Patents by Inventor Masataka Okamoto

Masataka Okamoto 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: 9354440
    Abstract: A display device and a method for manufacturing the same, for discharging static electricity generated in the manufacturing process of a display device using a mechanical shutter and thus preventing the mechanical shutter from being deformed by the static electricity are provided. The display device includes a TFT substrate having thin film transistors thereon respectively provided with a plurality of mechanical shutters located in a matrix and also having terminals thereon for supplying a signal to the thin film transistors from outside; and a counter substrate joined with the TFT substrate. Along at least one of an edge of the TFT substrate and an edge of the counter substrate, an injection opening for injecting an insulating liquid into an area between the TFT substrate and the counter substrate and a ground electrode for covering at least a part of an inner surface of the injection opening are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Pixtronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Nitta, Masataka Okamoto
  • Patent number: 9239487
    Abstract: A display device includes a first substrate; a second substrate; a plurality of pixels; a shutter mechanism section formed in correspondence with each of the pixels, a fluid sealed in an space between the first substrate and the second substrate; and an impact absorption section located to face one substrate among the first substrate and the second substrate, on the side opposite to the side on which the fluid is located. The shutter mechanism section is formed on the second substrate and includes a movable shutter section for controlling a light transmittance of each of the pixels. The impact absorption section includes a third substrate located to face the one substrate, on the side opposite to the fluid, a sealing section for bringing together the one substrate and the third substrate, and a predetermined gap formed among the one substrate, the third substrate and the sealing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Pixtronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Takeomi Morita, Masataka Okamoto, Takahiko Muneyoshi, Shigeki Nishizawa, Katsumi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9134531
    Abstract: Provided is a display device, including: a sealing member including an opening and surrounding a space defined by a pair of light transmissive substrates; an end seal for closing the opening of the sealing member to form an encapsulation space; oil filled in the encapsulation space; a spacer for maintaining an interval between the pair of light transmissive substrates; a shutter; a drive portion arranged in the oil, for mechanically driving the shutter; and a wall portion formed on at least one of opposed surfaces of the pair of light transmissive substrates. The wall portion includes a part arranged at a position interrupting a shortest path between the opening of the sealing member and a display region. The wall portion is made of a material forming the spacer, the shutter, and the drive portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Pixtronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Masataka Okamoto, Hidekazu Nitta, Jun Fujiyoshi
  • Publication number: 20150138617
    Abstract: Provided is a display device, including: a sealing member including an opening and surrounding a space defined by a pair of light transmissive substrates; an end seal for closing the opening of the sealing member to form an encapsulation space; oil filled in the encapsulation space; a spacer for maintaining an interval between the pair of light transmissive substrates; a shutter; a drive portion arranged in the oil, for mechanically driving the shutter; and a wall portion formed on at least one of opposed surfaces of the pair of light transmissive substrates. The wall portion includes a part arranged at a position interrupting a shortest path between the opening of the sealing member and a display region. The wall portion is made of a material forming the spacer, the shutter, and the drive portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Pixtronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Masataka OKAMOTO, Hidekazu NITTA, Jun FUJIYOSHI
  • Publication number: 20150055046
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of pixels, each including a thin-film transistor and a pixel electrode formed above a substrate, and an organic insulation film formed between one electrode of the thin-film transistor and the pixel electrode. The one electrode and the pixel electrode are connected through a contact hole formed in the organic insulation film, and a sidewall of the contact hole, which is made of the organic insulation film, is tapered. An underlying layer beneath the organic insulation film, in contact with to the organic insulation film, includes a lowermost plane extending substantially in parallel to a plane of the substrate and an uppermost plane extending substantially in parallel to the plane of the substrate. A single step of the underlying layer is formed so as to extend between the lowermost plane and the uppermost plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Jun Fujiyoshi, Yasukazu Kimura, Hideo Tanabe, Masataka Okamoto, Hidekazu Miyake
  • Patent number: 8908116
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate with a liquid crystal layer therebetween. The first substrate includes drain lines, gate lines, thin-film transistors that output signals to pixel electrodes, and an organic film that is formed between each thin-film transistor and each pixel electrode. The organic film has a contact hole for electrical connection between a source electrode of each thin-film transistor and each pixel electrode. A step is formed in a layer underlying the organic film and an edge portion of the organic film toward the thin-film transistor, the edge portion forming the contact hole, being formed to lie on a lower plane of the step. A sidewall part of the contact hole which is formed in the organic film is formed to have a taper angle of at least 60 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Fujiyoshi, Yasukazu Kimura, Hideo Tanabe, Masataka Okamoto, Hidekazu Miyake
  • Patent number: 8743446
    Abstract: Provided is a display device, including: a sealing member including an opening and surrounding a space defined by a pair of light transmissive substrates; an end seal for closing the opening of the sealing member to form an encapsulation space; oil filled in the encapsulation space; a spacer for maintaining an interval between the pair of light transmissive substrates; a shutter; a drive portion arranged in the oil, for mechanically driving the shutter; and a wall portion formed on at least one of opposed surfaces of the pair of light transmissive substrates. The wall portion includes apart arranged at a position interrupting a shortest path between the opening of the sealing member and a display region. The wall portion is made of a material forming the spacer, the shutter, and the drive portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Pixtronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Masataka Okamoto, Hidekazu Nitta, Jun Fujiyoshi
  • Patent number: 8730560
    Abstract: A pixel is formed by sealing an insulating liquid and floating particles in an area defined by a first substrate, a second substrate and partitions. The width of the partition has to be reduced in order to improve the pixel brightness by enlarging a flat electrode. In this case, the height of the partition has to be reduced for retaining the mechanical strength. If the height of the partition is reduced, an area of the partition electrode becomes small, thus failing to retain the memory effect. The planar surface of the partition is then formed into a zigzag shape so as to increase the area of the partition electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Sonoda, Tetsuya Nagata, Masataka Okamoto, Yasukazu Kimura, Toshio Miyazawa, Toshiki Kaneko, Hidekazu Nitta
  • Patent number: 8730550
    Abstract: Provided is a display device, including: a pair of light transmissive substrates disposed to be opposed to each other at an interval; a sealing member which bonds the pair of light transmissive substrates together and defines an encapsulation space between the pair of light transmissive substrates; a plurality of shutters disposed in the encapsulation space so as to optically display an image; liquid having optical isotropy filled in the encapsulation space; and an optical film disposed between the liquid and at least one of the pair of light transmissive substrates. A refractive index of the optical film is different from a refractive index of the pair of light transmissive substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Pixtronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Naohisa Ando, Masataka Okamoto, Takahiko Muneyoshi
  • Publication number: 20140049722
    Abstract: A display device includes a first substrate; a second substrate; a plurality of pixels; a shutter mechanism section formed in correspondence with each of the pixels, a fluid sealed in an space between the first substrate and the second substrate; and an impact absorption section located to face one substrate among the first substrate and the second substrate, on the side opposite to the side on which the fluid is located. The shutter mechanism section is formed on the second substrate and includes a movable shutter section for controlling a light transmittance of each of the pixels. The impact absorption section includes a third substrate located to face the one substrate, on the side opposite to the fluid, a sealing section for bringing together the one substrate and the third substrate, and a predetermined gap formed among the one substrate, the third substrate and the sealing section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: Pixtronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Takeomi Morita, Masataka Okamoto, Takahiko Muneyoshi, Shigeki Nishizawa, Katsumi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8599462
    Abstract: A display device includes a first substrate; a second substrate; a plurality of pixels; a shutter mechanism section formed in correspondence with each of the pixels, a fluid sealed in an space between the first substrate and the second substrate; and an impact absorption section located to face one substrate among the first substrate and the second substrate, on the side opposite to the side on which the fluid is located. The shutter mechanism section is formed on the second substrate and includes a movable shutter section for controlling a light transmittance of each of the pixels. The impact absorption section includes a third substrate located to face the one substrate, on the side opposite to the fluid, a sealing section for bringing together the one substrate and the third substrate, and a predetermined gap formed among the one substrate, the third substrate and the sealing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Pixtronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Takeomi Morita, Masataka Okamoto, Takahiko Muneyoshi, Shigeki Nishizawa, Katsumi Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20130038918
    Abstract: Provided is a display device, including: a pair of light transmissive substrates disposed to be opposed to each other at an interval; a sealing member which bonds the pair of light transmissive substrates together and defines an encapsulation space between the pair of light transmissive substrates; a plurality of shutters disposed in the encapsulation space so as to optically display an image; liquid having optical isotropy filled in the encapsulation space; and an optical film disposed between the liquid and at least one of the pair of light transmissive substrates. A refractive index of the optical film is different from a refractive index of the pair of light transmissive substrates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Inventors: Naohisa ANDO, Masataka OKAMOTO, Takahiko MUNEYOSHI
  • Publication number: 20130016419
    Abstract: A display device includes a first substrate; a second substrate; a plurality of pixels; a shutter mechanism section formed in correspondence with each of the pixels, a fluid sealed in an space between the first substrate and the second substrate; and an impact absorption section located to face one substrate among the first substrate and the second substrate, on the side opposite to the side on which the fluid is located. The shutter mechanism section is formed on the second substrate and includes a movable shutter section for controlling a light transmittance of each of the pixels. The impact absorption section includes a third substrate located to face the one substrate, on the side opposite to the fluid, a sealing section for bringing together the one substrate and the third substrate, and a predetermined gap formed among the one substrate, the third substrate and the sealing section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Inventors: Takeomi MORITA, Masataka Okamoto, Takahiko Muneyoshi, Shigeki Nishizawa, Katsumi Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20120307331
    Abstract: Provided is a display device, including: a sealing member including an opening and surrounding a space defined by a pair of light transmissive substrates; an end seal for closing the opening of the sealing member to form an encapsulation space; oil filled in the encapsulation space; a spacer for maintaining an interval between the pair of light transmissive substrates; a shutter; a drive portion arranged in the oil, for mechanically driving the shutter; and a wall portion formed on at least one of opposed surfaces of the pair of light transmissive substrates. The wall portion includes apart arranged at a position interrupting a shortest path between the opening of the sealing member and a display region. The wall portion is made of a material forming the spacer, the shutter, and the drive portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: Masataka OKAMOTO, Hidekazu Nitta, Jun Fujiyoshi
  • Patent number: 8279393
    Abstract: As shown in the figures, the main surface of the first substrate and the main surface of the second substrate are bent in the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention, where a sealing material is provided outside the display region and has a protrusion formed in at least one corner of the display region, and the distance between the side of the display region facing the protrusion and the sealing material is greater than the distance between the portion of the side and the sealing material where there is no protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignees: Hitachi Displays, Ltd., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Nagata, Takeharu Furusawa, Shigeki Nishizawa, Hitoshi Azuma, Susumu Sasaki, Masataka Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20120105778
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate with a liquid crystal layer therebetween. The first substrate includes drain lines, gate lines, thin-film transistors that output signals to pixel electrodes, and an organic film that is formed between each thin-film transistor and each pixel electrode. The organic film has a contact hole for electrical connection between a source electrode of each thin-film transistor and each pixel electrode. A step is formed in a layer underlying the organic film and an edge portion of the organic film toward the thin-film transistor, the edge portion forming the contact hole, being formed to lie on a lower plane of the step. A sidewall part of the contact hole which is formed in the organic film is formed to have a taper angle of at least 60 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventors: Jun FUJIYOSHI, Yasukazu Kimura, Hideo Tanabe, Masataka Okamoto, Hidekazu Miyake
  • Publication number: 20120087003
    Abstract: A pixel is formed by sealing an insulating liquid and floating particles in an area defined by a first substrate, a second substrate and partitions. The width of the partition has to be reduced in order to improve the pixel brightness by enlarging a flat electrode. In this case, the height of the partition has to be reduced for retaining the mechanical strength. If the height of the partition is reduced, an area of the partition electrode becomes small, thus failing to retain the memory effect. The planar surface of the partition is then formed into a zigzag shape so as to increase the area of the partition electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Inventors: Daisuke SONODA, Tetsuya Nagata, Masataka Okamoto, Yasukazu Kimura, Toshio Miyazawa, Toshiki Kaneko, Hidekazu Nitta
  • Patent number: 7948600
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device having high quality and high reliability is manufactured by preventing the occurrence of damages on a terminal portion due to the radiation of laser beams in cutting a substrate of the display device which is formed using a plastic substrate by the radiation of laser beams. A first substrate has a cutting line at a position which faces a terminal portion of a second substrate. In cutting the first substrate along the cutting line, laser beams are radiated to the first substrate along the cutting line so as to form a groove having a predetermined depth in the first substrate. Then, a load is applied to the first substrate along the groove so as to cut the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masataka Okamoto, Shigeru Matsuyama
  • Publication number: 20100231841
    Abstract: As shown in the figures, the main surface of the first substrate and the main surface of the second substrate are bent in the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention, where a sealing material is provided outside the display region and has a protrusion formed in at least one corner of the display region, and the distance between the side of the display region facing the protrusion and the sealing material is greater than the distance between the portion of the side and the sealing material where there is no protrusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Tetsuya NAGATA, Takeharu Furusawa, Shigeki Nishizawa, Hitoshi Azuma, Susumu Sasaki, Masataka Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20090275158
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device having high quality and high reliability is manufactured by preventing the occurrence of damages on a terminal portion due to the radiation of laser beams in cutting a substrate of the display device which is formed using a plastic substrate by the radiation of laser beams. A first substrate has a cutting line at a position which faces a terminal portion of a second substrate. In cutting the first substrate along the cutting line, laser beams are radiated to the first substrate along the cutting line so as to form a groove having a predetermined depth in the first substrate. Then, a load is applied to the first substrate along the groove so as to cut the first substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventors: Masataka OKAMOTO, Shigeru MATSUYAMA