developed perspective view of the same.

FIG. 8 shows an EL for cutting the EL element used in the above.
It is a rear view of an element plate.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a third embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a developed perspective view of the same.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a developed perspective view of the same.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of the above.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment.

FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of the above.

FIG. 17 is a diagram E for cutting the EL element used in the embodiment.
It is a rear view of an L element plate.

FIG. 18 is a rear view of the cut EL element.

FIG. 19A is a front view of an EL device according to a seventh embodiment, and FIG. 19B is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line AA.

FIG. 20 is a front view showing a state where the EL element of FIG. 19 is arranged on a base material.

[Explanation of symbols]

1,11,21,31,41,51,61 Substrate 2 Drive circuit 3,13,23,33,43,53,63 Electrode on substrate 4,14,24,34,44,54,64 EL Element 4a, 64a Transparent substrate 4b, 14b, 54b, 64b Transparent electrode layer 4c, 64c Light emitting layer 4d, 14d, 54d, 64d Insulating layer 4e, 14e, 54e, 64e Back electrode layer 5, 25, 45, 55 Transparent plate 6,16,26,36,46,56, elastic body

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-2-260389 (JP, A) JP-A-2-253590 (JP, A) JP-A-2-281593 (JP, A) JP-A-9-99 82471 (JP, A) Japanese Utility Model Hei 1-113994 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 63-168995 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Utility Model 63-150496 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. ⁶ , DB name) H05B 33/26 H05B 33/06

Claims (10)

(57) [Claims] At least one of a light emitting layer containing a light emitting body, an insulating layer containing a high dielectric substance, and a back electrode layer is sequentially formed on a transparent electrode layer side formed on a back surface of a transparent substrate.
A substrate on which at least one pair of electrodes connected to a driving circuit for driving the EL element is formed, and at least one elastic body facing the electrode is formed. An EL display device characterized in that the EL element is sandwiched so that an electrode portion thereof is connected to a part of an electrode on the substrate. 2. The EL device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said EL elements are provided, and a plurality of pairs of electrodes on said base material are provided such that the plurality of said EL elements can be independently turned on and off. Display device. 3. The EL display according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of pairs of electrodes are arranged on a base member, each being linearly arranged, and each of the plurality of pairs of electrodes has a stepwise shortened length. apparatus. 4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of pairs of electrodes are linearly arranged on a base material, and a distance between the electrodes is a distance at which an EL element can be arranged. EL display device. 5. A transparent plate is provided on a front surface of said elastic body so as to cover said EL element.
5. The EL display device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. 6. The EL display device according to claim 1, wherein the base material is an elastic material. 7. The EL display device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is formed so as to cover the EL element. 8. The EL display device according to claim 7, wherein the substrate is a transparent substrate. 9. The EL display device according to claim 1, wherein an electrode portion of the EL element is formed in a shape that matches an electrode formed on the base material. . 10. The EL display device according to claim 1, wherein the EL element has a meaningful shape or a multicolor printing surface by itself.