Patents by Inventor Hidehiro Sonoda

Hidehiro Sonoda 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: 20150011032
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a liquid crystal display device including a TFT substrate having an alignment film formed thereon, an opposing substrate, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched therebetween. The alignment film on the TFT substrate includes a photolytic polymer made from a first precursor including cyclobutane, and a non-photolytic polymer made from a second precursor. The method includes the steps of depositing a mixture material including the first precursor and the second precursor in which the second precursor settles more on an upper surface of the TFT substrate than the first precursor, imidizing the mixture material, and irradiating the mixture material with ultraviolet light for photo-alignment, and after irradiating, heating the mixture material to form the alignment film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Noboru Kunimatsu, Chikae Matsui, Hidehiro Sonoda, Yuko Matsumoto, Shoichi Uchino, Masaki Matsumori, Yasushi Tomioka
  • Publication number: 20150002802
    Abstract: The present invention prevents the shaving of an alignment film caused by a columnar spacer in a liquid crystal display device of an IPS method using photo-alignment. A plinth higher than a pixel electrode is formed at a part where a columnar spacer formed over a counter substrate touches a TFT substrate. When an alignment film of a double-layered structure is applied over the pixel electrode and the plinth, the thickness of the alignment film over the plinth reduces by a leveling effect. When photo-alignment is applied in the state, a photodegraded upper alignment film over the plinth disappears and a lower alignment film having a high mechanical strength remains. As a result, it is possible to prevent the shaving of the alignment film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Noboru KUNIMATSU, Masaki MATSUMORI, Hidehiro SONODA, Yasushi TOMIOKA, Toshiki KANEKO
  • Patent number: 8908133
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device has a liquid crystal display panel including pixels each having an active device, a pixel electrode, a common electrode and a liquid crystal layer arranged in a dot matrix array. The liquid crystal display panel has a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first substrate has the active device, the pixel electrode, the common electrode and a first alignment film. The second substrate has a second alignment film. The first alignment film and the second alignment film are respectively a photo alignment film formed by irradiating a photo decomposition type insulating film with light. The second alignment film has a thickness of at least 10 nm and no greater 50 nm and is thinner than the first alignment film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Noboru Kunimatsu, Yuko Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8906473
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes: a pair of substrates at least one of which is transparent; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the pair of substrates; an electrode group formed on at least one substrate of the pair of substrates, for applying an electric field to the liquid crystal layer; a plurality of active elements connected to the electrode group; and a liquid crystal alignment film disposed on at least one substrate of the pair of substrates, in which the liquid crystal alignment film, which is formed by a photo-alignment process, contains polyimide formed using tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride and/or diamine each having a specific chemical structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoichi Uchino, Noboru Kunimatsu, Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Yuko Matsumoto, Masaki Matsumori, Yasushi Tomioka, Jun Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20140347585
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device in which even in the case of using a photo-alignment technique, excellent afterimage characteristics can be stably obtained. Provided is a liquid crystal display device including a TFT substrate having an alignment film, an opposed substrate which is arranged to face the TFT substrate and on which an alignment film is formed, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the alignment films, wherein the alignment films are materials that can provide a liquid crystal alignment restraining force by irradiating polarized light, and the ratio of oxygen atoms on the surface of the alignment film is higher than that in the alignment film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuo IMANISHI, Yosuke HYODO, Chikae MATSUI, Hidehiro SONODA, Noboru KUNIMATSU
  • Publication number: 20140333885
    Abstract: A display device includes a first substrate having a plurality of TFTs, a passivation film, and a plurality of pixel electrodes, and a second substrate arranged with a gap with the first substrate. The passivation film has a plurality of contact holes, and the plurality of pixel electrodes are connected to the plurality of TFTs via the plurality of contact holes. The second substrate has a plurality of columnar spacers for ensuring the gap with the first substrate, and a plurality of columnar projections for misalignment prevention formed at positions corresponding to the contact holes. The number of the plurality of columnar projections is less than the number of the plurality of columnar spacers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Yasushi Tomioka, Noboru Kunimatsu, Hidehiro Sonoda, Yasuo Imanishi, Koichi Igeta
  • Patent number: 8885136
    Abstract: A display device includes a first substrate having organic and alignment films, a second substrate adhered to the first substrate by a sealant which surrounds a pixel region, a columnar spacer formed on the second substrate defining a distance between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a recessed portion formed in the organic film of the pixel region, the recessed portion facing to the columnar spacer. The recessed portion has a convex portion at a bottom of the recessed portion, and a height of a top of the convex portion from the first substrate is lower than a height of an upper surface of the organic film from the first substrate. A thickness of an alignment film on the convex portion is smaller than a thickness of the bottom of the recessed portion, and a top of the columnar spacer is in contact with the convex portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Yosuke Hyodo, Koichi Igeta, Toshiki Kaneko, Noboru Kunimatsu, Hidehiro Sonoda
  • Patent number: 8873006
    Abstract: The present invention prevents the shaving of an alignment film caused by a columnar spacer in a liquid crystal display device of an IPS method using photo-alignment. A plinth higher than a pixel electrode is formed at a part where a columnar spacer formed over a counter substrate touches a TFT substrate. When an alignment film of a double-layered structure is applied over the pixel electrode and the plinth, the thickness of the alignment film over the plinth reduces by a leveling effect. When photo-alignment is applied in the state, a photodegraded upper alignment film over the plinth disappears and a lower alignment film having a high mechanical strength remains. As a result, it is possible to prevent the shaving of the alignment film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Noboru Kunimatsu, Masaki Matsumori, Hidehiro Sonoda, Yasushi Tomioka, Toshiki Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20140307209
    Abstract: A high-definition and high-contrast liquid crystal display device having a high aperture ratio without light leakage around a columnar spacer is provided. The liquid crystal display device of a horizontal electric field type includes a TFT substrate with a pixel electrode and a common electrode, a color filter substrate with a color filter, a columnar spacer interposed between the substrates, and a liquid crystal layer arranged between the substrates. A liquid crystal alignment film formed between the substrates is a photo-alignment film. The columnar spacer, formed on the color filter substrate or the TFT substrate, has a wall-like shape and an inclined surface extending in a direction parallel to or perpendicular to a direction in which the liquid crystal is initially aligned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi TOMIOKA, Osamu ITOU, Toshimasa ISHIGAKI, Hidehiro SONODA, Yosuke HYODO
  • Patent number: 8854582
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a liquid crystal display device having a TFT substrate in which an alignment film is formed over a pixel including a pixel electrode and a TFT, an opposing substrate which faces the TFT substrate, and liquid crystals sandwiched between the TFT substrate and the opposing substrate, the alignment film on the TFT substrate including a first and a second alignment film. The method includes depositing a mixture liquid of polyamide acid ester, 80 percent or more of which is polyamide acid ester including cyclobutane, and polyamide acid not including cyclobutane onto the TFT substrate and the opposing substrate, and after drying and firing the TFT substrate and the opposing substrate to harden the alignment film, irradiating the alignment film with ultraviolet light for photo-alignment of the alignment film and, thereafter, heating the TFT substrate and the opposing substrate, thereby forming the alignment film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noboru Kunimatsu, Chikae Matsui, Hidehiro Sonoda, Yuko Matsumoto, Shoichi Uchino, Masaki Matsumori, Yasushi Tomioka
  • Publication number: 20140267992
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a first alignment film formed over the first substrate, a second substrate, a second alignment film formed over the second substrate, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first alignment film and the second alignment film, and a projecting portion formed over the second substrate. The first alignment film is a photo alignment film, and a thickness “d2” of the second alignment film over the projecting portion and a film thickness “d1” of a portion of the first alignment film facing the projecting portion satisfy formula (1) and (2): 0 nm<d2<30 nm??(1); d2<d1??(2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicants: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Noboru Kunimatsu
  • Publication number: 20140247416
    Abstract: A display device includes a first substrate having organic and alignment films, a second substrate adhered to the first substrate by a sealant which surrounds a pixel region, a columnar spacer formed on the second substrate defining a distance between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a recessed portion formed in the organic film of the pixel region, the recessed portion facing to the columnar spacer. The recessed portion has a convex portion at a bottom of the recessed portion, and a height of a top of the convex portion from the first substrate is lower than a height of an upper surface of the organic film from the first substrate. A thickness of an alignment film on the convex portion is smaller than a thickness of the bottom of the recessed portion, and a top of the columnar spacer is in contact with the convex portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Yosuke Hyodo, Koichi Igeta, Toshiki Kaneko, Noboru Kunimatsu, Hidehiro Sonoda
  • Publication number: 20140220848
    Abstract: Disclosed is a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display device which is a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal alignment film to which an alignment regulating force is imparted by a photo-alignment treatment, including: a film forming step of forming a film containing a polymer whose main chain is cleaved by irradiation with light; a photo-alignment step of imparting an alignment regulating force to the film formed in the film forming step by irradiation of the film with light in an atmosphere of a temperature lower than 100° C.; and a removing step of removing a low-molecular weight component generated by cleaving the main chain of the polymer through the light irradiation after the light irradiation. Also disclosed is a liquid crystal display device manufactured by the manufacturing method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicants: JAPAN DISPLAY INC., PANASONIC LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY, CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoichi UCHINO, Noboru KUNIMATSU, Hidehiro SONODA, Chikae MATSUI, Yuko MATSUMOTO, Tomio YAGUCHI, Toshiki KANEKO, Jun TANAKA
  • Patent number: 8797496
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device, a TFT substrate retains a contact hole that is formed in a passivation film, and is for connecting the TFT and the pixel electrode. And an opposite substrate retains a columnar spacer for ensuring a cell gap, and a columnar projection for misalignment prevention formed at a position corresponding to a position of the contact hole. Accordingly, misalignment between the TFT substrate and the opposite substrate is suppressed, occurrence of uneven brightness due to misalignment between pixel regions and a bright spot caused by shaving of an orientation film is prevented, and a favorable image is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Tomioka, Noboru Kunimatsu, Hidehiro Sonoda, Yasuo Imanishi, Koichi Igeta
  • Patent number: 8749741
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device including a first substrate, a first alignment film formed over the first substrate, a second substrate, a second alignment film formed over the second substrate, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first alignment film and the second alignment film, and a projecting portion formed over the second substrate. The first and second alignment films are both made of a photo-decomposition-type material. A film thickness “d2” of the second alignment film over the projecting portion and a film thickness “d1” of a portion of the first alignment film facing the projecting portion satisfy a formula (1) and a formula (2): 0 nm<d2<30 nm??(1) d2<d1??(2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Noboru Kunimatsu
  • Publication number: 20140144582
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a liquid crystal display device having a TFT substrate in which an alignment film is formed over a pixel including a pixel electrode and a TFT, an opposing substrate which faces the TFT substrate, and liquid crystals sandwiched between the TFT substrate and the opposing substrate, the alignment film on the TFT substrate including a first and a second alignment film. The method includes depositing a mixture liquid of polyamide acid ester, 80 percent or more of which is polyamide acid ester including cyclobutane, and polyamide acid not including cyclobutane onto the TFT substrate and the opposing substrate, and after drying and firing the TFT substrate and the opposing substrate to harden the alignment film, irradiating the alignment film with ultraviolet light for photo-alignment of the alignment film and, thereafter, heating the TFT substrate and the opposing substrate, thereby forming the alignment film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicants: Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd., Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Noboru Kunimatsu, Chikae Matsui, Hidehiro Sonoda, Yuko Matsumoto, Shoichi Uchino, Masaki Matsumori, Yasushi Tomioka
  • Patent number: 8736804
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate having an organic passivation film, and a counter substrate, with liquid crystals inside of the liquid crystal display device. A columnar spacer is formed on the counter substrate, which defines a distance between the TFT substrate and the counter substrate, and a concavo-convex pedestal is formed in a pixel region of the TFT substrate, the concavo-convex pedestal being provided in facing relation to the columnar spacer. The concavo-convex pedestal is formed with a convex portion and a concave portion at a bottom of the concavo-convex pedestal, with a top end of the columnar spacer being in contact with two or more convex portions formed on the bottom of the concavo-convex pedestal, and an area at the bottom of the concavo-convex pedestal being larger than the area at the top end of the columnar spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Yosuke Hyodo, Koichi Igeta, Toshiki Kaneko, Noboru Kunimatsu, Hidehiro Sonoda
  • Patent number: 8702464
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an organic EL display device that includes an element substrate on which a first organic luminescent material and a second organic luminescent material are formed, includes forming the first organic luminescent material by dripping the first organic luminescent material from an inkjet nozzle on the element substrate while relatively moving the inkjet nozzle and the element substrate in a first direction, and forming the second organic luminescent material by dripping the second organic luminescent material from an inkjet nozzle on the element substrate while relatively moving the inkjet nozzle and the element substrate in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuko Matsumoto, Hidehiro Sonoda, Noboru Kunimatsu
  • Publication number: 20140104554
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device has a liquid crystal display panel including pixels each having an active device, a pixel electrode, a common electrode and a liquid crystal layer arranged in a dot matrix array. The liquid crystal display panel has a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first substrate has the active device, the pixel electrode, the common electrode and a first alignment film. The second substrate has a second alignment film. The first alignment film and the second alignment film are respectively a photo alignment film formed by irradiating a photo decomposition type insulating film with light. The second alignment film has a thickness of at least 10 nm and no greater 50 nm and is thinner than the first alignment film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicants: Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd., Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Hidehiro SONODA, Chikae MATSUI, Noboru KUNIMATSU, Yuko MATSUMOTO
  • Patent number: 8692970
    Abstract: Disclosed is a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display device which is a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal alignment film to which an alignment regulating force is imparted by a photo-alignment treatment, including: a film forming step of forming a film containing a polymer whose main chain is cleaved by irradiation with light; a photo-alignment step of imparting an alignment regulating force to the film formed in the film forming step by irradiation of the film with light in an atmosphere of a temperature lower than 100° C.; and a removing step of removing a low-molecular weight component generated by cleaving the main chain of the polymer through the light irradiation after the light irradiation. Also disclosed is a liquid crystal display device manufactured by the manufacturing method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoichi Uchino, Noboru Kunimatsu, Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Yuko Matsumoto, Tomio Yaguchi, Toshiki Kaneko, Jun Tanaka