Patents by Inventor Chie Chikira

Chie Chikira 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).

  • Patent number: 7542113
    Abstract: A reflector is provided in a reflective or transmissive liquid crystal display device. In the reflector, when light is incident on the reflector in a first direction, a reflection characteristic profile of light reflected therefrom shows a reflectance distribution which is asymmetric with respect to a specular reflection angle of the incident light and shows a non-Gaussian distribution in which a maximum value of reflectance is within a reflection angle range smaller than the specular reflection angle of the incident light. In addition, when light is incident on the reflector in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a reflection characteristic profile of light reflected therefrom shows the non-Gaussian distribution, similar to the case in which the light is incident on the reflector in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumasa Yoshii, Chie Chikira
  • Publication number: 20080094538
    Abstract: A reflecting plate and a liquid crystal display device using the reflecting plate are provided capable of diffusing an incident light beam coming from a wide range of angles in a uniform manner while increasing the reflectivity at a main viewing angle. The reflecting plate includes a plurality of concave portions with a rounded surface formed thereon. The minimum tilt angle of the bottom surface of the concave portion with respect to the level plane is greater than 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventors: Katsumasa Yoshii, Chie Chikira
  • Publication number: 20060077668
    Abstract: A reflector is provided in a reflective or transmissive liquid crystal display device. In the reflector, when light is incident on the reflector in a first direction, a reflection characteristic profile of light reflected therefrom shows a reflectance distribution which is asymmetric with respect to a specular reflection angle of the incident light and shows a non-Gaussian distribution in which a maximum value of reflectance is within a reflection angle range smaller than the specular reflection angle of the incident light. In addition, when light is incident on the reflector in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a reflection characteristic profile of light reflected therefrom shows the non-Gaussian distribution, similar to the case in which the light is incident on the reflector in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Publication date: April 13, 2006
    Inventors: Katsuma Yoshii, Chie Chikira
  • Patent number: 6966662
    Abstract: A reflector having light diffusibility for suppressing a reflected image within a wide viewing angle range and having a particular brightness at a specific viewing angle range, and a reflective liquid crystal display device using the reflector, are provided. The reflector 1 comprises a plurality of light-reflective concave portions 3, which are formed on a surface S of a substrate, wherein each of the concave portions 3 is formed with a first curved surface A1 located at one peripheral portion S1 of the concave portion 3 and a second curved surface B1 located at the other peripheral portion S2 thereof, the deepest point D1 is located on the first curved surface A1, and the maximum value ?b1 of the absolute value of the second curved surface B1 to the surface S of the substrate is larger than that of the maximum value ?a1 of the absolute value of the first curved surface A1 to the surface S of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumasa Yoshii, Chie Chikira
  • Publication number: 20040141114
    Abstract: A reflector having light diffusibility for suppressing a reflected image within a wide viewing angle range and having a particular brightness at a specific viewing angle range, and a reflective liquid crystal display device using the reflector, are provided. The reflector 1 comprises a plurality of light-reflective concave portions 3, which are formed on a surface S of a substrate, wherein each of the concave portions 3 is formed with a first curved surface A1 located at one peripheral portion S1 of the concave portion 3 and a second curved surface B1 located at the other peripheral portion S2 thereof, the deepest point D1 is located on the first curved surface A1, and the maximum value &sgr;b1 of the absolute value of the second curved surface B1 to the surface S of the substrate is larger than that of the maximum value &sgr;a1 of the absolute value of the first curved surface A1 to the surface S of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2004
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Applicant: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumasa Yoshii, Chie Chikira