Patents by Inventor Katsufumi Ohmuro

Katsufumi Ohmuro 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: 7898627
    Abstract: A vertical alignment type liquid crystal display apparatus including first and second substrates facing each other and liquid crystals inserted therebetween. The first substrate includes first and second structures which extend, respectively, in first and second directions, and the second substrate includes third and fourth structures which extend, respectively, in the first and second directions. A plurality of liquid crystal domains are formed by the first, second, third, and fourth structures in the pixel when a voltage is applied to liquid crystals. Alignment directions of liquid crystals in the plurality of liquid crystal domains are different from each other, and perpendicular to the first or second direction when viewed in a direction vertical to the first and second substrates. The first structure includes a plurality of separate constituent units, arranged along the first direction, and the second structure includes a plurality of separate constituent units, arranged along the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Sasaki, Arihiro Takeda, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Hideo Chida, Yoshio Koike, Kimiaki Nakamura, Kunihiro Tashiro
  • Patent number: 7889296
    Abstract: On a glass substrate, gate bus lines, data bus lines, and TFTs are formed. Then, on the substrate, an insulating film, covering the gate bus lines, data bus lines and TFTs, is formed, and a positive type photoresist film is further formed thereon. Next, through exposure and development processes, the resist film is divided for each picture element and subjected to ultraviolet ray irradiation to harden only a surface layer thereof. Then, the resist film is subjected to heat treatment to form thereon wrinkle-form surface ruggedness of a uniform pattern, which is determined depending on the size of the resist film. Subsequently, reflection electrodes are formed on the resist film. The reflection electrodes are formed to overlap the gate bus line, data bus line and TFTs, and the regions between the adjacent reflection electrodes serve as light transmission regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsufumi Ohmuro, Norio Sugiura, Kunihiro Tashiro, Yoshio Koike
  • Publication number: 20110001913
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is constituted of a TFT substrate and an opposing substrate which are arranged so as to be opposite to each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. In addition, in the liquid crystal layer, formed is a polymer into which a polymer component added to liquid crystal is polymerized, and which determines directions in which liquid crystal molecules tilt when voltage is applied. In the TFT substrate, formed are a sub picture element electrode directly connected to a TFT and a sub picture element electrode connected to the TFT through capacitive coupling. In each of these sub picture element electrodes, formed are slits extending in directions respectively at angles of 45 degrees, 135 degrees, 225 degrees and 315 degrees to the X axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yohei Nakanishi, Kunihiro Tashiro, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Kazutaka Hanaoka, Jin Hirosawa, Norio Sugiura, Kengo Kanii, Shota Makimoto, Naoto Kondo, Isao Tsushima, Tomonori Tanose, Takashi Takagi, Tetsuya Fujikawa
  • Publication number: 20100283953
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus including a pair of substrates having electrodes and vertical alignment layers. A liquid crystal having a negative anisotropy of dielectric is inserted between the substrates. Each substrate has linearly arranged alignment control structures for controlling the alignment of the liquid crystal. The alignment control structures are formed in the form of projections or slits. Each alignment control structure is formed of a plurality of constituent units. In addition, means for forming a boundary of alignment of liquid crystal (singular point in director field) to control the liquid crystal located on the alignment control structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Sasaki, Arihiro Takeda, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Hideo Chida, Yoshio Koike, Kimiaki Nakamura, Kunihiro Tashiro
  • Publication number: 20100277678
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate sandwiching a liquid crystal layer therebetween, a first polarizer disposed adjacent to the first substrate at a side opposite to the side of the first polarizer facing the liquid crystal layer, with a first gap between the first polarizer and the first substrate, a second polarizer disposed adjacent to the second substrate at a side opposite to a side of the second polarizer facing the liquid crystal layer, with a second gap between the second polarizer and the second substrate, wherein at least one of the first and second gaps includes therein a first retardation film having a positive optical anisotropy and a second retardation film having a negative optical anisotropy, such that the first retardation film is disposed closer to the liquid crystal layer with respect to the second retardation film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsufumi Ohmuro, Yoshio Koike, Takahiro Sasaki, Hideaki Tsuda, Hideo Chida
  • Patent number: 7821603
    Abstract: A vertical alignment type liquid crystal display device including a plurality of pixels, which further includes a first substrate and a second substrate and a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first substrate and the second substrate include alignment control structures which extend linearly, and when viewed in a direction vertical to the first substrate, in a pixel, the alignment control structure of the first substrate and the alignment control structures of the second substrate are arranged alternately. The alignment control structure of the first substrate includes first and second linear portions, and distances between the first and second linear portions and an adjacent alignment control structure of the second substrate are different from each other. Additionally, each of the first and second linear portions and the alignment control structures of the second substrate are arranged in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Arihiro Takeda, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Yoshio Koike, Shingo Kataoka, Takahiro Sasaki, Takashi Sasabayashi, Hideaki Tsuda, Hideo Chida, Makoto Ohashi, Kenji Okamoto, Hisashi Yamaguchi, Minoru Otani, Makoto Morishige, Noriaki Furukawa, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Yoshinori Tanaka, Atuyuki Hoshino, Shougo Hayashi, Hideaki Takizawa, Takeshi Kinjou, Makoto Tachibanaki, Keiji Imoto, Tadashi Hasegawa, Hidefumi Yoshida, Hiroyasu Inoue, Yoji Taniguchi, Tetsuya Fujikawa, Satoshi Murata, Manabu Sawasaki, Tomonori Tanose, Siro Hirota, Masahiro Ikeda, Kunihiro Tashiro, Kouji Tsukao, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Takatoshi Mayama, Seiji Tanuma, Yohei Nakanishi
  • Publication number: 20100265448
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is constituted of a TFT substrate and an opposing substrate which are arranged so as to be opposite to each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. In addition, in the liquid crystal layer, formed is a polymer into which a polymer component added to liquid crystal is polymerized, and which determines directions in which liquid crystal molecules tilt when voltage is applied. In the TFT substrate, formed are a sub picture element electrode directly connected to a TFT and a sub picture element electrode connected to the TFT through capacitive coupling. In each of these sub picture element electrodes, formed are slits extending in directions respectively at angles of 45 degrees, 135 degrees, 225 degrees and 315 degrees to the X axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yohei Nakanishi, Kunihiro Tashiro, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Kazutaka Hanaoka, Jin Hirosawa, Norio Sugiura, Kengo Kanii, Shota Makimoto, Naoto Kondo, Isao Tsushima, Tomonori Tanose, Takashi Takagi, Tetsuya Fujikawa
  • Patent number: 7808592
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device including first and second substrates sandwiching a liquid crystal layer of positive dielectric anisotropy; a first polarizer adjacent the first substrate, with a first gap between the first polarizer and the first substrate; and a second polarizer adjacent the second substrate, with a second gap between the second polarizer and the second substrate. At least one of the first and second gaps includes an optically biaxial retardation film. The first and second polarizers are disposed such that optical absorption axes of the two polarizers cross each other perpendicularly. An in-plane retardation axis of the retardation film is oriented generally perpendicular with the optical absorption axis of the polarizer that is disposed at the same side of the retardation film with regard to the liquid crystal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsufumi Ohmuro, Yoshio Koike, Takahiro Sasaki, Hideaki Tsuda, Hideo Chida
  • Patent number: 7808594
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus including a plurality of pixels, including a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal having a negative dielectric anisotropy inserted between the pair of substrates. First and second electrodes are formed on the pair of substrates, respectively. A first alignment control structure is formed linearly on one of the pair of substrates for controlling an alignment of the liquid crystal, and a second alignment control structure is formed linearly on the other of the pair of substrates for controlling an alignment of the liquid crystal. The first and second alignment control structures are bent in a zigzag fashion and extend parallel with each other, and at least one of the first and second alignment control structures includes a linear portion and a narrow portion having a width narrower than a width of the linear portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Sasaki, Arihiro Takeda, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Hideo Chida, Yoshio Koike, Kimiaki Nakamura, Kunihiro Tashiro
  • Publication number: 20100231830
    Abstract: A polarizing plate for a liquid crystal display is provided and includes a first protective film, a polarizer, a second protective film and a light diffusion layer in order. The light diffusion layer is a layer including a translucent resin and translucent particles having a refractive index different from a refractive index of the translucent resin. The internal haze of the light diffusion layer is 45% to 80%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichi Hirakata, Minoru Wada, Yukito Saitoh, Yusuke Ohashi, Katsufumi Ohmuro
  • Publication number: 20100231833
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus including a pair of substrates having electrodes and vertical alignment layers. A liquid crystal having a negative anisotropy of dielectric is inserted between the substrates. Each substrate has linearly arranged alignment control structures for controlling the alignment of the liquid crystal. The alignment control structures are formed in the form of projections or slits. Each alignment control structure is formed of a plurality of constituent units. In addition, means for forming a boundary of alignment of liquid crystal (singular point in director field) to control the liquid crystal located on the alignment control structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Sasaki, Arihiro Takeda, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Hideo Chida, Yoshio Koike, Kimiaki Nakamura, Kunihiro Tashiro
  • Publication number: 20100221456
    Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid crystal display utilizing a vertically aligned state of liquid crystal molecules when no voltage is applied and to a method of manufacturing the same. The invention is aimed at providing a liquid crystal display and a method of manufacturing the same in which the existing step for forming vertical alignment films can be omitted to achieve a cost reduction. The liquid crystal display includes a monofunctional monomer having a structure expressed by X-R (where X represents an acrylate group or a methacrylate group, and R represents an organic group having a steroid skeleton). A liquid crystal material is sandwiched between substrates which is then irradiated with ultraviolet rays to cure the monofunctional monomer, thereby forming a polymer film at an interface of a substrate. The monofunctional monomer has a hydrophobic skeleton such as an alkyl chain and a photoreactive group on one side of the skeleton.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shingo Kataoka, Hideaki Tsuda, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Jin Hirosawa, Seiji Tanuma, Yoshio Koike
  • Patent number: 7768606
    Abstract: On a glass substrate, gate bus lines, data bus lines, and TFTs are formed. Then, on the substrate, an insulating film, covering the gate bus lines, data bus lines and TFTs, is formed, and a positive type photoresist film is further formed thereon. Next, through exposure and development processes, the resist film is divided for each picture element and subjected to ultraviolet ray irradiation to harden only a surface layer thereof. Then, the resist film is subjected to heat treatment to form thereon wrinkle-form surface ruggedness of a uniform pattern, which is determined depending on the size of the resist film. Subsequently, reflection electrodes are formed on the resist film. The reflection electrodes are formed to overlap the gate bus line, data bus line and TFTs, and the regions between the adjacent reflection electrodes serve as light transmission regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsufumi Ohmuro, Norio Sugiura, Kunihiro Tashiro
  • Publication number: 20100188616
    Abstract: A liquid-crystal display device comprising a liquid-crystal cell and at least three optically-anisotropic layers disposed on each side of the liquid crystal cell, wherein they are combined so that the ?nd value of the liquid-crystal cell and the optical characteristics of the optically-anisotropic layers can satisfy predetermined relationships, is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Katsufumi Ohmuro, Shun Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7760305
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device that includes a plurality of pixels, a first substrate and a second substrate, as well as a liquid crystal layer provided between the first and second substrates. A first alignment structure and a second alignment structure are formed on the first substrate, and a third alignment structure and a fourth alignment structure are formed on the second substrate, for controlling an alignment of the liquid crystal. At least one auxiliary alignment structure is also formed on the first substrate for controlling an alignment of liquid crystals. The first and second alignment structures extend linearly in different directions from each other in a pixel, and the third and fourth alignment structures extend parallel to the first and second alignment structures, respectively. Also, the auxiliary alignment structure extends substantially along an edge of the pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Arihiro Takeda, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Yoshio Koike, Shingo Kataoka, Takahiro Sasaki, Takashi Sasabayashi, Hideaki Tsuda, Hideo Chida, Makoto Ohashi, Kenji Okamoto, Hisashi Yamaguchi, Minoru Otani, Makoto Morishige, Noriaki Furukawa, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Yoshinori Tanaka, Atuyuki Hoshino, Shougo Hayashi, Hideaki Takizawa, Takeshi Kinjou, Makoto Tachibanaki, Keiji Imoto, Tadashi Hasegawa, Hidefumi Yoshida, Hiroyasu Inoue, Yoji Taniguchi, Tetsuya Fujikawa, Satoshi Murata, Manabu Sawasaki, Tomonori Tanose, Siro Hirota, Masahiro Ikeda, Kunihiro Tashiro, Kouji Tsukao, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Takatoshi Mayama, Seiji Tanuma, Yohei Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 7751003
    Abstract: The invention relates to a transflective liquid crystal display capable of display in both of transmissive and reflective modes and a method of manufacturing the same and provides a transflective liquid crystal display which can achieve high display characteristics in both of the transmissive and reflective modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignees: Fujitsu Limited, AU Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Hidefumi Yoshida, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Kunihiro Tashiro, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Kazuya Ueda, Masakazu Shibasaki
  • Patent number: 7749575
    Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid crystal display utilizing a vertically aligned state of liquid crystal molecules when no voltage is applied and to a method of manufacturing the same. The invention is aimed at providing a liquid crystal display and a method of manufacturing the same in which the existing step for forming vertical alignment films can be omitted to achieve a cost reduction. The liquid crystal display includes a monofunctional monomer having a structure expressed by X-R (where X represents an acrylate group or a methacrylate group, and R represents an organic group having a steroid skeleton). A liquid crystal material is sandwiched between substrates which is then irradiated with ultraviolet rays to cure the monofunctional monomer, thereby forming a polymer film at an interface of a substrate. The monofunctional monomer has a hydrophobic skeleton such as an alkyl chain and a photoreactive group on one side of the skeleton.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shingo Kataoka, Hideaki Tsuda, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Jin Hirosawa, Seiji Tanuma, Yoshio Koike
  • Publication number: 20100165259
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is constituted of a TFT substrate and an opposing substrate which are arranged so as to be opposite to each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. In addition, in the liquid crystal layer, formed is a polymer into which a polymer component added to liquid crystal is polymerized, and which determines directions in which liquid crystal molecules tilt when voltage is applied. In the TFT substrate, formed are a sub picture element electrode directly connected to a TFT and a sub picture element electrode connected to the TFT through capacitive coupling. In each of these sub picture element electrodes, formed are slits extending in directions respectively at angles of 45 degrees, 135 degrees, 225 degrees and 315 degrees to the X axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yohei Nakanishi, Kunihiro Tashiro, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Kazutaka Hanaoka, Jin Hirosawa, Norio Sugiura, Kengo Kanii, Shota Makimoto, Naoto Kondo, Isao Tsushima, Tomonori Tanose, Takashi Takagi, Tetsuya Fujikawa
  • Publication number: 20100165257
    Abstract: An ECB-mode liquid crystal display device having a pair of substrates 9 and 12, a liquid crystal layer 11, a pair of polarizing plates (1,3,5) (16,18,20) and at least one optically anisotropic layer 7 and/or 14, wherein they are disposed such that the absorption axes 4 and 19 of the polarizing films 3 and 18 in the polarizing plates are parallel or vertical to the left-rightward direction of the screen of the display device. The orientation axes 10 and 13 of the substrates 9 and 12 and the orientation axes 8 and 15 of the optically anisotropic layers 7 and 14 preferably cross the absorption axes 4 and 19 of the polarizing films 3 and 18 of the adjacent polarizing plates at an angle of 45°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukito Saitoh, Yusuke Ohashi, Katsufumi Ohmuro
  • Patent number: 7738062
    Abstract: The invention relates to a transflective liquid crystal display and a method of manufacturing the same and provides a transflective liquid crystal display which can achieve high display characteristics in both of reflective and transmissive modes and a method of manufacturing the same. The display has a pair of substrates provided opposite to each other, a liquid crystal sealed between the pair of substrates, a plurality of pixel regions each having a reflective area which reflects light from the side of one of the substrates and a transmissive area which transmits light from the side of the other of the substrates toward the one of the substrates, and an ultraviolet-hardened material which is a product of polymerization of a polymeric component mixed in the liquid crystal with ultraviolet light and which is formed at a substrate interface in the reflective area to control the alignment of the liquid crystal in the reflective area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignees: Fujitsu Limited, AU Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Shingo Kataoka, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Takahiro Sasaki, Kunihiro Tashiro