Abstract: A liquid crystal display device including a first substrate 110a, a second substrate 110b placed to face the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer 120 interposed between the first and second substrates, a first electrode 111 formed on the first substrate, a second electrode 131 formed on the second substrate, an interlayer insulating film 115a placed between the first electrode and the first substrate, and a wall structure 115b formed integrally with the interlayer insulating film. The liquid crystal display device has a plurality of pixels each including the first electrode, the second electrode and the liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second electrodes. A shading region surrounds each of the plurality of pixels, and the wall structure is placed regularly in the shading region. A groove structure 415a may be formed in place of the wall structure.

Abstract: The invention provides an image shifting device including at least one image shifting part for periodically shifting the position of an optical axis. The image shifting part includes a liquid crystal device 10 for switching a polarization direction of light between two orthogonal directions in accordance with High/Low level of an applied voltage, and a birefringent device 11 having different refractive indexes depending upon the polarization direction of the light. The liquid crystal device 10 and the birefringent device 11 are disposed to transmit light in this order. A liquid crystal layer included in the liquid crystal device 10 is made of a TN liquid crystal layer that satisfies a relationship formula of 0.25<d/p<1, wherein a natural pitch length is indicated by p and a cell gap is indicated by d, and is disposed to be twisted at 90° within the liquid crystal cell.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate opposing the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer provided in a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a temperature adjustment member formed on the first substrate and/or the second substrate. The panel temperature T (° C.) of the liquid crystal display device is controlled to be equal to or greater than TNI-65 and less than or equal to TNI-15, where TNI (° C.) is the nematic-isotropic phase transition temperature of the liquid crystal composition of the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A dioptric element array substrate 10 includes: a first dioptric element array 2 having a plurality of first dioptric elements 2a arranged two-dimensionally; a second dioptric element array 4 having a plurality of second dioptric elements 4a having a first refractive index arranged two-dimensionally in one-to-one correspondence with the first dioptric elements; and a third dioptric element array 5 having a second refractive index different from the first refractive index. Principal rays of beams incident on the first dioptric element array at different angles and converged with the first dioptric element array are collimated with the second and third dioptric element arrays.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a first substrate; a second substrate provided so as to face the first substrate; a vertical alignment type liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; a plurality of pixel areas each including a first electrode provided on the first substrate, a second electrode provided on the second substrate, and the liquid crystal layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a wall structure regularly arranged on a surface of the first electrode closer to the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer, when being provided with at least a prescribed voltage, forms at least one liquid crystal domain exhibiting a radially inclined orientation in an area substantially surrounded by the wall structure.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer provided between the substrates, wherein liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer have a negative dielectric anisotropy, and the liquid crystal molecules are aligned in a direction substantially vertical to the substrates when no voltage is being applied and are axis-symmetrically aligned in each of a plurality of pixel regions under application of a voltage.

Abstract: A cogeneration system is provided which includes a prime mover for obtaining power for driving a generator by combustion of a fuel, a waste heat boiler for recovering thermal energy from exhaust gas discharged from the prime mover, and a heat exchanger for heating air that is to be fed into an air conditioner by heat exchange with the exhaust gas discharged from the waste heat boiler. Drain water that is generated from the exhaust gas cooled by heat exchange in the air-heating heat exchanger (5) with the air that is to be fed into the air conditioner (30) is recovered by drain water recovery/supply means (36). The drain water recovery/supply means (36) supplies the drain water thus recovered to appliances (37, 38) that require comparatively high temperature water. Thermal energy can thus be recovered effectively from the drain water discharged from the heat exchanger on the downstream side of the waste heat boiler, thereby improving the efficiency of recovery of waste heat energy.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate opposing the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer provided in a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a temperature adjustment member formed on the first substrate and/or the second substrate. The panel temperature T (° C.) of the liquid crystal display device is controlled to be equal to or greater than TNI-65 and less than or equal to TNI-15, where TNI (° C.) is the nematic-isotropic phase transition temperature of the liquid crystal composition of the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A projection type optical display system includes: a light source; at least one liquid crystal panel for modulating light that has been emitted from the light source; and a projection optical system for projecting the light that has gone out of the at least one liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal panel includes: a liquid crystal layer; a first polarizer and a second polarizer, which are provided on the light incoming side and the light outgoing side of the liquid crystal layer, respectively; a first uniaxial optical compensator, which is provided between the liquid crystal layer and the first polarizer; a first biaxial optical compensator, which is provided between the first uniaxial optical compensator and the first polarizer; and a second biaxial optical compensator, which is provided between the liquid crystal layer and the second polarizer.

Abstract: Sequentially carried out are: a sealing-agent applying step of applying a sealing agent to a predetermined portion of a vehicle body; a coating step of applying a coating material to the vehicle body after the sealing-agent applying step; and a baking step of baking the coating material to the vehicle body after the coating step. Further, a sealing-agent drying step of drying the sealing agent by heating only the predetermined portion of the vehicle body is carried out between the sealing-agent applying step and the coating step. Thus, the sealing agent applied partially to the vehicle body can be dried with a high thermal efficiency in the process of forming a coating on the vehicle body.

Abstract: An optical shifter includes at least one shifting section that periodically displaces the optical axis of incoming linearly polarized light. The shifting section includes first and second liquid crystal cells and a birefringent element. Each of the liquid crystal cells changes the polarization direction of the incoming light from a first direction into a second direction, or vice versa, responsive to a voltage being applied to the cell. The first and second directions are perpendicular to each other. The birefringent element changes its refractive indices with the polarization direction of the light incident thereon. The first and second cells and the birefringent element are arranged to transmit the incoming light in this order. The liquid crystal layer of the second cell compensates for a disturbance in polarization that was caused while the incoming linearly polarized light was transmitted through the liquid crystal layer of the first cell.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate having a vertical alignment layer provided thereon; a second substrate having a horizontal alignment layer provided thereon; a liquid crystal layer including liquid crystal molecules interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a concave-convex structure for regulating an alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules and a transparent conductive, layer provided on the concave-convex structure, the concave-convex structure being provided on one of the first substrate and the second substrate with one of the vertical alignment layer and the horizontal alignment layer interposed therebetween. The liquid crystal molecules in the vicinity of the horizontal alignment layer are aligned in an axially symmetrical manner when no voltage is provided, and the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer-are aligned substantially vertically relative to the first substrate and the second substrate when a voltage is applied.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer provided between the substrates, wherein liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer have a negative dielectric anisotropy, and the liquid crystal molecules are aligned in a direction substantially vertical to the substrates when no voltage is being applied and are axis-symmetrically aligned in each of a plurality of pixel regions under application of a voltage.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer provided between the substrates, wherein liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer have a negative dielectric anisotropy, and the liquid crystal molecules are aligned in a direction substantially vertical to the substrates when no voltage is being applied and are axis-symmetrically aligned in each of a plurality of pixel regions under application of a voltage.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: a first substrate and a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a vertical alignment layer provided on at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate on a side which is closer to the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer includes a plurality of liquid crystal regions partitioned by at least one partition wall provided on the first substrate on a side which is closer to the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer has a liquid crystal material with a negative dielectric anisotropy. Liquid crystal molecules in the plurality of liquid crystal regions are oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first substrate and the second substrate in an absence of an applied voltage.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: a first substrate and a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a vertical alignment layer provided on at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate on a side which is closer to the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer includes a plurality of liquid crystal regions partitioned by at least one partition wall provided on the first substrate on a side which is closer to the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer has a liquid crystal material with a negative dielectric anisotropy. Liquid crystal molecules in the plurality of liquid crystal regions are oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first substrate and the second substrate in an absence of an applied voltage.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer provided between the substrates, wherein liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer have a negative dielectric anisotropy, and the liquid crystal molecules are aligned in a direction substantially vertical to the substrates when no voltage is being applied and are axis-symmetrically aligned in each of a plurality of pixel regions under application of a voltage.

Abstract: A method of the present invention for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal region surrounded by a polymer material, includes the steps of: attaching a pair of substrates to each other, each having at least an electrode film; disposing a precursor mixture containing a liquid crystal material, a polymerizable resin material and a polymerization initiator, between the pair of substrate; precipitating a liquid crystal droplet by varying a temperature of the precursor mixture; growing the precipitated liquid crystal droplet; curing the polymerizable resin material at a temperature allowing the liquid crystal droplet to be 80% or more of a pixel in size and to be independently present within a pixel region; and applying an external field across the substrates to pre-tilt the molecules of the liquid crystal droplet.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: first and second substrates; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates; a plurality of pillar-like spacers for defining a gap between the first and second substrates; a plurality of electrodes provided on a side of each of the first and second substrates which faces the liquid crystal layer, for applying a voltage through the liquid crystal layer; and a plurality of pixel regions defined by the plurality of electrodes. The liquid crystal layer has liquid crystal molecules having a negative dielectric anisotropy. A vertical alignment layer is provided on a surface of each of the first and second substrates which faces the liquid crystal layer and on surfaces of the pillar-like spacers. The liquid crystal layer includes a plurality of liquid crystal regions defined by the plurality of pillar-like spacers. Each of the pixel regions includes at least one of the liquid crystal regions.

Abstract: A plasma address liquid crystal display device having a flat panel structure which is composed of display cells and plasma cells bonded to one another with an intermediate sheet, and in which position registration tolerance between the display and plasma cells can be made less strict. A plasma cell 2 has discharge channels 5 extending in the row direction. The display cell 1 has a electro-optical device 9 and signal electrodes 10 extending along the column direction. Pixels 11 are defined at the points of intersections of the signal electrodes 10 and the discharge channels 5. The electro-optical device 9 is a set of finely partitioned liquid crystal areas 15 and is controlled in orientation to axis-symmetrical orientation. The liquid crystal areas 15 are continuously arrayed at a constant pitch DP finer than an arraying pitch CP of the pixels 11 at least in the column direction. This structure can be extensively applied to the active matrix type liquid crystal display device.