Liquid crystal display device

A liquid crystal display device suitably thin and compact for use in wrist watches and the like comprising:

• a display panel comprised of upper and lower transparent plates having liquid crystal material sandwiched therebetween;
• a reflecting plate disposed beneath said lower transparent plate and having a roughened upper surface facing said lower transparent plate;
• an energizeable light source disposed laterally adjacent one side edge of said reflecting plate and positioned to direct light when said light source is energized through said reflecting plate;
• and light-distributing means substantially encasing said display panel, reflecting plate and light source except for said upper transparent plate and forming therewith a thin and compact liquid crystal display device for effectively distributing the light emitted by said light source into said reflecting plate and throughout said display panel, said light-distributing means including means located alongside said light source and extending along said one side edge of said reflecting plate for reflecting light at discrete points therealong into said reflecting plate.