IP Library Granted Patent US 7,480,022
Granted Patent B2
US 7,480,022 · App. 10/992,806 · Granted Jan 20, 2009

Liquid crystal display device, method of manufacturing liquid crystal display device, and electronic apparatus

Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,480,022
App. No.
10/992,806
Granted
Jan 20, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

To provide a liquid crystal display device and an electronic apparatus in which deterioration of contrast due to a protrusion or a slit used for division of alignment can be prevented in the liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal which has a negative dielectric anisotropy exhibiting vertical alignment as an initial alignment state. There is provided a liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal layer, which includes a liquid crystal having a negative dielectric anisotropy exhibiting vertical alignment as an initial alignment state, between a pair of substrates and disposed to be opposite to each other, in which alignment control means for controlling alignment of the liquid crystal layer is provided on at least one of electrodes provided on the pair of substrates, and in which a light-shielding film BM two-dimensionally overlapped with the alignment control means is provided on at least one substrate of the pair of substrates.

Claims (24)

1. A liquid crystal display device of vertical alignment mode comprising:

a pair of substrates disposed to be opposite each other;

a liquid crystal layer, which includes liquid crystal having a negative dielectric anisotropy, disposed between the pair of substrates;

electrodes each provided at the side of the liquid crystal layer of the pair of substrates;

an alignment control portion, provided on at least one substrate of the pair of substrates, for controlling the alignment of the liquid crystal; and

a light-shielding film provided on at least a first substrate of the pair of substrates;

wherein the first substrate of the pair of substrates includes an insulation film,

a contact hole penetrates through the insulation film, the electrode provided on the insulation film, a switching element connected to the electrode through the contact hole, and a signal line connected to the switching element,

the light-shielding film is two-dimensionally overlapped with the alignment control portion and the contact hole,

the light-shielding film is disposed at a position corresponding to the alignment control portion and the contact hole,

the light-shielding film is individually provided with the signal line, and

the light-shielding film is made of the same material as a material of the switching element or the signal line.

2. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 , wherein the alignment control portion includes at least one of a dielectric protrusion formed on the electrode and/or the electrode opening portion formed by cutting out a part of the electrode.

3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 2 , wherein both the dielectric protrusion formed on the electrode and the electrode opening portion and the light-shielding film are formed to insular shape.

4. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 , wherein the light-shielding film is formed on only one substrate of the pair of substrates.

5. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 , wherein the light-shielding film and the alignment control portion are formed on the same substrate.

6. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 , wherein the light-shielding film formed on the substrate on which light is incident on the liquid crystal layer among the pair of substrates is made of metal having a light-reflecting property.

7. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 , wherein a transmissive display area for performing transmissive display and a reflective display area for performing reflective display are provided in one dot area, and the thickness of the liquid crystal layer is made different in both areas by a liquid-crystal-layer thickness adjusting layer formed in the dot area.

8. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 , wherein an electrode opposite to the alignment control portion, with the liquid crystal layer therebetween, includes a plurality of island-shaped portions having a shape of a circle, an ellipse, or a polygon and connection portions for connecting the plurality of island-shaped portions in one dot area.

9. An electronic apparatus comprising the liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 .

10. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the other substrate of the pair of substrates comprises a color filter having a plurality of colored portions arranged therein and a light-shielding member partitioning the colored portions,

the light shielding film also is provided on the other substrate, and

the light-shielding film on the other substrate is made of the same material as the light-shielding member partitioning the colored portions.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 1, 2017
From: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 044003/0557 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 22, 2004
From: TSUCHIYA, HITOSHI; NISHIMURA, JOJI
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 016020/0314 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2003-411844 · Dec 10, 2003 · national
JP 2004-242076 · Aug 23, 2004 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20050128396A1 · Jun 16, 2005