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).

  • Patent number: 9588390
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Yoshida, Kunihiro Tashiro
  • Patent number: 9411197
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunihiro Tashiro, Hideki Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 9081240
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunihiro Tashiro, Hideki Fujimoto, Yoshihito Hara
  • Patent number: 9007553
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: 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: 20150002800
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunihiro Tashiro, Hideki Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20140375918
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Masahiro YOSHIDA, Kunihiro TASHIRO
  • Patent number: 8896803
    Abstract: 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, t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutaka Hanaoka, Yohei Nakanishi, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Kunihiro Tashiro, Norio Sugiura, Kengo Kanii
  • Publication number: 20140313449
    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: June 30, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    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: 8860920
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shogo Nishiwaki, Kunihiro Tashiro, Yukinobu Nakata, Takayuki Hayano
  • Patent number: 8854581
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Yoshida, Kunihiro Tashiro
  • Patent number: 8804079
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: 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: 8786808
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: 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
  • Patent number: 8743036
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Sasabayashi, Arihiro Takeda, Hiroyasu Inoue, Kazuya Ueda, Yoshio Koike, Hideaki Tsuda, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Hidefumi Yoshida, Kunihiro Tashiro, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Kimiaki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8717517
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: 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
  • Patent number: 8610653
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunihiro Tashiro, Takahiro Sasaki, Takayuki Hayano, Toshihiro Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8593594
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: 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
  • Patent number: 8553188
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    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: 20130235293
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: 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
  • Patent number: 8525956
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yohei Nakanishi, Yuichi Inoue, Kazutaka Hanaoka, Hidefumi Yoshida, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Kunihiro Tashiro
  • Patent number: 8514358
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yohei Nakanishi, Yuichi Inoue, Kazutaka Hanaoka, Hidefumi Yoshida, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Kunihiro Tashiro