Abstract: The present invention provides a horizontal alignment mode liquid crystal display device capable of achieving high resolution, high speed response, and high transmittance. The liquid crystal display device of present invention sequentially includes a first substrate, a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules, and a second substrate. The first substrate includes a first electrode, a second electrode provided closer to the liquid crystal layer than the first electrode is, and an insulating film provided between the first electrode and the second electrode. An opening portion (15) is formed in the second electrode in each of a plurality of units of display (50) arrayed in a matrix pattern. The liquid crystal molecules are aligned parallel to the first substrate in a voltage non-applied state in which no voltage is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Abstract: The present invention provides a horizontal alignment mode liquid crystal display device capable of achieving high resolution and improving transmittance.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes, in the given order: a first substrate; a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules; and a second substrate; wherein the first substrate includes a first electrode, a second electrode positioned closer to the liquid crystal layer than the first electrode is, and an insulating film between the first electrode and the second electrode, the second electrode has an opening having a shape including an elliptical portion and/or a circular portion, in a no-voltage-applied state, where no voltage is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, the liquid crystal molecules are aligned parallel to the first substrate, and in a plan view, the major axis of the elliptical portion is parallel or perpendicular to the alignment azimuth of the liquid crystal molecules in the no-voltage-applied state.

Abstract: Disclosed is a horizontal alignment mode liquid crystal display device that can achieve higher definition and improved response speed. The liquid crystal display device includes, in the given order: a first substrate; a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules; and a second substrate. The first substrate includes a first electrode, a second electrode positioned closer to the liquid crystal layer than the first electrode is, and an insulating film between the first and second electrodes. The second electrode is provided with an opening having a shape including a longitudinal-shaped portion and a pair of protrusions protruding to opposite sides from the longitudinal-shaped portion. The protrusions are provided at portions excluding both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal-shaped portion and are located at corresponding positions.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes, in the given order: a first substrate; a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules; and a second substrate. The first substrate includes a first electrode, a second electrode closer to the liquid crystal layer than the first electrode is, and an insulating film between the first electrode and the second electrode. The second electrode is provided with openings including a first opening and a second opening adjacent to each other. The first opening and the second opening are independent of each other and are point-symmetrical to each other. The first opening and the second opening each have a shape including: curved portions that expand an opening periphery outward at the respective ends in the longitudinal direction; and paired protruding portions that allow the opening periphery to protrude partially in the lateral direction in the middle of the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A lighting device includes LEDs, a light guide plate, and a frame. The light guide plate includes a light guide plate hole portion passing through in a thickness direction, a light entering surface, and a light exiting surface. The frame surrounds the light guide plate. The frame includes an outer peripheral wall portion and an inner peripheral wall portion. The outer peripheral wall portion opposes an outer peripheral end face of the light guide plate. The inner peripheral wall portion inserted to the light guide plate hole portion opposes an inner peripheral end face of the light guide plate on an inner side of the light guide plate hole portion. The inner peripheral wall portion has a configuration in which the opposing surface has a lower light reflectivity than that of an opposing surface of the outer peripheral wall portion.

Abstract: A backlight device (12) includes a light guide plate (14), and LEDs (17), and wiring portions (18c). The light guide plate (14) has a substantially circular outer shape and has fan-shaped areas (SA) defined by segment lines (SL) extending through a center (C) thereof. All the segment lines (SL) meet at the center (C). The LEDs (17) are arranged such that middle positions between LEDs (17) each located at an end in the circumferential direction in the respective sets of the LEDs (17) provided for the fan-shaped areas (SA) adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction coincides with the segment lines (SL). The wiring portions (18c) are equal or larger in number than the LEDs (17) included in each of the sets of LEDs (17) provided for the fan-shaped areas (SA) and are configured to supply electric power to the respective LEDs (17).

Abstract: A lighting device includes an annular light source including light sources arranged in a circular pattern, a light guide plate having a round shape in a plan view, and a case holding the annular light source and the light guide plate. The light guide plate is disposed inside the annular light source. The light guide plate includes light entering portions, circumferentially aligned portions, and a light emitting portion. The light entering portions are opposed to the light sources. Each circumferentially aligned portion is between the adjacent light entering portions. A dimension of the circumferentially aligned portion in the radial direction is larger than a dimension of the light entering portion in the radial direction. The circumferentially aligned portions are aligned with the light sources in the circumferential direction and configured to contact the light sources when the light guide plate is rotated in the circumferential direction.

Abstract: A backlight unit includes side emitting-type LEDs, a light guide plate, and an LED board. The light guide plate includes a light entering end surface, a light exiting plate surface, and an opposite plate surface. The LED board includes a plate surface attached to an edge of the opposite plate surface. A gap in a range from 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm is provided between light emitting surfaces of the LEDs and the light entering end surface. The edge of each light emitting surface is at a position ?D1 mm inner than an edge of the light entering end surface with respect to a thickness direction of the light guide plate. An edge of each light emitting surface is at a position ?D2 mm inner than an edge of the light entering end surface. ?D1 and ?D2 satisfy relational expressions: ?D2??D1 and ?D2?0.1.

Abstract: The liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: upper and lower substrates; and a horizontal alignment type liquid crystal layer, the lower substrate including electrodes, the electrodes including a first electrode, a second electrode present in a different layer from the first electrode, and a third electrode present in a different layer from the first electrode, the first electrode including a plurality of linear sections, the second electrode and the third electrode constituting a pair of comb electrodes, each of the comb electrodes including a trunk part and a plurality of branch parts diverging from the trunk part, at least one of the plurality of branch parts of the third electrode including a protruding part that makes the branch part partially wide, between two intersections with a plurality of linear sections of the first electrode in a plan view of the lower substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for starting an engine, including a motor, an output shaft driven by the motor, a pinion provided along the output shaft, and an electro-magnetic solenoid device. The electro-magnetic solenoid device is configured to push the pinion axially toward a ring gear of the engine to mesh the pinion with the ring gear and transfer a rotational force, which is referred to as a motor torque, generated by energization of the motor from the pinion to the ring gear, thereby starting the engine. The apparatus is configured such that, at starting of the engine in its warmed-up state, the motor torque can continue to be applied from the pinion to the ring gear until at least the second compression stroke even when an engine speed varies.

Abstract: An engine start system which may be employed in automotive idle stop systems. To start an engine, the system brings a pinion gear into engagement with a ring gear coupled to the engine and turns on an electric motor to rotate the ring gear through the pinion gear to crank the engine. When it is requested to start the engine during deceleration of the engine before stop thereof, the system thrusts the pinion into engagement with the ring gear and then turns on the motor to rotate the pinion gear, in other words, delays the activation of the motor until after the pinion gear has engaged the ring gear. This minimizes mechanical impact or noise arising from the engagement of the pinion gear with the ring gear and improves the reliability in engagement with the ring gear during the deceleration of the engine and durability of the system.

Abstract: An engine starting apparatus including a starter including a motor configured to generate a rotational force, and a pinion configured to transfer the rotational force of the motor to a ring gear. The starter is configured to crank an engine at a specific revolution-speed increase rate to increase a revolution speed of the engine to a predetermined revolution speed equal to or greater than 450 rpm. The apparatus further includes an ignition-timing setter configured to set an ignition timing at which fuel in a combustion chamber of the engine is ignited while the revolution speed of the engine is increased during cranking of the engine by the starter or during coasting of the engine after termination of cranking of the engine by the starter, and an engine-speed predictor configured to predict a revolution speed of the engine at the ignition timing based on the specific revolution-speed increase rate.

Abstract: A touch panel includes: a first substrate; a second substrate disposed on a viewer side of the first substrate; a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; a plurality of pixel electrodes and a common electrode for applying a voltage to the liquid crystal layer; and a plurality of detection electrodes and a plurality of driving electrodes for a touch sensor. The first substrate includes: a first transparent substrate; and the plurality of pixel electrodes, which are formed on the liquid crystal layer side of the first transparent substrate. The second substrate includes: a second transparent substrate; and the plurality of driving electrodes and the plurality of detection electrodes formed on the liquid crystal layer side of the second transparent substrate. The touch panel does not include a conductive layer on the viewer side of the second transparent substrate.

Abstract: A backlight unit includes side emitting-type LEDs, a light guide plate, and an LED board. The light guide plate includes a light entering end surface, a light exiting plate surface, and an opposite plate surface. The LED board includes a plate surface attached to an edge of the opposite plate surface of the light guide plate. A gap is present between light emitting surfaces of the LEDs and the light entering end surface of the light guide plate. Each LED includes a light emitting surface having a dimension in the thickness direction of the light guide plate smaller than a dimension of the light entering end surface in the thickness direction. Each LED is disposed such that the center of the light emitting surface is opposed to the center of the light entering end surface.

Abstract: A backlight unit includes LEDs, a light guide plate, and a hood-shaped reflection member. The LEDs are linearly arranged at intervals. The light guide plate includes a light entering end surface and a light exiting plate surface. The light entering end surface is at least a part of the peripheral end surfaces extending along an arrangement direction of the LEDs and opposed to light emitting surfaces of the LEDs. The hood-shaped reflection member surrounds inter-LED spaces between adjacent LEDs and includes an opening a light guide plate side. The hood-shaped reflection member includes at least a first reflection portion and a pair of second reflection portions. The first reflection portion is opposed to the light entering end surface 15a. The second reflection portions are separated from each other in a thickness direction of the light guide plate such that the inter-LED spaces LS are between the second reflection portions.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for the fabrication of a thin-film solid-state battery with Ni(OH)2 electrode, battery cell, and battery. One example embodiment is a method for fabricating a thin-film solid-state battery cell on a substrate comprising a first current collector layer. The method includes depositing above the first current collector layer a first electrode layer. The first electrode layer is a nanoporous composite layer that includes a plurality of pores having pore walls. The first electrode layer includes a mixture of a dielectric material and an active electrode material. The method also includes depositing above the first electrode layer a porous dielectric layer. The method further includes depositing directly on the porous dielectric layer a second electrode layer. Depositing the second electrode layer includes depositing a porous Ni(OH)2 layer using an electrochemical deposition process.

Abstract: A backlight unit includes side emitting-type LEDs, a light guide plate, and an LED board. The light guide plate includes a light entering end surface, a light exiting plate surface, and an opposite plate surface. The LED board includes a plate surface attached to an edge of the opposite plate surface. A gap in a range from 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm is provided between light emitting surfaces of the LEDs and the light entering end surface. The edge of each light emitting surface is at a position ?D1 mm inner than an edge of the light entering end surface with respect to a thickness direction of the light guide plate. An edge of each light emitting surface is at a position ?D2 mm inner than an edge of the light entering end surface. ?D1 and ?D2 satisfy relational expressions: ?D2??D1 and ?D2?0.1.

Abstract: A backlight device includes LEDs, a light guide plate, an LED substrate, an optical sheet, and a low light-transmissive member. The light guide plate includes a light entering end surface, a light exiting plate surface, and an opposite plate surface. The LED substrate is disposed such that at least a section of the LED substrate overlaps a light entering-side edge section that is an edge section of the light guide plate on the light entering end surface side. The optical sheet includes a light entering-side edge section overlapping section disposed on the light exiting plate surface side of the light, guide plate to overlap the light entering-side edge section. The low light-transmissive member disposed on the light entering-side edge section overlapping section of the optical sheet. The low light-transmissive member has a light transmissivity lower than that of other sections of the optical sheet.

Abstract: A lighting device includes an annular light source including light sources arranged in a circular pattern, a light guide plate having a round shape in a plan view, and a case holding the annular light source and the light guide plate. The light guide plate is disposed inside the annular light source. The light guide plate includes light entering portions, circumferentially aligned portions, and a light emitting portion. The light entering portions are opposed to the light sources. Each circumferentially aligned portion is between the adjacent light entering portions. A dimension of the circumferentially aligned portion in the radial direction is larger than a dimension of the light entering portion in the radial direction. The circumferentially aligned portions are aligned with the light sources in the circumferential direction and configured to contact the light sources when the light guide plate is rotated in the circumferential direction.