IP Library Granted Patent US 9,696,581
Granted Patent B2
US 9,696,581 · App. 14/632,512 · Granted Jul 4, 2017

Liquid crystal display device and electronic device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,696,581
App. No.
14/632,512
Granted
Jul 4, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes a polarizing layer, first and second substrate units, and a liquid crystal layer. The first substrate unit has first and second surfaces. The first surface is on the polarizing layer side. The second surface is on a side opposite to the first surface. The first substrate unit includes first and second pixel electrodes, and an opening region. The first and second pixel electrodes are disposed on the first surface. The second substrate unit is provided between the first substrate unit and the polarizing layer. The second substrate unit has third and fourth surfaces. The third surface is on the first substrate unit side. The fourth surface is on a side opposite to the third surface. The second substrate unit includes an opposing electrode on the third surface. The liquid crystal layer is provided between the first and third surfaces.

Claims (62)

1. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a first substrate including a first pixel electrode being light-reflective, a second pixel electrode being light-reflective, and a light-transmissive opening region between the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode;

a second substrate including an opposing electrode being light-transmissive, the opposing electrode being arranged on a second surface of the second substrate;

a polarizing layer arranged on a first surface of the second substrate; and

a liquid crystal layer provided between a first surface of the first substrate and the second surface of the second substrate,

wherein the light-transmissive opening region between the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode transmits a light that is received from a second surface of the first substrate and that propagates to an outside surface of the polarizing layer when voltage is not applied to the liquid crystal layer.

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

wherein the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode each have specular reflectivity.

3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode each have a light-transmissive opening.

4. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 3 , further comprising color filters on the second substrate,

wherein one color filter faces the first pixel electrode and another color filter faces the second pixel electrode, and the color filters are overlapped with each other over the light-transmissive opening region.

5. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 , further comprising a quarter-wave plate located over the second substrate and a half-wave plate located between the quarter-wave plate and the polarizing layer,

wherein the retardation of the quarter-wave plate is not less than 100 nm and not more than 150 nm, and the retardation of the half-wave plate is not less than 240 nm and not more than 290 nm.

6. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 5 ,

wherein the retardation of the liquid crystal layer is not less than 180 nm and not more than 260 nm when the voltage is not applied to the liquid crystal layer.

7. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 2 , further comprising an optical layer located between the second substrate and the polarizing layer,

wherein a haze of the optical layer is not less than 70% and not more than 95% and the optical layer scatters the light that is received from the second surface of the first substrate.

8. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 2 , further comprising an optical layer located between the second substrate and the polarizing layer,

wherein the optical layer has a region having a high refractive index and a region having a low refractive index.

9. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a first substrate including

a first wiring line and a second wiring line extending in the first direction and a third wiring line and a fourth wiring line extending in the second direction,

a portion of the first substrate that is surrounded by the first, second, third, and fourth wiring lines forming a pixel region, and

a light-reflective pixel electrode overlapping the first wiring line, the third wiring line, and less than all of the pixel region,

a second substrate including a light transmissive opposing electrode;

a polarizing layer arranged only on the second substrate and no polarizing layer being arranged on the first substrate; and

a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate,

wherein the second substrate includes color filters, one of the color filters faces the light-reflective pixel electrode, and the one of the color filters is overlapped with another one of the color filters so that the light transmitted through the first and second substrates passes through only one polarizing layer.

10. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9 ,

wherein a light that is transmitted through the first and second substrates passes through only one polarizing layer, which is the singular polarizing layer.

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

wherein the light-reflective pixel electrode has specular reflectivity.

12. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11 ,

wherein the light-reflective pixel electrode has a light-transmissive opening.

13. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11 , further comprising a quarter-wave plate located over the second substrate and a half-wave plate located between the quarter-wave plate and the polarizing layer,

wherein the retardation of the quarter-wave plate is not less than 100 nm and not more than 150 nm, and the retardation of the half-wave plate is not less than 240 nm and not more than 290 nm.

14. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 13 ,

wherein the retardation of the liquid crystal layer is not less than 180 nm and not more than 260 nm when the voltage is not applied to the liquid crystal layer.

15. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11 , further comprising an optical layer located between the second substrate and the singular polarizing layer,

wherein a haze of the optical layer is not less than 70% and not more than 95% and the optical layer scatters a light received from the liquid crystal layer.

16. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11 , further comprising an optical layer located between the second substrate and the singular polarizing layer,

wherein the optical layer has a region having a high refractive index and a region having a low refractive index.

17. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a second substrate including an opposing electrode being light-transmissive;

a polarizing layer on the second substrate;

a first substrate including first and second reflective pixel electrodes that each reflects a polarized light received from the polarizing layer back to the polarizing layer, and a light-transmissive opening region between the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode that transmits an unpolarized light that is received from an outer side of the first substrate; and

a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate.

18. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 17 ,

wherein the first and second reflective pixel electrodes each have specular reflectivity.

19. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 18 ,

wherein the first and second reflective pixel electrodes have a light-transmissive opening.

20. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 19 , further comprising color filters on the second substrate,

wherein one color filter faces the first reflective pixel electrode and another color filter faces the second reflective pixel electrode, and the color filters are overlapped with each other over the light-transmissive opening region.

21. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 20 , further comprising a quarter-wave plate located over the second substrate and a half-wave plate located between the quarter-wave plate and the polarizing layer,

wherein the retardation of the quarter-wave plate is not less than 100 nm and not more than 150 nm, and the retardation of the half-wave plate is not less than 240 nm and not more than 290 nm.

22. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 21 ,

wherein the retardation of the liquid crystal layer is not less than 180 nm and not more than 260 nm when the voltage is not applied to the liquid crystal layer.

23. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 20 , further comprising an optical layer located between the second substrate and the polarizing layer,

wherein a haze of the optical layer is not less than 70% and not more than 95% and the optical layer scatters the polarized light received from the polarizing layer.

24. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 20 , further comprising an optical layer located between the second substrate and the polarizing layer,

wherein the optical layer has a region having a high refractive index and a region having a low refractive index.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2025
From: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
To: MAGNOLIA WHITE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072130/0313 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 26, 2015
From: TAMAKI, MASAYA
To: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
Reel/Frame 035042/0057 →