Transmission liquid crystal display apparatus

• US 5,159,478 A
• Filed: 07/26/1989
• Issued: 10/27/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Akiyama, Masahiko, Tominaga, Mamoru, Suzuki, Kouji
• Primary Examiner(s): James, Andrew J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crane, Sara W.
• Application Number:
  US07/385,092
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: 359/68, 359/69, 359/64, 358/456, 358/59, 358/60, 353/84
• US Class Current: 349/112
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133504 Diffusing, scattering, diffracting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133606
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133514 Colour filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133565 inside the LC elements, i.e. between the cell substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133607 the light controlling member including light directing or refracting elements, e.g. prisms or lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/52 RGB geometrical arrangements

Abstract

In a transmission liquid crystal display apparatus, light rays emitted from a light source and reflected from a mirror are collimated by a collimator lens and incident in a liquid cell structure through a polarization layer. The light rays emerged from the structure are transmitted through an another polarization layer and diffused by a diffusion layer. The diffusion light rays pass through a filter layer to a viewer.

Claims

1. A transmission color display apparatus comprising:

generating means for generating substantially collimated light rays;

shutting means, including a plurality of pixel segments, for shutting the light rays from said generating means, each of said plurality of pixel segments selectively permitting transmission of the light rays;

diffusing means for slightly diffusing the light rays from said shutting means; and

first color filter means formed on said diffusing means and including first color filter segments arranged in correspondence with each pixel segment, each of the filter segments transmitting light rays of a specific color of the diffused light rays.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said generating means includes a light source for emitting light rays, reflecting means for reflecting the light rays from said light source, and collimating means for substantially collimating the light rays from said light source and said reflecting means.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said generating means includes a plurality of light sources for emitting light rays, a plurality of reflecting mirrors, arranged in correspondence with said light sources, for reflecting the light rays from said light sources, and collimating means for substantially collimating the light rays from said light sources and said reflecting mirrors.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising second diffusing means, arranged between said generating means and said shutting means, for diffusing the light rays from said generating means.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said filter means includes a black matrix, arranged between said color filter segments, for preventing the light rays from passing therethrough.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said shutting means comprises liquid crystal cells.

7. A transmission color display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

second color filter means including second color filter segments, arranged in correspondence with each pixel segment and located between said shutting means and said diffusing means, for selectively transmitting light rays from said shutting means.

8. A transmission color display apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each of the second color filter segments has a size different than that of the first color filter segments.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said shutting means comprises a liquid crystal cell structure including liquid crystal cells and a transparent plate having one surface and an opposite surface facing the liquid crystal cells, said first filter means being formed on the one surface of the transparent plate and the second filter means being formed on the opposite surface of the transparent plate.

10. A transmission color display apparatus having a first plane, comprising:

at least one linear light source, having a light source axis, for generating light rays;

collimating means, having a major axis substantially parallel with the light source axis, for reflecting the light rays from said light source and collimating the light rays along a first plane;

shutting means, including a plurality of pixel segments, for shutting the light rays from said generating means, each of said plurality of pixel segments selectively permitting transmission of the light rays;

diffusing means for slightly diffusing the light rays from said shutting means; and

first color filter means formed on said diffusing means and including first color filter segments arranged in correspondence with each pixel segment, each of the first color filter segments transmitting light rays of a specific color of the diffused light rays.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said collimating means includes a reflector for reflecting the light rays from said light source, and a collimator for substantially collimating the light rays from said light source and said reflector.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, comprising:

a plurality of said light sources for emitting light rays; and

said collimating means comprising a plurality of reflecting mirrors, arranged in correspondence with said light sources, for reflecting the light rays from said light sources, and a collimator for substantially collimating the light rays from said light sources and said reflecting mirrors.

13. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising second diffusing means, arranged between said light source and said shutting means, for diffusing the light rays from said light source.

14. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said filter means includes a black matrix, arranged between said color filter segments, for preventing the light rays from passing therethrough.

15. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said shutting means comprises liquid crystal cells.

16. A transmission color display apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

second color filter means including second color filter segments, arranged in correspondence with each pixel segment and located between said shutting means and said diffusing means, for selectively transmitting light rays from said shutting means.

17. A transmission color display apparatus according to claim 16, wherein each of the second color filter segments has a size different than that of the first color filter segments.

18. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said shutting means comprises a liquid crystal cell structure including liquid crystal cells and a transparent plate having one surface and an opposite surface facing liquid crystal cells, and first color filter means being formed on the one surface of the transparent plate and the second color filter means being formed on the opposite surface of the transparent plate.