Abstract: A contrast enhanced liquid crystal display is disclosed having two substantially identical liquid crystal displays with a transflector disposed in between such that light entering from the viewing surface of the first liquid crystal is attenuated twice by the dark areas of the first crystal, and light entering from the rear of the second crystal is attenuated twice, once by the rear liquid crystal and once by the front liquid crystal. This configuration provides an enhanced contrast for all viewing conditions ranging from bright sunlight to totally dark conditions wherein the contrast ratio is maintained relatively constant at between 9:1 and 11:1 when comparing the light areas of the display to the darkened areas when using single crystals each having a contrast ratio of between 4:1 and 4.5:1 in back lit conditions.

Abstract: A mounting assembly for a school bus mirror is provided. The mounting assembly is particularly designed for a front view mirror wherein the driver can have visual access to the area in front of the bus hood which is hidden from direct view. The mounting assembly includes one upright, generally Z-shaped tubular arm and one tubular brace. A lower leg of the tubular arm is frictionally mounted on the side of the bus fender by two one-piece brackets. The tubular brace has one end mounted on the front of the bus and has a slot at the other end which is frictionally connected to an intermediate leg of the main arm by a brace clamp. The configuration of the main arm enables the mirror to be in a position to provide the necessary front visual access. The slotted brace and bracket arrangement enable the main arm to yield and swing rearwardly in the event an object is encountered. The mounting assembly is adaptable for a variety of bus configurations, is relatively inexpensive, and comprises relatively few pieces.

Abstract: A method for driving a liquid crystal element including a ferroelectric liquid crystal sandwiched between a pair of substrates having electrodes on their opposite surfaces is disclosed. A pulse voltage for defining the light transmitting state of the liquid crystal element is applied to the ferroelectric liquid crystal. Before and/or after the application of the pulse voltage, the ferroelectric liquid crystal is applied with a voltage signal which renders the average value of voltages applied to the ferroelectric liquid crystal equal to zero.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is disclosed in which a liquid crystal material mixed with a dichroic dye is held between a pair of substrates whose facing surfaces are provided with electrodes, so that a picture element is made up of a pair of facing portions of the electrodes and a portion of the liquid crystal material sandwiched by the facing portions, in which a reflecting plate is adjacent to one of the substrates, and in which at least one of the substrates is formed of a birefringent material having slow and fast principal axes of birefringence. In the above device, an angle between the direction of the absorption axis of the dichroic dye and one of the principal axes of birefringence of the substrate is selected so that the contrast and viewing-direction characteristic of the device can be improved.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device is composed of a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between electrode plates at least one of which is composed of a transparent substrate, a transparent electrode provided thereon, and a dielectric layer provided on said transparent electrode and having such a refractive index and a thickness as to reduce the light reflected by said transparent electrode.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) capable of automated fabrication facilitated by the use of continuous strips of plastic film on the surface of which corresponding electrode patterns are defined. Liquid crystal material, and spacing means, are sealed between the plastic strips, preferably with the aid of sealing rings formed on one of the film strips; thereby, defining the individual liquid crystal display.

Abstract: Matrix-addressing circuitry for a liquid crystal display using a square-wave potential of first and second opposed phasings and its second harmonic as address voltages, avoiding the need for multi-level address voltages.An appendix of this specification contains a program listing to which a claim of copyright is made. The copyright owner, assignee hereof, hereby licenses the duplication of the patent drawing, but reserves all other copyright rights whatsoever.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel having a backlight for providing high brightness, uniformity of illumination intensity, small thickness, high efficiency and which can be manufactured at a low cost. The display device includes a liquid crystal display panel, a light source for illuminating the liquid crystal panel, a light passage member which can be formed of either transparent or translucent material disposed between the liquid crystal panel and the light source. The light source inlet side of the light passage member is formed with a recess so that the thickness is reduced at the region opposed to the brightest region of the light source. A light reflecting member substantially surrounds the light source and the light passage member is formed with an opening facing the liquid crystal panel to expose a surface portion of the light passage member. The light source can either be incandescent light bulb or a cold-cathode discharge tube.

Abstract: A display device is provided using a liquid crystal layer associated with a photoconducting plate, in which the voltage applied to the valve is an AC voltage chosen so as to transfer to the liquid crystal a maximum signal, and that applies more especially to radioscopy and to the projection of coherent (laser reading) or incoherent images.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display cell includes two opposing substrates at least one of which is made of a highly polymerized transparent compound film. The transparent film is extended from the liquid crystal display cell. Wiring patterns are formed on the thus extended portion of the transparent film. Semiconductor circuit elements for driving the liquid crystal display cell are mounted on the extended portion of the transparent film and electrically connected to the wiring patterns.

Abstract: A row and column matrix of strip electrodes is utilized for switching bistable liquid crystal display cells from the vertical state to the horizontal state via resistive heating by applying an electric current of sufficient magnitude and duration to selected electrodes. Resistive heating causes the liquid crystal to undergo a phase transition from the nematic mesophase to an isotropic phase. Extinction of the current permits the liquid crystal to cool preferentially into the horizontal state of the nematic mesophase. Horizontal-to-vertical state switching is performed by conventional electric field effect techniques.

Abstract: A thermal-pane window unit having an electro-optical shade of adjustable transmittance is provided for reducing radiative heat transfer, as well as conductive transfer, between the exterior and interior of a building and, additionally, for presenting an attractive shaded window appearance. The invention utilizes a liquid crystal cell of selectable light transmittance in combination with a conventional dual pane heat insulating window. The liquid crystal material is preferably electro-optically responsive to a low voltage AC field.

Abstract: A reflector for use in liquid crystal displays is disclosed comprising a plate having a micro-lenticular surface over which are successive layers of reflective material, such as aluminum or silver and a light transparent material having a low index of refraction, i.e., an inex of refraction below that of SiO.sub.2, which is in optical contact with the reflective layer.The present invention also contemplates the method of fabricating such a reflective surface.

Abstract: An optical apparatus wherein a mirror is mounted on a stage. On such stage a supporting portion is provided and the mirror is fixed such to supporting portion at a single portion of the mirror. At the free end portions of the mirror, which are not fixed to the stage, the end surface is in contact with a buffering member.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device having a structural arrangement that a plurality of liquid crystal layers each for displaying a pattern are piled up and a pair of polarizers are provided above an uppermost liquid crystal layer and below a lowermost liquid crystal layer, is disclosed in which a polarizer is interposed between adjacent liquid crystal layers in such a manner that adjacent ones of the polarizers are different in direction of transmission axis from each other, in order to eliminate a white on black portion caused by an overlap of the patterns and to thereby reduce the area of a display region; or in which a white on black portion caused by an overlap of the patterns is used as a display portion to form a display pattern having a predetermined shape and to open up new possibilities for color display.

Abstract: A liquid crystal lens display system comprises a liquid crystal lens, display elements, a polarizer and a light source. The liquid crystal lens comprises a dielectrically anisotropic liquid crystal material covering two electrodes each having a plurality of spaced, parallel, interleaved fingers. The display elements comprise one or more elements to which are affixed alphanumeric or analog information and which are optically distinguishable. The angle of refraction of light passing through the liquid crystal lens is electrically alterable by applying a voltage source to the lens' electrodes. Portions of one of the display elements viewed through an activated liquid crystal lens are changed since light from these portions are no longer within the field of view of the observer.

Abstract: This invention relates to an optical apparatus for the reproduction of images, comprising an optical modulator formed by a nematic liquid crystal cell the length of which is at least equal to the width of the paper to be printed, comprising on an inner surface N electrodes corresponding to the N points forming a line and a counter electrode on the other surface, this cell being placed between two polarizers. The modulator produces or does not produce extinction of the radiation for each point, depending on whether a voltage is not or is applied between the counter electrode and the electrode corresponding to the point which is to be reproduced. The light-sensitive paper travels against the second polariser and is printed by a line of light modulated spatially along the N points. To ensure that the optical modulator thus produced functions satisfactorily, the light source should flash on when the liquid crystal has reached a stable state, i.e.