IP Library Granted Patent US 7,345,821
Granted Patent B2
US 7,345,821 · App. 11/513,975 · Granted Mar 18, 2008

Microlens substrate, a method for manufacturing the microlens substrate, a liquid crystal panel, and a projection type display apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,345,821
App. No.
11/513,975
Granted
Mar 18, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A microlens substrate for an opposed substrate for use in a liquid crystal panel is provided. The microlens substrate includes: a substrate with concave portions having a plurality of concave portions; a convex lens substrate having convex lenses, each of the convex lenses having a shape corresponding to each of the concave portions, and the convex lens substrate being provided with respect to the substrate with concave portions so that the convex lenses are opposed to the corresponding concave portions, respectively; and a coating layer provided on the surface of the convex lens substrate which does not face the substrate with concave portions, the coating layer being mainly constituted of a product material produced by a reaction of a polysilazane compound with water, wherein the polysilazane compound is represented by the following formula (I): A method of manufacturing the microlens substrate, a liquid crystal panel provided with the microlens substrate, and a projection type display apparatus provided with the liquid crystal panel are also provided.

Claims (25)

1. A microlens substrate for use in an opposed substrate for a liquid crystal panel, comprising:

a substrate with concave portions having a plurality of concave portions on one of the major surfaces thereof;

a convex lens substrate having convex lenses on one of the major surfaces thereof, each of the convex lenses having a shape corresponding to each of the concave portions of the substrate with concave portions, and the convex lens substrate being provided with respect to the substrate with concave portions so that the convex lenses are opposed to the corresponding concave portions, respectively; and

a coating layer provided on the other major surface of the convex lens substrate, the coating layer being mainly constituted of a product material produced by a reaction of a polysilazane compound with water.

2. The microlens substrate as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polysilazane compound is represented by the following formula (I):

3. The microlens substrate as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pencil hardness of the constituent material of the coating layer is 5H or higher.

4. The microlems substrate as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the coating layer is formed of a composition of which viscosity at room temperature is in the range of 0.5 to 10 mPa·s.

5. The microlens substrate as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the coating layer is in the range of 0.1 to 5.0 μm.

6. A method of manufacturing a microlens substrate for use in an opposed substrate for a liquid crystal panel, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing a substrate with concave portions having a plurality of concave portions on one of the major surfaces thereof;

applying a convex lens substrate formation composition having fluidity onto the one major surface of the substrate with concave portions where the plurality of concave portions are formed;

obtaining a convex lens substrate having a plurality of convex lenses by solidifying the convex lens substrate formation composition;

applying a coating layer formation composition having a fluidity and containing a polysilazane compound onto the surface of the convex lens substrate which does not face the substrate with concave portions; and

forming a coating layer on the surface of the convex lens substrate by curing the coating layer formation composition by reacting the polysilazane compound with water.

7. A liquid crystal panel provided with a microlens substrate for use in an opposed substrate for the liquid crystal panel, wherein:

the microlens substrate comprising a substrate with concave portions having a plurality of concave portions on one of the major surfaces thereof; a convex lens substrate having convex lenses on one of the major surfaces thereof, each of the convex lenses having a shape corresponding to each of the concave portions, and a coating layer,

wherein the convex lens substrate is provided with respect to the substrate with concave portions so that the convex lenses are opposed to the corresponding concave portions of the substrate with concave portions, respectively;

the coating layer is provided on the other major surface of the convex lens substrate; and

the coating layer is mainly constituted of a product material produced by a reaction of a polysilazane compound with water.

8. A projection type display apparatus having a light source and at least one light valve, wherein:

the light valve includes a liquid crystal panel provided with a microlens substrate for use in an opposed substrate for a liquid crystal panel;

the microlens substrate includes a substrate with concave portions, a convex lens substrate having microlenses each having a shape corresponding to each of the concave portions of the substrate with concave portions, and a coating layer provided on the convex lens substrate;

the convex lens substrate is provided with respect to the substrate with concave portions so that the convex lenses are opposed to the corresponding concave portions of the substrate with concave portions, respectively;

the coating layer is provided on the surface of the convex lens substrate which does not face the substrate with concave portions; and

the coating layer is mainly constituted of a product material produced by a reaction of a polysilazane compound with water.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2018
From: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
To: 138 EAST LCD ADVANCEMENTS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 046153/0397 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 31, 2006
From: MIYAO, NOBUYUKI
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 018256/0512 →