DISPLAY DEVICE

• US 20170031157A1
• Filed: 05/31/2016
• Published: 02/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Inventors: Numata, Yudai, Koito, Takeo
• Granted Patent: US 10,048,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0018 with means for preventing ghost images anti-reflection coatings G02B1/11
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/124 plural reflecting elements forming part of a unitary plate or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3058 comprising electrically conductive elements, e.g. wire grids, conductive particles
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3083 Birefringent or phase retarding elements G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence; systems for polarisation control G02B27/286; manufacturing phase modulating patterns by lithographic processes G03F7/001
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133536 Reflective polarizers G02F1/13362 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133548 Wire-grid polarisers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13363 Birefringent elements, e.g. for optical compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133638 Waveplates, i.e. plates with a retardation value of lambda/n
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134309 characterised by their geometrical arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134372 for fringe field switching [FFS] where the common electrode is not patterned
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2413/08 with a particular optical axis orientation

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a display device, includes a retroreflective element includes a base, and first and second retroreflectors each retroreflecting light made incident without transmitting the base, and a retarder element disposed between a display module and a polarizing element and between the retroreflective element and the polarizing element, the first and second retroreflectors being adjacent to each other, each of the first and second retroreflectors includes a recess portion on a side facing the retarder element.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a display module emitting display light;

a polarizing element which includes a transmission axis transmitting first linearly polarized light and reflects second linearly polarized light perpendicular to the transmission axis;

a retroreflective element comprising a base, and first and second retroreflectors each retroreflecting light made incident without transmitting the base; and

a retarder element disposed between the display module and the polarizing element and between the retroreflective element and the polarizing element to add a retardation to transmitted light,

the first and second retroreflectors being adjacent to each other,

each of the first and second retroreflectors comprising a recess portion on a side facing the retarder element.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein

each of the first and second retroreflectors includes three reflective surfaces perpendicular to each other,

the recess portion is surrounded by the three reflective surfaces, and

an intersection portion of a first reflective surface of the first retroreflector and a second reflective surface of the second retroreflector forms a protruding portion.

3. The display device of claim 2, wherein

the three reflective surfaces are formed of a metallic thin film located on a side opposed to the retarder element of the base.

4. The display device of claim 1, wherein

the display light is circularly polarized light.

5. The display device of claim 1, wherein

the display module comprises a display panel including pixels arrayed at a first pitch,

the first and second retroreflectors are arrayed at a second pitch, and

the second pitch is smaller than the first pitch.

6. The display device of claim 1, wherein

the retroreflective element comprises a light-shielding film which shields a non-retroreflective portion adjacent to the first and second retroreflectors from the light.

7. The display device of claim 1, wherein

the retroreflective element is disposed at an angle equal to or greater than 0°

and equal to or smaller than 90°

or equal to or greater than −

30° and

equal to or smaller than 0°

with respect to a reference plane parallel to a main surface of the polarizing element.

8. A display device, comprising:

a display module emitting display light which is circularly polarized light;

a polarizing element transmitting and reflecting part of incident light;

a first retarder element adding a retardation to transmitted light; and

a retroreflective element comprising a base, and retroreflectors each retroreflecting light made incident without transmitting the base,

light reflected on the retroreflective element and transmitting the first retarder element and the polarizing element being linearly polarized light.

9. The display device of claim 8, wherein

the display module comprises a display panel emitting linearly polarized light, and a second retarder element allowing the linearly polarized light emitted from the display panel to be converted into the circularly polarized light.

10. The display device of claim 9, wherein

the display panel includes pixels arrayed at a first pitch,

the retroreflectors are arrayed at a second pitch, and

the second pitch is smaller than the first pitch.

11. The display device of claim 8, wherein

each of the retroreflectors comprises a recess portion on a side facing the first retarder element.

12. The display device of claim 11, wherein

each of the retroreflectors includes three reflective surfaces perpendicular to each other, and

the recess portion is surrounded by the three reflective surfaces.

13. The display device of claim 12, wherein

the three reflective surfaces are formed of a metallic thin film located on a side opposed to the first retarder element of the base.

14. The display device of claim 8, wherein

the retroreflective element comprises a light-shielding film which shields a non-retroreflective portion adjacent to the retroreflectors from the light.

15. The display device of claim 8, wherein

the retroreflective element is disposed at an angle equal to or greater than 0°

and equal to or smaller than 90°

or equal to or greater than −

30° and

equal to or smaller than 0°

with respect to a reference plane parallel to a main surface of the polarizing element.

16. A display device, comprising:

a polarizing element which includes a transmission axis transmitting first linearly polarized light and reflects second linearly polarized light perpendicular to the transmission axis;

a retarder element adding a retardation to transmitted light; and

a retroreflective element comprising a base, retroreflectors each retroreflecting light made incident without transmitting the base, and a light-shielding film shielding a non-retroreflective portion adjacent to the retroreflectors from light.

17. The display device of claim 16, wherein

the non-retroreflective portion is located on a side facing the retarder element and is formed in a hexagonal shape in a plan view.

18. The display device of claim 16, wherein

each of the retroreflectors comprises a recess portion on a side facing the retarder element.

19. The display device of claim 18, wherein

each of the retroreflectors includes three reflective surfaces perpendicular to each other, and

the recess portion is surrounded by the three reflective surfaces.

20. The display device of claim 18, wherein

the three reflective surfaces are formed of a metallic thin film located on a side opposed to the retarder element of the base.