IP Library Granted Patent US 7,920,238
Granted Patent B2
US 7,920,238 · App. 11/038,092 · Granted Apr 5, 2011

Polarizer and liquid-crystal display apparatus having reduced polarization state in oblique viewing angles

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,920,238
App. No.
11/038,092
Granted
Apr 5, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a first polarizer located on one side of a first substrate, a second polarizer located on the opposite side of a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer formed of liquid crystal molecules and between the first and the second substrates so that the liquid crystal molecules may be aligned in parallel to the first or the second substrate and to which an electric field is applied in parallel to the first substrate, and a lighting device. The first or the second polarizer includes a polarization layer and supporting materials located on both sides of the polarization layer, reducing light leakage and a colour shift in a black display state when viewed from the oblique direction.

Claims (58)

1. A liquid crystal display apparatus comprising:

a first polarization layer located on one side of a first substrate;

a second polarization layer located on the other side of a second substrate;

a liquid crystal layer formed of liquid crystal molecules and located between said first and second substrates such that said liquid crystal molecules are aligned in parallel to said first or second substrate and in one direction and thereby make a black state possible; and

a lighting device,

wherein an absorption axis of said first polarization layer is substantially perpendicular to an absorption axis of said second polarization layer;

said first polarization layer is located on a side of said lighting device;

said absorption axis of said first polarization layer is substantially perpendicular to a slow axis on a plane of said liquid crystal layer;

refractive index of a portion between said liquid crystal layer and said second polarization layer is substantially isotropic;

a first retardation film and a second retardation film are located between said liquid crystal layer and said first polarization layer;

said first retardation film satisfies any one of following cases (1) to (4) under conditions that n1 is a planar refractive index in a slow axis direction, n2 is a planar refractive index in a fast axis direction and n3 is a refractive index in a thickness direction,

(1) said first retardation film satisfies 0.5<(n1−n3)/(n1−n2)<0.8, and said second retardation film satisfies (n1−n3)/(n1−n2)<0.5

(2) said first retardation film satisfies 1.2<(n1−n3)/(n1−n2)<5, and said second retardation film satisfies (n1−n3)/(n1−n2)<0.5

(3) said first retardation film satisfies 0.5<(n1−n3)/(n1−n2), and said second retardation film satisfies 0.2<(n1−n3)/(n1−n2)<0.5

(4) said first retardation film satisfies 0.5<(n1−n3)/(n1−n2), and said second retardation film satisfies −5<(n1−n3)/(n1−n2)<0.2; wherein,

when said first retardation film is located on a side of said first polarization layer, and said second retardation film is located on a side of said second retardation film is located on a side of said liquid crystal layer, slow axes on planes of said first retardation film and said second retardation film are substantially parallel to a slow axis on a plane of said liquid crystal layer;

when said first retardation film is located on a side of said liquid crystal layer, and said second retardation film is located on a said of said first polarization layer, slow axes on planes of said first retardation film and said second retardation film are substantially perpendicular to a slow axis on a plane of said liquid crystal layer; and

when a viewing angle is changed, a maximum value of transmittance in said black state is 1.2% or less.

2. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein one of said first and second retardation films is a retardation film of uniaxial anisotropy, and the other is a retardation film of biaxial anisotropy.

3. A liquid crystal display apparatus comprising:

a first polarization layer located on one side of a first substrate;

a second polarization layer located on the other side of a second substrate;

a liquid crystal layer formed of liquid crystal molecules and located between said first and second substrates such that said liquid crystal molecules are aligned in parallel to said first substrate or second substrate and in one direction and thereby make a black state possible; and

a lighting device,

wherein an absorption axis of said first polarization layer is substantially perpendicular to an absorption axis of said second polarization layer;

said first polarization layer is located on a side of said lighting device;

said absorption axis of said first polarization layer is substantially perpendicular to a slow axis on a plane of said liquid crystal layer;

refractive index of a portion between said liquid crystal layer and said first polarization layer is substantially isotropic;

a first retardation film and a second retardation film are located between said liquid crystal layer and said second polarization layer;

said first retardation film satisfies any one of the following cases (1) to (4) under conditions that n1 is a planar refractive index in a slow axis direction, n2 is a planar refractive index in a fast axis direction and n3 is a refractive index in a thickness direction,

(1) said first retardation film satisfies 0.5<(n1−n3)/(n1−n2)<0.8, and said second retardation film satisfies (n1−n3)/(n1−n2)<0.5

(2) said first retardation film satisfies 1.2<(n1−n3)/(n1−n2)<5, and second retardation film satisfies (n1−n3)/(n1−n2)<0.5

(3) said first retardation film satisfies 0.5<(n1−n3)/(n1−n2), and said second retardation film satisfies 0.2<(n1−n3)/(n1−n2)<0.5

(4) said first retardation film satisfies 0.5<(n1−n3)/(n1−n2), and said second retardation film satisfies −5<(n1−n3)/(n1−n2)<−0.2; wherein,

when said first retardation film is located on a side of said second polarization layer, and said second retardation film is located on a side of said liquid crystal layer, slow axes on planes of said first retardation film and said second retardation film are substantially parallel to a slow axis on a plane of said liquid crystal layer;

wherein said first retardation film is located on a side of said liquid crystal layer, and said second d retardation film is located on a side of said second polarization layer, slow axes on planes of said first retardation film and said second retardation film are substantially perpendicular to a slow axis on a plane of said liquid crystal layer; and

when a viewing angle is changed, a maximum value of transmittance in said black state is 1.2% or less.

4. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein one of said first and second retardation films is a retardation film of uniaxial anisotropy, and the other is a retardation film of biaxial anisotropy.

5. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 1 or 3 , said first polarization layer is formed by coating said first substrate with materials and then placing said first substrate under alignment processing.

6. A liquid crystal display apparatus comprising:

a first polarization layer located on one side of a first substrate;

a second polarization layer located on the other side of a second substrate;

a liquid crystal layer formed of liquid crystal molecules and located between said first and second substrates such that said liquid crystal molecules are aligned in parallel to said first or second substrate and in one direction and thereby make a black state possible; and

a lighting device,

wherein an absorption axis of said first polarization layer is substantially perpendicular to an absorption axis of said second polarization layer;

said first polarization layer is located on a side of said lighting device;

said absorption axis of said first polarization layer is substantially perpendicular to a slow axis on a plane of said liquid crystal layer;

refractive index of a portion between said liquid crystal layer and said second polarization layer is substantially isotropic;

a first retardation film and a second retardation film are located between said liquid crystal layer and said first polarization layer;

said first retardation film satisfies any one of following cases (1) to (4) under conditions that n1 is a planar refractive index in a slow axis direction, n2 is a planar refractive index in a fast axis direction and n3 is a refractive index in a thickness direction,

(1) said first retardation film satisfies 0.5<(n1−n3)/(n1−n2)<0.8, and said second retardation film satisfies (n1−n3)/(n1−n2)<0.5

(2) said first retardation film satisfies 1.2<(n−n3)/(n1−n2)<5, and said second retardation film satisfies (n1−n3)/(n1−n2)<0.5

(3) said first retardation film satisfies 0.5<(n1−n3)/(n1−n2), and said second retardation film satisfies 0.2<(n1−n3)/(n1−n2)<0.5

(4) said first retardation film satisfies 0.5<(n1−n3)/(n1−n2), and said second retardation film satisfies −5<(n1−n3)/(n1−n2)<−0.2; wherein,

when said first retardation film is located on a side of said first polarization layer, and said second retardation film is located on a side of said second retardation film is located on a side of said liquid crystal layer, slow axes on planes of said first retardation film and said second retardation film are substantially parallel to a slow axis on a plane of said liquid crystal layer;

when said first retardation film is located on a side of said liquid crystal layer, and said second retardation film is located on a said of said first polarization layer, slow axes on planes of said first retardation film and said second retardation film are substantially perpendicular to a slow axis on a plane of said liquid crystal layer;

when said first retardation film is located on a side of said first polarization layer, and said second retardation film is located on a side of said liquid crystal layer, said first retardation film satisfies n1 1≈n2>n3, and said first retardation film is TAC; and

when a viewing angle is changed, a maximum value of transmittance in said black state is 1.2% or less.

Assignments (7)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 10, 2025
From: JAPAN DISPLAY INC
To: MAGNOLIA PURPLE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 071890/0202 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 17, 2023
From: HITACHI DISPLAYS, LTD.
To: JAPAN DISPLAY EAST, INC.
Reel/Frame 065614/0223 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 17, 2023
From: JAPAN DISPLAY EAST, INC.
To: JAPAN DISPLAY, INC.
Reel/Frame 065614/0644 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Nov 17, 2023
From: JAPAN DISPLAY, INC.
To: JAPAN DISPLAY, INC.
Reel/Frame 065654/0250 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Nov 17, 2023
From: PANASONIC LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
Reel/Frame 065615/0327 →
COMPANY SPLIT PLAN TRANSFERRING FIFTY (50) PERCENT SHARE OF PATENTS Recorded Oct 13, 2011
From: HITACHI DISPLAYS, LTD.
To: IPS ALPHA SUPPORT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 027056/0692 →
MERGER Recorded Oct 13, 2011
From: IPS ALPHA SUPPORT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 027056/0914 →