Patents by Inventor Masateru Morimoto

Masateru Morimoto 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: 20140043551
    Abstract: In the step of curing a resin for bonding a TFT substrate and a counter substrate each having an alignment film that has been optically aligned by using UV-light, damage to the alignment film due to the UV-light can be prevented without using a light shielding mask. A UV-light absorption layer is formed between each black matrix on the counter substrate. The TFT and counter substrates are sealed at their periphery by a resin that is cured by UV-light radiated from the counter substrate side. Since the absorption layer has a high absorbability to UV-light at a wavelength of 300 nm or less that degrades the alignment film, damage to the alignment film due to the UV-light for curing the resin can be prevented. Thus, provision of a light shielding mask for shielding the UV-light for the display region can be saved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI DISPLAYS, LTD.
    Inventors: Noboru KUNIMATSU, Yuko MATSUMOTO, Yasushi TOMIOKA, Masateru MORIMOTO, Atsuhiro KATAYAMA
  • Patent number: 8593596
    Abstract: In the step of curing a resin for bonding a TFT substrate and a counter substrate each having an alignment film that has been optically aligned by using UV-light, damage to the alignment film due to the UV-light can be prevented without using a light shielding mask. A UV-light absorption layer is formed between each black matrix on the counter substrate. The TFT and the counter substrates are sealed at their periphery by a resin that is cured by UV-light radiated from the counter substrate side. Since the absorption layer has a high absorbability to UV-light at a wavelength of 300 nm or less that degrades the alignment film, damage to the alignment film due to the UV-light for curing the resin can be prevented. Thus, provision of a light shielding mask for shielding the UV-light for the display region can be saved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Noboru Kunimatsu, Yuko Matsumoto, Yasushi Tomioka, Masateru Morimoto, Atsuhiro Katayama
  • Patent number: 8520177
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate on which pixels having a thin film transistor are formed in regions surrounded by scanning lines and video signal lines, a second substrate which faces the first substrate and having color filters and light blocking films formed thereon, and a liquid crystal layer which is sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate. The thin film transistor has a gate electrode connected to the scanning line, a drain electrode connected to the video signal line and a source electrode connected to a pixel electrode. The pixels include first pixels having a first width and second pixels having a second width smaller than the first width. The pixel electrode of the second pixel has a branch electrode extending from the pixel electrode with at least a portion of the branch electrode overlapping the video signal line or the scanning line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignees: Hitachi Displays Ltd., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masateru Morimoto, Junji Tanno
  • Publication number: 20130070177
    Abstract: The present invention realizes a bright image display by enhancing a numerical aperture of pixels. At least a portion of a pixel electrode is overlapped to a thin film transistor by way of a first insulation film, the pixel electrode is connected to an output electrode of the thin film transistor via a contact hole which is formed in the first insulation film, the counter electrode is arranged above the pixel electrode by way of a second insulation film in a state that the counter electrode is overlapped to the pixel electrode, the counter electrode is formed at a position avoiding the contact hole formed in the first insulation film as viewed in a plan view, and at least a portion of the counter electrode is overlapped to the thin film transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventors: Takahiro Ochiai, Tohru Sasaki, Hirotaka Imayama, Masateru Morimoto
  • Patent number: 8334957
    Abstract: The present invention realizes a bright image display by enhancing a numerical aperture of pixels. At least a portion of a pixel electrode is overlapped to a thin film transistor by way of a first insulation film, the pixel electrode is connected to an output electrode of the thin film transistor via a contact hole which is formed in the first insulation film, the counter electrode is arranged above the pixel electrode by way of a second insulation film in a state that the counter electrode is overlapped to the pixel electrode, the counter electrode is formed at a position avoiding the contact hole formed in the first insulation film as viewed in a plan view, and at least a portion of the counter electrode is overlapped to the thin film transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignees: Hitachi Displays, Ltd., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Ochiai, Tohru Sasaki, Hirotaka Imayama, Masateru Morimoto
  • Publication number: 20120224131
    Abstract: In the step of curing a resin for bonding a TFT substrate and a counter substrate each having an alignment film that has been optically aligned by using UV-light, damage to the alignment film due to the UV-light can be prevented without using a light shielding mask. A UV-light absorption layer is formed between each black matrix on the counter substrate. The TFT and counter substrates are sealed at their periphery by a resin that is cured by UV-light radiated from the counter substrate side. Since the absorption layer has a high absorbability to UV-light at a wavelength of 300 nm or less that degrades the alignment film, damage to the alignment film due to the UV-light for curing the resin can be prevented. Thus, provision of a light shielding mask for shielding the UV-light for the display region can be saved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventors: Noboru Kunimatsu, Yuko Matsumoto, Yasushi Tomioka, Masateru Morimoto, Atsuhiro Katayama
  • Patent number: 8243238
    Abstract: To improve display quality in a transflective liquid crystal display device. In a transflective liquid crystal display device based on the IPS system according to the present invention, when a liquid crystal layer is of positive type liquid crystal, the initial orientation direction of liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer is perpendicular to the direction in which a l-display line extends, or angularly displaced within ±2 degrees clockwise with respect to the direction in which the l-display line extends. When the liquid crystal layer is of negative type liquid crystal, the initial orientation direction of liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer is parallel to the direction in which the l-display line extends, or angularly displaced within ±2 degrees clockwise with respect to the direction in which the l-display line extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignees: Hitachi Displays, Ltd., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirotaka Imayama, Masateru Morimoto
  • Publication number: 20120200813
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate on which pixels having a thin film transistor are formed in regions surrounded by scanning lines and video signal lines, a second substrate which faces the first substrate and having color filters and light blocking films formed thereon, and a liquid crystal layer which is sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate. The thin film transistor has a gate electrode connected to the scanning line, a drain electrode connected to the video signal line and a source electrode connected to a pixel electrode. The pixels include first pixels having a first width and second pixels having a second width smaller than the first width. The pixel electrode of the second pixel has a branch electrode extending from the pixel electrode with at least a portion of the branch electrode overlapping the video signal line or the scanning line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Inventors: Masateru Morimoto, Junji Tanno
  • Publication number: 20120133877
    Abstract: The present invention realizes a bright image display by enhancing a numerical aperture of pixels. At least a portion of a pixel electrode is overlapped to a thin film transistor by way of a first insulation film, the pixel electrode is connected to an output electrode of the thin film transistor via a contact hole which is formed in the first insulation film, the counter electrode is arranged above the pixel electrode by way of a second insulation film in a state that the counter electrode is overlapped to the pixel electrode, the counter electrode is formed at a position avoiding the contact hole formed in the first insulation film as viewed in a plan view, and at least a portion of the counter electrode is overlapped to the thin film transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicants: Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd., Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Ochiai, Tohru Sasaki, Hirotaka Imayama, Masateru Morimoto
  • Patent number: 8169558
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes pixels A and pixels B, wherein a width BB of the pixel B is smaller than a width AA of the pixel A. A pixel electrode formed in the pixel B is smaller than a pixel electrode formed in the pixel A in area and hence, capacitance formed between the pixel electrode and a counter electrode which is formed below the pixel electrode with an insulation film sandwiched therebetween becomes small. To eliminate this difference in capacitance, a first branch electrode and a second branch electrode are formed on the pixel electrode of the pixel B thus increasing capacitance between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode. Due to such a constitution, it is possible to prevent the deterioration of image quality attributed to imbalance of capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignees: Hitachi Displays, Ltd., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masateru Morimoto, Junji Tanno
  • Patent number: 8134673
    Abstract: The present invention realizes a bright image display by enhancing a numerical aperture of pixels. At least a portion of a pixel electrode is overlapped to a thin film transistor by way of a first insulation film, the pixel electrode is connected to an output electrode of the thin film transistor via a contact hole which is formed in the first insulation film, the counter electrode is arranged above the pixel electrode by way of a second insulation film in a state that the counter electrode is overlapped to the pixel electrode, the counter electrode is formed at a position avoiding the contact hole formed in the first insulation film as viewed in a plan view, and at least a portion of the counter electrode is overlapped to the thin film transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignees: Hitachi Displays, Ltd., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Ochiai, Tohru Sasaki, Hirotaka Imayama, Masateru Morimoto
  • Patent number: 8098356
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to prevent the domain from being generated in the pixel end portions so that the transmittance can increase in an IPS type liquid crystal display device where the size of the pixels is extremely small. In the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention, the electrodes close to the liquid crystal layer have a comb-like structure having a linking portion only at one pixel end, the end portion of the comb-like structure has a structure for preventing the domain from growing, the width of the slits in the comb-like structure is greater than the width of the electrodes, and the alignment of the liquid crystal layer has such a pretilt angle that the liquid crystal rises from the end portion in the comb-like structure towards the root in the interface close to the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignees: Hitachi Displays, Ltd., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Itou, Masateru Morimoto, Junji Tanno
  • Publication number: 20110234959
    Abstract: The present invention realizes a bright image display by enhancing a numerical aperture of pixels. At least a portion of a pixel electrode is overlapped to a thin film transistor by way of a first insulation film, the pixel electrode is connected to an output electrode of the thin film transistor via a contact hole which is formed in the first insulation film, the counter electrode is arranged above the pixel electrode by way of a second insulation film in a state that the counter electrode is overlapped to the pixel electrode, the counter electrode is formed at a position avoiding the contact hole formed in the first insulation film as viewed in a plan view, and at least a portion of the counter electrode is overlapped to the thin film transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Takahiro Ochiai, Tohru Sasaki, Hirotaka Imayama, Masateru Morimoto
  • Publication number: 20110234958
    Abstract: To improve display quality in a transflective liquid crystal display device. In a transflective liquid crystal display device based on the IPS system according to the present invention, when a liquid crystal layer is of positive type liquid crystal, the initial orientation direction of liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer is perpendicular to the direction in which a l-display line extends, or angularly displaced within ±2 degrees clockwise with respect to the direction in which the l-display line extends. When the liquid crystal layer is of negative type liquid crystal, the initial orientation direction of liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer is parallel to the direction in which the l-display line extends, or angularly displaced within ±2 degrees clockwise with respect to the direction in which the l-display line extends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Hirotaka Imayama, Masateru Morimoto
  • Patent number: 7999777
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel having a first substrate, a second substrate, and a positive liquid crystal sandwiched between the first and second substrates. The liquid crystal display panel includes a plurality of sub pixels which include a first electrode and a second electrode formed on the first substrate. The liquid crystal display panel is configured to drive the liquid crystal by generating an electric field using a difference in potential between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first substrate includes a first alignment film, a plurality of video lines, and a first polarizer, and the second substrate includes a second alignment film, and a second polarizer. Relationships exist among extension directions of the video lines and directions of alignment axis orthogonal thereto, of the alignment films a polarization axis of at least one of the polarizer, and angles therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masateru Morimoto, Yasuyuki Yamada
  • Publication number: 20110176094
    Abstract: A transflective liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal display panel which includes a pair of substrates; liquid crystal which is sandwiched between the pair of substrates; a plurality of sub pixels each of which includes a transmissive portion and a reflective portion, each sub pixel having a pixel electrode formed on one substrate out of the pair of substrates and a counter electrode formed on the one substrate, the pixel electrode being arranged in common in the transmissive portion and the reflective portion and the counter electrode being arranged individually in the transmissive portion and the reflective portion in one sub pixel, the pixel electrode and the counter electrode generating an electric field therebetween thus driving the liquid crystal. The liquid crystal display panel includes color filters having different lengths or different shape portions, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Inventors: Masateru Morimoto, Takahiro Ochiai
  • Patent number: 7978287
    Abstract: To improve display quality in a transflective liquid crystal display device. In a transflective liquid crystal display device based on the IPS system according to the present invention, when a liquid crystal layer is of positive type liquid crystal, the initial orientation direction of liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer is perpendicular to the direction in which a l-display line extends, or angularly displaced within ±2 degrees clockwise with respect to the direction in which the l-display line extends. When the liquid crystal layer is of negative type liquid crystal, the initial orientation direction of liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer is parallel to the direction in which the l-display line extends, or angularly displaced within ±2 degrees clockwise with respect to the direction in which the l-display line extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirotaka Imayama, Masateru Morimoto
  • Patent number: 7961286
    Abstract: The present invention realizes a bright image display by enhancing a numerical aperture of pixels. At least a portion of a pixel electrode is overlapped to a thin film transistor by way of a first insulation film, the pixel electrode is connected to an output electrode of the thin film transistor via a contact hole which is formed in the first insulation film, the counter electrode is arranged above the pixel electrode by way of a second insulation film in a state that the counter electrode is overlapped to the pixel electrode, the counter electrode is formed at a position avoiding the contact hole formed in the first insulation film as viewed in a plan view, and at least a portion of the counter electrode is overlapped to the thin film transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Ochiai, Tohru Sasaki, Hirotaka Imayama, Masateru Morimoto
  • Patent number: 7952672
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device which can enhance optical transmissivity is provided. One pixel region is divided into a first pixel region, a second pixel region and a third pixel region in order from one video signal line to another video signal line, the first pixel region and the third pixel region adopt the so-called IPS-Pro type structure, and the second pixel region adopts the so-called IPS structure in narrow meaning. A line width of linear electrode in the second pixel region is set to 2.5 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masateru Morimoto, Shinichi Komura
  • Patent number: 7944529
    Abstract: A transflective liquid crystal display device with improved display quality in which the liquid initial alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer is in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of a clearance between the counter electrode of a transmission portion and a counter electrode of a reflection portion or in a direction within a range of ±2° in the clockwise direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the clearance in a case where the liquid crystal layer comprises positive type liquid crystals, or the liquid crystal initial alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer is in a direction parallel with the extending direction of a clearance, or a direction within a range of ±2° in the clockwise direction relative to the extending direction of the clearance in a case where the liquid crystal layer comprises negative type liquid crystals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Ochiai, Toshio Miyazawa, Masahiro Maki, Tohru Sasaki, Masateru Morimoto