IP Library Granted Patent US 9,046,720
Granted Patent B2
US 9,046,720 · App. 14/065,497 · Granted Jun 2, 2015

Liquid crystal device and electronic apparatus

Inventor: Masakatsu Higa (Tottori, JP)
Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
G02F1/134363G02F1/133371G02F1/133555G02F1/13363G02F1/13394G02F2001/133565G02F2001/134372
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,046,720
App. No.
14/065,497
Granted
Jun 2, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a liquid crystal device, including: which makes it possible to dispose a spacer for setting a distance between substrates, to prevent deterioration of display quality by eliminating thickness non-uniformity of an alignment layer due to the presence of a retardation layer, to prevent deterioration of display quality by preventing dissolution and flow of an ingredient of the retardation layer to the liquid crystal layer side, and the like in the liquid crystal device having a horizontal electric field system of a transflective type, and to provide an electric apparatus using the same.

Claims (21)

1. A liquid crystal device, comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate; and

a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first and second substrates, wherein

the first substrate includes a first electrode, a second electrode for generating an electric field between with the first electrode, and a reflection layer, and the second substrate includes a plurality of coloring layers, an alignment layer, and a retardation layer,

a transmissive display area for performing transmissive display by transmitting the light introduced into the liquid crystal layer from the first substrate side to the second substrate side and a reflective display area for performing reflective display by reflecting the light introduced into the liquid crystal layer from the second substrate side to the second substrate side by the reflection layer are provided in a sub pixel area corresponding to the area in which the first electrode of the first substrate and the second substrate are overlapped with each other,

a retardation of the liquid crystal layer in the reflective display area is different from that of the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display area,

the retardation layer is provided between the liquid crystal layer and the second substrate and at a position at least corresponding to the reflective display area,

the alignment layer is provided between the retardation layer and the liquid crystal layer, and

a protection layer positioned in the reflective display area and provided between the retardation layer and the alignment layer includes a slit at a position corresponding to between the reflective display area provided in any of the sub pixel area and the other reflective display area provided in the other sub pixel area adjacent each other in a predetermined direction with respect to the any of the sub pixel area.

2. The liquid crystal device according to claim 1 wherein, the slit is provided between some of the sub pixel areas adjacent each other in the predetermined direction and the slit is not provided between the some of the sub pixel areas adjacent each other in the predetermined direction in the protection layer.

3. The liquid crystal device according to claim 1 , wherein the slit does not penetrate in the thickness direction of the protection layer in the protection layer.

4. The liquid crystal device according to claim 1 , wherein a spacer for setting a distance between the first substrate and the second substrate is provided at any one of the first substrate and the second substrate side and in the area not overlapping with the retardation layer in plan view.

5. The liquid crystal device according to claim 4 , wherein the spacer is provided at the second substrate side.

6. The liquid crystal device according to claim 4 , wherein the spacer is provided in an area in which the thickness of the liquid crystal layer is larger than the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflective display area.

7. The liquid crystal device according to claim 4 , wherein a plurality of the sub pixel areas are provided in a matrix manner,

a light shielding layer is provided at the second substrate side and at least between the sub pixel areas adjacent each other in a row direction, and

the spacer is provided at a position overlapping with the light shielding layer in plan view.

8. The liquid crystal device according to claim 4 , wherein the spacer is provided at the position most apart from the slit in any of the sub pixel area.

9. The liquid crystal device according to claim 8 , wherein the spacer is not positioned on an extended line in an extending direction of the slit.

10. An electronic apparatus comprising the liquid crystal device according to claim 1 as a display unit.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 5, 2015
From: JAPAN DISPLAY WEST INC.
To: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
Reel/Frame 035095/0874 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 15, 2013
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: JAPAN DISPLAY WEST INC.
Reel/Frame 031614/0172 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2007-061334 · Mar 12, 2007 · national
Continuity (2)
Division 11984971 · Nov 26, 2007
Related Publication 20140049710A1 · Feb 20, 2014