Liquid crystal display unit

• US 20050212995A1
• Filed: 03/23/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd. (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Limited (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: Sekiguchi, Kanetaka
• Granted Patent: US 7,443,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/96
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133526 Lenses, e.g. microlenses or Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133528 Polarisers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133538 with spatial distribution of the polarisation direction
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133565 inside the LC elements, i.e. between the cell substrates

Abstract

A partial polarization member is provided on a second substrate. The partial polarization member is provided corresponding to an aperture of a reflection film, and is not provided in other areas that overlap with reflectors of a reflection film. Therefore, light that is incident from a backlight is reflected by the reflection film and returns to the backlight, without generating loss due to absorption or the like. The light that returns to the backlight is reflected by a backlight reflection film of the backlight, and is output to the aperture of the reflection film.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display unit comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate;

a liquid crystal layer that is sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate;

a first electrode that is provided on the first substrate;

a second electrode that is provided, corresponding to a pixel on a display, on the second substrate;

a reflection film that is provided on the second substrate and includes a plurality of reflectors that is provided, corresponding to the pixel, with a space therebetween;

an auxiliary light source that is provided on an opposite side of the second substrate with respect to the first substrate; and

a partial polarization member that is provided, corresponding to the space, between the reflection film and the auxiliary light source.

2. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 1, wherein the second substrate is provided between the partial polarization member and the liquid crystal layer.

3. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 1, wherein the partial polarization member is provided between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer.

4. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary light source includes a reflection member that reflects light to the second substrate.

5. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 1, further comprising an optical member that is provided between the reflection film and the auxiliary light source and condenses light from the auxiliary light source to the space.

6. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 5, wherein the optical member is adhered to the second substrate.

7. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 1, further comprising a diffusion layer that is provided between the reflection film and the auxiliary light source and diffuses light from the auxiliary light source.

8. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 7, wherein the diffusion layer functions as an adhesive to adhere the optical member to the second substrate.

9. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode is a transparent electrode, is provided on the space and electrically connected to the reflection film.

10. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 1, further comprising a reflection polarizing film that is provided between the reflection film and the auxiliary light source, and has a transmission polarization axis and a reflection polarization axis, wherein

the transmission polarization axis is substantially parallel with that of the partial polarization member, and

the reflection polarization axis is substantially orthogonal with the transmission polarization axis.

11. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 1, wherein the partial polarization member is a polarizing film.

12. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 1, wherein the partial polarization member is a polarization polymer film.

13. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 1, wherein the partial polarization member is a grid polarization member that includes a conductor and an insulator that are aligned alternately.

14. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 1, wherein the partial polarization member is a reflection polarizing film.

15. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 1, wherein the reflector of the reflection film has an uneven surface.

16. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 1, further comprising any one of a switching element that is provided on the first substrate and connected to the first electrode, and a switching element that is provided on the second substrate and connected to the second electrode.

17. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 16, wherein the switching element is provided in a specific area of any one of the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the area corresponds to the reflector of the reflection film.

18. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 1, further comprising a second partial polarization member that is provided in a specific area of the first substrate, wherein the area corresponds to the space of the reflection film.

19. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 1, further comprising a partial retardation film that is provided in a specific area that corresponds to the reflector of the reflection film.

20. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 1, further comprising a color filter that includes

a first portion with color that is provided in a specific area that corresponds to the space of the reflection film;

and

a second portion that is provided in a specific area that corresponds to the reflector of the reflection film, and has any one of no color and a paler color than that of the first portion.

21. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a third substrate;

a fourth substrate;

a third electrode that is provided on the third substrate;

a fourth electrode that is provided on the fourth substrate, wherein

the third substrate and the fourth substrate are provided on an opposite side of the auxiliary light source with respect to the first substrate and the second substrate.

22. The liquid crystal display unit according to claim 21, further comprising:

a second reflection film that is provided on the fourth substrate and includes a plurality of reflectors with a space therebetween; and

a third partial polarization member that is provided, corresponding to the space of the second reflection film, between the second reflection film and the auxiliary light source, wherein

the third partial polarization member is provided in a specific area that corresponds to the reflector of the second reflection film.