IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,396,354
Granted Patent B2
US 12,396,354 · App. 18/794,409 · Granted Aug 19, 2025

Display device

Inventors: Hiroshi Tsuchiya (Kameyama, JP); Takashi Satoh (Kameyama, JP)
Assignee: Sharp Display Technology Corporation
H10K59/50G02F1/133553G02F1/133746G02F1/133749G02F1/133769G02F1/1391G02F1/1397H10K59/131G02F2201/123
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,396,354
App. No.
18/794,409
Granted
Aug 19, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A display device includes: a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix in a display area, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a reflective liquid crystal portion and a self-luminous element portion, in the reflective liquid crystal portion, a first substrate does not include a switching element, a reflector, a pixel electrode, a liquid crystal layer, and an opposite electrode form a reflective liquid crystal display element that operates in bistable liquid crystal display mode, in the self-luminous element portion, the first substrate includes: a switching element; a self-luminous display element including a first electrode, an organic layer, and a second electrode; and a coating layer disposed on a side of the liquid crystal layer of the self-luminous display element, and the coating layer is provided contiguously across the reflective liquid crystal portion and the self-luminous element portion.

Claims (51)

1. A display device comprising:

a first substrate including a switching element;

a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules; and

a second substrate including an opposite electrode, the first substrate, the liquid crystal layer and the second substrate are provided sequentially,

the display device further comprising a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix in a display area, wherein

each of the plurality of pixels includes a reflective liquid crystal portion and a self-luminous element portion,

in the reflective liquid crystal portion, the first substrate includes a reflector, a coating layer, and a pixel electrode, which are provided sequentially toward a side of the liquid crystal layer, but does not include a switching element,

the reflector, the pixel electrode, the liquid crystal layer, and the opposite electrode form a reflective liquid crystal display element that operates in bistable liquid crystal display mode,

in the self-luminous element portion, the first substrate includes:

the switching element;

a self-luminous display element including a first electrode, an organic layer, and a second electrode; and

the coating layer disposed on a side of the liquid crystal layer of the self-luminous display element, and

the coating layer is provided contiguously across the reflective liquid crystal portion and the self-luminous element portion.

2. The display device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a non-display area provided around the display area; and

a wire provided in the non-display area of the first substrate, wherein

in the non-display area, the opposite electrode is connected to the wire, and the pixel electrode is connected to the wire.

3. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein

the liquid crystal layer assumes either one of a first stable state and a second stable state in which the liquid crystal molecules assume different alignment states in absence of applied voltage where a voltage that is lower than a threshold value is applied across the pixel electrode and the opposite electrode, and

the liquid crystal molecules are switched between the first stable state and the second stable state by applying a pulsed voltage across the pixel electrode and the opposite electrode.

4. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the coating layer is provided contiguously across the plurality of pixels.

5. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the reflector is disposed in a same layer as the first electrode.

6. The display device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a vertical alignment film disposed between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer; and

a grating layer disposed between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer, wherein

the liquid crystal layer assumes either one of a first stable state in which the liquid crystal molecules assume a vertical alignment and a second stable state in which the liquid crystal molecules assume an HAN alignment in absence of applied voltage where a voltage that is lower than a threshold value is applied across the pixel electrode and the opposite electrode, and

the liquid crystal molecules are switched between the first stable state and the second stable state by applying a pulsed voltage across the pixel electrode and the opposite electrode.

7. The display device according to claim 6 , wherein in the first stable state, the liquid crystal molecules have a pretilt angle of from 85° to 90°, both inclusive, on a side of the first substrate and a pretilt angle of from 85° to 90°, both inclusive, on a side of the second substrate.

8. The display device according to claim 6 , wherein in the second stable state, the liquid crystal molecules have a pretilt angle of from 85° to 90°, both inclusive, on a side of the first substrate and a pretilt angle of from 0° to 5°, both inclusive, on a side of the second substrate.

9. The display device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a pretilted horizontal alignment film disposed between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer; and

a grating layer disposed between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer, wherein

the liquid crystal layer assumes either one of a first stable state in which the liquid crystal molecules assume a TN alignment and a second stable state in which the liquid crystal molecules assume an HAN alignment in absence of applied voltage where a voltage that is lower than a threshold value is applied across the pixel electrode and the opposite electrode, and

the liquid crystal molecules are switched between the first stable state and the second stable state by applying a pulsed voltage across the pixel electrode and the opposite electrode.

10. The display device according to claim 9 , wherein

in the first stable state, the liquid crystal molecules have a pretilt angle of from 3° to 5°, both inclusive, on a side of the first substrate and a pretilt angle of from 0° to 5°, both inclusive, on a side of the second substrate, and

an alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules on the side of the first substrate and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules on the side of the second substrate make an angle of from 80° to 90°, both inclusive, in a plan view.

11. The display device according to claim 9 , wherein in the second stable state, the liquid crystal molecules have a pretilt angle of from 3° to 5°, both inclusive, on a side of the first substrate and a pretilt angle of from 85° to 90°, both inclusive, on a side of the second substrate.

12. The display device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a weak anchoring alignment film disposed between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer; and

a strong anchoring alignment film disposed between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer, wherein

the liquid crystal layer assumes either one of a first stable state in which the liquid crystal molecules assume a homogeneous alignment and a second stable state in which the liquid crystal molecules on a side of the first substrate assume a twisted alignment in which these liquid crystal molecules are twisted by 180° from the first stable state in a plan view, in absence of applied voltage where a voltage that is lower than a threshold value is applied across the pixel electrode and the opposite electrode, and

the liquid crystal molecules are switched between the first stable state and the second stable state by applying a pulsed voltage across the pixel electrode and the opposite electrode.

13. The display device according to claim 12 , wherein

in the first stable state, the liquid crystal molecules have a pretilt angle of from 0° to 5°, both inclusive, on the first substrate and a pretilt angle of from 5° to 10°, both inclusive, on a side of the second substrate, and

an alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules on the side of the first substrate and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules on the side of the second substrate make an angle of from 0° to 10°, both inclusive, in a plan view.

14. The display device according to claim 12 , wherein

in the second stable state, the liquid crystal molecules have a pretilt angle of from 0° to 5°, both inclusive, on the side of the first substrate and a pretilt angle of from 5° to 10°, both inclusive, on a side of the second substrate,

an alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules on the side of the first substrate and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules on the side of the second substrate make an angle of from 0° to 10°, both inclusive, in a plan view, and

the liquid crystal molecules are aligned twisted in-plane by from 170° to 180°, both inclusive, from the side of the first substrate toward the second substrate.

15. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the reflector has projections and depressions on a surface of the reflector on a side of the liquid crystal layer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2024
From: TSUCHIYA, HIROSHI; SATOH, TAKASHI
To: SHARP DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 068183/0508 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2023-139767 · Aug 30, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250081800A1 · Mar 6, 2025
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