Patents by Inventor Masato Bitou

Masato Bitou 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: 8587756
    Abstract: A laminated optical film according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a polarizer; a first optical compensation layer which has a refractive index ellipsoid showing a relationship of nx>ny>nz; and a second optical compensation layer which has a refractive index ellipsoid showing a relationship of nz>nx>ny, wherein the polarizer and the first optical compensation layer are placed so that an absorption axis of the polarizer is parallel to or perpendicular to a slow axis of the first optical compensation layer, and the polarizer and the second optical compensation layer are placed so that an absorption axis of the polarizer is parallel to or perpendicular to a slow axis of the second optical compensation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Misaki Sabae, Masatoshi Tomonaga, Naoki Koishi, Masato Bitou
  • Patent number: 8154694
    Abstract: Provided are a laminated optical film capable of enhancing a contrast ratio in an oblique direction remarkably while enhancing viewing angle characteristics when being used in a liquid crystal display apparatus or the like, and a liquid crystal panel and a liquid crystal display apparatus using the laminated optical film. The laminated optical film of the present invention includes a polarizer, a first optical compensation layer, and a second optical compensation layer in the stated order, in which the first optical compensation layer has a refractive index profile of nx>nz>ny and is placed so that a slow axis direction thereof is substantially parallel to or substantially perpendicular to an absorption axis direction of the polarizer, and the second optical compensation layer converts linearly polarized light into circularly polarized light or circularly polarized light into linearly polarized light in a visible light region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Bitou, Shunsuke Shutou, Nobuyuki Kozonoi, Ikuo Kawamoto, Hironori Motomura, Misaki Sabae
  • Patent number: 8072567
    Abstract: A liquid crystal panel of the present invention includes in the following order toward a viewer side: a first polarizer; a first optical compensation layer having a refractive index ellipsoid of nx>ny>nz and an in-plane retardation Re1 of 90 to 300 nm; a liquid crystal cell; a second optical compensation layer having a refractive index ellipsoid of nx>ny>nz and an in-plane retardation Re2 of 90 to 300 nm; and a second polarizer, wherein a total thickness direction retardation ?Rth1 to n of all the optical compensation layers and a thickness direction retardation Rthc of the liquid crystal cell satisfy the following Expression (1): ?160 nm<(?Rth1 to n?Rthc)<50 nm??(1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Shunsuke Shutou, Masato Bitou, Youji Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20100053510
    Abstract: Provided are a laminated optical film capable of enhancing a contrast ratio in an oblique direction remarkably while enhancing viewing angle characteristics when being used in a liquid crystal display apparatus or the like, and a liquid crystal panel and a liquid crystal display apparatus using the laminated optical film. The laminated optical film of the present invention includes a polarizer, a first optical compensation layer, and a second optical compensation layer in the stated order, in which the first optical compensation layer has a refractive index profile of nx>nz>ny and is placed so that a slow axis direction thereof is substantially parallel to or substantially perpendicular to an absorption axis direction of the polarizer, and the second optical compensation layer converts linearly polarized light into circularly polarized light or circularly polarized light into linearly polarized light in a visible light region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato Bitou, Shunsuke Shutou, Nobuyuki Kozonoi, Ikuo Kawamoto, Hironori Motomura, Misaki Sabae
  • Publication number: 20100045910
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a laminated optical film, a liquid crystal panel, and a liquid crystal display apparatus that have an excellent screen contrast and have a small color shift. A laminated optical film of the present invention includes in this order: a polarizer; a first optical compensation layer that has a refractive index ellipsoid exhibiting a relationship of nx>ny=nz and an in-plane retardation Re1 of 80 to 300 nm; a second optical compensation layer that has a refractive index ellipsoid exhibiting a relationship of nz>nx=ny; and a third optical compensation layer that has a refractive index ellipsoid exhibiting a relationship of nx>ny=nz and an in-plane retardation Re3 of 80 to 200 nm, wherein an absorption axis of the polarizer is perpendicular to a slow axis of the first optical compensation layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato Bitou, Shunsuke Shutou, Misaki Sabae, Ikuo Kawamoto, Hironori Motomura
  • Publication number: 20090268137
    Abstract: A liquid crystal panel of the present invention includes in the following order toward a viewer side: a first polarizer; a first optical compensation layer having a refractive index ellipsoid of nx>ny>nz and an in-plane retardation Re1 of 90 to 300 nm; a liquid crystal cell; a second optical compensation layer having a refractive index ellipsoid of nx>ny>nz and an in-plane retardation Re2 of 90 to 300 nm; and a second polarizer, wherein a total thickness direction retardation ?Rth1 to n of all the optical compensation layers and a thickness direction retardation Rthc of the liquid crystal cell satisfy the following Expression (1): ?160nm<(?Rth1 to n?Rthc)<50nm??(1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunsuke Shutou, Masato Bitou, Youji Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20090257012
    Abstract: A laminated optical film according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a polarizer; a first optical compensation layer which has a refractive index ellipsoid showing a relationship of nx>ny>nz; and a second optical compensation layer which has a refractive index ellipsoid showing a relationship of nz>nx>ny, wherein the polarizer and the first optical compensation layer are placed so that an absorption axis of the polarizer is parallel to or perpendicular to a slow axis of the first optical compensation layer, and the polarizer and the second optical compensation layer are placed so that an absorption axis of the polarizer is parallel to or perpendicular to a slow axis of the second optical compensation layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Misaki SABAE, Masatoshi TOMONAGA, Naoki KOISHI, Masato BITOU