Abstract: A liquid crystal display device (display device) (100) of the present invention includes a display panel (20) provided with a plurality of light sensor elements, and has an area sensor function in which the plurality of light sensor elements detect an image on a surface of the liquid crystal display device, so as to determine a location of an input from outside. The liquid crystal display device includes (i) a front side polarizing plate (40) provided on or above a surface of the display panel (20) which surface is on an image display surface side and (ii) a ?/2 phase plate (50b) and a ?/4 phase plate (50a) which are stacked in this order on the front side polarizing plate (40) so that an optical axis (a slow axis) of the ?/2 phase plate (50b) and an optical axis (a slow axis) of the ?/4 phase plate (50a) intersect with each other. The phase plate formed by stacking the ?/2 phase plate (50b) and the ?/4 phase plate (50a) is referred to as a broadband ?/4 phase plate (50).

Abstract: The present invention provides display with high light utilization efficiency, with increased luminance being provided in desired directions.

Abstract: One of the objects is to improve the light utilization efficiency of a liquid crystal display panel with microlenses. A liquid crystal display device of the present invention, including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix along a first direction and a second direction which are perpendicular to each other, includes a TFT substrate, a counter substrate, a liquid crystal layer, a plurality of microlenses, and a backlight provided on a side of the plurality of microlenses which is opposite to the TFT substrate. The plurality of microlenses includes a plurality of lenticular lenses extending in the first direction, the plurality of lenticular lenses being arranged side by side along the second direction. The backlight includes a prism sheet placed over a first surface of the light guide plate which is closer to the microlens.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of high image quality is provided at a low cost, in which the viewing angle is restricted only in a specific direction. A liquid crystal display device of the present invention, which has a plurality of pixels in a matrix arrangement, includes: a first substrate; a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a plurality of microlenses provided on a surface of the first substrate which is opposite to the liquid crystal layer, the microlenses being arranged so as to correspond to the plurality of pixels, and each of the microlenses having a curved surface configured to collect incoming light, wherein d satisfies the following relationship: d>p·((2n)2?1)1/2 where d is a thickness of the first substrate, p is an arrangement pitch of the plurality of pixels, and n is a refractive index of the major material of the first substrate.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel includes two substrates fixed together by a seal member with their main surfaces opposed to each other, liquid crystal sealingly stored in a region surrounded by the two substrates and the seal member, and a plurality of columnar spacers arranged in a region surrounded by the two substrates and the seal member. A number density of the columnar spacers in a low-density region near the inner side of the seal member is smaller than that in a high-density region inside the low-density region. The substrate with the spacer has the substrate and the spacer formed on the substrate. The spacer has at least a first spacer portion, and a second spacer portion formed above the first spacer portion. An upper portion of the first spacer has a larger diameter than a bottom of the second spacer portion.

Abstract: An illuminator 10 according to the present invention includes a plurality of light sources 14 for emitting light, a light guide plate 12 for propagating the emitted light, and an anisotropic diffusion plate 11 disposed in at least a portion of the light guide plate 12 closer to the light sources 14, the anisotropic diffusion plate 11 diffusing light propagating through the light guide plate 12. Regarding in-plane directions of the light guide plate 12, the anisotropic diffusion plate 11 diffuses light more along a direction which is parallel to an arraying direction of the plurality of light sources 14 than along a direction perpendicular thereto. As a result, while suppressing spread of a half-luminance angle of light, appearance of an image can be improved, and also lowering of luminance caused by diffusion can be suppressed.

Abstract: A vertically aligned type liquid crystal display panel with wide viewing angles and high display quality can be provided with high production efficiency. A liquid crystal display panel of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal layer of a vertically aligned type; a light-incident side substrate and a light-outgoing side substrate which oppose each other via the liquid crystal layer; a microlens array provided on a light-outgoing side of the light-outgoing side substrate, which includes a plurality of microlenses; an optical film which includes a first polarizing plate provided on a light-outgoing side of the microlens array; and an optical film which includes a second polarizing plate provided on a light-incident side of the light-incident side substrate.

Abstract: An illuminator 10 according to the present invention includes a light source 14 for emitting light, a light guide plate 12 for propagating the emitted light, and a prism sheet 18 having a plurality of prisms 26 for refracting the light propagated through the light guide plate 12. The prism sheet includes anisotropic particles 31 having diffusion anisotropy. Regarding in-plane directions of the prism sheet 18, an arraying direction 18a of the plurality of prisms 26 and a major axis direction 31a of the anisotropic particles are shifted by an angle which is greater than 0 degrees and smaller than 5 degrees. This makes it possible to efficiently suppress occurrence of moire while suppressing spread of a half-luminance angle of light.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid crystal display device in which display defects that would be caused by asymmetry of light emitted from a backlight are reduced and which is capable of providing brightness with improved symmetry about the direction vertical to the display surface. The liquid crystal display device includes a backlight configured to emit light toward a liquid crystal panel and a microlens array interposed between the liquid crystal panel and the backlight. The backlight emits the light toward the microlens array such that the average propagation direction of the emitted light is a second direction, the second direction being different from a first direction that is perpendicular to a light receiving surface of the liquid crystal panel.

Abstract: A circularly polarizing plate includes a ?/4 phase difference plate and a linearly polarizing plate overlaid on a main surface of the ?/4 phase difference plate and having an absorption axis forming an angle of about 45° with respect to a lagging axis of the ?/4 phase difference plate. The ?/4 phase difference plate has reverse wavelength dispersion characteristics and an Nz coefficient of 1.6 or more. Employment of this structure can provide the circularly polarizing plate having good view angle characteristics and a vertical alignment type of liquid crystal display panel having the same.

Abstract: There is provided a direct-viewing type liquid crystal display panel with a microlens array having high viewing angle characteristics and high contrast, which is capable of displaying with a high luminance. A liquid crystal display panel with a microlens array according to the present invention includes a liquid crystal panel having a plurality of pixels; a microlens array provided on a light-incident side of the liquid crystal panel; a first polarizing plate and a first optical compensation element provided on a light-outgoing side of the liquid crystal panel; and a second polarizing plate and a second optical compensation element provided on a light-incident side of the microlens array. The retardation of the first optical compensation element along the thickness direction is greater than the retardation of the second optical compensation element along the thickness direction.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid crystal display panel with microlenses in which deformation, peeling, and the like of an optical film are not likely to occur and which has a good displaying quality. A liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention includes: a microlens array provided on a light-incident side of a liquid crystal display panel; a support provided on the light-incident side of the liquid crystal display panel so as to surround the microlens array; and an optical film attached to the liquid crystal display panel via the support. A gap is formed between the microlens array and the optical film; at least one vent hole connecting a space outside the support and the gap is formed in the support; and, when seen perpendicularly with respect to the plane of the liquid crystal display panel, the vent hole extends in a bending manner or the vent hole extends in an oblique direction with respect to an inner face of the support.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid crystal display panel with microlenses in which deformation, peeling, and the like of an optical film are not likely to occur and which has a good displaying quality. A liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention includes: a microlens array provided on a light-incident side of a liquid crystal display panel; a support provided on the light-incident side of the liquid crystal display panel so as to surround the microlens array; and an optical film attached to the liquid crystal display panel via the support. A gap is formed between the microlens array and the optical film; at least one vent hole connecting a space outside the support and the gap is formed in the support; and, when seen perpendicularly with respect to the plane of the liquid crystal display panel, the vent hole extends in a bending manner or the vent hole extends in an oblique direction with respect to an inner face of the support.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid crystal display panel with microlenses in which deformation, peeling, and the like of an optical film are not likely to occur and which has a good displaying quality. A liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention includes: a microlens array provided on a light-incident side of a liquid crystal display panel; a support provided on the light-incident side of the liquid crystal display panel so as to surround the microlens array; and an optical film attached to the liquid crystal display panel via the support. A gap is formed between the microlens array and the optical film; at least one vent hole connecting a space outside the support and the gap is formed in the support; and, when seen perpendicularly with respect to the plane of the liquid crystal display panel, the vent hole extends in a bending manner or the vent hole extends in an oblique direction with respect to an inner face of the support.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel includes two substrates fixed together by a seal member with their main surfaces opposed to each other, liquid crystal sealingly stored in a region surrounded by the two substrates and the seal member, and a plurality of columnar spacers arranged in a region surrounded by the two substrates and the seal member. A number density of the columnar spacers in a low-density region near the inner side of the seal member is smaller than that in a high-density region inside the low-density region. The substrate with the spacer has the substrate and the spacer formed on the substrate. The spacer has at least a first spacer portion, and a second spacer portion formed above the first spacer portion. An upper portion of the first spacer has a larger diameter than a bottom of the second spacer portion.

Abstract: A circularly polarizing plate includes a ?/4 phase difference plate and a linearly polarizing plate overlaid on a main surface of the ?/4 phase difference plate and having an absorption axis forming an angle of about 45° with respect to a lagging axis of the ?/4 phase difference plate. The ?/4 phase difference plate has reverse wavelength dispersion characteristics and an Nz coefficient of 1.6 or more. Employment of this structure can provide the circularly polarizing plate having good view angle characteristics and a vertical alignment type of liquid crystal display panel having the same.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal layer; a first substrate and a second substrate opposing each other with the liquid crystal layer being interposed therebetween; a reflection layer provided on one side of the liquid crystal layer that is closer to the first substrate; a polarizer provided on one side of the liquid crystal layer that is closer to the second substrate; a phase compensator provided between the liquid crystal layer and the polarizer and having a slow axis within a plane parallel to the liquid crystal layer; and at least a pair of electrodes for applying a voltage across the liquid crystal layer.