Patents by Inventor Yasushi Asaoka

Yasushi Asaoka 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: 20140368774
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel (100A) according to an embodiment of the present invention is a liquid crystal display panel including: a first substrate (2) having a pixel electrode (4) formed thereon; a second substrate (3) opposing the first substrate (2); and a liquid crystal layer (1) retained between the first substrate (2) and the second substrate (3). The liquid crystal layer (1) edges near at least one of side faces of the liquid crystal display panel (100A), and includes a black layer (52) in contact with the side face of the liquid crystal layer (1) along which the liquid crystal layer (1) edges near at least one of the side faces of the liquid crystal display panel (100A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichi Iyama, Hisashi Watanabe, Eiji Satoh, Yasushi Asaoka, Akira Sakai, Akiko Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20140168581
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel (100A) is a liquid crystal display panel having a displaying region (81) including a plurality of pixel regions (31), including: a liquid crystal layer (1) having a plurality of liquid crystal regions (11) containing a nematic liquid crystal material and polymer-containing walls (12) between adjacent ones of the plurality of liquid crystal regions (11); and a first substrate (2) and a second substrate (3) having the liquid crystal layer (1) retained therebetween. The liquid crystal layer (1) extends to at least one side face of the liquid crystal display panel (100A). The distance between at least one side face of the second substrate (3) and a pixel region (11) that is located at the outermost edge among the plurality of pixel regions (11) while being adjacent to the at least one side face is less than 0.2 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Watanabe, Akira Sakai, Yuichi Iyama, Akiko Miyazaki, Eiji Satoh, Yasushi Asaoka
  • Publication number: 20140152945
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel (100A) includes: a first substrate (2) and a second substrate (3), a liquid crystal layer (1) retained between the first substrate (2) and the second substrate (3), and plurality of pixels. The liquid crystal layer (1) has a first liquid crystal region (81) and a second liquid crystal region (82) provided outside the first liquid crystal region (81). The first liquid crystal region (81) is essentially composed of a nematic liquid crystal material alone, whereas the second liquid crystal region (82) has a plurality of liquid crystal subregions (11) containing a nematic liquid crystal material and polymer-containing walls (12) formed between adjacent ones of the plurality of liquid crystal subregions (11). The plurality of pixels include pixels accounting for the first liquid crystal region (81) and pixels accounting for the second liquid crystal region (82).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Watanabe, Akira Sakai, Yuichi Iyama, Akiko Miyazaki, Eiji Satoh, Yasushi Asaoka
  • Patent number: 8558972
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed to face each other, a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a black matrix provided on the first substrate, where a display region for displaying an image and a frame region around the display region are defined, and in the frame region, the black matrix includes a plurality of light-blocking regions spaced apart from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasushi Asaoka, Eiji Satoh, Kazuhiro Deguchi, Sayuri Fujiwara, Takafumi Matsuda, Katsuhiro Mikumo, Kazunori Tanimoto
  • Patent number: 8541934
    Abstract: A direct-viewing type display device (100A) of the present invention includes: a display panel which has a display region (10A) that can be altered into a transparent state and a frame region (10F) provided outside the display region; and a light-transmitting cover (20) provided on a front side of the display panel. The light-transmitting cover includes a lens portion (22) positioned so as to overlap a region that includes part of the frame region of the display panel and part of a peripheral display region (10D) within the display region which adjoins the part of the frame region. The display device further includes a housing (30) which has a housing portion (36) provided at least on a side surface (10b) of the display panel. Part of light going out from the part of the peripheral display region and/or part of light entering the housing portion on a rear side goes out on a front side of the housing portion (36).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisashi Watanabe, Yasushi Asaoka
  • Publication number: 20130229606
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device (100A) of the present invention includes a liquid crystal layer (1) and first and second alignment films (12, 13) which are provided with an alignment treatment. The liquid crystal layer (1) includes, in each of the pixels, a plurality of first small sections (14a) separated by a wall (10) and the first alignment film (12) and a plurality of second small sections (14b) separated by the wall (10) and the second alignment film (13). Each of the plurality of first small sections (14a) has a first liquid crystal region (11a). Each of the plurality of second small sections (14b) has a second liquid crystal region (11b). Each of the first and second liquid crystal regions (11a, 11b) includes a nematic liquid crystal material and a dichromatic dye (21a, 21b). The dichromatic dye (21a) of the first liquid crystal region (11a) is aligned along the alignment direction of the first alignment film (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasushi Asaoka, Kiyoshi Minoura, Eiji Satoh
  • Publication number: 20130194524
    Abstract: A liquid crystal panel includes a liquid crystal layer that can switch to a light transmitting state and a light scattering state, and lines provided on a portion of the liquid crystal layer on the side opposite to the observation side. The lines are provided with a reflecting portion by which at least a portion of light that entered from the observation side is reflected toward the observation side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichi Kita, Katsuhiro Kikuchi, Takashi Ochi, Masakazu Shibasaki, Iori Aoyama, Sayuri Fujiwara, Eiji Satoh, Yasushi Asaoka, Kazuhiro Deguchi
  • Patent number: 8482702
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal layer 1 whose state is switchable between a light-transmitting state and a light-scattering state, a front substrate 3 and a rear substrate 2 between which the liquid crystal layer 1 is held, a pair of electrodes 4, 8 between which the liquid crystal layer 1 is interposed and which are configured to apply a voltage across the liquid crystal layer 1, and first and second alignment films 13, 12 respectively provided between the liquid crystal layer 1 and the front substrate 3 and between the liquid crystal layer 1 and the rear substrate 2. The liquid crystal layer 1 includes, in each of the pixels, a continuous wall 10, a plurality of small sections 14 separated by the wall 10, and a plurality of liquid crystal regions 11, each of which is formed in any one of the plurality of small sections 14.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasushi Asaoka, Eiji Satoh, Kiyoshi Minoura, Sayuri Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20130044280
    Abstract: A display device capable of emitting sufficient fluorescence is provided without an increase in the thickness of the liquid crystal layer. The device includes: a fluorescent emission layer (23) having fluorescent pigment molecules that absorb light to emit fluorescence; and a liquid crystal layer (4) capable of switching between a transparent state and a scattering state. The fluorescent pigment molecules are dichroic fluorescent pigment molecules (23a) with different emission intensities depending on the direction of emission. The dichroic fluorescent pigment molecules (23a) in the fluorescent emission layer (23) are oriented so as to have transition dipole moments with the same direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasushi Asaoka, Kiyoshi Minoura, Kazuhiro Deguchi, Eiji Satoh, Sayuri Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20120320443
    Abstract: A building material in which an image can be displayed on a transparent plate such as a windowpane is realized using a configuration that is simple and low-cost. A window member (5) includes a display panel (11) having a display region (11a) that can switch between a light transmitting state and a non-light-transmitting state and a frame region (11b) serving as a non-display region formed on an outer side of the display region (11a), a light-transmitting cover (40) disposed on the display panel so as to cover at least a part of the frame region (11b) and at least a part of the display region (11a) that is adjacent to the frame region (11b), and a pair of windowpanes (3, 3) that are held in parallel in the window frame (2). The light-transmitting cover (40) is shaped such that the thickness thereof decreases from the display region (11a) toward the frame region (11b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Sayuri Fujiwara, Eiji Satoh, Yasushi Asaoka, Kazuhiro Deguchi, Hisashi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8314909
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device 100 includes: a liquid crystal layer 1; a front substrate 3 and a rear substrate 2 between which the liquid crystal layer 1 is held; a pair of electrodes 4, 8 between which the liquid crystal layer 1 is interposed and which are configured to apply a voltage across the liquid crystal layer 1; circular polarizers 15, 16 respectively provided on a front side of the front substrate 3 and a rear side of the rear substrate 2; and first and second alignment films 13, 12 respectively provided between the liquid crystal layer 1 and the front substrate 3 and between the liquid crystal layer 1 and the rear substrate 2. The liquid crystal layer 1 includes, in each of the pixels, a continuous wall 10, a plurality of small sections 14 separated by the wall 10, and a plurality of liquid crystal regions 11, each of which is formed in any one of the plurality of small sections 14.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kasiaha
    Inventors: Yasushi Asaoka, Kiyoshi Minoura, Eiji Satoh, Sayuri Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 8310625
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device (100) according to the present invention includes: a scattering liquid crystal panel (110) including a scattering-type liquid crystal layer (140) which is capable of taking a transparent state; and a scattering state and a retroreflection plate (150). The scattering liquid crystal panel (110) before being combined with the retroreflection plate (150) satisfies the relationship of 0.45?log(I0-10/I20-30)?1.48, where, regarding light which enters through a rear face (110b) of the scattering liquid crystal panel (110) and goes out through a front face (110a), I0-10 represents a mean value of scattering intensity of light which goes out at an angle in a range from 0 degrees to 10 degrees with respect to a normal direction of the front face (110a), and I20-30 represents a mean value of scattering intensity of light which goes out in a range from 20 degrees to 30 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sayuri Fujiwara, Kiyoshi Minoura, Eiji Satoh, Yasushi Asaoka
  • Publication number: 20120175639
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing tantalum carbide which can form tantalum carbide having a prescribed shape using a simple method, can form the tantalum carbide having a uniform thickness even when the tantalum carbide is coated on the surface of an article and is not peeled off by a thermal history, tantalum carbide obtained by the manufacturing method, wiring of tantalum carbide, and electrodes of tantalum carbide. The tantalum carbide is formed on the surface of tantalum or a tantalum alloy by placing the tantalum or tantalum alloy in a vacuum heat treatment furnace, heat-treating the tantalum or tantalum alloy under a condition where a native oxide layer of Ta2O5 formed on the surface of tantalum or tantalum alloy is sublimated to remove the Ta2O5, introducing a carbon source into the vacuum heat treatment furnace, and then heat-treating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: THE NEW INDUSTRY RESEARCH ORGANIZATION
    Inventors: Tadaaki Kaneko, Yasushi Asaoka, Naokatsu Sano
  • Patent number: 8211244
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing tantalum carbide which can form tantalum carbide having a prescribed shape using a simple method, can form the tantalum carbide having a uniform thickness even when the tantalum carbide is coated on the surface of an article and is not peeled off by a thermal history, tantalum carbide obtained by the manufacturing method, wiring of tantalum carbide, and electrodes of tantalum carbide, where the tantalum carbide is formed on the surface of tantalum or a tantalum alloy by placing the tantalum or tantalum alloy in a vacuum heat treatment furnace, heat-treating the tantalum or tantalum alloy under a condition where a native oxide layer of Ta2O5 formed on the surface of tantalum or tantalum alloy is sublimated to remove the Ta2O5, introducing a carbon source into the vacuum heat treatment furnace, and then heat-treating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadaaki Kaneko, Yasushi Asaoka, Naokatsu Sano
  • Publication number: 20120140147
    Abstract: To provide a display panel that can achieve a transparent state having high panel transmittance and that can carry out a display in which a figure looks as if it has popped up in the air, a display panel disclosed includes a PDLC panel (10) including: a substrate (20) including a wire; a substrate (30) provided so as to face the substrate (20); and a PDLC layer (40) provided between the substrate (20) and the substrate (30), the PDLC layer (40) including PDLC which is switched between a light transmitting state and a light scattering state in correspondence with the presence or absence of an electric field applied to the PDLC layer (40), the display panel including no colored layer, the display panel selectively forming a light transmitting region and a light scattering region in response to control of the presence or absence of the electric field applied to the PDLC layer (40), at least one of (i) a reflectance reducing layer for reducing direct reflection of external light by the wire, (ii) a light blocking
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Eiji Satoh, Yasushi Asaoka, Sayuri Fujiwara, Kazuhiro Deguchi
  • Publication number: 20120049718
    Abstract: A direct-viewing type display device (100A) of the present invention includes: a display panel which has a display region (10A) that can be altered into a transparent state and a frame region (10F) provided outside the display region; and a light-transmitting cover (20) provided on a front side of the display panel. The light-transmitting cover includes a lens portion (22) positioned so as to overlap a region that includes part of the frame region of the display panel and part of a peripheral display region (10D) within the display region which adjoins the part of the frame region. The display device further includes a housing (30) which has a housing portion (36) provided at least on a side surface (10b) of the display panel. Part of light going out from the part of the peripheral display region and/or part of light entering the housing portion on a rear side goes out on a front side of the housing portion (36).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Watanabe, Yasushi Asaoka
  • Publication number: 20120002142
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed to face each other, a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a black matrix provided on the first substrate, where a display region for displaying an image and a frame region around the display region are defined, and in the frame region, the black matrix includes a plurality of light-blocking regions spaced apart from one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasushi Asaoka, Eiji Satoh, Kazuhiro Deguchi, Sayuri Fujiwara, Takafumi Matsuda, Katsuhiro Mikumo, Kazunori Tanimoto
  • Publication number: 20110317112
    Abstract: An ultraviolet-absorbing layer is provided between an insulating substrate and a transparent electrode, the ultraviolet-absorbing layer having a transmittance ratio (T (365 nm)/T (315 nm)) of not less than 6.3 where (T (365 nm)) is a transmittance at a wavelength of 365 nm and (T (315 nm)) is a transmittance at a wavelength of 315 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Yasushi Asaoka, Kiyoshi Minoura, Eiji Satoh, Kazuhiro Deguchi, Sayuri Fujiwara, Kenji Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20110292326
    Abstract: A reflective display device includes a retroreflective layer 10 with unit structures arranged two-dimensionally on a virtual plane, and conducts a display operation by using light reflected from the retroreflective layer. The device further includes: gate lines 35 arranged on a rear substrate 32; source lines 34 also arranged on the rear substrate 32 to cross the gate lines 35 as viewed from over a front substrate 30; a switching element 33 also arranged on the rear substrate 32 and activated in response to a signal supplied to its associated gate line 35; a pixel electrode 36 electrically connectible to its associated source line 34 via the switching element 33; and a counter electrode 38 arranged to face the pixel electrode 36. Each unit structure of the retroreflective layer 10 has a recess defined by three planes opposed perpendicularly to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: Eiji Satoh, Kiyoshi Minoura, Yasushi Asaoka
  • Publication number: 20110254440
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an organic electroluminescent display device and a production method thereof with which an organic electroluminescent display device having a high extraction efficiency is produced in a high yield. The present invention is an organic electroluminescent display device, comprising: a component placement substrate having an organic electroluminescence element; a circuit board having a driver circuit for the organic electroluminescence element, the component placement substrate and the circuit board being joined to each other; and a conductor in a clearance between the component placement substrate and the circuit board, the component placement substrate comprising in this order from an observation face side: a transparent separation layer; a light-scattering layer; a transparent electrode; a light-emitting layer; and the reflective electrode, wherein the conductor electrically connects the reflective electrode to an electrode of the driver circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Minoura, Yasushi Asaoka, Takuto Yasumatsu