Patents by Inventor Noboru Kunimatsu

Noboru Kunimatsu 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: 20200117058
    Abstract: The present invention prevents the shaving of an alignment film caused by a columnar spacer in a liquid crystal display device of an IPS method using photo-alignment. A plinth higher than a pixel electrode is formed at a part where a columnar spacer formed over a counter substrate touches a TFT substrate. When an alignment film of a double-layered structure is applied over the pixel electrode and the plinth, the thickness of the alignment film over the plinth reduces by a leveling effect. When photo-alignment is applied in the state, a photodegraded upper alignment film over the plinth disappears and a lower alignment film having a high mechanical strength remains. As a result, it is possible to prevent the shaving of the alignment film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Noboru KUNIMATSU, Masaki MATSUMORI, Hidehiro SONODA, Yasushi TOMIOKA, Toshiki KANEKO
  • Publication number: 20200110316
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate having a first alignment film and an opposing substrate having a second alignment film with liquid crystals sandwiched therebetween. One of the first and second alignment films, comprises a first polyimide produced via polyamide acid ester containing cyclobutane as a precursor and a second polyimide produced via polyamide acid as a precursor. The polyamide acid has a higher polarity than that of the polyamide acid ester. The one of the first and second alignment films is responsive to photo-alignment. A first side of the one of the first and second alignment films is adjacent to the liquid crystals, and a second side thereof is closer to one of the TFT substrate and the counter substrate than the first side. The first side contains more of the first polyimide and less of the second polyimide than the second side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Noboru KUNIMATSU, Chikae Matsui, Hidehiro Sonoda, Yuko Matsumoto, Shoichi Uchino, Masaki Matsumori, Yasushi Tomioka
  • Patent number: 10613390
    Abstract: An IPS type liquid crystal display device superior in mass productivity and improved in image quality with a higher contrast ratio by decreasing the occurrence of defective display due to the disorder of the initial liquid crystal alignment by the liquid orientation control film and realizing stable alignment of liquid crystals comprises: a pair of substrates, at least one which is transparent; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the pair of substrates; a group of electrodes formed on at least one of the pair of substrates to apply an electric field to the liquid crystal layer; plural active elements connected to the group of electrodes; and an orientation control film disposed on at least one of the pair of substrates, wherein said orientation control film is made of a photosensitive polyimide and a polyamide acid ester and is given orientation control ability by being irradiated with substantially linearly polarized light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc, Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Matsumori, Yasushi Tomioka, Noboru Kunimatsu
  • Patent number: 10578924
    Abstract: Various layer separation states are generated by the combination of a polyamide acid ester and a polyamide acid and a long residual image characteristic cannot be further improved merely by combining them. A liquid crystal display device comprises a substrate, a liquid crystal layer, and an orientation film placed between the substrate and the liquid crystal layer. The orientation film comprises a polyimide precursor having two or more components. In the polyimide precursor, an octanol-water partition coefficient is defined as log P and the difference in log P (? log P) between the two components having most distant log Ps is set so as to fall within a prescribed range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Masaki Matsumori, Shuji Imazeki, Yasushi Tomioka, Noboru Kunimatsu
  • Publication number: 20200050041
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate and a counter substrate and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched therebetween. A scanning line, a video signal line, a thin film transistor connected to the scanning line and the video signal line, a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor, and a counter electrode are formed on the TFT substrate, and a columnar spacer formed on the counter substrate. The pixel and counter electrodes are transparent, and the liquid crystal layer is controlled by an electric field generated between the pixel and counter electrodes. The counter electrode contacts with a metal line having a first part which is extended in parallel with the scanning line and a second part which is extended in parallel with the video signal line, a width of the first part of the metal line being narrower than a width of the scanning line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: Hidehiro SONODA, Chikae MATSUI, Noboru KUNIMATSU
  • Patent number: 10539833
    Abstract: The present invention prevents the shaving of an alignment film caused by a columnar spacer in a liquid crystal display device of an IPS method using photo-alignment. A plinth higher than a pixel electrode is formed at a part where a columnar spacer formed over a counter substrate touches a TFT substrate. When an alignment film of a double-layered structure is applied over the pixel electrode and the plinth, the thickness of the alignment film over the plinth reduces by a leveling effect. When photo-alignment is applied in the state, a photodegraded upper alignment film over the plinth disappears and a lower alignment film having a high mechanical strength remains. As a result, it is possible to prevent the shaving of the alignment film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Noboru Kunimatsu, Masaki Matsumori, Hidehiro Sonoda, Yasushi Tomioka, Toshiki Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20200019021
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a first alignment film formed over the first substrate, a second substrate, a second alignment film formed over the second substrate, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first alignment film and the second alignment film, and a projecting portion formed over the second substrate. The first alignment film is a photo alignment film, and thickness “d2” of the second alignment film over the projecting portion and a film thickness “d1” of a portion of the first alignment film facing the projecting portion satisfy formula (2), d2<d1 ??(2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: Hidehiro SONODA, Chikae MATSUI, Noboru KUNIMATSU
  • Patent number: 10534225
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate having a first alignment film and an opposing substrate having a second alignment film with liquid crystals sandwiched therebetween. One of the first and second alignment films, comprises a first polyimide produced via polyamide acid ester containing cyclobutane as a precursor and a second polyimide produced via polyamide acid as a precursor. The polyamide acid has a higher polarity than that of the polyamide acid ester. The one of the first and second alignment films is responsive to photo-alignment. A first side of the one of the first and second alignment films is adjacent to the liquid crystals, and a second side thereof is closer to one of the TFT substrate and the counter substrate than the first side. The first side contains more of the first polyimide and less of the second polyimide than the second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noboru Kunimatsu, Chikae Matsui, Hidehiro Sonoda, Yuko Matsumoto, Shoichi Uchino, Masaki Matsumori, Yasushi Tomioka
  • Patent number: 10481442
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate and a counter substrate and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched therebetween. A scanning line, a video signal line, a thin film transistor connected to the scanning line and the video signal line, a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor, and a counter electrode are formed on the TFT substrate, and a columnar spacer formed on the counter substrate. The pixel and counter electrodes are transparent, and the liquid crystal layer is controlled by an electric field generated between the pixel and counter electrodes. The counter electrode contacts with a metal line having a first part which is extended in parallel with the scanning line and a second part which is extended in parallel with the video signal line, a width of the first part of the metal line being narrower than a width of the scanning line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Noboru Kunimatsu
  • Patent number: 10481437
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a first alignment film formed over the first substrate, a second substrate, a second alignment film formed aver the second substrate, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first alignment film and the second alignment film, and a projecting portion formed over the second substrate. The first alignment film is a photo alignment film, and a thickness “d2” of the second alignment film over the projecting portion and a film thickness “d1” of a portion of the first alignment film facing the projecting portion satisfy formula (2), d2<d1??(2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Noboru Kunimatsu
  • Patent number: 10473986
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes: a TFT substrate having gate lines and data lines arranged thereon, the gate lines extending in a first direction and arranged in a second direction, the data lines extending in the second direction and arranged in the first direction; a counter substrate having a black matrix and a color filter; and liquid crystals put between the TFT substrate and the counter substrate. Columnar spacers are formed on the counter substrate. Pedestals are formed on portions of the TFT substrate, the portions corresponding to the columnar spacers. A convex portion and a concave portion are present at the top end of the columnar spacer. The pedestal is formed corresponding to the concave portion. The concave portion is opened at the ends thereof and connected to the lateral side of the columnar spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Tomioka, Noboru Kunimatsu, Yosuke Hyodo, Toshiki Kaneko, Yuko Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20190339575
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a first alignment film formed over the first substrate, a second substrate, a second alignment film formed over the second substrate, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first alignment film and the second alignment film, and a projecting portion formed over the second substrate. The first alignment film is a photo alignment film, and a thickness “d2” of the second alignment film over the projecting portion and a film thickness “d1” of a portion of the first alignment film facing the projecting portion satisfy formula (2), d2<d1??(2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Hidehiro SONODA, Chikae MATSUI, Noboru KUNIMATSU
  • Patent number: 10401687
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a first alignment film formed over the first substrate, a second substrate, a second alignment film formed over the second substrate, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first alignment film and the second alignment film, and a projecting portion formed over the second substrate. The first alignment film is a photo alignment film, and a thickness “d2” of the second alignment film over the projecting portion and a film thickness “d1” of a portion of the first alignment film facing the projecting portion satisfy formula (2), d2<d1??(2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Noboru Kunimatsu
  • Publication number: 20190179201
    Abstract: The present invention prevents the shaving of an alignment film caused by a columnar spacer in a liquid crystal display device of an IPS method using photo-alignment. A plinth higher than a pixel electrode is formed at a part where a columnar spacer formed over a counter substrate touches a TFT substrate. When an alignment film of a double-layered structure is applied over the pixel electrode and the plinth, the thickness of the alignment film over the plinth reduces by a leveling effect. When photo-alignment is applied in the state, a photodegraded upper alignment film over the plinth disappears and a lower alignment film having a high mechanical strength remains. As a result, it is possible to prevent the shaving of the alignment film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Noboru KUNIMATSU, Masaki MATSUMORI, Hidehiro SONODA, Yasushi TOMIOKA, Toshiki KANEKO
  • Publication number: 20190179203
    Abstract: Disclosed is a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display device which is a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal alignment film to which an alignment regulating force is imparted by a photo-alignment treatment, including: a film forming step of forming a film containing a polymer whose main chain is cleaved by irradiation with light; a photo-alignment step of imparting an alignment regulating force to the film formed in the film forming step by irradiation of the film with light in an atmosphere of a temperature lower than 100° C.; and a removing step of removing a low-molecular weight component generated by cleaving the main chain of the polymer through the light irradiation after the light irradiation. Also disclosed is a liquid crystal display device manufactured by the manufacturing method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Shoichi Uchino, Noboru Kunimatsu, Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Yuko Matsumoto, Tomio Yaguchi, Toshiki Kaneko, Jun Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20190171073
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device, a common electrode is formed on an organic passivation film, an interlayer insulating film is formed on the common electrode, a pixel electrode with a slit is formed on the interlayer insulating film, and a through hole is formed in the organic passivation film and the interlayer insulating film, so that the pixel electrode is connected to a source electrode of a TFT through the through hole. Further, the taper angle around the upper base of the through hole is smaller than the taper angle around the lower base. Thus, the alignment film material can easily flow into the through hole when the diameter of the through hole is reduced to connect the pixel and source electrodes, preventing display defects such as uneven brightness due to the absence of the alignment film or due to the alignment film irregularity around the through hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Yasushi TOMIOKA, Yosuke HYODO, Hidehiro SONODA, Noboru KUNIMATSU
  • Patent number: 10281771
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device having an alignment film subjected to an optical alignment process, the frame area can be reduced while maintaining the reliability of the sealing portion. To achieve this, in the display area, the alignment process is performed with UV light on the alignment film, to form an area in which the alignment film is not formed in the opposing first and second sides, and to form an area in which the amount of UV light irradiation on the alignment film is one fourth or less of the display area in the opposing third and fourth sides. In the first and second sides, the sealing material overlaps the area in which the alignment film is not formed. In the third and fourth sides, the sealing material overlaps the area in which the amount of UV light irradiation is one fourth or less of the display area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Hidehiro Sonoda, Noboru Kunimatsu, Takenori Hirota, Yosuke Hyodo, Yasuo Imanishi, Yasushi Tomioka
  • Publication number: 20190121188
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate and a counter substrate and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched therebetween. A scanning line, a video signal line, a thin film transistor connected to the scanning line and the video signal line, a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor, and a counter electrode are formed on the TFT substrate, and a columnar spacer formed on the counter substrate. The pixel and counter electrodes are transparent, and the liquid crystal layer is controlled by an electric field generated between the pixel and counter electrodes. The counter electrode contacts with a metal line having a first part which is extended in parallel with the scanning line and a second part which is extended in parallel with the video signal line a width of the first part of the metal line being narrower than a width of the scanning line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Hidehiro SONODA, Chikae MATSUI, Noboru KUNIMATSU
  • Publication number: 20190121203
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a first alignment film formed over the first substrate, a second substrate, a second alignment film formed over the second substrate, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first alignment film and the second alignment film, and a projecting portion formed over the second substrate. The first alignment film is a photo alignment film, and a thickness “d2” of the second alignment film over the projecting portion and a film thickness “d1” of a portion of the first alignment film facing the projecting portion satisfy formula (2), d2<d1??(2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Hidehiro SONODA, Chikae MATSUI, Noboru KUNIMATSU
  • Patent number: 10268081
    Abstract: Disclosed is a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display device which is a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal alignment film to which an alignment regulating force is imparted by a photo-alignment treatment, including: a film forming step of forming a film containing a polymer whose main chain is cleaved by irradiation with light; a photo-alignment step of imparting an alignment regulating force to the film formed in the film forming step by irradiation of the film with light in an atmosphere of a temperature lower than 100° C.; and a removing step of removing a low-molecular weight component generated by cleaving the main chain of the polymer through the light irradiation after the light irradiation. Also disclosed is a liquid crystal display device manufactured by the manufacturing method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoichi Uchino, Noboru Kunimatsu, Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Yuko Matsumoto, Tomio Yaguchi, Toshiki Kaneko, Jun Tanaka