Patents by Inventor Yasushi Tomioka

Yasushi Tomioka 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: 20230375764
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal optical element includes a transparent substrate including a main surface, an alignment film disposed on the main surface, and a liquid crystal layer overlapping the alignment film and including a cholesteric liquid crystal including liquid crystal molecules stacked helically and an additive exhibiting a liquid crystalline property. In the liquid crystal layer, a reflective surface along which alignment directions of the liquid crystal molecules are identical is inclined with respect to the main surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Applicants: Japan Display Inc., Osaka University
    Inventors: Koichi IGETA, Shinichiro OKA, Yasushi TOMIOKA, Hiroyuki YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20230375874
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal optical element comprises a transparent substrate comprising a first main surface and a second main surface opposed to the first main surface, an alignment film disposed on the second main surface, and a liquid crystal layer overlapping the alignment film and comprising a cholesteric liquid crystal and an additive exhibiting a liquid crystalline property. Refractive anisotropy of the additive is greater than refractive anisotropy of the liquid crystal layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Applicants: Japan Display Inc., OSAKA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Koichi IGETA, Yasushi TOMIOKA, Shinichiro OKA, Hiroyuki YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20230298379
    Abstract: An optical sensor capable of obtaining a plurality of types of information by a plurality of wavelengths in a short time is provided. The optical sensor includes a light receiving unit that includes a first and second pinhole layer that includes a plurality of pinholes, a first and second transmission layer, and a plurality of microlenses belonging to a first and second group, the microlenses being disposed at positions respectively overlapping the plurality of pixels on the second transmission layer. Either of the plurality of microlenses belonging to the first or second group is a first wavelength selection unit that transmits light of a first wavelength. At least one of the other of the plurality of microlenses belonging to the first and second group, the first transmission layer, and the second transmission layer is a second wavelength selection unit that transmits light of a second wavelength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Kazuki MATSUNAGA, Shigesumi ARAKI, Yasushi TOMIOKA
  • Publication number: 20230288759
    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: April 27, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Yasushi TOMIOKA, Yosuke HYODO, Hidehiro SONODA, Noboru KUNIMATSU
  • Publication number: 20230261129
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a photovoltaic cell device includes an optical waveguide including a first main surface, a second main surface opposed to the first main surface, and a side surface, an optical element opposed to the second main surface, containing cholesteric liquid crystal, and reflecting at least a part of incident light via the optical waveguide toward the optical waveguide, a photovoltaic cell opposed to the side surface, and a protective film, and the protective film is provided to be in contact with the first main surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Applicants: Japan Display Inc., OSAKA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Shinichiro OKA, Yasushi TOMIOKA, Junji KOBASHI, Hiroyuki YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20230258849
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal optical element includes a substrate, a first alignment film, a second alignment film opposite to the first alignment film, a spacer between the substrate and the second alignment film, and a liquid crystal layer in contact with the first alignment film and the second alignment film. The liquid crystal layer includes liquid crystal molecules including a plurality of first liquid crystal molecules arranged along a boundary surface with the first alignment film and a plurality of second liquid crystal molecules arranged along a boundary surface with the second alignment film, and is cured in a state where alignment directions of the liquid crystal molecules are fixed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Applicants: Japan Display Inc., OSAKA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Shinichiro OKA, Yasushi TOMIOKA, Junji KOBASHI, Hiroyuki YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20230246590
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a solar power generation apparatus includes an optical waveguide that includes a first main surface, a second main surface, and a lower side surface, an optical element that faces the second main surface, includes cholesteric liquid crystal, and reflects at least a part of ultraviolet ray of incident light from the first main surface toward the optical waveguide, and a solar cell that faces the lower side surface. The optical element includes a reflective surface angled with respect to a boundary surface between the optical waveguide and the optical element. An inclination angle of the reflective surface with respect to the boundary surface is an acute angle toward the solar cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicants: Japan Display Inc., OSAKA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Junji KOBASHI, Shinichiro OKA, Yasushi TOMIOKA, Hiroyuki YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20230236463
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprising a TFT substrate having pixels each including a common electrode formed on an organic passivation film, an interlayer insulating film formed so as to cover the common electrode, a pixel electrode having a slit and formed on the interlayer insulating film, a through-hole formed in the organic passivation film and the interlayer insulating film, and a source electrode electrically conducted to the pixel electrode via the through-hole. A taper angle at a depth of D/2 of the through-hole is equal to or more than 50 degrees. The pixel electrode covers part of a side wall of the through-hole but does not cover the remaining part of the side wall of the through-hole. This configuration facilitates the alignment film material to flow into the through-hole, thereby solving a thickness unevenness of the alignment film in vicinity of the through-hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Yasushi TOMIOKA, Toshimasa Ishigaki, Hidehiro Sonoda, Sumito Ueta
  • Publication number: 20230186674
    Abstract: According to an aspect, a detection device includes: a plurality of light-receiving elements configured to receive light; and a light guide portion one surface of which faces the light-receiving elements. The light guide portion includes a plurality of light guide paths provided throughout from the one surface to the other surface of the light guide portion, and a light-absorbing portion having higher absorbance of the light than that of the light guide paths. When viewed from a direction in which the light-receiving elements and the light guide portion are stacked, more than one of the light guide paths overlap one of the light-receiving elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Yasushi TOMIOKA, Kazuki MATSUNAGA, Toshiyuki HIGANO, Kazuhiro NISHIYAMA
  • Patent number: 11668982
    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 dimeter 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: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Tomioka, Yosuke Hyodo, Hidehiro Sonoda, Noboru Kunimatsu
  • Publication number: 20230170367
    Abstract: An optical sensor includes a light receiving part including a plurality of pixels and receiving light from a measuring object, the pixels being disposed in a matrix along a first direction and a second direction, and a louver film in which a first layer and a second layer are laminated, the first layer including a transmissive portion that transmits light of a predetermined wavelength band and a light shielding portion that spiels light, the transmissive portion and the light shielding portion being alternately disposed along the first direction, the second layer including the transmissive portion and the light shielding portion that are alternately disposed along the second direction. The transmissive portion included in one of the first layer and the second layer includes a first wavelength selecting unit that transmits light of a first wavelength band and a second wavelength selecting unit that transmits light of a second wavelength band.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Kazuki MATSUNAGA, Shigesumi ARAKI, Yasushi TOMIOKA
  • Patent number: 11650467
    Abstract: To prevent a phenomenon that an alignment film material is difficult to flow into the through-hole where a diameter of a through-hole for connecting between a pixel electrode and a source electrode is reduced. A liquid crystal display device comprising a TFT substrate having pixels each including a common electrode formed on an organic passivation film, an interlayer insulating film formed so as to cover the common electrode, a pixel electrode having a slit and formed on the interlayer insulating film, a through-hole formed in the organic passivation film and the interlayer insulating film, and a source electrode electrically conducted to the pixel electrode via the through-hole. A taper angle at a depth of D/2 of the through-hole is equal to or more than 50 degrees. The pixel electrode covers part of a side wall of the through-hole but does not cover the remaining part of the side wall of the through-hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Tomioka, Toshimasa Ishigaki, Hidehiro Sonoda, Sumito Ueta
  • Publication number: 20230146964
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a photovoltaic cell device includes an optical waveguide, an optical element, and a photovoltaic cell. The optical element includes a first liquid crystal layer which contains a cholesteric liquid crystal, reflects, of visible light, circularly polarized light of one of first circularly polarized light and second circularly polarized light rotating in an opposite direction of the first circularly polarized light toward the optical waveguide and the photovoltaic cell, and transmits the other circularly polarized light. The first liquid crystal layer reflects one of the first circularly polarized light and the second circularly polarized light of part of wavelength ranges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicants: Japan Display Inc., OSAKA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Shinichiro OKA, Yasushi TOMIOKA, Junji KOBASHI, Hiroyuki YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20230136958
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a photovoltaic cell device includes a first optical waveguide including a first main surface, a second main surface facing the first main surface, and a first side surface, an optical element facing the second main surface, containing a cholesteric liquid crystal, and reflecting at least part of light incident on the first main surface toward the first optical waveguide, and a first photovoltaic cell facing the first side surface. The first photovoltaic cell is attached to the first side surface by a transparent first adhesive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicants: Japan Display Inc., OSAKA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Shinichiro OKA, Yasushi TOMIOKA, Junji KOBASHI, Hiroyuki YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 11604384
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal element includes a transparent substrate including a first main surface, a plurality of structures disposed on the first main surface and arranged along one direction, an alignment film disposed on a surface of each of the structures and a liquid crystal layer containing a cholesteric liquid crystal and in contact with the alignment film, and the helical axis of the cholesteric liquid crystal is inclined with respect to the first main surface, each of the plurality of structures includes a first surface inclined with respect to the first main surface, in the plurality of structures, the first surfaces are parallel to each other, and the alignment film is interposed between the first surface and the liquid crystal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Junji Kobashi, Shinichiro Oka, Yasushi Tomioka, Koichi Igeta
  • Patent number: 11600102
    Abstract: According to an aspect, a detection device includes a plurality of light-receiving elements configured to receive light, and a light guide portion one surface of which faces the light-receiving elements. The light guide portion includes a plurality of light guide paths provided throughout from the one surface to the other surface of the light guide portion, and a light-absorbing portion having higher absorbance of the light than that of the light guide paths. When viewed from a direction in which the light-receiving elements and the light guide portion are stacked, more than one of the light guide paths overlap one of the light-receiving elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Tomioka, Kazuki Matsunaga, Toshiyuki Higano, Kazuhiro Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 11579492
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal optical element includes a substrate, a plurality of structures, a first liquid crystal layer including a plurality of liquid crystal molecules having alignment directions fixed, and a second liquid crystal layer including a plurality of liquid crystal molecules having alignment directions fixed. In an area overlapping a groove, a first director of the first liquid crystal layer extends along the groove, and a second director of the second liquid crystal layer is uniformly aligned with the first director of the second surface side, on the third surface side, and turns in planar view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Oka, Yasushi Tomioka, Koichi Igeta, Junji Kobashi
  • Publication number: 20230020723
    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 to 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 dimeter 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: September 16, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Yasushi TOMIOKA, Yosuke HYODO, Hidehiro SONODA, Noboru KUNIMATSU
  • Patent number: 11553606
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a display device includes a first submodule having a display panel, a second submodule having a cover member located on the display panel, and a first decoupling layer located between the first submodule and the second submodule, and each of the first submodule and the second submodule has a single neutral plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
    Inventors: Hajime Yamaguchi, Yasushi Tomioka
  • Publication number: 20230004053
    Abstract: To prevent a phenomenon that an alignment film material is difficult to flow into the through-hole where a diameter of a through-hole for connecting between a pixel electrode and a source electrode is reduced. A liquid crystal display device comprising a TFT substrate having pixels each including a common electrode formed on an organic passivation film, an interlayer insulating film formed so as to cover the common electrode, a pixel electrode having a slit and formed on the interlayer insulating film, a through-hole formed in the organic passivation film and the interlayer insulating film, and a source electrode electrically conducted to the pixel electrode via the through-hole. A taper angle at a depth of D/2 of the through-hole is equal to or more than 50 degrees. The pixel electrode covers part of a side wall of the through-hole but does not cover the remaining part of the side wall of the through-hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventors: Yasushi TOMIOKA, Toshimasa ISHIGAKI, Hidehiro SONODA, Sumito UETA