US5644372A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Liquid crystal display device having protrusions on the electrodes
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1995-05-22
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Granted: 1997-07-01
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Expires: 2015-05-22
Abstract
Abstract A liquid crystal display device is constituted by a pair of oppositely disposed substrates each having a plurality of opposing electrodes, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed between the substrates so as to form a plurality of pixels each composed by a combination of a pair of the opposing electrodes and the ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed therebetween. Each pixel is provided with regions of different polarity inversion threshold voltages, and at least one of the pair of opposing electrodes is provided with a plurality of regions having unevennesses at different densities including a region with a higher density of unevennesses corresponding to a region of a lower polarity inversion threshold voltage and a region with a lower density of unevennesses corresponding to a region of a higher polarity inversion threshold voltage.
Inventors
- 👤 Katsuhiko Shinjo
- 👤 Tetsuya Kaneko
- 👤 Shuzo Kaneko
- 👤 Takeo Tsukamoto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 00:42
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/13; G02F1/133; G02F1/1333; G02F1/133371; G02F1/133345; G02F1/137; G02F1/139; G02F1/141; G09; G09G; G09G3/00; G09G3/20; G09G3/34; G09G3/36; G09G3/3611; G09G3/3614; G02F1/1343; G02F1/13439; G02F2203/00; G02F2203/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A liquid crystal display device, comprising: a pair of oppositely disposed substrates each having a plurality of opposing electrodes, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed between the substrates so as to form a plurality of pixels each composed by a combination of a pair of the opposing electrodes and the ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed therebetween; wherein each pixel is provided with regions of different polarity inversion threshold voltages, and at least one of said pair of opposing electrodes is provided with a plurality of regions having island-shaped unevennesses at different densities including a region with a higher density of unevennesses corresponding to a region of a lower polarity inversion threshold voltage and a region with a lower density of unevennesses corresponding to a region of a higher polarity inversion threshold voltage.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
131 words
A liquid crystal display device, comprising: a pair of oppositely disposed substrates each having a plurality of opposing electrodes, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed between the substrates so as to form a plurality of pixels each composed by a combination of a pair of the opposing electrodes and the ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed therebetween; wherein each pixel is provided with regions of different polarity inversion threshold voltages, and at least one of said pair of opposing electrodes is provided with a plurality of regions having island-shaped unevennesses at different densities including a region with a higher density of unevennesses corresponding to a region of a lower polarity inversion threshold voltage and a region with a lower density of unevennesses corresponding to a region of a higher polarity inversion threshold voltage.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein the unevennesses comprise a part of the opposing electrode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein the unevennesses comprise a conductor formed on the opposing electrode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein the unevennesses comprise an insulating member formed on the opposing electrode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
95 words
A liquid crystal display device, comprising a pair of opposing electrodes and a ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed between the opposing electrodes; wherein at least one of the opposing electrodes is provided with a means for causing a lowering in polarity inversion threshold voltage of the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the form of a line, and at least one of the opposing electrodes is provided with island-shaped unevenesses disposed in a line as a means for causing a change in shape of a polarity-inverted region in direction of the line of lowered polarity inversion threshold voltage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
95 words
A liquid crystal display device, comprising a pair of opposing electrodes and a ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed between the opposing electrodes; wherein at least one of the opposing electrodes is provided with a means for causing a lowering in polarity inversion threshold voltage of the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the form of a line, and at least one of the opposing electrodes is provided with island-shaped unevenesses disposed in a line as a means for causing a change in shape of a polarity-inverted region in direction of the line of lowered polarity inversion threshold voltage.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
141 words
A liquid crystal display device, comprising: a pair of oppositely disposed substrates each having a plurality of opposing electrodes, and a chiral smectic liquid crystal disposed between the substrates so as to form a plurality of pixels each composed by a combination of a pair of the opposing electrodes and the chiral smectic liquid crystal disposed therebetween; wherein each pixel is provided with regions of different polarity inversion threshold voltages, and at least one of said pair of opposing electrodes is provided with a plurality of regions having unevennesses at different densities including a region with a higher density of unevennesses corresponding to a region of a lower polarity inversion threshold voltage and a region with a lower density of unevennesses corresponding to a region of a higher polarity inversion threshold voltage, and the unevennesses comprise projections having substantially equal heights.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
141 words
A liquid crystal display device, comprising: a pair of oppositely disposed substrates each having a plurality of opposing electrodes, and a chiral smectic liquid crystal disposed between the substrates so as to form a plurality of pixels each composed by a combination of a pair of the opposing electrodes and the chiral smectic liquid crystal disposed therebetween; wherein each pixel is provided with regions of different polarity inversion threshold voltages, and at least one of said pair of opposing electrodes is provided with a plurality of regions having unevennesses at different densities including a region with a higher density of unevennesses corresponding to a region of a lower polarity inversion threshold voltage and a region with a lower density of unevennesses corresponding to a region of a higher polarity inversion threshold voltage, and the unevennesses comprise projections having substantially equal heights.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
A device according to claim 6, wherein the unevennesses are island-shaped.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
11 words
A device according to claim 6, wherein the unevennesses are stripe-shaped.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the unevennesses comprise a part of the opposing electrode.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the unevennesses comprise a conductor formed on the opposing electrode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the unevennesses comprise an insulating member formed on the opposing electrode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
111 words
A liquid crystal display device, comprising a pair of opposing electrodes and a chiral smectic liquid crystal disposed between the opposing electrodes, wherein at least one of the opposing electrodes is provided with a means for causing a lowering in polarity inversion threshold voltage of the chiral smectic liquid crystal in the form of a line, and at least one of the opposing electrodes is provided with a means for causing a change in shape of a polarity-inverted region in direction of the line of lowered polarity inversion threshold voltage, wherein said means for causing a lowering in polarity inversion threshold voltage comprises a plurality of projections having substantially equal heights.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
111 words
A liquid crystal display device, comprising a pair of opposing electrodes and a chiral smectic liquid crystal disposed between the opposing electrodes, wherein at least one of the opposing electrodes is provided with a means for causing a lowering in polarity inversion threshold voltage of the chiral smectic liquid crystal in the form of a line, and at least one of the opposing electrodes is provided with a means for causing a change in shape of a polarity-inverted region in direction of the line of lowered polarity inversion threshold voltage, wherein said means for causing a lowering in polarity inversion threshold voltage comprises a plurality of projections having substantially equal heights.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device according to claim 12, wherein said means for causing a lowering in polarity inversion threshold voltage comprises stripe-shaped unevennesses disposed in parallel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
A device according to claim 12, wherein said means for causing a change in shape of a polarity-inverted region comprises island-shaped or stripe-shaped unevennesses disposed in alignment with the line of polarity inversion threshold voltage.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
51 words
A device according to claim 12, wherein said means for causing a change in shape of a polarity-inverted region comprises a means for causing an electric field applied to the chiral smectic liquid crystal to gradually increase or decrease in a direction along the line of lowered polarity inversion threshold voltage.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
64 words
A device according to claim 15, wherein said means for causing an electric field applied to the chiral smectic liquid crystal to gradually increase or decrease in a direction along the line of lowered polarity inversion threshold voltage comprises island-shaped or stripe-shaped unevennesses arranged at a varying density which increases or decreases in a direction of the line of lowered polarity inversion threshold voltage.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
54 words
A device according to claim 15, wherein said means for causing an electric field applied to the chiral smectic liquid crystal to gradually increase or decrease in a direction along the line of lowered polarity inversion threshold voltage comprises a gradient formed in a direction along the line of lowered polarity inversion threshold voltage.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
64 words
A device according to claim 15, wherein said means for causing an electric field applied to the chiral smectic liquid crystal to gradually increase or decrease in a direction along the line of lowered polarity inversion threshold voltage comprises a means for applying a bias voltage across one of the opposing electrode in a direction along the line of lowered polarity inversion threshold voltage.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-06-30 | 2000-12-30 | 2001-07-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-06-30 | 2004-12-30 | 2005-07-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-06-30 | 2008-12-30 | 2009-07-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |