Patents Examined by Shean C Wu
  • Patent number: 9726934
    Abstract: A display device including a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate, and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate. The liquid crystal layer has a value of rotation viscosity (?l)/bending modulus of elasticity (K33) of about 6.0 to about 6.4 mPa*s/pN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joon-Hyung Park, Keunchan Oh, Min-Jae Kim, Min-Hee Kim, Kangseob Jeong, Kyungseon Tak
  • Patent number: 9726798
    Abstract: An optical film of the present invention includes a positive A-plate and a positive C-plate, in which the Re(450), Re(550), and Re(650) of the positive A-plate satisfy the relationship of Re(450)?Re(550)?Re(650), the positive A-plate is formed of a cured product of a composition including the liquid crystal compound A, and the positive C-plate is formed of a cured product of a composition including the liquid crystal compound C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rie Takasago, Hiroshi Matsuyama, Makoto Ishiguro, Shinichi Morishima
  • Patent number: 9714384
    Abstract: The invention relates to a layer or article comprising cholesteric liquid crystal polymer particles, which are optionally dispersed in a continuous phase, to cholesteric polymer particles for use in such a layer or article, to methods of preparing such a layer or article, and to the use of such a layer or article as optical element, in windows or electrooptical devices like liquid crystal displays (LCDs).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: MERCK PATENT GMBH
    Inventors: Eduardo Beltran Gracia, Owain Llyr Parri
  • Patent number: 9716220
    Abstract: Disclosed is a graphene-based terahertz device that includes a top graphene layer, a bottom graphene layer, and a middle layer disposed between the top graphene layer and the bottom graphene layer. The middle layer is a liquid crystal layer, a piezocrystal layer, an ionic liquid layer, or an ion gel layer. Also disclosed are methods of preparing different embodiments of the above-described graphene-based terahertz device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: National University of Singapore
    Inventors: Yang Wu, Hyunsoo Yang, Xuepeng Qiu
  • Patent number: 9708285
    Abstract: A dioxolane derivative represented by formula (G1) is provided. The explanation of the substituents is given in the specification. The use of the dioxolane derivative enables the production of a liquid crystal composition and a liquid crystal display device including the liquid crystal composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Momoko Kato, Yasuhiro Niikura, Tetsuji Ishitani, Yuko Kawata
  • Patent number: 9701903
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a liquid-crystalline medium based on a mixture of polar compounds having negative dielectric anisotropy (??), which is distinguished by the fact that it has a value for the ratio ?1/?n2 in the range 6-45 with a clearing point of >60° C. and a ?? of ??2.3. Media of this type are particularly suitable for electro-optical displays having active-matrix addressing based on the ECB, PA LCD, FFS or IPS effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Merck Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Melanie Klasen-Memmer, Sabine Schoen
  • Patent number: 9695361
    Abstract: The liquid crystal composition of the present invention can be used in a liquid crystal display element of an IPS type or a TN type in which display defects such as burn-in and dropping marks in high speed response are unlikely to be generated. Since the liquid crystal composition contains a component which is a dielectrically positive component including a dielectrically positive compound and a dielectrically neutral component of which dielectric anisotropy is greater than ?2 and less than +2, the liquid crystal composition has excellent characteristics that the liquid crystal composition has a liquid crystal phase in a wide temperature range, low viscosity, excellent solubility at a low temperature, high specific resistance and a high voltage holding ratio, and is stable with respect to heat and light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: DIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Joji Kawamura
  • Patent number: 9696472
    Abstract: A stereo viewing device comprises a first lens comprising a first lens filter, and a second lens comprising a second lens filter. The first lens filter comprises a first set of light absorbing dyes that define a first set of rejection bands. The first set of light absorbing dyes comprises at least a first polymethine dye. The second lens filter comprises a second set of light absorbing dyes that define a second set of rejection bands different from the first set of rejection bands. The second set of light absorbing dyes comprises at least a second polymethine dye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: IMAX THEATRES INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew F. Kurtz, Donald R. Diehl
  • Patent number: 9690022
    Abstract: Liquid crystal composition containing polymerizable liquid crystal compound with reverse wavelength dispersion and one additive-monomer-A and additive-monomer-B, wherein: liquid crystal compound includes (in molecule), a main chain mesogen and side chain mesogen, optical axis of the main chain mesogen and optical axis of the side chain mesogen in different directions when compound is uniformly oriented, reversing wavelength dispersion property of birefringence; when the additive-monomer is in liquid crystal compound, the additive-monomer-A satisfies Expression(i); the additive-monomer-B satisfies Expression(ii) within wavelength range ?=380 nm-780 nm: ne>nea and no<noa Expression(i), ne<neb and no>nob Expression(ii) (ne is a refractive index of liquid crystal compound in slow-axis-direction, no is a refractive index of liquid crystal compound in fast-axis-direction, nea and noa are refractive indices of the additive-monomer-A in ne and no direction when dispersed in liquid crystal compound, neb an
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: ZEON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masashi Aimatsu
  • Patent number: 9690161
    Abstract: A diffraction grating comprises a liquid crystal (LC) cell configured to apply an electric field through a cholesteric LC material that induces the cholesteric LC material into a heliconical state with an oblique helicoid director. The applied electric field produces diffracted light from the cholesteric LC material within the visible, infrared or ultraviolet. The axis of the heliconical state is in the plane of the liquid crystal cell or perpendicular to the plane, depending on the application. A color tuning device operates with a similar heliconical state liquid crystal material but with the heliconical director axis oriented perpendicular to the plane of the cell. A power generator varies the strength of the applied electric field to adjust the wavelength of light reflected from the cholesteric liquid crystal material within the visible, infrared or ultraviolet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Sergij V. Shiyanovsii, Jie Xiang, Young-Ki Kim
  • Patent number: 9678386
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid-crystal display device capable of maintaining a high voltage holding ratio even without an alignment film. The liquid-crystal display device of the present invention includes a pair of substrates, a liquid crystal layer which is sandwiched between the substrates and which contains a liquid crystal material, and a polymer layer which is disposed on a surface of each of the substrates and which controls the alignment of liquid crystal molecules. The outermost surfaces of both the substrates comprise substantially no alignment film. The polymer layer is formed by polymerizing one or more radical polymerizable monomer species added to the liquid crystal layer. At least one species of the one or more radical polymerizable monomer species is a biphenyl compound having a specific structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: MERCK PATENT GMBH
    Inventors: Takeshi Noma, Youhei Nakanishi, Masanobu Mizusaki
  • Patent number: 9658507
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The liquid crystal layer includes liquid crystal molecules having a negative dielectric anisotropy, a response speed of about 4.0 ms or less, and a rotational viscosity of about 47 mPa·S to about 75 mPa·S.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Soon Joon Rho, Kyungmin Kim, Jin-Lak Kim, Hyelim Jang
  • Patent number: 9644144
    Abstract: The invention relates to bimesogenic compounds of formula I wherein R11, R12, MG11, MG12, X11, X12 and Sp1 have the meaning given in claim 1, to the use of bimesogenic compounds of formula I in liquid crystal media and particular to flexoelectric liquid crystal devices comprising a liquid crystal medium according to the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: MERCK PATENT GMBH
    Inventors: Kevin Adlem, Owain Llyr Parri, Rachel Tuffin, Patricia Eileen Saxton, Mariam Namutebi, Benjamin Snow
  • Patent number: 9631143
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a composite material, a liquid crystal film, a method for preparing the film, a temperature-responsive device comprising the film, and a circular polarizer made therefrom. The liquid crystal film comprises the composite material of the present invention, wherein the composite material comprises a polymer network of a cholesteric liquid crystal material, and a chiral material capable of hydrogen-bond-assisted self-assembly, and wherein the chiral material is dispersed in and restrained by the polymer network. The obtained liquid crystal film can exhibit a high reflectivity and a high transmittance as well as a broad band reflection. And, the liquid crystal film is applicable for an industrial development because it can be produced with a simple process and at a lower cost, and requires a lower UV luminous intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Feifei Wang, Xibin Shao, Dan Wang, Seungmin Lee, Honglin Zhang
  • Patent number: 9625752
    Abstract: Responsive, biocompatible substrates are of interest for directing the maturation and function of cells in vitro during cell culture. This can potentially provide cells and tissues with desirable properties for regenerative therapies. The present disclosure provides a scalable approach to attach, align and dynamically load cells on responsive liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) substrates. Monodomain LCEs exhibit reversible shape changes in response to cyclic stimulus, and when immersed in an aqueous medium on top of, for example, resistive heaters, shape changes are fast, reversible and produce minimal temperature changes in the surroundings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Rafael Verduzco, Jeffrey G. Jacot, Oluwatomiyin Adetiba, Aditya Agrawal
  • Patent number: 9625776
    Abstract: The occurrence of a defective orientation of a polymer/liquid crystal composite is suppressed. In addition, the occurrence of defective display of a liquid crystal display device including the polymer/liquid crystal composite is suppressed. In the polymer/liquid crystal composite exhibiting a blue phase, a plurality of domains are included and defective orientations easily occur at boundaries between the domains. Thus, by lowering orientation periodicities at boundaries between the domains, a defect-free orientation to high orientation periodicities at the boundary between adjacent domains can be obtained. Specifically, the polymer/liquid crystal composite exhibiting the blue phase includes the plurality of domains each of which has a size of 3 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Daisuke Kubota
  • Patent number: 9617473
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a switch element, which is thermoresponsive and which switches between a less transmissive state for radiant energy and a more transmissive state for radiant energy, and which comprises a liquid-crystalline medium. The invention furthermore relates to the use of the switch element for the regulation of radiant energy flow between interior spaces and the environment and for the regulation of the temperature of interior spaces. The invention furthermore relates to a liquid-crystalline medium, characterised in that it comprises 5-95% of a compound of the formula (I), in particular for use in the switch elements according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Merck Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Junge
  • Patent number: 9617477
    Abstract: A compound represented by formula (1), a liquid crystal composition, a liquid crystal display device are described. In formula (1), for example, the ring A1 and the ring A4 are phenylene or cyclohexylene; Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z4 are a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 6 carbons; L1 is a single bond; s and t are 0; and P1, P2, P3 and P4 are a polymerizable group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignees: JNC CORPORATION, JNC PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Goto, Maiko Matsukuma, Junichi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9612445
    Abstract: The invention provides a switchable lens element comprising an inverse lens structure formed by an isotropic material and an isotropic cover sheet wherein the resulting lens structure comprises an electrically switchable polymer stabilized blue phase LC medium having the same refractive index in its isotropic state. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of such a lens element in an electro-optical device i.e. an autostereoscopic display device operable in a 2D mode or a 3D mode, in which a lens arrangement directs the output from different pixels to different spatial positions to enable a stereoscopic image to be viewed and wherein the lens arrangement comprises a plurality of said switchable lens elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Merck Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Wittek, Helmut Haensel
  • Patent number: 9606279
    Abstract: A process for producing an optically anisotropic film having high transparency is provided. A process for producing an optically anisotropic film is provided, wherein the following steps are carried out in order: (1) a step of applying a composition for forming an optically anisotropic film to a substrate, (2) a step of conveying the applied composition for forming an optically anisotropic film to a drying furnace under an environment with an air speed of 0.01 m/s to 0.2 m/s, and (3) a step of removing the solvent by applying a 1 m/s or higher hot air to the applied composition for forming an optically anisotropic film in the drying furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Tadahiro Kobayashi