Patents Examined by Walter J. Malinowski
  • Patent number: 5742369
    Abstract: A method of aligning liquid crystals includes the steps of aligning chiral smectic liquid crystal sandwiched between a pair of substrates each having an electrode by applying an alternating electric field between the substrates under periodically changing temperature conditions in which a width of changes of the temperature for a single period differs in every period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadashi Mihara, Yukio Hanyu, Sunao Mori
  • Patent number: 5739882
    Abstract: A liquid crystal electro-optical device is fabricated by holding a mixture of a liquid crystal material and an uncured resin between a pair of substrates, precipitating the uncured resin from the mixture in the form of columns, and curing the thus precipitated columns of uncured resin. wherein a ultraviolet-curable resin is used as the sealing material and the uncured resin to cure the both by irradiating an ultraviolet radiation thereto. In this manner, the curing of the sealing material and the resin columns can be completed in a single process. Also, in a liquid crystal electro-optical device comprising a pair of substrates in which one of them is a light-transmitting substrate, a fabricating process comprises precipitating an uncured resin from a mixture of a liquid crystal material and a resin curable by either or both of ultraviolet radiation and heating, and curing the precipitated resin by irradiating an ultraviolet radiation and heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michio Shimizu, Toshimitsu Konuma, Takeshi Nishi
  • Patent number: 5729307
    Abstract: An antiferroelectric liquid crystal device of the present invention includes at least a first antiferroelectric liquid crystal cell and a second antiferroelectric liquid crystal cell, wherein the first and second antiferroelectric liquid crystal cells respectively have an antiferroelectric liquid crystal material interposed between a pair of electrode substrates each having an electrode film and an alignment layer, and the first and second antiferroelectric liquid crystal cells are disposed so that a normal to an antiferroelectric liquid crystal layer of the first antiferroelectric liquid crystal cell is orthogonal to a normal to an antiferroelectric liquid crystal layer of the second antiferroelectric liquid crystal cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Koden, Kazuhiko Tamai
  • Patent number: 5724107
    Abstract: A storage capacitor is constituted by a storage capacitor electrode, made of a transparent and conductive film extending substantially all over a substrate, and pixel electrodes overlapping with the storage capacitor electrode via an interlevel insulation layer. The storage capacitor holds charges. The storage capacitor electrode is positioned such that it faces the entire surface of the pixel electrodes. Since the transparent and conductive storage capacitor electrode does not reduce the aperture ratio, the storage capacitor can have a large capacitance. A signal voltage applied to the storage capacitor electrode is determined so as not to activate the thin film transistors which are not selected. A light-shielding layer is present at a position between pixel electrodes on or under the storage capacitor electrode. The light-shielding layer shields the thin film transistors, gate lines and drain lines from incident light, thereby preventing reduction of contrast of displayed pictures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuji Nishikawa, Toshio Shimada
  • Patent number: 5724113
    Abstract: The invention provides a liquid crystal device having an aligned and surface tilted liquid crystal layer contained between two cell walls. The cell walls carry electrodes for applying voltages across the layer thickness to provide a display. The alignment is provided by a layer of a material that undergoes optically induced ordering during cross linking. That is, a material capable of aligning liquid crystal molecules after cross linking with polarized light. One such material is polyvinylcinnamate. The aligning layer is profiled with an asymmetric grating, eg approximately sawtooth in cross section by interferometer, oblique incidence photolithography, or embossing. The shape of the grating provides the surface tilt. The liquid crystal material may be nematic, cholesteric, or smectic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventors: Guy Peter Bryan-Brown, Damien Gerard McDonnell, Michael John Towler
  • Patent number: 5715025
    Abstract: An active matrix for liquid crystal displays having a plurality of picture elements, a plurality of address buses, and a plurality of data buses orthogonal to the address buses. Each address bus includes a pair of address subbuses spaced from one another, and each data bus includes a pair of data subbuses spaced from one another. Each picture element includes a pair of display electrodes, and each data subbus is separated from the other by at least one display electrode. Each picture element of an active matrix liquid crystal display includes a pair of display electrodes wherein the position of the pair of display electrodes representing a color on one row of the picture elements is laterally shifted by at least one display electrode with respect to the position of the pair of display electrodes representing a different color on an adjacent row to form a triangular structure representing the color picture element between the adjacent rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: Goldstar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Oleg F. Ogurtsov, Boris I. Kazurov, Boris P. Chernorotov
  • Patent number: 5710606
    Abstract: A polycrystalline silicon active layer is provided on a transparent insulating substrate. Phosphorus is ion-implanted into the active layer, to form a pair of n-type source/drain regions with a base region interposed therebetween. In this ion-implantation, a density gradient of phosphorus is formed in the thicknesses direction of the active layer. Boron is ion-implanted into each of the source/drain regions, to be adjacent to the base region. In this ion-implantation, a density gradient of boron is formed, and the position providing a maximum density of boron is set to be deeper than the position which provides a maximum density of phosphorus. By the ion-implantation of boron, an n-type LDD portion having a high resistance and a p-type portion are formed on the upper and lower sides, respectively, adjacent to the base region within each of the source/drain regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Mitsuo Nakajima, Yoshito Kawakyu
  • Patent number: 5699139
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) having an active area for display of information and an inactive area adjacent the active area. The inactive area includes a pressure relief region for relieving pressure generated within the cell, thereby minimizing the effects of pressure variation in the active area. The display is comprised of two substrates, at least one of which is flexible, which are joined at their peripheries. A plurality of spacer members placed between the substrates insures a uniform gap between the substrates in the active area. The spacer members are preferably attached to both of the substrates in the active area, but to at most one of the substrates in the inactive area. The pressure relief region serves to relieve pressure within the display (usually caused by temperature changes) by flexure of the flexible substrate, thereby eliminating distortions within the active area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: David J. W. Aastuen, Robert P. Wenz
  • Patent number: 5691793
    Abstract: An object is to provide a liquid crystal display apparatus with an equal gap between two substrates so as to improve display image quality and display contrast. To accomplish this object, substrate gap adjusting region 33 or substrate gap adjusting layers 21, 22, 25, 27, 29, and 31 are formed so that the substrate gap in a region extending from a display region having pixel electrodes 7 to a driver circuit 11 is kept equal to the substrate gap in a region extending from the display region to a driver circuit 15. Thus, the gap between the two opposed substrates forming liquid crystal cells can be kept equal in any position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Watanabe, Hiroki Nakamura, Takako Sugawara
  • Patent number: 5686980
    Abstract: A light-shielding film, and a liquid crystal display device including the light-shielding film, and a material suitable for forming the light-shielding film. The light-shielding film includes at least a film prepared from an inorganic insulating material and fine particles of metal and/or semi-metal dispersed in the insulating material film. The liquid crystal display device includes a display pixel electrode array substrate, a counter substrate, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the two substrates. The light-shielding film is formed on the display pixel electrode array substrate of the liquid crystal display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hideo Hirayama, Nobuki Ibaraki, Koji Hidaka, Kiyotsugu Mizouchi, Michiya Kobayashi, Takashi Ishigami, Ryo Sakai, Makoto Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 5684557
    Abstract: In an apparatus for adhering a polarizer to an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panel, a set plate for holding the panel thereon by suction is formed with a plurality of channels on the surface thereof. A discharge bar adjoins the set plate and blows air under pressure into the channels. When the panel is laid on or separated from the set plate, the air dissipates static electricity. This reduces electrostatic charge deposited on the panel and thereby reduces the electrostatic breakdown of the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Akehiro Matsuda
  • Patent number: 5682216
    Abstract: An LCD projector includes: a light source assembly for supplying light source required for the LCD projector; an image generating mechanism for generating image to be projected, having an LCD panel; a projection objective lens assembly for projecting the image generated by the image generating mechanism onto a screen; and a cooling mechanism for cooling off the surface of the LCD panel of which the temperature is raised due to the radiation of the light source. A thermal diffusion film having good transparency and thermal diffusivity is attachd to the surface of the LCD panel on the one side nearer to the light source assembly so as to facilitate homogeneous thermal diffusion in the surface of the LCD panel, and thus prevent deterioration of quality of projected image due to thermal shimmering caused by cooling air flow coming from the cooling mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Assignees: CTX Opto-Electronics Corp., Lightware, Inc.
    Inventors: Falcon Lin, Shih-Yuan Yu, David Booth, Arlie R. Conner
  • Patent number: 5680189
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display using a hydrophobic material as the material of resinous columns to orient the molecules of the liquid crystal parallel to the substrates. A hydrophilic material can also be used as the material of resinous columns to orient the molecules of the liquid crystal vertical to the substrates. The liquid crystal molecules are oriented horizontally by making the surface tension of the orientation film greater than the surface tension of the resinous columns. The liquid crystal molecules are oriented vertically by making the surface tension of the orientation film smaller than the surface tension of the resinous columns. A mixture of a liquid crystal material and an uncured resin is placed in a liquid crystal cell. The uncured resin is precipitated (deposited) out of the mixture. The molecules of the liquid crystal material are oriented. Then, the uncured resin is cured. Thereafter, an aging step for reorienting the molecules of the liquid crystal material is carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michio Shimizu, Takeshi Nishi, Toshimitsu Konuma
  • Patent number: 5677749
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device including a first substrate, a second substrate, and a sealing member for bonding the first and the second substrates, wherein a spacer for determining a thickness of a gap between the first and the second substrates is included only in the sealing member and wherein d<D where D is the thickness of the gap and d is the thickness of the sealing member. The gap is filled with a liquid crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1997
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koujiro Tsubota, Kazuyoshi Fujioka, Yohji Yoshimura, Hiroyuki Ohgami, Yutaka Takafuji, Katsumi Nomura, Masumi Kubo, Hirokazu Kamei
  • Patent number: 5663776
    Abstract: In the case of a display device of glasses arranged at a distance from each other or of other imaging cells, such as in particular a combination of twisted nematic liquid-crystal cells, the design of a narrow, well-ventilated gap is produced in the course of constructing the device, in a manner such that on the supports for the first cell to be mounted there are formed thin spacer legs that run in an angled manner, which reach beyond the cell border and thereby engage as spacers into the subsequent gap, when the cell that is to arranged in front of it in the assembly direction, is laid against these spacer legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Valeo Borg Instruments Verwaltung GmbH
    Inventor: Heinz Behrends
  • Patent number: 5659376
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus is constituted by: a housing; a liquid crystal panel comprising a liquid crystal disposed between a pair of substrates each provided with electrodes, the liquid crystal panel being affixed to the housing; and a backlight for illuminating the liquid crystal panel, detachably affixed to the housing. A light-transmissive plate, such as a diffusion plate, allowing transmission of light from the backlight is further disposed between the liquid crystal panel and the backlight so as to define an almost closed first space in cooperation with the liquid crystal panel, whereby the first space retaina its almost closed state even when the backlight is detached from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Uehara, Hidetarou Tsuchiya, Hisao Tajima, Hiroyuki Yokomizo, Hiroshi Takabayashi, Shigeki Yabu, Toshiaki Itazawa, Mitsuo Iwayama, Yoshihiro Onitsuka, Yasushi Shioya
  • Patent number: 5654779
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device adaptable for various applications is provided which comprises a liquid crystal display panel, lamps, lamp holders respectively holding the lamps, a photoconductive board provided between the lamps, and a frame covering both the lamps and the lamp holders, wherein the photoconductive board comprises an outer photoconductive part fixed to the lamp holders, and an inner photoconductive part held on the rear side thereof by a holding member provided to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, Asahi Glass Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Nakayama, Takanori Takaki, Seiki Takahashi, Toshio Tobita
  • Patent number: 5648826
    Abstract: A display device matrix comprising a plurality of aluminum scanning line electrodes and a plurality of associated chromium bonding pads, wherein each scanning line electrode has an associated repairing conductive layer which can connected the scanning line electrode with its associated bonding pad should a connection failure otherwise prevent electrical connection between the two.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun-ho Song, Yong-quk Pae, Wun-yong Park
  • Patent number: 5648827
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display is provided which has improved wide angle viewing characteristics. The liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal matrix. A non-planar fluorescent lamp positioned on a first side of the liquid crystal matrix has a center which traverses the fluorescent lamp in at least one longitudinal direction. A distance between the first side of the liquid crystal matrix and the fluorescent lamp center in a first portion of the fluorescent lamp is less than a distance between the first side of the liquid crystal matrix and the fluorescent lamp center in a second portion of the fluorescent lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
    Inventor: James E. Shaw
  • Patent number: 5648828
    Abstract: A TFT substrate and an opposed electrode substrate are disposed in an opposing relationship to each other with a spacer interposed therebetween for keeping the gap between the substrates fixed, and liquid crystal filling between the substrates. Orientation films on the substrates are oriented in different directions so that they divide the picture elements. A light intercepting film is provided on an orientation dividing line. The surface of the spacer is processed by orientation processing by which the liquid crystal is oriented perpendicularly to the surface of the spacer or in parallel to the substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Michiaki Sakamoto, Tatsuo Onozawa