Abstract: A liquid crystal apparatus comprising a nematic curvilinearly aligned phases liquid crystal material located between two electrodes wherein a control element is incorporated into the electrodes. The electrodes may also form a circuit means integral therewith for selectively applying an electric field across the liquid crystal material.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display based on the bistability effect, wherein the distance between the support plates is smaller than 10 .mu.m and the total twist of the liquid crystal is between 180.degree. and 360.degree., preferably about 270.degree.. Over the entire viewing area of the display, randomly distributed spacers are provided. Because of these measures, the range of the bistable action is so narrowed that the display can be driven with operating voltages outside this range, using conventional multiplexing techniques. A high degree of multiplexing with short switching times and excellent contrast is obtained. The range of viewing angles is very large and independent of the direction of illumination.

Abstract: A driving method for a liquid crystal device of the type comprising a plurality of FET's each having a gate and a first and a second terminal other than the gate, a first base plate having therein a plurality of picture element electrodes each corresponding to an FET and connected to the first terminal of the FET, a second base plate having thereon counter electrodes opposite to the picture element electrodes, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal having first and second orientation states and sandwiched between the first and second base plates; the driving method comprising a first phase of forming an electric field between a first terminal and a second terminal of an FET to result in the first orientation state of the ferroelectric liquid crystal, and a second phase of forming an electric field of the polarity opposite to that of the electric field applied in said first phase between a first terminal and a second terminal of an FET to result in the second orientation state of the ferroelectric liquid crystal;

Abstract: This invention discloses a color liquid crystal display device which can be applied to 7-segment numeric display, for example, A pair of transparent electrodes are disposed on the inner surfaces of a pair of transparent substrates facing each other. One of the transparent electrodes has a function as the display segments and is constituted by two comb tooth-like electrodes that are fixed in a predetermined direction. The direction of teeth of these two comb tooth-like electrodes is in agreement with each other. The other of the transparent electrodes has a flat sheet-like shape. Color filters of two colors are alternately disposed on the two comb tooth-like electrodes in such a manner as to face the other of the transparent electrodes. The direction of disposition of the color filters is in agreement with the direction of the teeth of the comb tooth-like electrodes. The color filters are disposed on the entire surface of the display range including the display segment.

Abstract: A display apparatus comprising a first liquid crystal means and a second liquid crystal means spaced from the first liquid crystal means. Means are disposed between the first and second liquid crystal means for transmitting and reflecting incident light. The first and second liquid crystal means comprise liquid crystal material containing a dye that conforms to the structure of the liquid crystal material and a containment medium for inducing distorted alignment of the liquid crystal material which in response to such alignment scatters and absorbs light and which response to a prescribed input reduces the amount of such scattering and absorption.

Abstract: A liquid crystal moving picture projector includes a liquid crystal imager or display device and projection optics for projecting images sequentially created by the imager. The imager, sometimes referred to as a liquid crystal display, includes a continuous strip of liquid crystal material capable of temporarily storing charge to create characteristics of an image on a frame by frame basis capable of being projected and a dynamic electrode system selectively to apply charge to the liquid crystal material to create the sequential images. The projection optics includes light source, mask, shutter and lens systems capable of projecting the sequential images created by the imager.

Abstract: An improved liquid crystal filling device is shown. Prior to joining a substrate with another substrate between which the liquid crystal is to be charged, the liquid crystal is dropped on the substrate and then the other substrate is superimposed on the substrate under pressure. Sandwiched between the substrates, the liquid crystal spreads at high temperature.

Abstract: A liquid crystal light valve is provided which either reflects or transmits all wavelengths of light. Micron size cholesteric liquid crystal micelles are formed by adding a chiral molecule dopant to a nematic liquid and dispersing into a polymeric solution. The chiral dopant twists the micelle into a helical planar order along a helical axis. The interior structure of the micelle is a series of concentric spheres, the distance between the envelopes of which is the pitch. The pitch of the helical planar order of the micelles is adjusted by varying the concentration of chiral molecules which have been added to the nematic liquid. The sense of the helical planar order of the micelles is controlled and the micelles are dispensed in an inert polymeric binder forming a film which may be applied to a surface for controlling the light applied thereto either passing or reflecting the light depending on the temperature of the film.

Abstract: LCD display boards for electronic balances frequently also comprise, alongside the digits for the digital display of the weighing result, additional fields in which additional information is displayed by means of alphanumeric signs. The invention suggests that the segments of the digits for displaying the weighing result be individually provided with a line and controlled in parallel in order to achieve a very good display quality and that the segments for the display of the alphanumeric signs of the additional field, e.g. a 5.times.7 matrix, be connected in such a manner that they can be serially controlled in order to prevent the number of lines required from becoming too great.

Abstract: A light modulating material consisting of droplets of liquid crystal in a clear or light transmitting, flexible plastic sheet or film, such as a cured epoxy. The light modulating material is prepared by dissolving liquid crystal in an uncured resin and then curing the resin so that droplets of liquid crystal spontaneously form and are uniformly dispersed throughout the sheet or film. The new material shows a reversible, high contrast optical response from an opaque scattering mode to a clear light transmission mode when either the temperature of the material is changed to transform the liquid crystal into the isotropic phase or an electric field is applied across the material. The material is optically responsive to strain, whereby under tension it acts to polarize incident light. Curing the material in the presence of an applied field also causes it to act as an electrically addressable polarizer.

Abstract: In a liquid-crystal cell, a group of parallel signal electrodes are arranged on a first transparent substrate to be separated from each other at central portions in the longitudinal direction thereof, and a group of parallel scanning electrodes are arranged on a second transparent substrate to be substantially perpendicular to the signal electrodes. The first and second transparent substrates are adhered to each other to sandwich a liquid-crystal material therebetween. A slit is formed in each signal electrode along the widthwise direction thereof at a non-intersecting portion between the signal and scanning electrodes. In addition, notches are formed along two side edges of each scanning electrode at equal intervals. The length of a projection defined by two adjacent notches is smaller than that of the slit.

Abstract: The invention provides a new liquid crystal display material prepared by the phase separation of a homogeneous solution of liquid crystal and thermoplastic resin to create in situ microdroplets of liquid crystal within a set transparent resin matrix. The new display material is characterized by ease of fabrication and the ability to be reworked by simple heating and cooling of the thermoplastic resin containing microdroplets of liquid crystal. It has been discovered that such a material fabricated from a thermoplastic resin and a liquid crystal having a liquid crystalline phase to isotropic phase transition temperature above the softening temperature of the resin exhibits a reversible field-independent memory.

Abstract: A liquid crystal color display device comprises: a two-layer structured transparent electrode in an identical pattern provided on a transparent substrate forming a liquid crystal; a color filter membrane disposed between said two-layered transparent electrodes by an electrically setting method; and a plurality of pinholes of a size less than 50 .mu.m formed in a same number on each display part at the equal distance to each other in a smaller distance than the pitch between each display part, through which said first layer and second layer of the transparent electrode are electrically connected to each other.

Abstract: A liquid crystal cell having a pair of substrates disposed with a gap therebetween and a liquid crystal injected through a liquid crystal injection port and enclosed in the gap between the substrates. The liquid crystal cell has spacer members disposed on at least one of the substrates, a liquid crystal layer region, the thickness of which is regulated by the spacer members, and a reduced pressure space communicating with the liquid crystal layer region.

Abstract: The spatial intensity profile of an optical beam of designated wavelengths, such as a laser beam, is shaped (the beam is apodized) by means of cholesteric liquid crystals of opposite chirality disposed successively along the path of the beam. The crystals have curved surfaces, which may be defined by a lens which defines the thickness of the liquid crystal fluid gap in a liquid crystal cell, so as to vary the selective reflection of the designated wavelength across the aperture of the beam. In this way, a soft aperture is provided. By using tandem cell pairs having liquid crystals of opposite chirality, but of different pitch, and with lenses of different curvature, beams of different wavelengths which are projected colinearly along the path may be individually tailored in spatial intensity profile.

Abstract: The specification and the drawings discloses, in a ferroelectric liquid crystal device used for a liquid crystal display device, a liquid crystal-optical shutter, etc., a technique for stably retaining a desired alignment state for a long period of time to improve display and driving characteristics by providing protection means for protecting the liquid crystal cell from a phenomenon of generating a sanded texture caused by an external force such as an impact applied to the cell.

Abstract: A back-reflection type light diffusing apparatus of this invention is suitable for use in liquid crystal display panels or the like, and is formed by a light guiding plate. The light guiding plate has one surface which forms a first surface through which light is radiated while its opposite surface forms a second surface on which a light reflecting plate is mounted. The light reflecting plate is provided with non-reflecting portions disposed in such a manner that the area thereof increases the closer it gets to the light source so as to radiate light from the light radiating surface uniformly over its entire area.

Abstract: A liquid crystal color display apparatus includes a liquid crystal display panel having a section with transparent electrodes provided with color filters in striped formation and another section with transparent electrodes provided with no color filters, and separate electrode drive circuits for applying a voltage to the electrodes of the former section and another voltage to the electrodes of the latter section, with the intention of achieving little difference of brightness between both sections. The color filters in striped formation are provided in the entire area including display pattern segments having the arrangment of the transparent electrodes and a background area without transparent electrodes, with the intention of equalizing the visibility of unlighted segments and the background.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of controlling the rate of growth of liquid crystal microdroplets formed in situ by the phase separation of a homogeneous solution of liquid crystal and polymer. Temperature, relative concentration and choice of materials determine the microdroplet growth rate and resultant microdroplet size and density. Controlling growth rate allows for fabrication of liquid crystal display devices with optimized display characteristics and response times.

Abstract: A light modulator for generating a beam of phase modulated light including a source of polarized light, at least one and preferably two liquid crystal cells having a thin layer of nematic liquid crystals of positive dielectric anistropy through which the polarized light is directed to produce a beam of light having a phase shift corresponding to a modulating electrical signal which is applied to each of the liquid crystal cells. The liquid crystal cells in addition have a continuing electrical bias applied across the layers in order to achieve the rapid response times necessary to achieve modulation of the polarized light. Demodulation of the polarized light occurs by splitting the modulated light beam into its quadrature components and developing an electrical signal corresponding to the phase difference between the two quadrature components. A communication system involving its modulators and demodulators delivers communication through light as a transmission medium.