US5818557A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Liquid-crystal electro-optical apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1996-01-26
•
Granted: 1998-10-06
•
Expires: 2016-01-26
Abstract
Abstract A liquid crystal device comprising: a pair of substrates having an electrode arrangement thereon; an orientation control means provided on at least one of said substrates; and a ferroelectric or antiferroelectric liquid crystal layer interposed between said substrates, said liquid crystal layer being uniaxially oriented by virtue of said orientation control means, wherein means for suppressing an orientation control effect of said orientation control means with respect to said liquid crystal layer is provided between said liquid crystal layer and said orientation control means.
Inventors
- 👤 Toshimitsu Konuma
- 👤 Takeshi Nishi
- 👤 Michio Shimizu
- 👤 Harumi Mori
- 👤 Kouji Moriya
- 👤 Satoshi Murakami
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 18:53
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/13; G02F1/137; G02F1/139; G02F1/141; G02F1/133; G02F1/1333; G02F1/1337; G02F1/133711; G02F1/13378; G02F1/133788; G02F1/1416
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device comprising the steps of: providing a pair of substrates having an electrode arrangement formed on said substrates and a uniaxial orientation control means provided on at least one of said substrates; preparing a mixture comprising a liquid crystal material and a curable resin containing a reaction initiating agent; disposing said mixture between a gap of said pair of substrates; orienting said liquid crystal in accordance with an orientation controlling force of said uniaxial orientation control means; and then curing said resin after said orienting step, wherein said resin is precipitated at least between said uniaxial orientation control means and said liquid crystal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
110 words
A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device comprising the steps of: providing a pair of substrates having an electrode arrangement formed on said substrates and a uniaxial orientation control means provided on at least one of said substrates; preparing a mixture comprising a liquid crystal material and a curable resin containing a reaction initiating agent; disposing said mixture between a gap of said pair of substrates; orienting said liquid crystal in accordance with an orientation controlling force of said uniaxial orientation control means; and then curing said resin after said orienting step, wherein said resin is precipitated at least between said uniaxial orientation control means and said liquid crystal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said curable resin includes a monomer at 40% weight or more.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said curable resin includes a monomer at 60-90% weight.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said curable resin includes a monomer and a concentration of said monomer with respect to said mixture is 2.0% weight or more.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said liquid crystal is a ferroelectric liquid crystal or an antiferroelectric liquid crystal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said resin precipitated between said liquid crystal and said orientation control means restrains an orientation control force of said orientation control means with respect to said liquid crystal.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
134 words
A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device comprising the steps of: providing a pair of substrates having an electrode arrangement formed on said substrates and a uniaxial orientation control means provided on at least one of said substrates; preparing a mixture comprising a liquid crystal material and a curable resin containing a reaction initiating agent; disposing said mixture between a gap of said pair of substrates at a temperature at which said liquid crystal takes an isotropic phase; cooling said mixture disposed between said substrates so that said liquid crystal is oriented by said uniaxial orientation control means while said curable resin is separated from said liquid crystal; and then curing said resin after said cooling, wherein said resin is precipitated at least between said uniaxial orientation control means and said liquid crystal.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
134 words
A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device comprising the steps of: providing a pair of substrates having an electrode arrangement formed on said substrates and a uniaxial orientation control means provided on at least one of said substrates; preparing a mixture comprising a liquid crystal material and a curable resin containing a reaction initiating agent; disposing said mixture between a gap of said pair of substrates at a temperature at which said liquid crystal takes an isotropic phase; cooling said mixture disposed between said substrates so that said liquid crystal is oriented by said uniaxial orientation control means while said curable resin is separated from said liquid crystal; and then curing said resin after said cooling, wherein said resin is precipitated at least between said uniaxial orientation control means and said liquid crystal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said curing step is carried out with a UV light.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of heating said device after said curing step to a temperature at which said liquid crystal exhibits a SmA or N* phase, maintaining said device at said temperature and then cooling said device to a room temperature. orienting said liquid crystal in accordance with an orientation controlling force of said uniaxial orientation control means; and curing said resin after said orienting step.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein said resin precipitated between said liquid crystal and said orientation control means restrains an orientation control force of said orientation control means with respect to said liquid crystal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3982820A
Cited
US5083855A
Cited
US4640583A
Cited
US4796979A
Cited
US4932757A
Cited
US4911958A
Cited
US5332521A
Cited
US5212575A
Cited
US5227900A
Cited
US5339306A
Cited
US5327271A
Cited
US5412494A
Cited
US5490001A
Cited
US5305126A
Cited
US5189540A
Cited
US5473449A
Cited
US5469281A
Cited
US5546208A
Cited
US5530573A
Cited
US5528401A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-10-05 | 2002-04-06 | 2002-10-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-10-05 | 2006-04-06 | 2006-10-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-10-05 | 2010-04-06 | 2010-10-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |