Patents by Inventor Kiyoshi Minoura
Kiyoshi Minoura has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Publication number: 20240160052Abstract: A viewing angle-controlling liquid crystal panel sequentially includes a first polarizing plate; a first liquid crystal panel; a second polarizing plate; a second liquid crystal panel; and a third polarizing plate, wherein an azimuthal angle ?P1 of the absorption axis of the first polarizing plate, an azimuthal angle ?1 of a director of liquid crystal molecules near the first substrate and an azimuthal angle ?2 of a director of liquid crystal molecules near the second substrate in the first liquid crystal panel, an azimuthal angle ?P2 of the absorption axis of the second polarizing plate, an azimuthal angle ?3 of a director of liquid crystal molecules near the third substrate and an azimuthal angle ?4 of a director of liquid crystal molecules near the fourth substrate in the second liquid crystal panel, and an azimuthal angle ?P3 of the absorption axis of the third polarizing plate satisfy specific formulas.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2023Publication date: May 16, 2024Applicant: Sharp Display Technology CorporationInventors: Koji MURATA, Junichi MASUDA, Shugo YAGI, Akira HIRAI, Hiroshi TSUCHIYA, Takashi SATOH, Akira SAKAI, Kiyoshi MINOURA
-
Patent number: 11982896Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display device and a polarizing plate capable of improving the contrast ratio in the front direction. The polarizing plate includes a pair of polarizers including a first polarizer and a second polarizer whose transmission axes are parallel to each other; a retarder between the paired polarizers; and a diffusion layer in at least one of a region between the paired polarizers or a region on a side without the retarder of the first polarizer.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2023Date of Patent: May 14, 2024Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akira Sakai, Yuichi Kawahira, Masahiro Hasegawa, Kiyoshi Minoura
-
Patent number: 11947749Abstract: An in-cell touch panel device includes a first substrate, a plurality of color filters formed on a layer on an opposite side of a touch surface with respect to the first substrate, a transmitter electrode formed on a layer on an opposite side of the touch surface with respect to the plurality of color filters, a receiver electrode formed on a layer closer to the touch surface side with respect to the plurality of color filters, and a second substrate, a pixel electrode being disposed on the second substrate. The transmitter electrode includes a gap portion formed in a portion overlapping a space between adjacent ones of the plurality of color filters in a plan view.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2022Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Sharp Display Technology CorporationInventors: Kazutoshi Kida, Kiyoshi Minoura, Takashi Satoh, Shunsuke Noichi, Yasuhiro Sugita, Chiaki Minari
-
Patent number: 11927775Abstract: Provided are 3D glasses capable of reducing crosstalk when disposed on the viewer side of a liquid crystal panel that is time-divisionally driven; an optical device including the 3D glasses; and a three-dimensional image display device including the optical device. The 3D glasses include a right-eye polarizer and a left-eye polarizer, the right-eye polarizer and the left-eye polarizer each including a polarizing plate and a first ?/4 plate, at least one of the right-eye polarizer or the left-eye polarizer including a phase difference layer on or behind a back surface side of the polarizing plate, wherein a phase difference introduced by the right-eye polarizer in a thickness direction at a wavelength of 550 nm is different from a phase difference introduced by the left-eye polarizer in the thickness direction at a wavelength of 550 nm.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2023Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: Sharp Display Technology CorporationInventors: Masahiro Hasegawa, Akira Sakai, Kiyoshi Minoura
-
Patent number: 11929511Abstract: A method of manufacturing a membrane-catalyst assembly including an electrolyte membrane and a catalyst layer bonded to the electrolyte membrane, the method including: a liquid application step of applying, in the atmosphere, a liquid to only a surface of the electrolyte membrane before bonding; and a thermocompression bonding step of bonding, to the catalyst layer, the electrolyte membrane to which the liquid is applied, by thermocompression bonding. Provided is a method of manufacturing a membrane-catalyst assembly including a polymer electrolyte membrane and a catalyst layer bonded to the polymer electrolyte membrane, in which the manufacturing method can achieve both the relaxation of thermocompression bonding conditions and the improvement of adhesion between the catalyst layer and the electrolyte membrane with high productivity.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2020Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: Yuta Shintaku, Ryuta Sakashita, Daisuke Izuhara, Kiyoshi Minoura, Mei Kumagai
-
Patent number: 11921377Abstract: Provided is an optical element including: a liquid crystal cell including a first substrate, a liquid crystal layer, and a second substrate; and a quarter-wave film. The liquid crystal layer contains liquid crystal molecules twist-aligned. The liquid crystal cell includes electrodes. The electrodes are disposed to enable switching between a first state and a second state by application of voltage to the liquid crystal layer. The switching between the first state and the second state controls a polarization state of light incident on the liquid crystal cell. Circularly polarized light incident on the liquid crystal cell is converted to first linearly polarized light in the first state while converted to second linearly polarized light in the second state. Linearly polarized light incident on the liquid crystal cell is converted to first circularly polarized light in the first state while converted to second circularly polarized light in the second state.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2022Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: Sharp Display Technology CorporationInventors: Daisuke Minami, Hiroaki Asagi, Kiyoshi Minoura
-
Patent number: 11886094Abstract: Provided is an optical element including: a first liquid crystal cell including first liquid crystal molecules and a first electrode; and a second liquid crystal cell including second liquid crystal molecules and a second electrode, the first and second electrodes disposed to enable switching between a first state twist-aligning the second liquid crystal molecules and vertically aligning the first liquid crystal molecules and a second state twist-aligning the first liquid crystal molecules and vertically aligning the second liquid crystal molecules. Alignment directions of the second liquid crystal molecules near a third substrate and the second liquid crystal molecules near a fourth substrate in the first state are respectively at azimuthal angles resulting from a ¼ turn in the same direction of azimuthal angles of alignment directions of the first liquid crystal molecules near the first substrate and the first liquid crystal molecules near the second substrate in the second state.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2023Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Sharp Display Technology CorporationInventors: Daisuke Minami, Hiroaki Asagi, Kiyoshi Minoura
-
Patent number: 11860468Abstract: An in-cell touch panel device includes a first substrate, a plurality of color filters formed on an upper layer with respect to the first substrate and including a green color filter, a transmitter electrode formed on an upper layer with respect to the plurality of color filters, a receiver electrode formed on a lower layer with respect to the plurality of color filters, and a second substrate including a pixel electrode disposed on the second substrate. The transmitter electrode includes a gap portion formed in a portion overlapping the receiver electrode in a plan view and in a portion overlapping the green color filter in a plan view.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2022Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: Sharp Display Technology CorporationInventors: Kazutoshi Kida, Kiyoshi Minoura, Takashi Satoh, Shunsuke Noichi, Yasuhiro Sugita, Chiaki Minari
-
Patent number: 11852952Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal lens including: a first substrate; a second substrate facing the first substrate; and a liquid crystal layer held between the first substrate and the second substrate and containing liquid crystal molecules. The first substrate includes a Fresnel lens and a first electrode sequentially toward the liquid crystal layer. The second substrate includes a second electrode. The Fresnel lens includes a Fresnel-shaped part including annular lens surfaces in a concentric circle pattern and a flat part including a flat surface that extends in a radial direction of the concentric circle and intersects at least one of the annular lens surfaces. The annular lens surfaces are on a liquid crystal layer-facing surface of the Fresnel-shaped part and defines an uneven surface. The flat surface is on the liquid crystal layer-facing surface of the flat part.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2022Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: SHARP DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventors: Naru Usukura, Hiroaki Asagi, Yasuhiro Haseba, Kiyoshi Minoura
-
Publication number: 20230375889Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a substrate that is transparent, and a plurality of pixels positioned on the substrate. Each pixel includes a thin-film transistor (TFT) positioned on the substrate, a first color filter layer disposed on the substrate so as to cover the TFT, a contact hole being provided in the first color filter layer, a pixel electrode that is positioned on a bottom face and a side face of the contact hole, and on the first color filter layer, and that is electrically connected to the TFT via the contact hole, and a second color filter layer disposed within the contact hole.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2023Publication date: November 23, 2023Inventors: Seiichi UCHIDA, Kiyoshi MINOURA, Kuniaki OKADA, Hiromi KATOH, Keisuke YOSHIDA
-
Publication number: 20230333402Abstract: Provided are 3D glasses capable of reducing crosstalk when disposed on the viewer side of a liquid crystal panel that is time-divisionally driven; an optical device including the 3D glasses; and a three-dimensional image display device including the optical device. The 3D glasses include a right-eye polarizer and a left-eye polarizer, the right-eye polarizer and the left-eye polarizer each including a polarizing plate and a first ?/4 plate, at least one of the right-eye polarizer or the left-eye polarizer including a phase difference layer on or behind a back surface side of the polarizing plate, wherein a phase difference introduced by the right-eye polarizer in a thickness direction at a wavelength of 550 nm is different from a phase difference introduced by the left-eye polarizer in the thickness direction at a wavelength of 550 nm.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2023Publication date: October 19, 2023Inventors: Masahiro HASEGAWA, Akira SAKAI, Kiyoshi MINOURA
-
Publication number: 20230314868Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display device in which reflection and light leakage from oblique directions are reduced or prevented. The liquid crystal display device includes, sequentially in the following order from a back surface side: a first polarizer; a liquid crystal panel; a second polarizer; a first retardation layer; and a third polarizer, wherein light transmitted in an oblique direction between the second polarizer and the third polarizer is elliptically polarized light.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2023Publication date: October 5, 2023Inventors: Akira SAKAI, Ryosuke SAIGUSA, Yuichi KAWAHIRA, Masahiro HASEGAWA, Kiyoshi MINOURA
-
Publication number: 20230280632Abstract: Provided is an optical element including: a first liquid crystal cell including first liquid crystal molecules and a first electrode; and a second liquid crystal cell including second liquid crystal molecules and a second electrode, the first and second electrodes disposed to enable switching between a first state twist-aligning the second liquid crystal molecules and vertically aligning the first liquid crystal molecules and a second state twist-aligning the first liquid crystal molecules and vertically aligning the second liquid crystal molecules. Alignment directions of the second liquid crystal molecules near a third substrate and the second liquid crystal molecules near a fourth substrate in the first state are respectively at azimuthal angles resulting from a ¼ turn in the same direction of azimuthal angles of alignment directions of the first liquid crystal molecules near the first substrate and the first liquid crystal molecules near the second substrate in the second state.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2023Publication date: September 7, 2023Inventors: Daisuke MINAMI, Hiroaki ASAGI, Kiyoshi MINOURA
-
Publication number: 20230246203Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide, in the manufacture of a membrane-catalyst assembly including a polymer electrolyte membrane and a catalyst layer bonded to the polymer electrolyte membrane, a method that achieves both the relaxation of thermocompression bonding conditions and the improvement of adhesion between the catalyst layer and the electrolyte membrane with high productivity. A main object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a membrane-catalyst assembly including an electrolyte membrane and a catalyst layer bonded to the electrolyte membrane, the method including a liquid application step of applying a liquid to a surface of the catalyst layer before bonding, and a thermocompression bonding step of bonding, to the electrolyte membrane, the catalyst layer to which the liquid is applied by thermocompression bonding.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2023Publication date: August 3, 2023Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: Ryuta SAKASHITA, Yuta SHINTAKU, Daisuke IZUHARA, Kiyoshi MINOURA, Mei ABE
-
Publication number: 20230185123Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display device and a polarizing plate capable of improving the contrast ratio in the front direction. The polarizing plate includes a pair of polarizers including a first polarizer and a second polarizer whose transmission axes are parallel to each other; a retarder between the paired polarizers; and a diffusion layer in at least one of a region between the paired polarizers or a region on a side without the retarder of the first polarizer.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2023Publication date: June 15, 2023Inventors: AKIRA SAKAI, YUICHI KAWAHIRA, MASAHIRO HASEGAWA, KIYOSHI MINOURA
-
Publication number: 20230176424Abstract: Provided is an optical element including: a liquid crystal cell including a first substrate, a liquid crystal layer, and a second substrate; and a quarter-wave film. The liquid crystal layer contains liquid crystal molecules twist-aligned. The liquid crystal cell includes electrodes. The electrodes are disposed to enable switching between a first state and a second state by application of voltage to the liquid crystal layer. The switching between the first state and the second state controls a polarization state of light incident on the liquid crystal cell. Circularly polarized light incident on the liquid crystal cell is converted to first linearly polarized light in the first state while converted to second linearly polarized light in the second state. Linearly polarized light incident on the liquid crystal cell is converted to first circularly polarized light in the first state while converted to second circularly polarized light in the second state.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2022Publication date: June 8, 2023Inventors: Daisuke MINAMI, Hiroaki ASAGI, Kiyoshi MINOURA
-
Patent number: 11652215Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide, in the manufacture of a membrane-catalyst assembly including a polymer electrolyte membrane and a catalyst layer bonded to the polymer electrolyte membrane, a method that achieves both the relaxation of thermocompression bonding conditions and the improvement of adhesion between the catalyst layer and the electrolyte membrane with high productivity. A main object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a membrane-catalyst assembly including an electrolyte membrane and a catalyst layer bonded to the electrolyte membrane, the method including a liquid application step of applying a liquid to a surface of the catalyst layer before bonding, and a thermocompression bonding step of bonding, to the electrolyte membrane, the catalyst layer to which the liquid is applied by thermocompression bonding.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2019Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: Ryuta Sakashita, Yuta Shintaku, Daisuke Izuhara, Kiyoshi Minoura, Mei Abe
-
Patent number: 11641854Abstract: A synthetic polymer film (34A), (34B) having a surface which has a plurality of first raised portions (34Ap), (34Bp), wherein a two-dimensional size of the plurality of first raised portions (34Ap), (34Bp) is in a range of more than 20 nm and less than 500 nm when viewed in a normal direction of the synthetic polymer film (34A), (34B); and the surface has a microbicidal effect.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2018Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Miho Yamada, Kiyoshi Minoura, Takahiro Nakahara, Seiji Takami
-
Publication number: 20230134662Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal lens including: a first substrate; a second substrate facing the first substrate; and a liquid crystal layer held between the first substrate and the second substrate and containing liquid crystal molecules. The first substrate includes a Fresnel lens and a first electrode sequentially toward the liquid crystal layer. The second substrate includes a second electrode. The Fresnel lens includes a Fresnel-shaped part including annular lens surfaces in a concentric circle pattern and a flat part including a flat surface that extends in a radial direction of the concentric circle and intersects at least one of the annular lens surfaces. The annular lens surfaces are on a liquid crystal layer-facing surface of the Fresnel-shaped part and defines an uneven surface. The flat surface is on the liquid crystal layer-facing surface of the flat part.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2022Publication date: May 4, 2023Inventors: Naru USUKURA, Hiroaki ASAGI, Yasuhiro HASEBA, Kiyoshi MINOURA
-
Patent number: 11639427Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a prepreg, in which a matrix resin is applied to a reinforcing fiber sheet, where the sheet can continuously run without clogging due to generated fuzz, even at a high running speed, and where the sheet can be efficiently impregnated with the matrix resin. The prepreg is produced by a method which includes a step of allowing a reinforcing fiber sheet to pass horizontally or slantingly through the inside of a coating section storing a matrix resin to apply the matrix resin to the reinforcing fiber sheet, where the coating section includes a liquid pool and a narrowed section which are in communication with each other, where the liquid pool has a portion whose cross-sectional area decreases continuously along a running direction of the reinforcing fiber sheet, and wherein the narrowed section has a slit-like cross-section and has a smaller cross-sectional area than the largest cross-sectional area of the liquid pool.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2022Date of Patent: May 2, 2023Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: Takashi Ochi, So Nishino, Kiyoshi Minoura