Patents by Inventor Akihiro Shoraku

Akihiro Shoraku has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20090284703
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes: a vertical alignment liquid crystal layer; first and second substrates facing each other with the liquid crystal layer interposed; first and second electrodes arranged on the first and second substrates to face the liquid crystal layer; and at least one alignment film in contact with the liquid crystal layer. A pixel region includes a first liquid crystal domain in which liquid crystal molecules are tilted in a first direction around the center of a plane, and approximately at the middle of the thickness, of the liquid crystal layer responsive to a voltage applied. The first liquid crystal domain is close to at least a part of an edge of the first electrode. The part includes a first edge portion in which an azimuthal direction, perpendicular to the part and pointing toward the inside of the first electrode, defines an angle greater than 90 degrees to the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Inventors: Akihiro Shoraku, Toshihide Tsubata, Koichi Miyachi, Iichiro Inoue, Akihiro Yamamoto, Yoshito Hashimoto, Masumi Kubo, Akihito Jinda
  • Publication number: 20090279034
    Abstract: In the liquid crystal display device of the present invention, each pixel region includes first, second and third subpixel electrodes 111a, 111b1 and 111b2, a vertical alignment liquid crystal layer, a counter electrode 121, and an alignment film. The second and third subpixel electrodes are arranged to interpose the first subpixel electrode. Each pixel region is comprised of first, second and third regions associated with the first, second and third subpixel electrodes, respectively. Each pixel region includes eight liquid crystal domains in total, consisting of two sets of four liquid crystal domains A, B, C and D of first, second, third and fourth types, in which an angle formed between any two tilt directions is approximately equal to an integral multiple of 90 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventors: Akihiro Shoraku, Toshihide Tsubata
  • Publication number: 20090225246
    Abstract: Each pixel region includes first, second, third and fourth liquid crystal domains that come to have first, second, third and fourth predetermined tilt directions, respectively, in response to a voltage applied. The first, second, third and fourth directions are defined such that an angle formed between any two of the four directions is approximately equal to an integral multiple of 90 degrees. The first, second, third and fourth liquid crystal domains are arranged in two columns and two rows so as to define a matrix pattern and to be adjacent to each other. An extended portion of a storage capacitor line defines at least a part of a central opaque portion that selectively shields at least a part of a boundary area, where each of the first, second, third and fourth liquid crystal domains contacts with another one of the liquid crystal domains, from incoming light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Inventors: Akihiro Shoraku, Toshihide Tsubata
  • Publication number: 20090086141
    Abstract: Each pixel region includes two subpixel regions, in which different voltages are applied to a liquid crystal layer with respect to a signal voltage supplied from a source bus line by way of TFTs. A first substrate includes a first electrode provided for the two subpixel regions. A second substrate includes a second electrode that faces the first electrode with a vertical alignment liquid crystal layer interposed. A liquid crystal capacitor is provided for each of these subpixel regions. Each subpixel region includes at least one liquid crystal domain that produces a dark area, which looks darker than a gray scale tone being presented for a viewer located in front of the device, inside of, and substantially parallel to, an edge portion of the first electrode. At least a part of the edge portion of the first electrode is arranged so as to overlap with a gate bus line and selectively shield at least a part of the dark area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: Akihiro Shoraku, Toshihide Tsubata
  • Publication number: 20080043179
    Abstract: A substrate for a liquid crystal display panel includes a first projection structure and a second projection structure and/or a depression structure, the substrate for the liquid crystal display panel includes a specific structure at a part of or near the first projection structure, the specific structure having at least one of a planar shape different from a planar shape of the second projection structure and/or the depression structure and a planar area of ? times or less or 1.5 times or more than a planar area of the second projection structure and/or the depression structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohji Matsuoka, Shinichi Hirato, Akihiro Shoraku, Kenji Enda, Tsuyoshi Tokuda, Toshihide Tsubata