IP Library Granted Patent US 8,264,648
Granted Patent B2
US 8,264,648 · App. 11/467,650 · Granted Sep 11, 2012

Impact resistant electro-optical module and electronic device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,264,648
App. No.
11/467,650
Granted
Sep 11, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electro-optical module includes: an electro-optical panel; and a transparent protector disposed on a viewer-side surface of the electro-optical panel, wherein transparent protector has a stack structure including a first transparent protection layer that faces the electro-optical panel and is formed of an elastic material and a second transparent protection layer that has a higher dynamic elasticity value than that of the first transparent protection layer within a frequency range of 1 to 10 Hz.

Claims (29)

1. An electro-optical module comprising:

a chassis with an inner surface and defining an opening into the electro-optical module;

an electro-optical panel having a first transparent panel and a second transparent panel, the first and second transparent panels disposed on opposite sides of the electro-optical panel, the electro-optical panel also including a first polarization film and a second polarization film, the first polarization film being disposed on and abutting an outer surface of the first transparent panel, the second polarization film being disposed on and abutting an outer surface of the second transparent panel; and

a transparent protector disposed on and abutting the first polarization film of the electro-optical panel, the transparent protector abutting the inner surface of the chassis, the transparent protector extending across the opening of the chassis to be exposed externally via the opening, the transparent protector being disposed between the inner surface of the chassis and the first polarization film;

wherein the transparent protector has a stack structure including only a first transparent protection layer and a second transparent protection layer, the first transparent protection layer abutting the first polarization film, the first transparent protective layer formed of an elastic material, the first transparent protection layer being disposed between the second transparent protection layer and the electro-optical panel, the first transparent protection layer being made of an adherent, gel-type material, the second transparent protection layer and the electro-optical panel adhering together via the first transparent protection layer,

wherein a thickness of the first transparent protection layer is greater than a thickness of the second transparent protection layer by a ratio of the thickness of the first transparent protection layer to the thickness of the second transparent protection layer of at least 1.3, and

wherein a dynamic elasticity value of the second transparent protection layer is at least ten times higher than a dynamic elasticity value of the first transparent protection layer within a frequency range of 1 to 10 Hz.

2. The electro-optical module according to claim 1 , wherein impact resistance of the electro-optical panel is improved 20% or higher per a thickness of 0.1 mm of the transparent protector in comparison with that of the electro-optical panel which is not combined with the transparent protector.

3. The electro-optical module according to claim 1 , wherein a dynamic elasticity value of the first transparent protection layer is ranged between 0.01 MPa and 0.1 GPa, and a dynamic elasticity value of the second transparent protection layer is ranged between 1.0 and 15.0 GPa within a frequency range of 1 to 10 Hz.

4. The electro-optical module according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the first transparent protection layer is equal to a value of at most 0.8 mm, and the thickness of the second transparent protection layer is ranged between 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm.

5. The electro-optical module according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the first transparent protection layer is not larger than 0.4 mm.

6. The electro-optical module according to claim 1 , further comprising an illumination unit arranged at a rear of the electro-optical panel,

wherein the illumination unit includes a light source, a light guide panel that introduces a light beam from the light source to output it through a light-emitting surface, and a prism sheet interposed between the light-emitting surface of the light guide panel and the electro-optical panel, and

wherein the prism sheet has a prismatic structure protruded toward the light guide panel.

7. The electro-optical module according to claim 1 , further comprising an illumination unit arranged at a rear of the electro-optical panel,

wherein the illumination unit includes a light source, a light guide panel that introduces a light beam from the light source to output it through a light-emitting surface, and a prism sheet interposed between the light-emitting surface of the light guide panel and the electro-optical panel, and

wherein a surface coat having higher hardness than that of the prism sheet is formed on at least an apex portion of the prism sheet.

8. The electro-optical module according to claim 1 , further comprising a peelable layer that is formed between the electro-optical panel and the first transparent protection layer to easily remove the first transparent protection layer.

9. An electronic device comprising the electro-optical module according to claim 1 and a controller that controls the electro-optical module.

10. The electro-optical module according to claim 1 , wherein a loss tangent of the first transparent protection layer is within a range of 0.10 to 0.25, wherein the loss tangent equals a lossy shear elasticity value of the first transparent protection layer divided by the dynamic elasticity of the first transparent protection layer.

11. An electro-optical module comprising:

a chassis with an inner surface and defining an opening into the electro-optical module;

an electro-optical panel having a first transparent panel and a second transparent panel, the first and second transparent panels disposed on opposite sides of the electro-optical panel, the electro-optical panel also including a first polarization film and a second polarization film, the first polarization film being disposed on and abutting an outer surface of the first transparent panel, the second polarization film being disposed on and abutting an outer surface of the second transparent panel; and

a transparent protector disposed on and abutting the first polarization film of the electro-optical panel, the transparent protector abutting the inner surface of the chassis, the transparent protector extending across the opening of the chassis to be exposed externally via the opening, the transparent protector being disposed between the inner surface of the chassis and the first polarization film;

wherein the transparent protector has a stack structure including only a first transparent protection layer and a second transparent protection layer, the first transparent protection layer abutting the first polarization film, the first transparent protective layer formed of an elastic material, the first transparent protection layer being disposed between the second transparent protection layer and the electro-optical panel, the first transparent protection layer being made of an adherent, gel-type material, the second transparent protection layer and the electro-optical panel adhering together via the first transparent protection layer,

wherein a dynamic elasticity value of the second transparent protection layer is at least ten times higher than a dynamic elasticity value of the first transparent protection layer within a frequency range of 1 to 10 Hz, and the dynamic elasticity value of the first transparent protection layer is ranged between 0.01 MPa and 0.1 GPa, and the dynamic elasticity value of the second transparent protection layer is ranged between 1.0 and 15.0 GPa within the frequency range of 1 to 10 Hz,

wherein a thickness of the first transparent protection layer is greater than a thickness of the second transparent protection layer by a ratio of the thickness of the first transparent protection layer to the thickness of the second transparent protection layer of at least 1.3, and

wherein the thickness of the first transparent protection layer is equal to a value of at most 0.8 mm, and the thickness of the second transparent protection layer is ranged between 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm.

12. The electro-optical module according to claim 11 , wherein a loss tangent of the first transparent protection layer is within a range of 0.10 to 0.25, wherein the loss tangent equals a lossy shear elasticity value of the first transparent protection layer divided by the dynamic elasticity of the first transparent protection layer.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 11, 2025
From: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
To: MAGNOLIA WHITE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072398/0001 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 24, 2025
From: JAPAN DISPLAY EAST INC.; JAPAN DISPLAY WEST INC.
To: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
Reel/Frame 071935/0063 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2013
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: JAPAN DISPLAY WEST INC.
Reel/Frame 030182/0522 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2011
From: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 025935/0327 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2006
From: SAKURAI, SHINJI; IMASEKI, RYOSUKE
To: SANYO EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 018179/0710 →