IP Library Patent Application 11452361
Patent Application
App. No. 11/452,361

Electro-optical device, method of manufacturing the same, and electronic apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
11/452,361
Abstract

An electro-optical device includes: a sealant provided between a pair of substrates in a frame shape; an electro-optical material layer formed by sealing an electro-optical material within a region surrounded by the sealant; an insulating layer provided within the region surrounded by the sealant on at least one of the pair of substrates; and an alignment layer provided between the insulating layer and the electro-optical material layer. The region surrounded by the sealant includes an effective display region where display is performed and a peripheral region located between the effective display region and the sealant, and the insulating layer within the peripheral region is formed with a recessed portion to which a material of the alignment layer flows.

Claims (45)

1 . An electro-optical device comprising:

a sealant provided between a pair of substrates in a frame shape;

an electro-optical material layer formed by sealing an electro-optical material within a region surrounded by the sealant;

an insulating layer provided within the region surrounded by the sealant on at least one of the pair of substrates; and

an alignment layer provided between the insulating layer and the electro-optical material layer,

wherein the region surrounded by the sealant includes an effective display region where display is performed and a peripheral region located between the effective display region and the sealant, and

the insulating layer within the peripheral region is formed with a recessed portion to which a material of the alignment layer flows.

2 . The electro-optical device according to claim 1 ,

wherein a part, which is adjacent to the peripheral region, of the insulating layer within the effective display region is thinner than the insulating layer within the peripheral region.

3 . The electro-optical device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the recessed portion is a groove extending along the effective display region.

4 . The electro-optical device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the recessed portion is a circular groove surrounding the effective display region.

5 . The electro-optical device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the effective display region includes a reflective display region where reflective display is performed and a transmissive display region where transmissive display is performed,

the insulating layer within the effective display region is formed at least in the reflective display region so as to make the thickness of the electro-optical material layer in the reflective display region smaller than the thickness of the electro-optical material layer in the transmissive display region, and

the insulating layer within the reflective display region is formed to have the same thickness as the insulating layer within the peripheral region.

6 . The electro-optical device according to claim 5 ,

wherein the height of the insulating layer located between the transmissive display region adjacent to the peripheral region and the recessed portion is smaller than the height of the insulating layer located between the reflective display region and the recessed portion.

7 . The electro-optical device according to claim 1 ,

wherein spacer members are respectively provided in both the reflective display region and the peripheral region where the recessed portion is not formed.

8 . The electro-optical device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the spacer members are photospacers.

9 . An electro-optical device comprising:

a pair of substrates;

an electro-optical material interposed between the pair of substrates;

an effective display region having a reflective display region where reflective display is performed and a transmissive display region where transmissive display is performed; and

a peripheral region located outside the effective display region,

wherein at least one of the pair of substrates includes an insulating layer and an alignment layer provided on the insulating layer facing the electro-optical material,

the insulating layer is formed at least in the reflective display region and the peripheral region such that the thickness of the electro-optical material in the reflective display region becomes smaller than the thickness of the electro-optical material in the transmissive display region, and the insulating layer within the peripheral region is formed with a recessed portion to which a material of the alignment layer flows, and

the effective display region, in which the electro-optical material is thick due to the insulating layer, is connected to the recessed portion in the peripheral region.

10 . The electro-optical device according to claim 1 ,

wherein one of the pair of substrates includes a coloring layer covered by the insulating layer.

11 . The electro-optical device according to claim 1 ,

wherein one of the pair of substrates includes switching elements covered by the insulating layer.

12 . A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device having an effective display region where display is performed and a peripheral region located around the effective display region, comprising:

forming an insulating layer in the effective display region and the peripheral region; and

patterning the insulating layer in a predetermined shape,

wherein, in the patterning, the insulating layer within the peripheral region is formed with a recessed portion.

13 . The method of manufacturing an electro-optical device according to claim 12 ,

wherein, in the patterning, the recessed portion is formed in the peripheral region, and at the same time, the insulating layer within the transmissive display region is made thin or removed by patterning the insulating layer within the transmissive display region.

14 . The method of manufacturing an electro-optical device according to claim 12 , further comprising:

coating an alignment layer on the insulating layer after the patterning,

wherein, in the coating of the alignment layer, a material of the alignment layer flows into the recessed portion of the insulating layer.

15 . An electronic apparatus comprising the electro-optical device according to claim 1.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 22, 2007
From: SANYO EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
To: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 019066/0784 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 14, 2006
From: HARADA, NORIHITO
To: SANYO EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORP.
Reel/Frame 017997/0237 →