US4682858A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Liquid crystal device having reduced-pressure region in communication with ferroelectric liquid crystal
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1985-08-08
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Granted: 1987-07-28
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Expires: 2005-08-08
Abstract
Abstract A liquid crystal cell having a pair of substrates disposed with a gap therebetween and a liquid crystal injected through a liquid crystal injection port and enclosed in the gap between the substrates. The liquid crystal cell has spacer members disposed on at least one of the substrates, a liquid crystal layer region, the thickness of which is regulated by the spacer members, and a reduced pressure space communicating with the liquid crystal layer region.
Inventors
- 👤 Junichiro Kanbe
- 👤 Shinjiro Okada
- 👤 Tohru Takahashi
- 👤 Yujiro Ando
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 05:55
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/13; G02F1/133; G02F1/1333; G02F1/1339; G02F1/13394; G02F1/133305; G02F1/1341; G02F1/133302; G02F1/1345
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 45
Claim 1
Independent Claim
77 words
A liquid crystal cell comprising a pair of substrates disposed with a gap therebetween; a liquid crystal injection port; a liquid crystal injected through the liquid crystal injection port and enclosed in the gap between the substrates to form a liquid crystal layer region; spacer members disposed on at least one of the substrates to regulate the thickness of the liquid crystal layer region; and a reduced pressure space in communication with said liquid crystal layer region.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
77 words
A liquid crystal cell comprising a pair of substrates disposed with a gap therebetween; a liquid crystal injection port; a liquid crystal injected through the liquid crystal injection port and enclosed in the gap between the substrates to form a liquid crystal layer region; spacer members disposed on at least one of the substrates to regulate the thickness of the liquid crystal layer region; and a reduced pressure space in communication with said liquid crystal layer region.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, wherein the volume of said reduced pressure space is 1/1000 or more of that of the liquid crystal layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, wherein the volume of said reduced pressure space is 1/100 or more of the liquid crystal layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting portion between said liquid crystal region and said reduced pressure space; the path length from said injection port to said connecting portion being the same as or longer than the maximum path length from the liquid crystal layer region to the injection port.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 4, wherein said connecting portion forms a throat.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said pair of substrates is flexible.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, wherein said reduced pressure space is provided by a groove formed in at least one of the substrates.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, wherein said liquid crystal is a ferroelectric liquid crystal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 8, wherein said ferroelectric liquid crystal is a chiral smectic liquid crystal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 9, wherein said chiral smectic liquid crystal is formed in a layer of 3μ or less in thickness and has bistability with non-spiral texture.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, wherein the pressure of said reduced pressure space is 1/2 atmosphere or below.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, wherein the pressure of said reduced pressure space is 1/10 to 1/2 atmosphere.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, wherein an inert gas is enclosed in said reduced pressure space.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 13, wherein said inert gas is N 2 gas, CO 2 gas, Ar gas or Ne gas.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 13, wherein said inert gas is enclosed at a pressure of 1/10 atmosphere or below in said reduced pressure space.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 13, wherein said inert gas is enclosed at a pressure of 1/1000 to 1/10 atmosphere in said reduced pressure space.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, wherein said reduced pressure space is provided in a region enclosed with a frame.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
91 words
A liquid crystal cell comprising: a cell structure comprising a pair of substrates disposed with a gap therebetween, a plurality of spacer members disposed between the substrates to maintain the gap, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal enclosed in the cell structure; at least one of the substrates being flexible and said spacer members being disposed with a spacing a (mm) from each other satisfying the relationship ##EQU3## wherein E denotes the modulus of elasticity (Kg.f/mm 2 ) of the flexible substrate and t denotes the thickness (mm) of the flexible substrate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
91 words
A liquid crystal cell comprising: a cell structure comprising a pair of substrates disposed with a gap therebetween, a plurality of spacer members disposed between the substrates to maintain the gap, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal enclosed in the cell structure; at least one of the substrates being flexible and said spacer members being disposed with a spacing a (mm) from each other satisfying the relationship ##EQU3## wherein E denotes the modulus of elasticity (Kg.f/mm 2 ) of the flexible substrate and t denotes the thickness (mm) of the flexible substrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 18, wherein the flexible substrate comprises a glass plate having a thickness of 0.2 mm or less.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 18, wherein said flexible substrate is a uniaxially stretched film having a thickness of 25μ or more.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 20, wherein said uniaxially stretched film is uniaxially stretched polyester film.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 18, wherein said spacer members have a thickness of 0.1 to 3μ.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 18, wherein said spacer members are arranged in the form of parallel stripes with a spacing of 2 mm or less from each other.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 18, wherein said spacer members are arranged in the form of parallel stripes with a spacing of 2 mm or less from each other.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
34 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 18, wherein said spacer members are arranged in the form of a lattice, each unit of which has a longer side length of 2 mm or less.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 18, wherein said spacer members are arranged in the form of a lattice, each unit of which has a longer side length of 800μ or less.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 18, wherein said spacer members are arranged in the form of dots with a spacing of 2 mm or less from each other.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
29 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 18, wherein said spacer members are arranged in the form of dots with a spacing of 800μ or less from each other.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 18, wherein said cell structure also encloses a reduced pressure space.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 18, wherein said ferroelectric liquid crystal is a chiral smectic liquid crystal.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 30, wherein said chiral smectic liquid crystal assumes non-spiral texture.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
31 words
The liquid crystal cell according to claim 30, wherein said chiral smectic liquid crystal is in C phase, H phase, I phase, J phase, K phase, G phase or F phase.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
79 words
A liquid crystal device comprising: a non-flexible first substrate provided with a first group of electrodes, a first driving circuit connected to said first group of electrodes and a second driving circuit, a flexible second substrate provided with a second group of electrodes, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed between the first and second substrates; said second electrode group connected to said second driving circuit, said first and second driving circuits being respectively connected to an external controlling circuit.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
79 words
A liquid crystal device comprising: a non-flexible first substrate provided with a first group of electrodes, a first driving circuit connected to said first group of electrodes and a second driving circuit, a flexible second substrate provided with a second group of electrodes, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed between the first and second substrates; said second electrode group connected to said second driving circuit, said first and second driving circuits being respectively connected to an external controlling circuit.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
The liquid crystal device according to claim 33, wherein said first and second electrode groups, in combination, form a matrix electrode structure.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
34 words
The liquid crystal device according to claim 33, wherein said first group of electrodes constitute scanning lines for applying scanning signals, and said second group of electrodes constitute data lines for applying information signals.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
34 words
The liquid crystal device according to claim 33, wherein said first group of electrodes constitute data lines for applying information signals, and said second group of electrodes constitute scanning lines for applying scanning signals.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
19 words
The liquid crystal device according to claim 33, wherein said ferroelectric liquid crystal is a chiral smectic liquid crystal.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
17 words
The liquid crystal device according to claim 37, wherein said chiral smectic liquid crystal assumes non-spiral texture.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
31 words
The liquid crystal device according to claim 37, wherein said chiral smectic liquid crystal is in C phase, H phase, I phase, J phase, K phase, G phase or F phase.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
43 words
The liquid crystal device according to claim 33, wherein said non-flexible first substrate comprises a thick glass plate having a thickness of 0.3 to 2 mm, and said flexible second substrate comprises a thin glass plate having a thickness of 20 to 300μ.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
35 words
The liquid crystal device according to claim 33, wherein said non-flexible first substrate comprises a thick glass plate having a thickness of 0.3 to 2 mm, and said flexible second substrate comprises a plastic film.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
23 words
The liquid crystal device according to claim 41, wherein said plastic film is polyethylene terephthalate film, isotropic polyvinyl chloride film or polyether-sulfone film.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-07-27 | 1991-01-26 | 1991-07-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-07-27 | 1995-01-26 | 1995-07-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-07-27 | 1999-01-26 | 1999-07-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |