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).
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Patent number: 9921440Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 1, 2017Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Japan Display Inc.Inventors: Yasushi Tomioka, Yosuke Hyodo, Hidehiro Sonoda, Noboru Kunimatsu
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Publication number: 20180039140Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2017Publication date: February 8, 2018Inventors: Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Noboru Kunimatsu
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Publication number: 20180022874Abstract: According to one embodiment, a varnish for a photo alignment film includes an imidization promotor and a first polyamic acid-based compound in an organic solvent. The first polyamic acid-based compound is a polyamic acid or a polyamic acid ester. The imidization promotor has skeleton containing no primary amino group and no secondary amino group. The first polyamic acid-based compound has terminal skeletons containing no primary amino group.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2017Publication date: January 25, 2018Applicant: Japan Display Inc.Inventors: Hidehiro SONODA, Takenori HIROTA, Yasushi TOMIOKA, Noboru KUNIMATSU
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Patent number: 9868907Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 3, 2015Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masaki Matsumori, Yasushi Tomioka, Noboru Kunimatsu
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Patent number: 9864235Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 4, 2016Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: Japan Display Inc.Inventors: Noboru Kunimatsu, Masaki Matsumori, Hidehiro Sonoda, Yasushi Tomioka, Toshiki Kaneko
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Publication number: 20170363914Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2017Publication date: December 21, 2017Inventors: Noboru KUNIMATSU, Chikae MATSUI, Hidehiro SONODA, Yuko MATSUMOTO, Shoichi UCHINO, Masaki MATSUMORI, Yasushi TOMIOKA
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Publication number: 20170363920Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2017Publication date: December 21, 2017Inventors: Yasushi TOMIOKA, Yosuke HYODO, Hidehiro SONODA, Noboru KUNIMATSU
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Patent number: 9841633Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 26, 2015Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Japan Display Inc.Inventors: Noboru Kunimatsu, Yuko Matsumoto, Yasushi Tomioka, Masateru Morimoto, Atsuhiro Katayama
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Publication number: 20170322442Abstract: 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 fainted 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: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2017Publication date: November 9, 2017Inventors: Yasushi TOMIOKA, Noboru KUNIMATSU, Yosuke HYODO, Toshiki KANEKO, Yuko MATSUMOTO
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Patent number: 9804445Abstract: 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 (1) and (2): 0 nm<d2<30 nm??(1); d2<d1??(2).Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2016Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Noboru Kunimatsu
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Patent number: 9785013Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 23, 2015Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.Inventors: Noboru Kunimatsu, Chikae Matsui, Hidehiro Sonoda, Yuko Matsumoto, Shoichi Uchino, Masaki Matsumori, Yasushi Tomioka
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Publication number: 20170285388Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2017Publication date: October 5, 2017Inventors: Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Noboru Kunimatsu
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Patent number: 9778520Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 9, 2017Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: Japan Display Inc.Inventors: Yasushi Tomioka, Yosuke Hyodo, Hidehiro Sonoda, Noboru Kunimatsu
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Patent number: 9746718Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 14, 2015Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: Japan Display Inc.Inventors: Yasushi Tomioka, Noboru Kunimatsu, Yosuke Hyodo, Toshiki Kaneko, Yuko Matsumoto
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Patent number: 9720288Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 8, 2015Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hidehiro Sonoda, Chikae Matsui, Noboru Kunimatsu
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Patent number: 9715146Abstract: An IPS system liquid crystal display device is provided to prevent reliability for a seal portion from lowering, which is caused by the fact that an overcoat film at a portion where an alignment film is not present is deteriorated by ultraviolet light during optical alignment process. An alignment film 113 subjected to optical alignment is formed above each surface of a TFT substrate 100 and of a counter substrate 200, the alignment film 113 on the side of the TFT substrate 100 is not formed in the seal portion, and a sealant 150 is bonded to an inorganic insulating film 109. On the side of the counter substrate 200, the alignment film 113 is formed on an overcoat film 203 and the sealant 150 is bonded to the alignment film 113.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2015Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignees: Japan Display Inc., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., LTDInventors: Hidehiro Sonoda, Noboru Kunimatsu, Chikae Matsui, Takashi Yamamoto
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Publication number: 20170184929Abstract: According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel which includes a pixel electrode, a liquid crystal layer and an alignment film, and a driver. The driver drives the pixel electrode at a drive frequency of 1 to 20 Hz. The alignment film has a resistivity of 5×1014 ?·cm or more.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2016Publication date: June 29, 2017Applicant: Japan Display Inc.Inventors: Daiichi SUZUKI, Yoshifumi Saeki, Yukio Tanaka, Noboru Kunimatsu, Hidehiro Sonoda, Masahiro Kosuge
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Publication number: 20170146872Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2017Publication date: May 25, 2017Inventors: Yasushi TOMIOKA, Yosuke HYODO, Hidehiro SONODA, Noboru KUNIMATSU
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Publication number: 20170137667Abstract: According to one embodiment, a varnish for a photo alignment film includes a first polyamic acid-based compound, which is a polyamic acid or a polyamic acid ester, in an organic solvent. The first polyamic acid-based compound has terminal skeletons containing no primary amino group.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2016Publication date: May 18, 2017Applicant: Japan Display Inc.Inventors: Hidehiro SONODA, Yasushi TOMIOKA, Noboru KUNIMATSU, Takenori HIROTA
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Patent number: 9598640Abstract: To form an optical alignment film having large anchoring strength and suppress an AC afterimage of a liquid crystal display device, in a liquid crystal display device of an IPS mode. In an alignment film material subjected to optical alignment processing, polyimide which becomes a rigid high molecule and polyimide which becomes a flexible high molecule are mixed and used. The material of the present invention can easily rotate oligomer after irradiating polarized ultraviolet rays and improve a UV-absorbed two-color ratio of an alignment film. Accordingly, an anchoring strength for liquid crystals by the alignment film is large to suppress an AC afterimage.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2014Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: Japan Display Inc.Inventors: Shoichi Uchino, Noboru Kunimatsu