Patents by Inventor Kinya Ozawa

Kinya Ozawa 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: 20080273155
    Abstract: The invention provides a reflection type liquid crystal device, and a projection type display and electronic equipment in which display defects caused by disclination are reduced, minimized or prevented from being produced for a highly fine liquid crystal display with a space between pixels made to be narrow to make it possible to provide a high-contrast and bright display. A liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a first substrate and a second substrate, and a first electrode and a second electrode formed on a face of the above-described second substrate on a side of the above-described liquid crystal layer. The above-described first electrode and the above-described second electrode are formed so that an electric field substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate with respect to the above-described liquid crystal layer can be applied thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Maeda, Kinya Ozawa, Osamu Okumura, Eiji Okamoto, Hirotaka Kawata, Toshiharu Matsushima, Takumi Seki, Kimitaka Kamijo
  • Patent number: 7440054
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device 1 includes a transparent first substrate 10 having first transparent electrodes 11 on the surface thereof, a transparent second substrate 20 having second transparent electrodes 21, and a liquid crystal layer 50. Pixel regions 3 have a light-reflecting layer 4 defining reflective display regions 31 and transmissive display regions 32. A thickness-adjusting layer 6 having opening 61 defining the transmissive display regions 32 is formed on the light-reflecting layer 4. The thickness-adjusting layer 6 forms slopes 60 at the boundaries between the reflective display regions 31 and the transmissive display regions 32. The top edges 65 of the slopes are aligned with the edges 45 of the light-reflecting layer 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kinya Ozawa, Nobutaka Urano
  • Publication number: 20080212001
    Abstract: An upper polarizing plate is provided on the outer surface of an upper substrate, and a lower polarizing plate is provided on the outer surface of a lower substrate. Also, a retardation layer having a phase shift of a quarter wavelength, and a protective layer are provided in turn only on reflective display regions of the inner surface of the lower substrate so that with no voltage applied, the phase shifts of a liquid crystal layer in transmissive display regions and the reflective display regions are set to a half wavelength and a quarter wavelength, respectively. Therefore, the present invention provides a transflective liquid crystal display device having enhanced display brightness in a transmission mode and excellent visibility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kinya Ozawa, Masakatsu Higa, Chiyoaki Iijima
  • Patent number: 7420635
    Abstract: A transflective liquid crystal display that includes a liquid crystal layer interposed between a pair of substrates facing each other and a transparent display area for transparent display and a reflecting display area for reflecting display within a single pixel area, wherein the liquid crystal layer is composed of a quasi-isotropic liquid crystal material that is optically isotropic when non-selected electric field is applied and is optically anisotropic when selected electric field is applied, the flexibility of which changing according to the electric field intensity, and the electric field intensity is supposed to be set smaller in the reflecting display area than in the transparent display area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kinya Ozawa
  • Patent number: 7417698
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes a transparent first substrate with a first transparent electrode formed on the surface thereof, a transparent second substrate with a second transparent electrode is formed thereon, and a liquid crystal layer. A light reflecting layer defining the reflective display region and the transmissive display region is formed on each pixel region. A layer-thickness adjusting layer where a region corresponding to the transmissive display region constitutes an opening, is formed on the upper layer side of the light reflecting layer. In the layer-thickness adjusting layer, the boundary portion of the reflective display region and the transmissive display region constitutes an inclined surface, and a light shielding film is two-dimensionally superimposed on this boundary region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kinya Ozawa, Tsuyoshi Maeda, Nobutaka Urano
  • Publication number: 20080198204
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a first pressure chamber, a second pressure chamber provided at a side of the first pressure chamber, a vibration plate provided above the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber, a driving piezoelectric element provided above the first pressure chamber and above the vibration plate, and a non driving piezoelectric element provided above the second pressure chamber and above the vibration plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kinya OZAWA, Hayato TAKAHASHI
  • Patent number: 7411646
    Abstract: The invention provides a reflection type liquid crystal device, and a projection type display and electronic equipment in which display defects caused by disclination are reduced, minimized or prevented from being produced for a highly fine liquid crystal display with a space between pixels made to be narrow to make it possible to provide a high-contrast and bright display. A liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a first substrate and a second substrate, and a first electrode and a second electrode formed on a face of the above-described second substrate on a side of the above-described liquid crystal layer. The above-described first electrode and the above-described second electrode are formed so that an electric field substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate with respect to the above-described liquid crystal layer can be applied thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Maeda, Kinya Ozawa, Osamu Okumura, Eiji Okamoto, Hirotaka Kawata, Toshiharu Matsushima, Takumi Seki, Kimitaka Kamijo
  • Patent number: 7298439
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device 1 includes a transparent first substrate 10 having first transparent electrodes 11 on the surface thereof, a transparent second substrate 20 having second transparent electrodes 21, and a liquid crystal layer 50. Pixel regions 3 have a light-reflecting layer 4 defining reflective display regions 31 and transmissive display regions 32. A thickness-adjusting layer 6 having opening 61 defining the transmissive display regions 32 is formed on the light-reflecting layer 4. The thickness-adjusting layer 6 forms slopes 60 at the boundaries between the reflective display regions 31 and the transmissive display regions 32. The top edges 65 of the slopes are aligned with the edges 45 of the light-reflecting layer 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kinya Ozawa, Nobutaka Urano
  • Patent number: 7271866
    Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal display capable of obtaining light and high-contrast display having a wide viewing angle in a transflective liquid crystal display. A liquid crystal display of the present invention employs a vertical alignment mode using a liquid crystal layer 50 that is vertically aligned in the initial alignment state, wherein a transparent display area T is disposed to surround the periphery of a reflective display area R in one dot, and an insulating film 21 is provided in the area that corresponds to the reflective display area R in the center of the dot, the insulating film 21 making the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 50 in the reflective display area R smaller than the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 50 in the transparent display area T.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kinya Ozawa, Nobutaka Urano, Tsuyoshi Maeda
  • Publication number: 20070211120
    Abstract: A droplet discharging head includes: a nozzle portion that discharges a liquid material; a liquid chamber that is in communication with the nozzle portion and supplies the liquid material to the nozzle portion in receiving a pressure from outside; and a reservoir that is in communication with a plurality of the liquid chamber through a plurality of ink supply passages and supplies the liquid material fed from outside via a material inlet to the plurality of liquid chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kinya OZAWA
  • Publication number: 20070206144
    Abstract: The invention provides a reflection type liquid crystal device, and a projection type display and electronic equipment in which display defects caused by disclination are reduced, minimized or prevented from being produced for a highly fine liquid crystal display with a space between pixels made to be narrow to make it possible to provide a high-contrast and bright display. A liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a first substrate and a second substrate, and a first electrode and a second electrode formed on a face of the above-described second substrate on a side of the above-described liquid crystal layer. The above-described first electrode and the above-described second electrode are formed so that an electric field substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate with respect to the above-described liquid crystal layer can be applied thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Maeda, Kinya Ozawa, Osamu Okumura, Eiji Okamoto, Hirotaka Kawata, Toshiharu Matsushima, Takumi Seki, Kimitaka Kamijo
  • Publication number: 20070200896
    Abstract: A droplet discharging head includes a first through hole having an outlet for discharging of a liquid material and a second through hole having an inlet for injection of the liquid material, the second through hole having a protrusion on
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Publication date: August 30, 2007
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kinya OZAWA, Shinri SAKAI
  • Patent number: 7251008
    Abstract: The invention provides a reflection type liquid crystal device, and a projection type display and electronic equipment in which display defects caused by disclination are reduced, minimized or prevented from being produced for a highly fine liquid crystal display with a space between pixels made to be narrow to make it possible to provide a high-contrast and bright display. A liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a first substrate and a second substrate, and a first electrode and a second electrode formed on a face of the above-described second substrate on a side of the above-described liquid crystal layer. The above-described first electrode and the above-described second electrode are formed so that an electric field substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate with respect to the above-described liquid crystal layer can be applied thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Maeda, Kinya Ozawa, Osamu Okumura, Eiji Okamoto, Hirotaka Kawata, Toshiharu Matsushima, Takumi Seki, Kimitaka Kamijo
  • Publication number: 20070115411
    Abstract: An upper polarizing plate is provided on the outer surface of an upper substrate, and a lower polarizing plate is provided on the outer surface of a lower substrate. Also, a retardation layer having a phase shift of a quarter wavelength, and a protective layer are provided in turn only on reflective display regions of the inner surface of the lower substrate so that with no voltage applied, the phase shifts of a liquid crystal layer in transmissive display regions and the reflective display regions are set to a half wavelength and a quarter wavelength, respectively. Therefore, the present invention provides a transflective liquid crystal display device having enhanced display brightness in a transmission mode and excellent visibility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kinya Ozawa, Masakatsu Higa, Chiyoaki Iijima
  • Patent number: 7218363
    Abstract: An upper polarizing plate is provided on the outer surface of an upper substrate, and a lower polarizing plate is provided on the outer surface of a lower substrate. Also, a retardation layer having a phase shift of a quarter wavelength, and a protective layer are provided in turn only on reflective display regions of the inner surface of the lower substrate so that with no voltage applied, the phase shifts of a liquid crystal layer in transmissive display regions and the reflective display regions are set to a half wavelength and a quarter wavelength, respectively. Therefore, the present invention provides a transflective liquid crystal display device having enhanced display brightness in a transmission mode and excellent visibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kinya Ozawa, Masakatsu Higa, Chiyoaki Iijima
  • Patent number: 7196760
    Abstract: The invention provides a reflection type liquid crystal device, and a projection type display and electronic equipment in which display defects caused by disclination are reduced, minimized or prevented from being produced for a highly fine liquid crystal display with a space between pixels made to be narrow to make it possible to provide a high-contrast and bright display. A liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a first substrate and a second substrate, and a first electrode and a second electrode formed on a face of the above-described second substrate on a side of the above-described liquid crystal layer. The above-described first electrode and the above-described second electrode are formed so that an electric field substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate with respect to the above-described liquid crystal layer can be applied thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Maeda, Kinya Ozawa, Osamu Okumura, Eiji Okamoto, Hirotaka Kawata, Toshiharu Matsushima, Takumi Seki, Kimitaka Kamijo
  • Patent number: 7190427
    Abstract: The invention provides a thin reflective plate having cholesteric liquid crystal that can prevent or reduce a decrease of reflection efficiency. A reflective plate includes a cholesteric liquid crystal layer, and the cholesteric liquid crystal layer includes a plurality of regions in which the helical axes of the cholesteric liquid crystal are aligned in different directions in the plane of a substrate, and therefore, the regions can reflect color light components having different wavelengths. Consequently, the cholesteric liquid crystal layer can reflect light formed of light components of different colors (for example, white light) as a whole. When the reflective plate is applied to a reflective liquid crystal display device or the like, it is possible to appropriately reflect white light for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Maeda, Kimitaka Kamijo, Kinya Ozawa, Hitoshi Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 7148939
    Abstract: To achieve clear image display without providing a feeling of roughness by fixing the position where disclination is generated in a liquid crystal device of a homeotropic alignment type, a conductive light shielding film provided on the side of an opposed substrate as a common electrode to drive a liquid crystal layer by pixel electrodes of an array substrate and the light shielding film of the opposed substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Okazaki, Kinya Ozawa, Tsuyoshi Maeda
  • Publication number: 20060203157
    Abstract: The invention provides a liquid crystal display capable of obtaining light and high-contrast display having a wide viewing angle in a transflective liquid crystal display. A liquid crystal display of the present invention employs a vertical alignment mode using a liquid crystal layer that is vertically aligned in the initial alignment state. A transparent display area is disposed to surround the periphery of a reflective display area in one dot, and an insulating film is provided in the area that corresponds to the reflective display area in the center of the dot. The insulating film makes the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflective display area to be smaller than the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the transparent display area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kinya Ozawa, Nobutaka Urano, Tsuyoshi Maeda
  • Publication number: 20060202164
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprising: a first polarization plate having a first transparent axis; a second polarization plate having a second transparent axis, a direction of the second transparent axis intersecting to a direction of the first transparent axis; an optical-compensation plate disposed between the first polarization plate and the second polarization plate, the optical-compensation plate including a plate-like base and a retardation plate, the optical-compensation plate having a first surface that has a first axis and a second axis, the first axis and the second axis being in parallel with the first surface, the first axis intersecting to the second axis, the optical-compensation plate having a third axis, the third axis intersecting to the first surface, the optical-compensation plate having a first refractive index in a direction of the first axis, the optical-compensation plate having a second refractive index in a direction of the second axis, the optical-compensation plate having a third refra
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kinya Ozawa