Patents by Inventor Masato Shimura

Masato Shimura 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: 20180364507
    Abstract: In order to avoid generation of black unevenness caused by the water intrusion into a liquid crystal display device, there is to provide a liquid crystal display device including a display area and a terminal portion, in which a TFT substrate with an organic passivation film formed and an opposite substrate are adhered to each other by a seal portion and a liquid crystal is enclosed there, wherein in the seal portion of the TFT substrate, a groove-shaped through-hole is formed in the organic passivation film to surround the display area, a water absorption layer formed of the same material in the same process as that of the organic passivation film is formed within the groove-shaped, through-hole, and the water absorption layer is not covered with the inorganic insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Tomonori NISHINO, Masato SHIMURA, Tomokazu ISHIKAWA, Yuki KURAMOTO, Satoshi HASHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 10095067
    Abstract: There is achieved a liquid crystal display device having a smaller picture frame region and a seal part of improved reliability. A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate having a display region and a terminal region and formed with an organic passivation film, a counter substrate attached to the TFT substrate through a seal part, and a liquid crystal contained inside the seal part. A hole is formed at a predetermined pitch on the organic passivation film of the TFT substrate corresponding to the seal part when viewed on a plane. When the hole is viewed on a plane, a shortest distance from the hole to the hole is four micrometers or greater and 12 micrometers or less at a height of h1=0.9×h2 from a bottom face of the hole, where a depth of the hole is defined as h2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Tomonori Nishino, Masato Shimura, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Yuki Kuramoto, Satoshi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10088713
    Abstract: In order to avoid generation of black unevenness caused by the water intrusion into a liquid crystal display device, there is to provide a liquid crystal display device including a display area and a terminal portion, in which a TFT substrate with an organic passivation film formed, and an opposite substrate are adhered to each other by a seal portion and a liquid crystal is enclosed there, wherein in the seal portion of the TFT substrate, a groove-shaped through-hole is formed in the organic passivation film to surround the display area, a water absorption layer formed of the same material in the same process as that of the organic passivation film is formed within the groove-shaped through-hole, and the water absorption layer is not covered with the inorganic insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Tomonori Nishino, Masato Shimura, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Yuki Kuramoto, Satoshi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10001687
    Abstract: In a high-resolution liquid crystal display device, measures against display unevenness caused by generation of a region where no alignment film is applied are provided. A liquid crystal display device includes a pixel formed between a scanning line and a video signal line. The pixel includes a TFT, a pixel electrode, and a contact hole connecting the TFT and the pixel electrode. The contact hole is formed in an insulation film formed between the pixel electrode and the TFT. Assuming that a horizontal pitch of the video signal line is ph and a horizontal diameter of the contact hole is dh, ph is 26 ?m or less and s/ph is 0.73 or more where s=ph?dh. A tapered angle of a sidewall of the contact hole is 53 degrees or less. A thickness of an alignment film over the pixel electrode is 110 nm or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Masato Shimura, Shunsuke Yuge, Hiroshi Miyairi, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Tomonori Nishino
  • Publication number: 20180120605
    Abstract: In order to avoid generation of black unevenness caused by the water intrusion into a liquid crystal display device, there is to provide a liquid crystal display device including a display area and a terminal portion, in which a TFT substrate with an organic passivation film formed, and an opposite substrate are adhered to each other by a seal portion and a liquid crystal is enclosed there, wherein in the seal portion of the TFT substrate, a groove-shaped through-hole is formed in the organic passivation film to surround the display area, a water absorption layer formed of the same material in the same process as that of the organic passivation film is formed within the groove-shaped through-hole, and the water absorption layer is not covered with the inorganic insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Tomonori Nishino, Masato Shimura, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Yuki Kuramoto, Satoshi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9874785
    Abstract: In order to avoid generation of black unevenness caused by the water intrusion into a liquid crystal display device, there is to provide a liquid crystal display device including a display area and a terminal portion, in which a TFT substrate with an organic passivation film formed and an opposite substrate are adhered to each other by a seal portion and a liquid crystal is enclosed there, wherein in the seal portion of the TFT substrate, a groove-shaped through-hole is formed in the organic passivation film to surround the display area, a water absorption layer formed of the same material in the same process as that of the organic passivation film is formed within the groove-shaped through-hole, and the water absorption layer is not covered with the inorganic insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Tomonori Nishino, Masato Shimura, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Yuki Kuramoto, Satoshi Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20180011354
    Abstract: To improve the reliability of a liquid crystal display device, a liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate a second substrate opposing the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer arranged between the first and second substrates, and a sealing section arranged around the liquid crystal layer. The sealing section includes a member arranged around the liquid crystal layer and extending along an outer edge of the liquid crystal layer in a plan view and a sealing material arranged on both adjacent sides of the member and continuously surrounding a periphery of the liquid crystal layer in a plan view. Further, the first substrate has an oriented film formed on a back surface and a part of the sealing material overlaps a peripheral edge of the oriented film in a thickness direction on a side of the liquid crystal layer of the member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Masato SHIMURA, Tomoya SUGANO, Masato AI, Tomonori NISHINO, Satoshi HASHIMOTO, Hideki SHIINA
  • Publication number: 20170261785
    Abstract: In order to avoid generation of black unevenness caused by the water intrusion into a liquid crystal display device, there is to provide a liquid crystal display device including a display area and a terminal portion, in which a TFT substrate with an organic passivation film formed, and an opposite substrate are adhered to each other by a seal portion and a liquid crystal is enclosed there, wherein in, the seal portion of the TFT substrate, a groove-shaped through-hole is formed in the organic passivation film to surround the display area, a water absorption layer formed of the same material in the same process as that of the organic passivation film is formed within the groove-shaped through-hole, and the water absorption layer is not covered with the inorganic insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Tomonori NISHINO, Masato SHIMURA, Tomokazu ISHIKAWA, Yuki KURAMOTO, Satoshi HASHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 9696592
    Abstract: In order to avoid generation of black unevenness caused by the water intrusion into a liquid crystal display device, there is to provide a liquid crystal display device including a display area and a terminal portion, in which a TFT substrate with an organic passivation film formed and an opposite substrate are adhered to each other by a seal portion and a liquid crystal is enclosed there, wherein in the seal portion of the TFT substrate, a groove-shaped through-hole is formed in the organic passivation film to surround the display area, a water absorption layer formed of the same material in the same process as that of the organic passivation film is formed within the groove-shaped through-hole, and the water absorption layer is not covered with the inorganic insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Tomonori Nishino, Masato Shimura, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Yuki Kuramoto, Satoshi Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20170090257
    Abstract: In a high-resolution liquid crystal display device, measures against display unevenness caused by generation of a region where no alignment film is applied are provided. A liquid crystal display device includes a pixel formed between a scanning line and a video signal line. The pixel includes a TFT, a pixel electrode, and a contact hole connecting the TFT and the pixel electrode. The contact hole is formed in an insulation film formed between the pixel electrode and the TFT. Assuming that a horizontal pitch of the video signal line is ph and a horizontal diameter of the contact hole is dh, ph is 26 ?m or less and s/ph is 0.73 or more where s=ph?dh. A tapered angle of a sidewall of the contact hole is 53 degrees or less. A thickness of an alignment film over the pixel electrode is 110 nm or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Applicant: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Masato SHIMURA, Shunsuke Yuge, Hiroshi Miyairi, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Tomonori Nishino
  • Publication number: 20160349561
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device has a liquid crystal display panel that includes a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate having pixels formed thereon in a matrix pattern and a counter substrate, the two substrates having liquid crystal sandwiched therebetween to constitute a display area having a periphery encircled by a frame area. The display area has a first axis and a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The liquid crystal display panel is curved along the first axis. The gap between the TFT substrate and the counter substrate is determined by columnar spacers formed on the counter substrate in a manner corresponding to positions of a black matrix over the counter substrate. The center of each of the columnar spacers is displaced in the first axis direction from the center of each of the corresponding positions of the black matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Hideki SHIINA, Junko NAGASAWA, Masato SHIMURA
  • Publication number: 20160161778
    Abstract: There is achieved a liquid crystal display device having a smaller picture frame region and a seal part of improved reliability. A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate having a display region and a terminal region and formed with an organic passivation film, a counter substrate attached to the TFT substrate through a seal part, and a liquid crystal contained inside the seal part. A hole is formed at a predetermined pitch on the organic passivation film of the TFT substrate corresponding to the seal part when viewed on a plane. When the hole is viewed on a plane, a shortest distance from the hole to the hole is four micrometers or greater and 12 micrometers or less at a height of h1=0.9×h2 from a bottom face of the hole, where a depth of the hole is defined as h2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Tomonori NISHINO, Masato SHIMURA, Tomokazu ISHIKAWA, Yuki KURAMOTO, Satoshi HASHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20160041413
    Abstract: In order to avoid generation of black unevenness caused by the water intrusion into a liquid crystal display device, there is to provide a liquid crystal display device including a display area and a terminal portion, in which a TFT substrate with an organic passivation film formed and an opposite substrate are adhered to each other by a seal portion and a liquid crystal is enclosed there, wherein in the seal portion of the TFT substrate, a groove-shaped through-hole is formed in the organic passivation film to surround the display area, a water absorption layer formed of the same material in the same process as that of the organic passivation film is formed within the groove-shaped through-hole, and the water absorption layer is not covered with the inorganic insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Tomonori NISHINO, Masato Shimura, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Yuki Kuramoto, Satoshi Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20150378196
    Abstract: To improve the reliability of a liquid crystal display device, a liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate having a first surface, a second substrate having a second surface opposing the first surface of the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a sealing section that is provided along a line (a first virtual line) surrounding a periphery of the liquid crystal layer and adhesively fixes the first substrate and the second substrate. The sealing section includes a member (a first member) extending in a zigzag manner along the line and a sealing material arranged on both adjacent sides of the member and continuously surrounding a periphery of the liquid crystal layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Takahiro OCHIAI, Satoshi Hashimoto, Masato Shimura, Shunsuke Yuge, Tomoya Sugano
  • Patent number: 9128330
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a bank on a first substrate and surrounding an image display area, a first alignment film on the first substrate, a second alignment film on a second substrate, and a sealing member to seal the liquid crystal material between the first and the second alignment films. The bank has a shape in which a slope of an inside surface standing from an inner peripheral lower end on a side of the image display area is steeper than a slope of an outside surface standing from an outer peripheral lower end on an opposite side to the image display area. The first alignment film contacts the inside surface of the bank and is provided in the image display area. The sealing member passes over the outside surface of the bank in a direction toward the inside surface and overlaps the bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Tomokazu Ishikawa, Masato Shimura
  • Publication number: 20140036212
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a bank on a first substrate and surrounding an image display area, a first alignment film on the first substrate, a second alignment film on a second substrate, and a sealing member to seal the liquid crystal material between the first and the second alignment films. The bank has a shape in which a slope of an inside surface standing from an inner peripheral lower end on a side of the image display area is steeper than a slope of an outside surface standing from an outer peripheral lower end on an opposite side to the image display area. The first alignment film contacts the inside surface of the bank and is provided in the image display area. The sealing member passes over the outside surface of the bank in a direction toward the inside surface and overlaps the bank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Tomokazu ISHIKAWA, Masato SHIMURA
  • Patent number: 8599325
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate with gate lines and drain lines, and pixel electrodes each formed in a region surrounded by the gate lines and drain lines. Protrusions are formed below the gate lines, each of the protrusions having an upper surface and at least one inclined side surface. A gate insulating film is formed over the gate lines, a semiconductor layer formed on the gate insulating film, and drain electrodes formed and source electrodes formed over the semiconductor layer. Channel portions are defined by the space between the drain electrodes and the source electrodes, each of the channel portions being formed covering the upper surface and at least one of the at least one inclined side surface of one of the protrusions, the pixel and source electrode being in contact with each other on at least one inclined side surface of the protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignees: Hitachi Displays, Ltd., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Gotoh, Hirotaka Imayama, Shinichi Komura, Masato Shimura
  • Publication number: 20130248898
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate with gate lines and drain lines, and pixel electrodes each formed in a region surrounded by the gate lines and drain lines. Protrusions are formed below the gate lines, each of the protrusions having an upper surface and at least one inclined side surface. A gate insulating film is formed over the gate lines, a semiconductor layer formed on the gate insulating film, and drain electrodes formed and source electrodes formed over the semiconductor layer. Channel portions are defined by the space between the drain electrodes and the source electrodes, each of the channel portions being formed covering the upper surface and at least one of the at least one inclined side surface of one of the protrusions, the pixel and source electrode being in contact with each other on at least one inclined side surface of the protrusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicants: Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd., Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Gotoh, Hirotaka Imayama, Shinichi Komura, Masato Shimura
  • Patent number: 8451418
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device having a high definition screen in which a pixel electrode is formed in a region surrounded by a gate line and a drain line, and a trapezoidal protrusion having an upper surface and inclined surfaces is formed below the gate line. Since a TFT is formed over a trapezoidal protrusion and a channel portion is formed over the upper surface and the inclined surfaces of the trapezoidal protrusion, the width of the channel portion can be enlarged compared to that of a channel portion formed over a plane. The pixel electrode is in contact with a source electrode at the inclined surface of the trapezoidal protrusion. This configuration allows the TFT and a contact of the pixel electrode and a source electrode to be formed over part of the trapezoidal protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignees: Hitachi Displays, Ltd., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Gotoh, Hirotaka Imayama, Shinichi Komura, Masato Shimura
  • Publication number: 20120105787
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device having a high definition screen in which a pixel electrode is formed in a region surrounded by a gate line and a drain line, and a trapezoidal protrusion having an upper surface and inclined surfaces is formed below the gate line. Since a TFT is formed over a trapezoidal protrusion and a channel portion is formed over the upper surface and the inclined surfaces of the trapezoidal protrusion, the width of the channel portion can be enlarged compared to that of a channel portion formed over a plane. The pixel electrode is in contact with a source electrode at the inclined surface of the trapezoidal protrusion. This configuration allows the TFT and a contact of the pixel electrode and a source electrode to be formed over part of the trapezoidal protrusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventors: Jun GOTOH, Hirotaka Imayama, Shinichi Komura, Masato Shimura