Abstract: A first substrate (10) of a liquid crystal display device (100) includes: an alignment film defining an initial alignment azimuthal direction (D), which is an alignment azimuthal direction of liquid crystal molecules (31) when no electric field is applied through a liquid crystal layer (30); a first electrode (11) and a second electrode (12) capable of producing a fringe electric field (FE) that aligns the liquid crystal molecules in an azimuthal direction that is different from the initial alignment azimuthal direction; and a third electrode (13) and a fourth electrode (14) capable of producing a lateral electric field that aligns the liquid crystal molecules in the initial alignment azimuthal direction.

Abstract: An illumination device according to the present invention includes: a light source row in which a plurality of light sources are aligned in a row; a light guide plate that includes a plate-shaped main body with an end thereof facing the light source row, a light-receiving portion that is arranged on the end of the main body and into which light from the light sources enters, plate-shaped side extensions that are arranged on the sides of the main body and that extend outwards further than the light-receiving portion, and a light-exiting portion that is arranged on front surfaces of the main body and the side extensions and that allows light that enters via the light-receiving portion to exit; and a supply unit that supplies light to the side extensions.

Abstract: A backlight device 12 includes LEDs 17, an optical member 16 that applies optical effects to light from the LEDs 17 and has a through hole 23 that is through a thickness thereof, and a restricting member 26 having a communication hole 27 that is communicated with the through hole 23. The restricting member 26 is inserted in the through hole 23 to be in contact with an inner surface of the through hole 23 to restrict movement of the optical member 16 along a plate surface of the optical member 16.

Abstract: This liquid crystal display device (100) includes: a vertical alignment liquid crystal layer (30); first and second substrates (10, 20); first and second electrodes (11, 21) arranged on the first and second substrates to face the liquid crystal layer; and two photo-alignment films (12, 22). Each pixel region includes first and second liquid crystal domains, of which the reference alignment directions defined by the two photo-alignment films are a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction, respectively. The first electrode has a slit cut region (11R1), through which a slit (11s) has been cut to run substantially parallel to the reference alignment direction, in a part of a region allocated to each of the first and second liquid crystal domains. The width (W) of the slit is set so that when the highest grayscale voltage is applied to the first electrode, an effective applied voltage decreases by at least 0.

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: An electromagnetic relay for starting a motor of a starter includes a resistor to reduce an activation current that flows through the motor from a battery for activation of the motor, a relay contact that causes the starting current to flow while bypassing the resistor, a relay coil that forms an electromagnet when excited by energization, and a control circuit that controls an excited state of the relay coil for activation of the motor to open or close the relay contact, thus controlling energization of the motor from the battery via the resistor. The electromagnetic relay incorporates therein the control circuit.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display device in which both a vertical electric field and a horizontal electric field are used and flickering is hardly recognized. The liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel and a control unit. The control unit includes a horizontal electric field control unit and a vertical electric field control unit. The horizontal electric field control unit controls the potentials of pairs of drive electrodes included in the liquid crystal panel, and thereby controls a horizontal electric field that is generated between each pair of drive electrodes. The vertical electric field control unit controls the potentials of a common electrode and an opposite electrode included in the liquid crystal panel, and thereby controls a vertical electric field that is generated between the common electrode and the opposite electrode.

Abstract: A technique is provided that reduces dullness of a potential provided to a line such as gate line on an active-matrix substrate to enable driving the line at high speed and, at the same time, reduces the size of the picture frame region. On an active-matrix substrate (20a) are provided gate lines (13G) and source lines. On the active-matrix substrate (20a) are further provided: gate drivers (11) each including a plurality of switching elements, at least one of which is located in a pixel region, for supplying a scan signal to a gate line (13G); and lines (15L1) each for supplying a control signal to the associated gate driver (11). A control signal is supplied by a display control circuit (4) located outside the display region to the gate drivers (11) via the lines (15L1). In response to a control signal supplied, each gate driver (11) drives the gate line (13G) to which it is connected.

Abstract: An engine starting apparatus includes a starter and a starter control unit configured to control driving of the starter. The starter control unit operates a motor with a pinion engaged with a ring gear to thereby crank an engine, and de-engage the pinion from the ring gear or de-energize the motor to thereby terminate the cranking of the engine. A cranking time from when cranking of the engine is initiated to when a predetermined engine speed equal to or greater than 450 rpm is reached is equal to or less than an acceptable limit of cranking time that does not provide, to a user of a vehicle, noticeable discomfort caused by cranking noise generated during the cranking of the engine.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display device having excellent viewing angle characteristics and high contrast in a display mode using both a vertical electric field and a horizontal electric field. This liquid crystal display device is provided with a first substrate and a second substrate disposed facing each other, and a liquid crystal layer held between said first and second substrates. The liquid crystal layer contains liquid crystal molecules having a negative dielectric anisotropy. The first substrate is provided with a flat plate first electrode, a first insulating layer, and a second electrode provided in a layer other than that of the first electrode and provided separated from the first electrode by the first insulating layer. The second electrode has multiple comb-tooth sections and multiple slits, and the second substrate has a flat plate third electrode.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display apparatus employing a drive method whereby nonuniform electric field is not generated in pixels. This liquid crystal display apparatus is provided with a first substrate, a first electrode, a second electrode, a second substrate, a common electrode, a counter electrode, a liquid crystal layer, and a drive unit. The drive unit executes drive operations including: operations of setting the potential of the first electrode at a low level, the potential of the second electrode at a high level, and the potential of the counter electrode at the high level; operations of setting the potential at the high level, the potential at the low level, and the potential at the high level; operations of setting the potential at the low level, the potential at the high level, and the potential at the low level; and operations of setting the potential at the high level, the potential at the low level, and the potential at the low level.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device in a new display mode that is based on the horizontal alignment capable of giving a wide viewing angle and that can achieve high speed response.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display device having excellent display characteristics in a display mode that uses a vertical electric field and a horizontal electric field. This liquid crystal display device is provided with a first substrate and a second substrate provided facing each other and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first and second substrates. The liquid crystal layer includes liquid crystal molecules having negative dielectric anisotropy. The first substrate is provided with a plate shaped first common electrode, an insulating film, and pixel electrodes, which are provided in a layer different from the first common electrode via the insulating film, and the pixel electrodes have a comb shaped structure. The second substrate is provided with a plate shaped second common electrode and a film formed by having an alignment treatment applied to a vertical alignment film that aligns the initial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules vertically.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes: a first substrate; a second substrate facing the first substrate; and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first substrate has thereon a first planar electrode, a first dielectric layer on the first planar electrode, and a pair of comb-shaped electrodes on the first dielectric layer. The second substrate has thereon a second planar electrode and a second dielectric layer on the second planar electrode. The liquid crystal layer includes liquid crystal molecules having a positive dielectric anisotropy. The liquid crystal display device is configured such that, when displaying a minimum gradation, a same voltage is applied to the pair of comb-shaped electrodes, and a relationship among voltages applied to the first planar electrode, the pair of comb-shaped electrodes, and the second planar electrode satisfies a prescribed relational expression.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes: a first substrate; a second substrate; and a liquid crystal layer of a horizontal orientation type that is sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first substrate includes a first electrode pair that applies a first horizontal electric field to the liquid crystal layer, an insulating layer provided on the first electrode pair, and a second electrode pair that is provided on the insulating layer and that applies a second horizontal electric field to the liquid crystal layer. The first electrode pair includes first and second linear electrodes provided with a gap therebetween. The second electrode pair includes third and fourth linear electrodes provided with a gap therebetween. In a plan view of the first substrate, the third and fourth linear electrodes extend in a direction perpendicular with respect to the first and second linear electrodes.

Abstract: The TFT substrate (10) of this liquid crystal display device (100) includes: a TFT (11) which is provided for each pixel; an upper electrode (12) which is electrically connected to the TFT's drain electrode (11d); a lower electrode (13) which is arranged under the upper electrode; and a dielectric layer (14) which is arranged between the upper and lower electrodes. Its counter substrate (20) includes a counter electrode (21) which faces the upper electrode. The upper electrode has first and second regions (R1, R2) which have mutually different electrode structures, and a third region (R3) which electrically connects the first and second regions to the drain electrode. The third region of the upper electrode includes a symmetrical connecting portion (12c) that is a conductive film pattern, of which the shape is substantially symmetrical with respect to a virtual line (L1) that splits each pixel into two adjacent regions in a row direction.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel includes a metal electrode, a transparent electrode, an interlayer insulating film, and a comb-shaped electrode. Distorted horizontal electric fields are generated in order to distort the orientation of liquid crystal molecules. Accordingly, it is possible to achieve a transflective liquid crystal display device that has high transmittance, reflectance, and yield, and that can suppress display defects such as screen burn-in without using a panel gap adjusting structure, a driving method that respectively applies different electric fields to the reflective region and the transmissive region, or a multi-L/S structure.

Abstract: A liquid crystal panel (2) is a vertical alignment type liquid crystal panel using a horizontal electric field driving system which performs display by driving a liquid crystal layer (50) interposed between substrates (10, 20) in a horizontal electric field, each pixel includes three sub-pixels (6R, 6G, and 6B), which are of red, green, and blue, comb-shaped electrodes (14, 15) include a function as a diffraction grating with the comb-shaped electrodes (14, 15) and spaces between the comb-shaped electrodes (14, 15), and pitch distances (D) between electrodes are set such that an optical diffraction efficiency for red wavelength and an optical diffraction efficiency for green wavelength are greater than an optical diffraction efficiency for blue wavelength. Thus, it is possible to provide a liquid crystal panel and a liquid crystal display apparatus having a wide viewing angle with less color change with a simple configuration.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display device in which both a vertical electric field and a horizontal electric field are used and flickering is hardly recognized. The liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel and a control unit. The control unit includes a horizontal electric field control unit and a vertical electric field control unit. The horizontal electric field control unit controls the potentials of pairs of drive electrodes included in the liquid crystal panel, and thereby controls a horizontal electric field that is generated between each pair of drive electrodes. The vertical electric field control unit controls the potentials of a common electrode and an opposite electrode included in the liquid crystal panel, and thereby controls a vertical electric field that is generated between the common electrode and the opposite electrode.

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.