Polymer Network Liquid Crystal Patents (Class 349/88)
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Patent number: 6721023Abstract: The invention provides a multi-layered imaging device for three-dimensional image display, including a plurality of two-dimensional layers superposed in the third dimension, each of the layers having two major surfaces and at least one peripheral edge, the layers being made of a material selected from the group of non-conventional, polarizer-free liquid crystal materials including polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLC) and derivatives and combinations thereof, wherein the exposure of at least one of the layers to illumination allows the transmission of light with minimal losses, facilitating utilization of a maximal number of layers for imaging a three-dimensional display.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2000Date of Patent: April 13, 2004Assignee: ELOP Electro-Optics Industries Ltd.Inventors: Victor Weiss, Hanan Rumbak
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Patent number: 6690447Abstract: A method of making a liquid crystal display, comprising the steps of: providing a substrate; providing a first electrode over the substrate; coating the first electrode with aqueous dispersed material which when dried provides a dielectric layer over the first electrode; coating the dielectric layer with liquid crystal bearing material and drying such liquid crystal bearing material and providing a second electrode in contact with the dried liquid crystal bearing material.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2001Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Stanley W. Stephenson, John I. Kilburn, John W. Boettcher, Thomas M. Smith
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Patent number: 6678034Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel including first and second substrates, and a FLC layer interposed therebetween. A small quantity of additives are mixed in the FLC layer, without changing the electrical or chemical properties of the FLC. Under a proper temperature and an electric field, the FLC layer is ripened sufficiently. Thereafter, the FLC is exposed to light such that polymer networks are formed in the FLC layer due to the polymerization by the additives. The polymer networks connect with each other across molecular layers in the FLC such that the molecules of the FLC are stabilized in proper orientations and maintain their molecular layer structure regardless of the temperature variance. And, the diffraction grating becomes stable regardless of the temperature variance, and fast response time and good gray scale are achieved.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2000Date of Patent: January 13, 2004Assignee: LG.Philips LCD Co., Ltd.Inventors: Suk-Won Choi, Hyung-Ki Hong
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Patent number: 6660344Abstract: New photopolymerizable liquid crystalline dioxetane compounds are provided having the general formula I: wherein R1 and R2 are independently selected from straight or branched C1-C4 alkyl and hydrogen; X and X′ are independently selected from oxygen, sulfur, a single covalent bond, —O—CO—, —CO—O—, and —O—CO—O—; Y and Y′ are spacer groups having each independently 1 to 30 carbon atoms (linear or branched), in which the carbon chain may be interrupted by oxygen in the ether function or by sulfur in the thioether function; Z and Z′ are independently selected from oxygen, sulfur, a single covalent bond, —O—CO—, —CO—O—, and —O—CO—O—; and M is any suitable mesogenic group. Also, compositions are provided containing one or more compounds of formula I, as well as methods of preparing said compounds and compositions.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2001Date of Patent: December 9, 2003Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.Inventor: Johan Lub
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Patent number: 6641873Abstract: A method of making a display includes providing a transparent support and providing a conductive transparent layer formed thereover; patterning the transparent conductive layer; and coating a soluble layer including liquid crystal material dispersed in a polymer matrix over the patterned transparent layer and drying such coated soluble layer. The method further includes providing an opaque hydrophobic conductive layer over the dried coated soluble layer; patterning the opaque hydrophobic layer to form conductors leaving exposed portions of the transparent dried coated soluble layer, the position of the conductors relative to the transparent conductive layer defines image pixels; and removing by a solvent the exposed portions of the dried coated soluble layer so that when a potential for each pixel is applied between the patterned transparent conductive layer and patterned corresponding opaque hydrophobic conductors, an image is provided by the dried coated soluble layer which is viewable by an observer.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2001Date of Patent: November 4, 2003Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventor: James F. Elman
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Patent number: 6633354Abstract: A light controlling film is disclosed, comprising a polymerized polymer network varying spatially in a direction normal to the film surface, where the polymerized polymer network is a crosslinked high molecular weight polymeric material mixed with a low molecular weight nematic material exhibiting cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) order, wherein an electric field impressed in the film controls the reflection bandwidth of circularly polarized light.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1999Date of Patent: October 14, 2003Assignee: Reveo, Inc.Inventors: Le Li, Bunsen Fan, Yingqiu Jiang, Sadeg M. Faris, Jian-Feng Li
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Publication number: 20030174264Abstract: A light modulating layer formed by providing an emulsion having electro-optical fluid in a gelatin solution, heating the emulsion to reduce the viscosity of the emulsion and coating the heated emulsion on a substrate, lowering the temperature of the coated emulsion to change the state of the coated emulsion from a liquid to a gel state, and drying the coating, while in the high viscosity state, to form a layer of polymer-dispersed domains of electro-optical material.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2002Publication date: September 18, 2003Applicant: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Stanley W. Stephenson, Charles M. Rankin
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Patent number: 6618104Abstract: An optical device and a display apparatus of the present invention are constructed so as to improve display characteristics of output light intensity, display contrast, and reduction of scattered light due to external light, and also to provide a large-screen. The optical device has a first stacked body and a plurality of second stacked bodies. The first stacked body includes a light guide, a fist electrode, and an optical control layer. The second stacked body includes a plurality of second electrodes, the reflection film and a substrate. A plurality of third electrodes are provided through the substrate. Each of the third electrode has a first end part connecting to the second electrode and a second end part exposed to the other side of the substrate. A further light absorption film may be disposed between the reflection film and the second electrode.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 1999Date of Patent: September 9, 2003Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone CorporationInventors: Munekazu Date, Shiro Suyama, Kinya Kato, Kazutake Uehira
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Patent number: 6583838Abstract: A liquid crystal display device including a polyimide alignment layer, having a bistable liquid crystal material and a polymer stabilizer in an amount effective to stabilize the liquid crystal the liquid crystal preferably having a low or medium pretilt angle to eliminate undesired states and stripe tendency and to increase hysteresis. The device has a low driving voltage, low power consumption and fast switching.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2000Date of Patent: June 24, 2003Assignee: Kent State UniversityInventors: Charles D. Hoke, Philip J. Bos, Jianlin Li
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Patent number: 6551667Abstract: A polymer dispersion type liquid crystal display element having liquid crystal droplets dispersed and held in a continuous matrix phase including polymer compound or a three dimensional network form of matrix including polymer compound dispersed between a pair of substrates, each having an inside electrode. The liquid crystal droplets are in all areas but for an area in the vicinity of the interfaces between the substrates. The liquid crystal droplets are ellipsoid of revolution forms of substantially the same size.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2002Date of Patent: April 22, 2003Inventors: Hirofumi Kubota, Shinya Kosako, Kenji Nakao, Noriko Naito, Tsuyoshi Uemura, Masao Yamamoto
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Publication number: 20030067267Abstract: Conjugated mono-, oligo- and polyalkylidenefluorenes are suitable for use as semiconductors or charge transport materials in optical, electrooptical or electronic devices including field effect transistors, electroluminescent, photovoltaic and sensor devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2002Publication date: April 10, 2003Applicant: Merck Patent GmbHInventors: Martin Heeney, Steven Tierney, Mark Giles, Louise Diane Farrand, Maxim Shkunov, David Sparrowe, Iain McCulloch
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Patent number: 6538814Abstract: An active screen reflects a high contrast projected image. The screen has (1) an active layer having visible optical properties changed by an electric field provided by electrodes and (2) a photosensitive layer. The photosensitive layer is such that the electric field across a localized area of the active layer depends on the illumination incident on the photoconductor in that area. The local reflectance of the projection screen thus depends on the intensity of light incident upon it. In one embodiment, the reflectance of the screen increases with increasing light intensity to produce a high contrast reflected image.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2001Date of Patent: March 25, 2003Assignee: Hewlett-Packard CompanyInventors: Andrew Arthur Hunter, John Christopher Rudin
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Publication number: 20030039770Abstract: A liquid crystal device has a liquid crystal layer of a liquid crystal composition comprising a discotic mesomorphic compound and a rod-shaped mesomorphic compound. The discotic mesomorphic compound and the rod-shaped mesomorphic compound are essentially mutually different in molecular structure and refractive index anisotropy and are co-present in the liquid crystal layer in a mutual phase separation state, thus improving a light-scattering performance of the liquid crystal device.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2002Publication date: February 27, 2003Inventors: Koichi Sato, Shinichi Nakamura, Koji Noguchi
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Patent number: 6497928Abstract: A liquid crystal device has a liquid crystal layer of a liquid crystal composition comprising a discotic mesomorphic compound and a rod-shaped mesomorphic compound. The discotic mesomorphic compound and the rod-shaped mesomorphic compound are essentially mutually different in molecular structure and refractive index anisotropy and are co-present in the liquid crystal layer in a mutual phase separation state, thus improving a light-scattering performance of the liquid crystal device.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2000Date of Patent: December 24, 2002Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koichi Sato, Shinichi Nakamura, Koji Noguchi
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Patent number: 6476887Abstract: This invention provides a liquid crystal display which comprises a first region including a display region, and a second region being outside the first region, wherein the first and second regions both contain liquid crystal in a polymer network, and a part of the polymer network of the second region is different in structure from the polymer network of the first region, and the part is present in the second region asymmetrically with respect to the first region, and a production method for a liquid crystal display, which comprises providing a liquid crystal material and a prepolymer material in a space between a pair of substrates at least one of which is transparent, and polymerizing the prepolymer material by scanning a first region including a display region and a second region outside the first region with a light beam which causes polymerization.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2001Date of Patent: November 5, 2002Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuhiro Sekine, Shunsuke Inoue, Hiroshi Mizuno
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Patent number: 6473143Abstract: A light controlling film is disclosed, comprising a polymerized polymer network varying spatially in a direction normal to the film surface, where the polymerized polymer network is a crosslinked high molecular weight polymeric material mixed with a low molecular weight nematic material exibiting cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) order, wherein wherein an electric field impressed in the film controls the reflection of circularly polarized light.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 1998Date of Patent: October 29, 2002Assignee: Reveo, Inc.Inventors: Jian-feng Li, Le Li, Bunsen Fan, Yingqiu Jiang, Sadeg Faris
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Patent number: 6469757Abstract: A process selectively removes a light modulating layer containing a liquid crystalline material dispersed in a polymeric binder from the electrically conductive layer of a liquid crystal display web. The provided web comprises a flexible substrate, an electrically conducting layer disposed on the substrate, and a light modulating layer disposed on the electrically conductive layer. The light modulating layer inclues a liquid crystalline material dispersed in a polymeric binder and has an upper surface. The web is transported at a controlled rate of speed from a first station to a second station that is situated at a selected distance from the first station. At the first station, a solvent effective for softening the light modulating layer is applied at a controlled rate to a selected portion of the upper surface, thereby forming a selected softened portion of the light modulating layer.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2000Date of Patent: October 22, 2002Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventor: Dwight J. Petruchik
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Patent number: 6452651Abstract: The invention provides a liquid crystal display having high reliability, which is excellent in terms of optical characteristics, heat resistance, and shock resistance, wherein a liquid crystal display consisting of a cholesteric liquid crystal, a chiral nematic liquid crystal or a liquid crystal 1 layer, being a combination thereof, which is roughly pillar-like and polygonal in section or has a roughly pillar-like form enclosed by a closed curve, and divided by said polymer network into areas whose minimum diameter measured by vernier calipers is 5 &mgr;m and whose maximum diameter measured by vernier calipers is 100 &mgr;m, is obtained by polymer networks 4 formed by polymerization of monomer, so that sufficient reflection can be obtained from the liquid crystal 1 without being optical scattering.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2000Date of Patent: September 17, 2002Assignee: Nanox CorporationInventors: Manabu Takami, Masaki Kitaoka, Ayumi Sasaki, Tomio Wada
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Patent number: 6441551Abstract: The present invention provides the EL device and apparatus each of which has a white appearance in the non-light-emitting state, and can emit white light with high luminance in the light-emitting state. When such an EL device or apparatus is used, the light-emitting surface provides a background with high whiteness both in the light-emitting and non-light-emitting state, and can highlight a light-transmitting printed layer formed on the light-emitting surface.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2000Date of Patent: August 27, 2002Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Hidetoshi Abe, Yoshinori Araki
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Patent number: 6437841Abstract: A display device (1) is provided with a means (15) for selectively transmitting and blocking light from specific areas of the image. The means for blocking comprises an LCD cells or a number of LCD cells, which cells comprises an oriented polymer network, an LC material with negative &Dgr;&egr; and a pleochroic dye.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2000Date of Patent: August 20, 2002Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.Inventors: Dirk Jan Broer, Hendrik De Koning, Gosse Charles De Vries, Mark Thomas Johnson
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Publication number: 20020085145Abstract: A liquid crystal display cell, and a fabricating method thereof, that incorporates a light-cured monomer in a ferroelectric liquid crystal. By injecting the light-cured monomer/ferroelectric liquid crystal between substrate while in a nematic phase or isotropic phase, by performing DC voltage treatments as the liquid crystal temperature decreases, and by performing a light irradiation treatment, a stable, aligned ferroelectric liquid crystal cell is produced. Such a ferroelectric liquid crystal cell can reduce flicker and can be realigned after a physical shock.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2001Publication date: July 4, 2002Inventor: Su Seok Choi
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Publication number: 20020080305Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal display and a fabricating method thereof that is capable of maintaining a stable alignment state against external temperature variation and external impact. In the method and apparatus, a ferroelectric liquid crystal containing a small amount of light-hardening polymer is injected between upper and lower substrates provided with alignment film. An ultraviolet ray is irradiated thereon to form a polymer network. The ultraviolet ray has a light intensity range of about 1 to about 5 mW/cm2, and has a light energy range of about 240 to about 1200 mJ/cm2.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2001Publication date: June 27, 2002Inventors: Suk Won Choi, Su Seok Choi
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Publication number: 20020054251Abstract: Two electric fields that are directed to respective directions rectangular relative to each other are selectively applied to polymer dispersed liquid crystal by means of electrodes arranged to sandwich the polymer dispersed liquid crystal and electrodes arranged along a substrate to uniformly orient the liquid crystal in either of the directions. While conventional polymer dispersed liquid crystal is adapted to utilize scatter of light in a randomly oriented state, the polymer dispersed liquid crystal of this invention is adapted to utilize a uniformly oriented state to improve the efficiency of scattering light. The present invention is also applicable to devices where polymer dispersed liquid crystal has a memory property.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2001Publication date: May 9, 2002Inventors: Tomoko Maruyama, Yoshinori Uno
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Patent number: 6379850Abstract: A rewritable thermosensible recording material shown by the following chemical formula. This recording material can be produced by condensing a derivative of dicarboxylic acid and cholesterol or by making halide dicarboxylic acid and cholesterol react to each other. By locating this material purely or as a mixture between a base layer and a transparent protective layer, a rewritable thermosensible recording medium can be obtained.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 1999Date of Patent: April 30, 2002Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideaki Ueda, Tsuyoshi Nozaki, Shoji Kotani
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Patent number: 6369868Abstract: A light controlling film is described comprising a polymerized polymer network of a crosslinked high molecular weight polymeric material and a low molecular weight cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) material, wherein the high molecular weight and the low molecular weight form a material having cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) order such that the film is a reflective circular polarizer whose bandwidth is controllable by an electric field impressed in the film.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 1998Date of Patent: April 9, 2002Assignee: Reveo, Inc.Inventors: Bunsen Fan, Jian-feng Li, Le Li, Sadeg Faris
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Patent number: 6368680Abstract: A method of making a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal display element including a phase separation step. The method calls for placing a liquid crystal polymer precursor compatible solution having a liquid crystal and a polymer precursor between a pair of substrates, each having an inside electrode, and irradiating a substrate surface with ultraviolet. The radiation causes a phase separation of the liquid crystal and the polymer precursor as well as polymerization and curing of the precursor. The method forms a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal having liquid crystal droplets dispersed and held in a continuous matrix phase or a three-dimensional network matrix.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2000Date of Patent: April 9, 2002Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hirofumi Kubota, Shinya Kosako, Kenji Nakao, Noriko Naito, Tsuyoshi Uemura, Masao Yamamoto
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Publication number: 20020039156Abstract: A light controlling film is disclosed, comprising a polymerized polymer network varying spatially in a direction normal to the film surface, where the polymerized polymer network is a crosslinked high molecular weight polymeric material mixed with a low molecular weight nematic material exibiting cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) order, wherein wherein an electric field impressed in the film controls the reflection of circularly polarized light.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 1998Publication date: April 4, 2002Inventors: JIAN-FENG LI, LE LI, BUNSEN FAN, YINGQIU JIANG, SADEG FARIS
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Patent number: 6365239Abstract: A polymer dispersion type liquid crystal display element having a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal sandwiched between a pair of substrates, each having an inside electrode, is disclosed. The liquid crystal has liquid crystal droplets dispersed and held in either a polymer compound-containing continuous phase matrix or a three dimensional network of such a matrix. In one embodiment, the capacitance hysteresis, defined as Chys=(C2−C1)/Cmax, does not exceed 1.5%. C1 is the capacitance for an applied voltage that is in the process of rising a voltage-capacitance characteristic; C2 is the capacitance of an applied voltage in the process of dropping; and C2 is the capacitance of a maximum applied voltage. In another embodiment, the Chys value does not exceed 0.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2000Date of Patent: April 2, 2002Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hirofumi Kubota, Shinya Kosako, Kenji Nakao, Noriko Naito, Tsuyoshi Uemura, Masao Yamamoto
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Patent number: 6355315Abstract: A method of forming a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal display element having a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal sandwiched between a pair of substrates, each having an inside electrode, is disclosed. The droplets either are dispersed and held in a continuous matrix phase of the polymer or held in a three dimensional network of a matrix containing the polymer. In the method, the value of (V90×R/d is at least 0.7 where V90 is that voltage required for transmittance of a voltage-transmittance characteristic of the display element to be 90% when the element is at 30° C., d is the interval between the substrate pair, and R is the average particle size of the liquid crystal droplets.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2000Date of Patent: March 12, 2002Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hirofumi Kubota, Shinya Kosako, Kenji Nakao, Noriko Naito, Tsuyoshi Uemura, Masao Yamamoto
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Patent number: 6355314Abstract: A polymer dispersion type liquid crystal display element is disclosed. The element has a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal sandwiched between a pair of substrates, each having an inside electrode. Liquid crystal droplets are dispersed either in a polymer matrix continuous phase or in a three-dimensional matrix-containing polymer. When no voltage is applied to the electrodes, the liquid crystal molecules in the droplets present a bipolar-form orientation pattern having at least two poles in the vicinity of the interfaces between the liquid crystal droplets and the polymer. When a clear point transition temperature of the liquid crystal is Tni, the pattern of bipolar-form orientation is maintained at least when the element is operating at a temperature in the range of 5° C. to (Tni−5)° C.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2000Date of Patent: March 12, 2002Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hirofumi Kubota, Shinya Kosako, Kenji Nakao, Noriko Naito, Tsuyoshi Uemura, Masao Yamamoto
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Patent number: 6351298Abstract: A reflective type liquid crystal display device in accordance with the present invention includes a reflector film having excellent polarization preservation properties and an anisotropic diffusing film for diffusing only the light polarized in a particular direction. The anisotropic diffusing film is composed of a complex of liquid crystal and a polymer and selectively diffuses incident light. If a liquid crystal layer composed of dichroic dye and liquid crystal is employed, it becomes possible to carry out high contrast display with the anisotropic diffusing film and the reflector film and to prevent reflections of nearby objects appearing on the screen.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2000Date of Patent: February 26, 2002Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Seiichi Mitsui, Masayuki Okamoto, Shun Ueki
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Publication number: 20020001052Abstract: An electro-optically active polymer gel material comprising a high molecular weight alignment polymer adapted to be homogeneously dispersed throughout a liquid crystal to control the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules and/or confer mechanical stability is provided. The electro-optically active polymer gel comprises a homogenous gel in which the polymer strands of the gel are provided in low concentration and are well solvated by the small molecule liquid crystal without producing unacceptable slowing of its electrooptic response. During formation of the gel, a desired orientation is locked into the gel by physical or chemical cross-linking of the polymer chains. The electro-optically active polymer is then utilized to direct the orientation in the liquid crystal gel in the “field off” state of a liquid crystal display.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2001Publication date: January 3, 2002Inventors: Julia A. Kornfield, Michael D. Kempe
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Patent number: 6331881Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprises a pair of substrates; and a composite layer disposed between the pair of substrates, the composite layer including a resin phase and a liquid crystal phase of a liquid crystal material exhibiting cholesteric characteristic, the composite layer having an area defining one pixel, and the area including a plurality of regions being different from each other in condition of the resin phase. A method of producing a liquid crystal device comprises the steps of defining an area corresponding to one pixel; and forming a plurality of regions of composite layer in the area, the composite layer including a resin phase and a liquid crystal phase of a liquid crystal material exhibiting cholesteric characteristic, and each of the regions being different from the others in condition of the resin phase.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 1998Date of Patent: December 18, 2001Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takuji Hatano, Masakazu Okada
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Publication number: 20010050734Abstract: Transflective display device provided with an optical waveguide which splits light coming in from aside into two light beams having a mutually opposite circular polarization. Polarization splitting is achieved at the interface of areas in the optical waveguide having a chiral nematic structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2000Publication date: December 13, 2001Inventors: Hugo Johan Cornelissen, Dirk Jan Broer, Peter Van De Witte
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Patent number: 6313894Abstract: This invention provides a liquid crystal display which comprises a first region including a display region, and a second region being outside the first region, wherein the first and second regions both contain liquid crystal in a polymer network, and a part of the polymer network of the second region is different in structure from the polymer network of the first region, and the part is present in the second region asymmetrically with respect to the first region, and a production method for a liquid crystal display, which comprises providing a liquid crystal material and a prepolymer material in a space between a pair of substrates at least one of which is transparent, and polymerizing the prepolymer material by scanning a first region including a display region and a second region outside the first region with a light beam which causes polymerization.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 1998Date of Patent: November 6, 2001Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuhiro Sekine, Shunsuke Inoue, Hiroshi Mizuno
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Patent number: 6306469Abstract: The invention provides a method of filling a PDLC cell, a polymerizable mixture suitable for this purpose as well as a display device provided with such a PDLC cell. The mixture in accordance with the invention comprises two types of non-volatile reactive monomers, the first type of monomer being readily miscible with liquid crystalline material and the second type of monomer being poorly miscible with the liquid crystalline material. Such mixtures prove to be very stable. In addition, when such mixtures are used in cells, problems regarding compositional drift do not occur. Cells in which the inventive mixture is used demonstrate a relatively low hysteresis as well as a relatively low switching voltage. By virtue thereof, it is very attractive to use these cells in a display device.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 1998Date of Patent: October 23, 2001Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventors: Christoph Serbutoviez, Johan G. Kloosterboer, Fredericus J. Touwslager
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Patent number: 6304306Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes substrates opposed to each other, a polymeric layer patterned into a predetermined pattern, and a liquid crystal layer at least partially surrounded by the polymeric layer. The polymeric layer and the liquid crystal layer are interposed between the substrates. The polymeric layer is at least partially formed by polymerizing a liquid crystalline polymerization precursor in a state where the molecules of the liquid crystalline polymerization precursor are aligned in a predetermined direction by an alignment regulating force of at least one of the substrates.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 1998Date of Patent: October 16, 2001Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Makoto Shiomi, Shinji Yamagishi, Tokihiko Shinomiya, Shuichi Kozaki, Kohichi Fujimori
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Patent number: 6291034Abstract: Liquid crystal compounds of formula (I) are described, where formula (I) is given as R1—A—(X)m—(B)n—R2 where A is selected from naphthyl, fluorinated naphthyl, brominated naphthyl, B is selected from phenyl, methylated phenyl, brominated phenyl, fluorinated phenyl, thiophene, pyrimidine and pyridine. R1 and R2 are independently selected from alkyl, alkoxy, akynyl, thioalkyl, Br, CN, SCN, NCS, perfluoroalkyl, perfluoroalkoxy and hydrogen, X is selected from C≡C, COO and C≡C, m is 0 or 1, n is 0 or 1 where m is 1 and n is 0 where m is 0; provided that where A is naphthyl, n is 1 and m is 0 then B is selected from methylated phenyl, brominated phenyl, thiophene, pyrimidine and pyridine; and further provided that where A is naphthyl, X is C≡C, m is 1 and n is 1, then B is selected from thiophene, pyrimidine and pyridine.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 1998Date of Patent: September 18, 2001Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandInventors: Kenneth Johnson Toyne, John William Goodby, Alexander Seed, George William Gray, Damien Gerad McDonnel, Edward Peter Raynes, Sally Elizabeth Day, Kenneth John Harrison, Michael Hird
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Liquid crystal display panel implementing bistable liquid crystal and method of fabricating the same
Publication number: 20010017685Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel implementing a bistable liquid crystal and fabricating the same is disclosed in the present invention. Specifically, a method of fabricating a liquid crystal display panel having first and second substrates, the method includes forming a first electrode on the first substrate, forming a second electrode on the second substrate, assembling the first and second substrates, forming a bistable twist nematic liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates, wherein the bistable twist nematic liquid crystal layer having a monomer, aligning the bistable twist nematic liquid crystal layer by applying electric fields, and forming polymer networks by exposing the bistable twist nematic liquid crystal layer to light.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2001Publication date: August 30, 2001Inventor: Ku-Hyun Park -
Patent number: 6278508Abstract: A reflector electrode is provided with hills and valleys thereon, and the reflector electrode is formed on an inside face of a transparent substrate having a transparent electrode and an opposite substrate. Light-scattering-liquid-crystal is provided with forward-scattering component and back-scattering component, so that scattering of reflected light from the reflector electrode is increased when the light-scattering-liquid-crystal is transparent. As a result, contrast is less dependent on a viewing angle, and a brighter quality display with higher color purity can be obtained.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 1999Date of Patent: August 21, 2001Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tetsu Ogawa, Shingo Fujita, Hiroaki Mizuno, Yoshio Iwai
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Patent number: 6275276Abstract: A liquid crystal display having a pair of substrates having electrodes on opposing surfaces thereof, at least one of the substrates being transparent. A continuous liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between the pair of substrates and the liquid crystal layer includes first and second liquid crystal gel layers each with polymer enabling alignment. A direction of orientation of the liquid crystal molecules included in the first liquid crystal gel layer is orthogonal to a direction of orientation of the liquid crystal molecules included in the second liquid crystal gel layer.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2000Date of Patent: August 14, 2001Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Shinichi Komura, Yuji Mori, Junichi Hirakata, Masahiko Ando, Osamu Itou, Ikuo Hiyama
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Patent number: 6266109Abstract: A liquid crystal optical switching element comprising a pair of substrates disposed to face to each other with a space being interposed therebetween, a medium interposed between the pair of substrate and composed of a liquid crystal material partitioned into small sections, and a material for partitioning a region of the liquid crystal material into the small sections, and voltage-applying means to apply an voltage to the medium. This medium is optically isotropic at the moment when no voltage is applied to the medium and capable of exhibiting an optical anisotropy which is proportional to a square of electric field intensity when a voltage is applied to the medium.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 1998Date of Patent: July 24, 2001Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Hajime Yamaguchi, Yasushi Kawata
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Patent number: 6266113Abstract: A reflection type liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is constructed to include: a light modulation layer having a light scattering state changed when a voltage is applied between electrode faces; at least one kind of color separation layer arranged at the back of the liquid crystal; and a reflection layer arranged at the back of the color separation layer. The light modulation layer is a polymer network type polymer scattered liquid crystal layer or a phase conversion type liquid crystal layer, and the color separation mirror is a cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layer or a dielectric multi-layered thin film characterized to reflect a light within a predetermined wavelength range in the visible light region selectively. A reflection preventing layer and an ultraviolet ray cut-off layer are further arranged on the surfaces of the electrode faces.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 1997Date of Patent: July 24, 2001Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.Inventors: Osamu Yamazaki, Shunichi Motte, Teruo Ebihara, Shigeru Senbonmatsu, Kaori Taniguchi, Takakazu Fukuchi, Hiroshi Sakama, Masafumi Hoshino, Naotoshi Shino, Shuhei Yamamoto
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Patent number: 6261650Abstract: A polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) display element for use in an electronic apparatus wherein the display element operates in a PDLC mode or reverse PDLC mode providing for reduction of visual display haze, improved display contrast. The particular medium includes a liquid crystal portion and a polymer portion and may include a chiral component. In cases where visual display haze and contract is a particular problem in the utility of the reverse PDLC display element, such as in the case where the display element is combined with a solar battery, a sufficient amount of dichroic dye is added to the liquid crystal portion of the medium, and, further, a compound showing no fluorescence emission with respect to a liquid crystal portion, or a polymer or a chiral polymer precursor portion of the medium, is employed.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 1999Date of Patent: July 17, 2001Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Hidekazu Kobayashi, Eiji Chino, Masayuki Yazaki, Hidehito Iisaka
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Publication number: 20010005244Abstract: A display device (1) is provided with a means (15) for selectively transmitting and blocking light from specific areas of the image. The means for blocking comprises an LCD cells or a number of LCD cells, which cells comprises an oriented polymer network, an LC material with negative &Dgr;&egr; and a pleochroic dye.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2000Publication date: June 28, 2001Inventors: Dirk Jan Broer, Hendrik De Koning, Gosse Charles De Vries, Mark Thomas Johnson
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Patent number: 6218679Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel includes a counter substrate having a counter electrode and a multi-layered dielectric film both formed thereon, and an array substrate formed with pixel electrodes and thin-film transistors serving as switching elements. A layer of polymer dispersed liquid crystal material containing a UV-curable resin component and a liquid crystal component is sandwiched and sealed between the counter and array substrates. A light shielding film is formed over each thin-film transistor. The multi-layered dielectric film is a laminated structure of alternating thin-films of SiO2 and HfO2. Since the multi-layered dielectric film is of a nature capable of transmitting UV-rays of light therethrough, the UV-curable resin component positioned underneath the multi-layered dielectric film can be cured during the manufacture.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 1999Date of Patent: April 17, 2001Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Takahara, Shinya Sannohe
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Patent number: 6215543Abstract: In order to reduce the effects of impact on liquid crystal devices a polymer network is introduced into ferroelectric liquid crystal cells. A liquid crystal device comprises two spaced cell walls each bearing electrode structures and treated on at least one facing surface with an alignment layer, a layer of a smectic liquid crystal material enclosed between the cell walls, characterised in that the liquid crystal material contains a small amount of monomer. The liquid crystal material may also contain a photoinitiator. The monomer material may be cured to produce the polymer networks the curing many be carried out in the presence of an electric or magnetic field. Further, the monomer may be cured in an isotropic or liquid crystal phase.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2000Date of Patent: April 10, 2001Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandInventors: Ian Robert Mason, Damien Gerard McDonnell, John Clifford Jones, Guy Peter Bryan-Brown
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Patent number: 6177972Abstract: An in-plane switched liquid crystal device IPS LCD which provides fast switching times is formed by filling an empty IPS LCD panel having an array of display elements with a mixture of nematic liquid crystal material and a mesogenic polymerizable material, such as monomers or polymer precursers and suitable photoinitiators, curing, or cross-linking agents, and then polymerizing the mixture such that a phase-separated network of cross-linked polymer strands is formed. The cross-linked network of polymer strands displays an average orientation whose average orientation substantially conforms with nematic orientation of the nematic liquid crystal material in its “field-off” state.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 1999Date of Patent: January 23, 2001Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Glenn Allen Held, Shui-Chih Alan Lien, Do Yeung Yoon
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Patent number: 6175397Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus comprises a first polymer-containing liquid crystal area forming a first area including a display area, and a second polymer-containing liquid crystal area including a second area other than the first area, and is characterized in that polymer of the first polymer-containing liquid crystal area and polymer of the second polymer-containing liquid crystal area respectively have network structures different from each other.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 1998Date of Patent: January 16, 2001Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shunsuke Inoue, Yasuhiro Sekine, Hiroshi Mizuno
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Patent number: 6157425Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprises extended polymer networks formed in the liquid crystal cells. By adding a monomer and a photo-initiator into the liquid crystal material of a liquid crystal display, applying a bias voltage and exposing the display under a UV light, a polymer network can be formed. The polymer network modifies the electro-optical characteristic of a liquid crystal display device. With different bias voltages, polymer networks of different structures can be formed so that the color difference of the liquid crystal display with respect to red, green and blue light can be minimized. Liquid crystal display devices of fast switching response and low color dispersion can be fabricated.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 1999Date of Patent: December 5, 2000Assignee: Industrial Technology Research InstituteInventors: Chen-Lung Kuo, Chung-Kuang Wei, Yong-Hong Lu