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).

  • Patent number: 9097939
    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 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    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
  • Patent number: 9086597
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignees: JAPAN DISPLAY INC., PANASONIC LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Noboru Kunimatsu
  • Patent number: 9086591
    Abstract: A high quality liquid crystal display device has an alignment film with a photoconductive characteristic. Since a region having gate lines situated therebelow does not undergo irradiation of a backlight, no photoconductive effect can be obtained. A photoresist is disposed below the alignment film situated over the gate lines in order to transfer the charges in the region to an opening portion of the alignment film in an early stage. Since the photoresist has a thickness of about 1.5 ?m, which is 20 times or more the 70 nm thickness of the alignment film, the resistance in the lateral direction is low in a portion where the photoresist is present. Accordingly, since the charges on the alignment film present over the gate line transfer to the opening portion of the alignment film and are eliminated in an early stage, the residual image is eliminated in the early stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Chikae Matsui, Noboru Kunimatsu, Hidehiro Sonoda
  • Publication number: 20150168755
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device, a light shielding film, a color filter, an overcoat film, and an alignment film are formed in this order on a counter substrate. However, the alignment film is not formed in a seal portion. When the alignment film is subjected to photo-alignment with ultraviolet radiation, a portion of the overcoat film not covered with the alignment film is degraded by ultraviolet radiation. In order to prevent moisture penetrating from the degraded overcoat film from reaching the light shielding film to thereby alter the light shielding film and from causing the peeling of the light shielding film, the color filter is disposed below the overcoat film to block the moisture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Chikae MATSUI, Hidehiro SONODA, Noboru KUNIMATSU
  • Publication number: 20150160521
    Abstract: To prevent a phenomenon that an alignment film material is difficult to flow into the through-hole where a diameter of a through-hole for connecting between a pixel electrode and a source electrode is reduced. A liquid crystal display device comprising a TFT substrate having pixels each including a common electrode formed on an organic passivation film, an interlayer insulating film formed so as to cover the common electrode, a pixel electrode having a slit and formed on the interlayer insulating film, a through-hole formed in the organic passivation film and the interlayer insulating film, and a source electrode electrically conducted to the pixel electrode via the through-hole. A taper angle at a depth of D/2 of the through-hole is equal to or more than 50 degrees. The pixel electrode covers part of a side wall of the through-hole but does not cover the remaining part of the side wall of the through-hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Yasushi TOMIOKA, Toshimasa ISHIGAKI, Hidehiro SONODA, Sumito UETA
  • Publication number: 20150140709
    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: January 22, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Noboru KUMIMATSU, Chikae MATSUI, Hidehiro SONODA, Yuko MATSUMOTO, Shoichi UCHINO, Masaki MATSUMORI, Yasushi TOMIOKA
  • Publication number: 20150138476
    Abstract: To take measures against the phenomenon of difficulty for the orientation film material to flow into the through-hole when the diameter of through-holes which connects the pixel electrode and the source electrode becomes small. An interlayer insulating film 109 made of SiN is formed on a counter electrode, and a pixel electrode 110 having a slit 1101 is formed on the interlayer insulating film 109. A through-hole 111 which connects the pixel electrode 110 and the source electrode of a TFT has a large opening on the upper side, a small opening on the lower side, and an inner wall extending between the large opening and the small opening. The pixel electrode 110 covers the through-hole 111 on an inner side of the pixel of the through-hole 111 but does not cover a periphery of the large opening of the through-hole on an outer side of the through-hole 111.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Yosuke HYODO, Yasushi TOMIOKA, Noboru KUNIMATSU, Hidehiro SONODA, Yasuo IMANISHI, Takenori HIROTA
  • Patent number: 9036120
    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 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignees: JAPAN DISPLAY INC., PANASONIC LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Noboru Kunimatsu, Yuko Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20150116623
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device, a common electrode is formed on an organic passivation film, an interlayer insulating film is formed on the common electrode, a pixel electrode with a slit is formed on the interlayer insulating film, and a through hole is formed in the organic passivation film and the interlayer insulating film, so that the pixel electrode is connected to a source electrode of a TFT through the through hole. Further, the taper angle around the upper base of the through hole is smaller than the taper angle around the lower base. Thus, the alignment film material can easily flow into the through hole when the diameter of the through hole is reduced to connect the pixel and source electrodes, preventing display defects such as uneven brightness due to the absence of the alignment film or due to the alignment film irregularity around the through hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Yasushi TOMIOKA, Yosuke HYODO, Hidehiro SONODA, Noboru KUNIMATSU
  • Publication number: 20150116617
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate having a first alignment film and an opposing substrate having a second alignment film with liquid crystals sandwiched therebetween. One of the first and second alignment films, comprises a first polyimide produced via polyamide acid ester containing cyclobutane as a precursor and a second polyimide produced via polyamide acid as a precursor. The polyamide acid has a higher polarity than that of the polyamide acid ester. The one of the first and second alignment films is responsive to photo-alignment. A first side of the one of the first and second alignment films is adjacent to the liquid crystals, and a second side thereof is closer to one of the TFT substrate and the counter substrate than the first side. The first side contains more of the first polyimide and less of the second polyimide than the second side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Noboru Kunimatsu, Chikae Matsui, Hidehiro Sonoda, Yuko Matsumoto, Shoichi Uchino, Masaki Matsumori, Yosushi Tomioka
  • Publication number: 20150116624
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate and a counter substrate and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched therebetween. A scanning line, a video signal line, a thin film transistor connected to the scanning line and the video signal line, a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor, and a counter electrode are formed on the TFT substrate, and a columnar spacer formed on the counter substrate. The pixel and counter electrodes are transparent, and the liquid crystal layer is controlled by an electric field generated between the pixel and counter electrodes. The counter electrode contacts with a metal line having a first part which is extended in parallel with the scanning line and a second part which is extended in parallel with the video signal line, a width of the first part of the metal line being narrower than a width of the scanning line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Noboru Kunimatsu
  • Patent number: 8994908
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device, a light shielding film, a color filter, an overcoat film, and an alignment film are formed in this order on a counter substrate. However, the alignment film is not formed in a seal portion. When the alignment film is subjected to photo-alignment with ultraviolet radiation, a portion of the overcoat film not covered with the alignment film is degraded by ultraviolet radiation. In order to prevent moisture penetrating from the degraded overcoat film from reaching the light shielding film to thereby alter the light shielding film and from causing the peeling of the light shielding film, the color filter is disposed below the overcoat film to block the moisture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chikae Matsui, Hidehiro Sonoda, Noboru Kunimatsu
  • Publication number: 20150085231
    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 2, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Hidehiro SONODA, Chikae MATSUI, Noboru KUNIMATSU, Yuko MATSUMOTO
  • Patent number: 8988639
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    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: 20150062515
    Abstract: The invention provides a liquid crystal display device which is highly reliable even with a slim frame area. Ina liquid crystal display device having a display area and a frame area, the frame area includes, in an area close to the display area, a flat portion where an organic insulation film, a transparent conductive film, and an alignment film are stacked in this order and, in an area away from the display area, a groove structure formed in the organic insulation film, the groove structure being continuous surrounding the display area. The organic insulation film is less wettable than the transparent conductive film by the alignment film ink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Yasushi TOMIOKA, Noboru KUNIMATSU, Hidehiro SONODA, Yosuke HYODO
  • Publication number: 20150055070
    Abstract: A TFT substrate and a counter substrate are bonded via a seal material. Alignment films are applied to entire surfaces of the TFT substrate and the counter substrate so as to realize even thickness of the alignment film. This allows a display region to be formed up to the area around the seal material. The alignment film is photo-alignment processed. An organic film formed of the material which is not photo-aligned is interposed between the alignment film and the seal material. High bonding strength between the organic film and the seal material improves reliability of a seal portion as well as reduces a frame region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Noboru KUNIMATSU, Yasushi TOMIOKA, Hidehiro SONODA, Yosuke HYODO, Yasuo IMANISHI
  • Publication number: 20150055071
    Abstract: A display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate and liquid crystals therebetween, the first substrate having a flat portion, an alignment film, and a concavo-convex pedestal formed in a pixel region, wherein the concavo-convex pedestal having at least two convex portions and recessed portions, and the at least two convex portions of the concavo-convex pedestal are at a position lower than a position of the flat portion. A thickness of the alignment film on the convex portions is less than a thickness of the alignment film on the recessed portions, and a second substrate has a columnar spacer which contacts the at least two convex portions of the concavo-convex pedestal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Yosuke Hyodo, Koichi Igeta, Toshiki Kaneko, Noboru Kunimatsu, Hidehiro Sonoda
  • Publication number: 20150049271
    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: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Shoichi Uchino, Noboru Kunimatsu, Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Yuko Matsumoto, Masaki Matsumori, Yasushi Tomioka, Jun Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8958042
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the invention can, when a liquid crystal panel receives a pressing force from the outside, prevent the displacement of columnar spacers which are formed over a counter substrate for defining a distance between the counter substrate and a TFT substrate in the direction parallel to the substrate. In a case where the TFT substrate or the counter substrate receives a pressing force from the outside, when the columnar spacers which define the distance between the TFT substrate and the counter substrate are displaced in one or more directions, the alignment disorder of liquid crystal molecules occurs or an alignment film is shaved so that leaking of light occurs due to shaved chips of the alignment film and hence, contrast of an image is lowered. Projections are formed on a TFT substrate side by making use of bus electrodes provided for preventing lowering of a voltage of counter electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Noboru Kunimatsu
  • Publication number: 20150015840
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate and a counter substrate on each of which an alignment film is formed and a liquid crystal interposed and held between the alignment films of the TFT and counter substrate, wherein the alignment film is made of a material capable of applying liquid crystal alignment regulation force by polarized light irradiation, a convex structure is formed on the TFT substrate or the counter substrate, and the alignment film is applied the liquid crystal alignment regulation force to a surface of a region ranging from the periphery of the convex structure to the vicinity of an inclined part of the convex structure and is not applied the liquid crystal alignment regulation force to a surface of the inclined part of the convex structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Yasuo IMANISHI, Yosuke HYODO, Chikae MATSUI, Hidehiro SONODA, Noboru KUNIMATSU