Patents by Inventor Kunihiro Tashiro
Kunihiro Tashiro 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).
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Patent number: 9588390Abstract: The present invention has an object of providing a liquid crystal display device having a high transmittance or a high viewing angle characteristic. A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a pixel electrode (30) including a peripheral portion (36), an island portion (32) and a plurality of branch portions (34). The plurality of branch portions (34) are formed of a plurality of first through fourth branch portions (34A through 34D) respectively extending in first through fourth directions. By these branch portions, first through fourth regions (35A through 35D) in which liquid crystal molecules are aligned in different directions from each other at the time of voltage application are formed.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2014Date of Patent: March 7, 2017Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masahiro Yoshida, Kunihiro Tashiro
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Patent number: 9411197Abstract: This liquid crystal display panel (100A) includes: first and second substrates (10A, 20A) which are arranged to face each other with a liquid crystal layer (30A) interposed between them; a counter electrode (24) formed on one of the first and second substrates (10A, 20A); a first alignment film (16a) formed on one side of the first substrate (10A) to face the liquid crystal layer (30A); and a second alignment film (26a) formed on one side of the second substrate (20A) to face the liquid crystal layer (30A). In a pixel, the liquid crystal layer (30A) has a low-pretilt region (R1a) and a high-pretilt region (R2a) in which liquid crystal molecules (32) have mutually different pretilt angles. The counter electrode (24) includes a plurality of sub-counter electrodes which are electrically independent of each other.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2013Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kunihiro Tashiro, Hideki Fujimoto
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Patent number: 9081240Abstract: A liquid crystal display device (100) of the present invention has a plurality of pixels (P) which are in a matrix arrangement and includes: a first substrate (1) which includes a pixel electrode (12) which is provided in each pixel; a second substrate (2) which opposes the first substrate; and a vertical alignment liquid crystal layer (3) which is provided between these substrates, wherein light that is incident on the liquid crystal layer is circularly-polarized light, and the liquid crystal layer modulates the circularly-polarized light, thereby realizing display. The pixel electrode includes at least one cruciform trunk portion (12a), a plurality of branch portions (12b) extending from the at least one cruciform trunk portion in a direction of about 45°, and a plurality of slits (12c) provided between the plurality of branch portions. The second substrate includes a plurality of counter electrodes (22) which are electrically independent of each other in each pixel.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2011Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kunihiro Tashiro, Hideki Fujimoto, Yoshihito Hara
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Patent number: 9007553Abstract: A liquid crystal device including a first substrate including a plurality of picture elements; a second substrate including a common electrode; and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched therebetween. The first substrate and the second substrate are arranged to be opposite to each other, and each of the plurality of picture elements has a plurality of elongated electrodes configured to apply voltages to the liquid crystal layer in cooperation with the common electrode. The elongated electrodes within one of the plurality of picture elements extend in eight directions, and each of the plurality of picture elements is divided into eight regions based upon the eight directions. In each of the eight regions of one of the plurality of picture elements, two or more of the plurality of elongated electrodes extend along a corresponding one of the eight directions.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2014Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: 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
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Publication number: 20150002800Abstract: This liquid crystal display panel (100A) includes: first and second substrates (10A, 20A) which are arranged to face each other with a liquid crystal layer (30A) interposed between them; a counter electrode (24) formed on one of the first and second substrates (10A, 20A); a first alignment film (16a) formed on one side of the first substrate (10A) to face the liquid crystal layer (30A); and a second alignment film (26a) formed on one side of the second substrate (20A) to face the liquid crystal layer (30A). In a pixel, the liquid crystal layer (30A) has a low-pretilt region (R1a) and a high-pretilt region (R2a) in which liquid crystal molecules (32) have mutually different pretilt angles. The counter electrode (24) includes a plurality of sub-counter electrodes which are electrically independent of each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2013Publication date: January 1, 2015Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kunihiro Tashiro, Hideki Fujimoto
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Publication number: 20140375918Abstract: The present invention has an object of providing a liquid crystal display device having a high transmittance or a high viewing angle characteristic. A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a pixel electrode (30) including a peripheral portion (36), an island portion (32) and a plurality of branch portions (34). The plurality of branch portions (34) are formed of a plurality of first through fourth branch portions (34A through 34D) respectively extending in first through fourth directions. By these branch portions, first through fourth regions (35A through 35D) in which liquid crystal molecules are aligned in different directions from each other at the time of voltage application are formed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2014Publication date: December 25, 2014Inventors: Masahiro YOSHIDA, Kunihiro TASHIRO
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Patent number: 8896803Abstract: In accordance with a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device including, in a picture element, a first sub-picture-element region where a threshold voltage of the transmittance-applied voltage characteristic is Vth1 and a second sub-picture-element region where a threshold voltage of the transmittance-applied voltage characteristic is Vth2, liquid crystal, which polymerizable components are added to, is filled into the space between a first and a second substrates; thereafter, a voltage V1 slightly higher than the threshold voltage Vth1 is applied to a liquid crystal layer, and is held for a certain length of time; subsequently, a voltage V2 slightly higher than the threshold voltage Vth2 is applied to the liquid crystal layer, and is held for a certain length of time; additionally, a voltage V3 higher than a white-displaying voltage which is applied while the liquid crystal display device is in actual use is applied to the liquid crystal layer, and is held for a certain length of time; then, tType: GrantFiled: April 11, 2011Date of Patent: November 25, 2014Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazutaka Hanaoka, Yohei Nakanishi, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Kunihiro Tashiro, Norio Sugiura, Kengo Kanii
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Publication number: 20140313449Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2014Publication date: October 23, 2014Inventors: 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
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Patent number: 8860920Abstract: A method of producing a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes: a step of providing a liquid crystal panel (110); a step of, through light irradiation while applying a voltage to a mixture via a check terminal (174) and a check line (172) on a rear substrate (130), forming from the mixture a liquid crystal layer (140) containing a liquid crystal compound and an alignment sustaining layer (150, 160) resulting through polymerization of a photopolymerizable compound; and a step of, after forming the liquid crystal layer (140) and the alignment sustaining layer (150, 160), applying a voltage across the liquid crystal layer (140) from the check terminal (172) to check the liquid crystal panel (110).Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2010Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shogo Nishiwaki, Kunihiro Tashiro, Yukinobu Nakata, Takayuki Hayano
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Patent number: 8854581Abstract: The present invention has an object of providing a liquid crystal display device having a high transmittance or a high viewing angle characteristic. A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a pixel electrode (30) including a peripheral portion (36), an island portion (32) and a plurality of branch portions (34). The plurality of branch portions (34) are formed of a plurality of first through fourth branch portions (34A through 34D) respectively extending in first through fourth directions. By these branch portions, first through fourth regions (35A through 35D) in which liquid crystal molecules are aligned in different directions from each other at the time of voltage application are formed.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2010Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masahiro Yoshida, Kunihiro Tashiro
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Patent number: 8804079Abstract: A liquid crystal display device including a first and second substrates and a liquid crystal layer. The first substrate includes a plurality of picture elements, and at least one of the plurality of picture elements includes: a switching element; a plurality of gate bus lines extending in a first direction and electrically connected to the switching element; a plurality of data bus lines extending in a second direction and electrically connected to the switching element; a first sub picture element electrode and a second sub picture element electrode disposed adjacent to the first sub picture element electrode with a gap therebetween, and a control electrode overlapping both the first and second sub picture element electrodes. The control electrode extends in the second direction. Each of the first and second sub picture element electrodes includes a cross-shaped connecting electrode part and microelectrode parts extending from the connecting electrode part.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2013Date of Patent: August 12, 2014Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: 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
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Patent number: 8786808Abstract: A liquid crystal display including a pair of substrates; a plurality of electrodes formed in a matrix on one of the pair of substrates, wherein each of the plurality of electrodes includes a plurality of stripe-like portions that define a plurality of spaces therebetween; polymer material and liquid crystal between the pair of substrates; and polymer alignment films which are formed on each of the substrates and are affected by light irradiation and cause alignment of the liquid crystal in predetermined directions. The plurality of stripe-like portions extend in at least two different directions which are not parallel to each other.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2011Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takahiro Sasaki, Kazutaka Hanaoka, Tsutomu Seino, Yohei Nakanishi, Seiji Tanuma, Kimiaki Nakamura, Yuichi Inoue, Masakazu Shibasaki, Hideaki Tsuda, Yoshio Koike, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Hidefumi Yoshida, Kunihiro Tashiro
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Patent number: 8743036Abstract: A liquid crystal display has a pair of substrates with liquid crystal sealed between them. A polymer layer regulates directions in which the liquid crystal molecules tilt. A plurality of gate bus lines and a plurality of drain bus lines are provided on one of the substrates. Color filters and a pixel electrode are provided on the substrate. The pixel electrode includes a first sub-pixel electrode and a second sub-pixel electrode. A common electrode is provided on the other substrate. A first and a second thin film transistor are connected to the first sub-pixel electrode. The first thin film transistors is connected to a first gate bus line, and the second thin film transistor is connected to a second bus line.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2012Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takashi Sasabayashi, Arihiro Takeda, Hiroyasu Inoue, Kazuya Ueda, Yoshio Koike, Hideaki Tsuda, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Hidefumi Yoshida, Kunihiro Tashiro, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Kimiaki Nakamura
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Patent number: 8717517Abstract: A liquid crystal display including two substrates arranged opposite to each other; a liquid crystal sealed between the substrates; and a polymer layer for regulating a pretilt angle of liquid crystal molecules and/or tilt directions at a time of driving. One of the substrates has a color filter layer formed on a side of the one substrate, and a plurality of stripe-like electrode patterns are provided on the color filter layer. The patterns are periodically arranged so that when polymerizable components mixed in the liquid crystal layer are polymerized to form the polymer layer while a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer between the electrode patterns and a second electrode on the other substrate, liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer are aligned in the extending directions of stripe-like electrode patterns.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2012Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takahiro Sasaki, Kazutaka Hanaoka, Tsutomu Seino, Yohei Nakanishi, Seiji Tanuma, Kimiaki Nakamura, Yuichi Inoue, Masakazu Shibasaki, Hideaki Tsuda, Yoshio Koike, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Hidefumi Yoshida, Kunihiro Tashiro
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Patent number: 8610653Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel and a liquid crystal display device in which a position of a singular point of pinwheel alignment is controlled, thereby suppressing rough-grained image and generation of image retention, and in which the response time is improved. A pair of substrates each include an electrode, at least one of the pair of substrates includes a vertical alignment film and a photopolymerized polymer, the electrode on one of the pair of substrates has such a shape as to provide pinwheel alignment of the liquid crystal molecules upon application of a voltage and is partly provided with openings for surrounding a singular point of the pinwheel alignment and keeping the singular point within the electrode.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2008Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kunihiro Tashiro, Takahiro Sasaki, Takayuki Hayano, Toshihiro Matsumoto
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Patent number: 8593594Abstract: The technology presented herein has a feature of providing a liquid crystal display device of an excellent viewing angle characteristic and high brightness, including: liquid crystals containing polymerizable monomers between a first substrate with a pixel electrode having micro slits and a second substrate facing the first substrate; wherein the monomers are polymerizable with voltage applied to the liquid crystals; and an alignment orientation of the liquid crystals is controllable to a direction of extending the micro slit, wherein the pixel electrode includes: a direct coupling part electrically connected to a switching element; a capacitive coupling part electrically insulated from the switching element, and a space between the direct and capacitive coupling parts, wherein directions in which the micro slits are extended along the direct and capacitive coupling parts are orthogonal to each other.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2013Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazutaka Hanaoka, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Kunihiro Tashiro, Jin Hirosawa, Norio Sugiura, Kengo Kanii, Shota Makimoto, Yasuhiro Ohno, Isao Tsushima, Tomonori Tanose, Takashi Takagi, Tetsuya Fujikawa, Takahiro Sasaki
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Patent number: 8553188Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal layer including liquid crystal molecules provided between a first substrate and a second substrate; pixels forming a display area; electrodes for applying a voltage across the liquid crystal layer within each of the pixels; a plurality of domain regulating structures for dividing orientations of the liquid crystal molecules and forming multiple domains within each of the pixels, when a predetermined voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer within each of the pixels. The device also includes a structure which is formed in an outer area located next to the display area, but that does not overlap the display area, and is substantially the same as at least one of the plurality of domain regulating structures.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2012Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: 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
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Publication number: 20130235293Abstract: The technology presented herein has a feature of providing a liquid crystal display device of an excellent viewing angle characteristic and high brightness, including: liquid crystals containing polymerizable monomers between a first substrate with a pixel electrode having micro slits and a second substrate facing the first substrate; wherein the monomers are polymerizable with voltage applied to the liquid crystals; and an alignment orientation of the liquid crystals is controllable to a direction of extending the micro slit, wherein the pixel electrode includes: a direct coupling part electrically connected to a switching element; a capacitive coupling part electrically insulated from the switching element, and a space between the direct and capacitive coupling parts, wherein directions in which the micro slits are extended along the direct and capacitive coupling parts are orthogonal to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2013Publication date: September 12, 2013Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazutaka HANAOKA, Katsufumi OHMURO, Kunihiro TASHIRO, Jin HIROSAWA, Norio SUGIURA, Kengo KANII, Shota MAKIMOTO, Yasuhiro OHNO, Isao TSUSHIMA, Tomonori TANOSE, Takashi TAKAGI, Tetsuya FUJIKAWA, Takahiro SASAKI
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Patent number: 8525956Abstract: A manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display device having a liquid crystal layer between a pair of substrates. The method includes disposing between the pair of substrates a liquid crystal composition including liquid crystal molecules and a polymerizable compound that is polymerizable by active energy rays or a combination of active energy rays and heat, and polymerizing the polymerizable compound by active energy ray irradiation, or by both active energy ray irradiation and heat with and/or without applying voltages to the liquid crystal layer, so that a polymer formed by the polymerizing process decides an alignment of the liquid crystal molecules when no voltage is applied. The amount of active energy ray irradiation is decided so that at least some of the polymerizable compound remains in the liquid crystal layer after the polymerization process. Further the amount of the polymerizable compound that remains is not more than a predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2012Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yohei Nakanishi, Yuichi Inoue, Kazutaka Hanaoka, Hidefumi Yoshida, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Kunihiro Tashiro
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Patent number: 8514358Abstract: A liquid crystal display device including a pair of substrates, a liquid crystal layer including liquid crystal molecules disposed between the substrates, an alignment layer disposed above at least one of the substrates, and a polymer disposed on the alignment layer. The device also includes scanning lines and signal lines, a TFT connected to one of the scanning lines and one of the signal lines, and a pixel electrode connected to the TFT and applying driving voltages to the liquid crystal molecules in an area defined by the pixel electrode. The polymer is formed through polymerization of monomers, different from monomers constituting the alignment layer, by active energy ray irradiation, or by both active energy ray irradiation and heat, and is arranged to align the liquid crystal molecules without rubbing so that the liquid crystal molecules in the area form multiple domains when driving voltages are applied from the TFT.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2012Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yohei Nakanishi, Yuichi Inoue, Kazutaka Hanaoka, Hidefumi Yoshida, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Kunihiro Tashiro