JPH0449652Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Field of industrial application] The present invention is a touch-switch type ECD panel that uses an electrochromic display (hereinafter also referred to as ECD) element and is capable of displaying black and white in Othello, Go, etc. Regarding.

[Conventional technology and problems]

Conventionally, game machines such as Othello and Go that use liquid crystal displays have been known. These game machines are
A separate switch is installed on the panel consisting of a liquid crystal display,
This switch performs black and white display. However, in such a liquid crystal display, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer, which is a display layer, must be made uniform with extremely high precision, and a large-area display cannot be produced. Also, since there is a separate switch, there is no real sense of the game. Moreover,
It has the disadvantage that it consumes a large amount of electricity if left on for a long time.

[Means for solving problems]

The inventor of the present invention believes that since the ECD element is composed of a solid electrochromic layer (hereinafter referred to as the EC layer), a large-area display can be constructed;
Focusing on the low power consumption even during long-time display due to the memory properties of the EC layer,
By directly pressing the display surface, which can display black and white in Othello, Go, etc., using the element, the display surface of the pressed location is configured.
We conducted extensive research to develop an ECD panel in which the ECD element contacts an electrode and a voltage is applied to the ECD element to display color or decolor (touch switch type). As a result, by constructing a touch-switch type display panel using a display substrate in which an ECD element is molded into a specific structure and an electrode film, it is possible to completely eliminate the drawbacks of game machines using liquid crystal displays as described above. This led to the completion of this invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a partial cross section of a typical embodiment of the ECD panel of the present invention. That is, the ECD panel of the present invention has ECD unit elements 2 stacked with ECD elements electrically divided into an outer circumference 3 and an inner circumference 4 and an electrode layer 7 arranged in a plane with an insulator 6 in between. A display substrate 1 and an electrode substrate 8 are constructed such that the surface of the display substrate 1 on which the electrode layer 7 is located and the electrode surface 9 of the electrode substrate 8 are opposed to each other with a space 5 in between.

In the present invention, the ECD element may have any known laminated structure including an EC layer without any particular limitation. A typical embodiment is, as shown in FIG. 1, an embodiment in which a transparent electrode layer 13, an EC layer 14, an electrolyte layer 15, and a counter electrode layer 16 are sequentially laminated.

The material for the transparent electrode layer 13 is not particularly limited, and any material that is transparent and has electronic conductivity can be used.
For example, indium oxide doped with tin oxide, oxide semiconductors such as tin oxide, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, cadmium oxide, and cadmium tin oxide, and conductive metals such as gold and silver with a thickness of 500 Å or less. Preferably used. The above transparent conductive layer 13
can be formed by a known method such as sputtering, vacuum evaporation, ion plating, spray method, sol-gel method, or CVD method.
The thickness of the transparent electrode layer 13 is generally 30 to 1000 Å.

Further, the EC layer 14 may be any layer containing an electrochromic substance. The most typical example of the electrochromic substance is amorphous tungsten oxide, but other materials include organic dyes,
Metal complexes, transition metal compounds, organic polymers, and the like are appropriately employed. As a method for forming the EC layer, known methods such as vacuum evaporation, sputtering, ion plating, plasma, and the like are appropriately employed. Another suitable method is to form a film by dissolving tungsten chloride in an organic solvent such as alcohol, and then hydrolyzing it in water or steam after or simultaneously with the removal of the organic solvent. be. The EC layer generally has a preferred thickness of 100 Å to 5 μ.

In the present invention, as the electrolyte constituting the electrolyte layer 15, any known electrolyte may be used without particular limitation, but
It is preferable to use a flexible solid electrolyte. For example, examples include those in which an electrolyte substance is dispersed in a polymer, specifically those in which an electrolyte substance such as alkali perchlorate is dispersed in a polyalkylene oxide having a molecular weight of 1000 or more. Further, it is preferable to use a polymer having an ion exchange group, for example, an ion exchanger, as an electrolyte because the response speed and contrast ratio of the resulting ECD device are improved. The thickness of such an electrolyte layer is typically 1000 Å
~200 μm is suitable. Further, as a method for forming the electrolyte layer, for example, a known method such as a spinner method or screen printing may be employed.

As the counter electrode layer 16, a known one can be used. For example, indium oxide, indium oxide
Tin oxide film (ITO film), amorphous tungsten oxide,
Examples include iron complexes, transition metal compound-carbon sintered bodies, and manganese oxide. As for the formation method,
Known methods such as sputtering, vacuum deposition, and electrolytic plating may be employed. The counter electrode in the present invention includes, in addition to the well-known ones described above, those which are composed of two layers, an electrochromic layer and a transparent conductive layer, and which function as an electrode.

The thickness of the counter electrode layer is preferably 100 Å to 80 μm.

In the present invention, the ECD element is electrically divided into an outer peripheral part 3 and an inner peripheral part 4. Generally, when the display panel of the present invention is used for Othello, Go, etc., the outer circumferential portion 3 is donut-shaped and the inner circumferential portion 4 is circular. It may be divided into an outer circumferential portion 3 and an inner circumferential portion 4 in any shape. Furthermore, it is preferable that such division be performed in the same pattern over all layers of the ECD element as shown in FIG.
It is sufficient to electrically divide it into an outer circumferential portion 3 and an inner circumferential portion 4 in the same pattern. Further, the shape of the outer circumferential portion 3 does not have to be completely circular, and a cutout for electrical wiring, which will be described later, may be provided.

In the present invention, the means for electrically dividing the ECD element is not particularly limited, but in general, it may be done by patterning the insulating parts by vapor deposition of silicon oxide, screen printing using insulating ink, etc.

The ECD unit element 2 is formed by laminating the electrode layer 7 and the surface of the ECD element on which the counter electrode layer 16 is located. The electrode layer 7 is provided in common on the outer circumferential part 3 and the inner circumferential part 4 of the ECD element, and when it comes into electrical contact with the electrode surface of the electrode substrate, the outer circumferential part 3 and the inner circumferential part become the current-carrying surface of the ECD. This is for uniformly applying voltage to the entire surface of the 4. Therefore, the electrode layer 7
A material with high electronic conductivity is preferably used as the material. For example, metals such as aluminum, chromium, nickel, copper, gold, silver, platinum; carbon,
It is preferable to use an electronically conductive material made of ink or the like in which an oxide semiconductor or the like is dispersed in a synthetic resin, and to use a known method such as vacuum evaporation, sputtering, or screen printing. The thickness of the electrode layer 7 is
A suitable thickness is 100 Å to 1 μm. Note that if the counter electrode layer 16 of the ECD element has high electronic conductivity, the counter electrode layer 16 may be used as the electrode layer 7 without being electrically divided.

In the present invention, the display substrate 1 is constructed by arranging the above ECD unit elements 2 in a plane with an insulator 6 in between. Arrangement interval of ECD unit element 2,
And the number of arrays is determined as appropriate depending on the purpose. Further, the means for providing the insulator 6 is not particularly limited, but a patterning method such as vapor deposition of an insulating material such as silicon oxide described above or screen printing using an insulating ink is preferable.

In the present invention, the display board 1 has the following features to prevent damage to the input surface during touch input:
It is preferable to laminate a flexible transparent film 17 for protection.

As the above-mentioned flexible transparent film, any known film can be used without particular limitation. For example, polyethylene terephthalate film, polycarbonate film, etc. are preferably used in terms of transparency and scratch resistance. Note that 12 is a line drawn on the board.

In addition, the display panel 1 shown in FIG.
The outer circumferential portion 3 and the inner circumferential portion 4 of the transparent electrode layer 13 of the ECD unit element 2 are respectively connected to an external power source.
In this case, it is preferable to electrically connect the inner peripheral parts and the outer peripheral parts by patterning the transparent electrode layer 13, as shown in the figure, and take out one terminal from each.

In the present invention, the electrode substrate 8 may be used without particular limitation as long as it has a certain degree of strength as a display panel. Examples include glass plates, plastic plates, plastic sheets, metal plates, metal sheets, etc., but they do not need to be particularly transparent. Further, the electrode surface 9 is formed on the electrode substrate 8 , and the material thereof is not particularly limited as long as it has electronic conductivity. Examples include metals such as copper, nickel, and aluminum. Examples of methods for forming the electrode surface include sputtering, plasma, vacuum deposition, and a method of laminating rolled copper. Note that if the electrode substrate itself has electronic conductivity, there is no need to separately form an electrode surface.

In the present invention, if the gap between the space 5 between the display substrate 1 and the electrode substrate 8 is too small, malfunctions are likely to occur, and if it is too large, not only will the operability be poor, but the display substrate 1 will also be severely bent, reducing its lifespan. do. Therefore, the gap is 5~
The thickness is preferably 1000 μm, preferably 10 to 300 μm.

In order to maintain the above-described space 5 uniformly, it is a preferable embodiment to laminate the display substrate 1 and the electrode substrate 8 with spacers 10 in between. The thickness of such a spacer may be determined according to the gap between the spaces 5, and the size and shape of the notch are not particularly limited, but it is generally determined according to the size and shape of the ECD unit element 2. The material of the spacer 10 is not particularly limited as long as it has insulation properties. For example, rubber, plastic, ceramics, paper, etc. are commonly used.

In the present invention, the wiring for operating the ECD panel is performed by connecting the terminals on the outer circumference 3 and/or the inner circumference 4 of the ECD unit element 2 and the terminals on the electrode surface 9 via a power supply. be exposed. Second
The figure is a circuit diagram showing typical wiring of an ECD panel. In FIG. 2, when the EC layer is composed of an EC substance that colors when a negative voltage is applied to the transparent electrode layer 13, the display panel 1 is directly pushed by a circuit connected to the switch C, and the electrode substrate 8 is When brought into contact with the inner circumferential portion 4 and outer circumferential portion 3
Voltage is applied to the ECD element from the power source 18-2, both elements are colored, and the display panel 1 is directly pressed using the circuit connected to the switch A.
When the ECD element 5 on the outer periphery 3
A voltage is applied from 8-2 to color only that portion, and a voltage is applied to the ECD element in the inner circumferential portion 4 from power source 18-1 to decolor that portion. Also, display panel 1 is connected to the circuit connected to switch B.
When pressed directly to contact the electrode substrate 8, voltage is applied from the power source 18-1 to the ECD elements on the inner circumferential part 4 and the outer circumferential part 3, and both elements are decolored.

Therefore, by changing the switches and directly pressing (touch input) the display panel, the display can be changed in accordance with each switch.

As above, the present invention has been explained in detail according to the embodiment shown in FIG. Modifications may be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

〔effect〕

In the ECD panel of the present invention, by directly pressing the display surface, the ECD elements forming the display surface at the pressed location come into contact with the electrodes.
Since a voltage is applied to the ECD element and the display can be colored or decolored, it is possible to display black and white games such as Othello and Go, allowing you to enjoy the real experience of the game. Moreover, the EC layer that becomes colored or decolored by applying a voltage has so-called "memory properties" that it can maintain its colored or decolored state even when no voltage is applied. For,
Power consumption is low even during long-time display, clear display can be achieved even if the display is as large as a normal board, and the ECD panel can be made thin.

Therefore, it can be applied to various displays including those for games such as Othello and Go.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a partial cross section of an ECD panel according to a typical embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a connection/disconnection state of the ECD panel. 1... Display board, 2... ECD unit element, 3... Outer periphery, 4... Inner periphery, 5... Space,
6... Insulator, 7... Electrode layer, 8... Electrode substrate,
9... Electrode surface, 10... Spacer, 11... Wiring, 12... Line, 13... Transparent conductive layer, 14...
EC layer, 15... Electrolyte layer, 16... Counter electrode layer,
17...Protective film, 18-1, 18-2...
power supply.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] It consists of a display substrate and an electrode substrate in which an electrochromic display unit element, in which an electrochromic display element electrically divided into an outer peripheral part and an inner peripheral part and an electrode layer are laminated, is arranged in a plane with an insulator interposed therebetween. , an electrochromic display panel in which the surface of the display substrate on which the electrode layer is located and the electrode surface of the electrode substrate are opposed to each other with a space between them.