Granted Patent B2

US 7,245,343 · App. 10/014,509 · Granted Jul 17, 2007

Abstract

Claims (48)

1. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a first substrate on which a plurality of pixel electrodes are formed, said plurality of pixel electrodes comprising a symmetrical shape;

a second substrate on which an opposing electrode is formed;

a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between said first and second substrates, said second substrate further having thereon a plurality of protrusions, each of said protrusions being positioned at a central portion of a corresponding one of said pixel electrodes and elongated toward the first substrate; and

an alignment layer formed between said plurality of protrusions and said first substrate,

wherein said plurality of protrusions comprises a rod-shaped spacer extending between said first and second substrates.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said pixel electrodes comprise notches formed on peripheral portions of said pixel electrodes.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said pixel electrodes comprise concave portions extending radially outward from centers of said pixel electrodes.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said rod-shaped spacer is formed in a central portion of an area of said pixel electrode.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said protrusions extend in a direction of said first substrate from symmetrical centers of corresponding ones of said pixel electrodes.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said rod-shaped spacer defines a plurality of domains of said liquid crystal layer for a corresponding one of said pixel electrodes.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first and second substrates are joined via said rod-shaped spacer.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said rod-shaped spacer comprises a cross-sectional configuration which is similar to a cross-sectional configuration of said corresponding one of said pixel electrodes.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a shape of a pixel electrode in said plurality of pixel electrodes is symmetrical about a corresponding protrusion in said plurality of protrusions.

10. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said plurality of protrusions comprise a core for dividing alignment directions of said liquid crystal layer.

11. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said liquid crystal layer comprises a plurality of domains having boundaries which are defined by a protrusion in said plurality of protrusions.

12. The device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said boundaries extend radially outwardly from said protrusion.

13. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a first substrate on which a plurality of pixel electrodes are formed;

a second substrate on which an opposing electrode is formed; and

a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between said first and second substrates, said second substrate further having thereon a plurality of protrusions, each of said protrusions being positioned at a central portion of a corresponding one of said pixel electrodes,

wherein said protrusions comprise an isotropic material and a black material.

14. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a first substrate on which a plurality of pixel electrodes are formed;

a second substrate on which an opposing electrode is formed;

a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between said first and second substrates, said second substrate further having thereon a plurality of protrusions, each of said protrusions being positioned at a central portion of a corresponding one of said pixel electrodes; and

a light-shielding layer formed on said protrusions, to inhibit a leakage of light through said liquid crystal layer.

15. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a first substrate on which a plurality of pixel electrodes are formed;

a second substrate on which an opposing electrode is formed; and

a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between said first and second substrates, said second substrate further having thereon a plurality of protrusions, each of said protrusions being positioned at a central portion of a corresponding one of said pixel electrodes,

wherein said opposing electrode comprises a plurality of stripe-shaped electrodes formed perpendicularly to said plurality of pixel electrodes, an intersection of a pixel electrode in said plurality of pixel electrodes and a stripe-shaped electrode in said plurality of stripe-shaped electrodes, defining a pixel of said liquid crystal display device.

16. The device as claimed in claim 15 , wherein an electric field formed in said liquid crystal layer between said pixel electrode and a corresponding one of said opposing electrodes is tilted toward a center of said pixel.

17. The device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said electric field causes molecules of said liquid crystal layer to be symmetrically oriented toward center of said pixel.

18. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a first substrate on which a plurality of pixel electrodes are formed;

a second substrate on which an opposing electrode is formed; and

a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between said first and second substrates, said second substrate further having thereon a plurality of protrusions, each of said protrusions being positioned at a central portion of a corresponding one of said pixel electrodes,

wherein said plurality of protrusions comprises a rod-shaped spacer extending between said first and second substrates,

wherein said rod-shaped spacer defines a plurality of domains of said liquid crystal layer for a corresponding one of said pixel electrodes, and

wherein said plurality of domains comprises a plurality of symmetrical liquid crystal domains.

19. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a first substrate on which a plurality of pixel electrodes are formed;

a second substrate on which an opposing electrode is formed; and

a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between said first and second substrates, said second substrate further having thereon a plurality of protrusions, each of said protrusions being positioned at a central portion of a corresponding one of said pixel electrodes,

wherein said plurality of protrusions comprises a rod-shaped spacer extending between said first and second substrates,

wherein said rod-shaped spacer defines a plurality of domains of said liquid crystal layer for a corresponding one of said pixel electrodes, and

wherein a liquid crystal material in said liquid crystal layer is alignable differently in one of said plurality of domains than in another one of said plurality of domains.

Assignments (12)