Two-layer liquid crystal panel having a polymer liquid crystal layer and equipment using the same
First Claim
1. A liquid crystal panel comprising:
- a first substrate which is disposed on a side on which external light is incident and on which is formed at least one first electrode;
a second substrate which is disposed facing said first substrate and on which at least one second electrode is formed;
a liquid crystal layer which is inserted between opposing surfaces of said first and second substrates and which operates in a light-transmitting state and a light-scattering state, based on a voltage applied between said at least one first electrode and said at least one second electrode; and
at least one, transparent layer disposed between said liquid crystal layer and said at least one second electrode in a light-incident direction;
wherein said at least one transparent layer is formed of a material having a refractive index that differs from the refractive index of said at least one second electrode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention relates to a two-layer display type of electronic equipment having a liquid crystal panel (1) and a background display portion (2) on a rear surface side thereof. The liquid crystal panel (1) has a main liquid crystal panel unit (10) formed by inserting a liquid crystal layer (13) between a first substrate (11) and a second substrate (15). The liquid crystal layer (13) is set to either a light-transmitting state or a light-scattering state by an electrical field that is applied to the liquid crystal. This liquid crystal panel (1) has a transparent layer (21) on the rear surface of the second substrate (15). If the refractive index of this transparent layer (21) is n1, the refractive index of the second substrate (15) in contact with the front side of this transparent layer is n0, and the refractive index of the air layer in contact with the rear side of the transparent layer (21) is n2, the following relationship is established: n2<n0<n1.
16 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A liquid crystal panel comprising:
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a first substrate which is disposed on a side on which external light is incident and on which is formed at least one first electrode;
a second substrate which is disposed facing said first substrate and on which at least one second electrode is formed;
a liquid crystal layer which is inserted between opposing surfaces of said first and second substrates and which operates in a light-transmitting state and a light-scattering state, based on a voltage applied between said at least one first electrode and said at least one second electrode; and
at least one, transparent layer disposed between said liquid crystal layer and said at least one second electrode in a light-incident direction;
wherein said at least one transparent layer is formed of a material having a refractive index that differs from the refractive index of said at least one second electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
wherein when said liquid crystal layer has been set to said light-scattering state, the quantity of light scattered forward in said light-incident direction is greater than the quantity of light scattered backward against said light-incident direction. -
3. The liquid crystal panel as defined in claim 2,
wherein said liquid crystal layer is a polymer dispersed liquid crystal layer comprising liquid crystal and polymers. -
4. The liquid crystal panel as defined in claim 1,
wherein said at least one transparent layer is formed of a material selected from glass, polymer films, transparent electrode materials, and interference films. -
5. The liquid crystal panel as defined in claim 1,
wherein said at least one transparent layer is formed to be in contact with said second substrate. -
6. The liquid crystal panel as defined in claim 5,
wherein a first main surface of said at least one transparent layer is formed to be in contact with a surface on the opposite side of said second substrate from said opposing surface, wherein said at least one transparent layer is formed of a material having a different refractive index from the refractive index of said second substrate. -
7. The liquid crystal panel as defined in claim 6,
wherein said at least one transparent layer is formed of a material having a refractive index larger than the refractive index of said second substrate. -
8. The liquid crystal panel as defined in claim 7,
wherein a second main surface on the opposite side from said first main surface of said at least one transparent layer is formed to be in contact with an air layer; - and
wherein when the refractive index of said second substrate is n0, the refractive index of said at least one transparent layer is n1, and the refractive index of said air layer is n2, the following relationship is established;
n2<
n0<
n1.
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9. The liquid crystal panel as defined in claim 6,
wherein said at least one second electrode is a transparent electrode; - and
wherein said at least one transparent layer is formed of the same material as the transparent electrode material that forms said at least one second electrode.
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10. The liquid crystal panel as defined in claim 9,
wherein said at least one transparent layer and said at least one second electrode are formed of tin oxide or indium tin oxide (ITO). -
11. The liquid crystal panel as defined in claim 1,
wherein said at least one transparent layer is formed on the opposite side of said second substrate from said opposing surface, with an air layer therebetween, and said at least one transparent layer is formed of a material having a refractive index that differs from the refractive index of said air layer. -
12. The liquid crystal panel as defined in claim 1,
wherein said at least one transparent layer is formed between said at least on second electrode and said second substrate, and is formed of a material having a refractive index different from the refractive indices of said at least one second electrode and said second substrate. -
13. The liquid crystal panel as defined in claim 1,
wherein said at least one transparent layer is formed on part of a flat surface region facing said liquid crystal layer. -
14. The liquid crystal panel as defined in claim 1,
wherein said at least one transparent layer is formed is formed of different materials having different refractive indices, disposed in different locations within the same flat surface region facing said liquid crystal layer. -
15. The liquid crystal panel as defined in claim 1,
wherein a plurality of said transparent layers are stacked, and adjacent transparent layers are formed of materials having different refractive indices. -
16. The liquid crystal panel as defined in claim 15,
wherein a number of said superimposed transparent layers within a region facing said liquid crystal layer differs with location. -
17. The liquid crystal panel as defined in claim 1,
wherein first to Nth (where N≧ - 2) of said transparent layers are stacked, and adjacent transparent layers are formed of materials having different refractive indices;
wherein said first transparent layer located in a previous stage in said light-incident direction is formed to be in contact with a surface on the opposite side of said second substrate from said opposing surface, and said Nth transparent layer is formed to be in contact with an air layer; and
wherein the refractive indices of said first to Nth transparent layers are set to increase in said light-incident direction.
- 2) of said transparent layers are stacked, and adjacent transparent layers are formed of materials having different refractive indices;
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18. Electronic equipment comprising:
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a liquid crystal panel which is disposed on a side on which external light is incident; and
a background display portion which is forward of said liquid crystal panel with respect to a light-incident direction;
wherein said liquid crystal panel comprises;
a first substrate which is disposed on said side on which external light is incident and on which at least one first electrode is formed;
a second substrate which is disposed facing said first substrate and on which at least one second electrode is formed;
a liquid crystal layer which is inserted between opposing surfaces of said first and second substrates and which is set to one of a light-transmitting state and a light-scattering state, based on a voltage applied between said at least one first electrode and said at least one second electrode, to make said background display portion visible when in said light-transmitting state; and
at least one transparent layer disposed between said at least one second electrode and said second substrate, wherein said at least one transparent layer is formed of a material having a refractive index that differs from the refractive indices of said at least one second electrode and said second substrate. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
wherein said background display portion comprises a light-reflecting portion of a low brightness. -
20. The electronic equipment as defined in claim 18,
wherein said background display portion is an analog timepiece comprising a dial plate and an indicator means. -
21. The electronic equipment as defined in claim 18, further comprising illumination means for illuminating said background display portion.
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22. The electronic equipment as defined in claim 18,
wherein said background display portion comprises a light-emitting portion for emitting an optical pattern for a background image. -
23. The electronic equipment as defined in claim 22,
wherein said light-emitting portion is a liquid crystal panel for a background image display having a backlight. -
24. The electronic equipment as defined in claim 22,
wherein said light-emitting portion comprises means for self-generating light from an electrical supply.
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25. A liquid crystal panel comprising:
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a first substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface, said outer surface facing incident external light;
at least one first electrode disposed on said first substrate;
a second substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface, said second substrate being disposed such that said inner surface of said second substrate faces said inner surface of said first substrate;
at least one second electrode disposed on said second substrate;
a liquid crystal layer interposed between said inner surfaces of said first and second substrates, said liquid crystal being operable in a light-transmitting state and a light-scattering state according to a voltage applied between said first and second electrodes; and
at least one transparent layer disposed between said liquid crystal layer and said at least one second electrode, said at least one transparent layer having a refractive index different from a refractive index of an optically transmissive medium adjacent said at least one transparent layer. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A liquid crystal panel comprising:
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a first substrate which is disposed on a side on which external light is incident and on which is formed at least one first electrode;
a second substrate which is disposed facing said first substrate and on which at least one second electrode is formed;
a liquid crystal layer which is inserted between opposing surfaces of said first and second substrates and which operates in a light-transmitting state and a light-scattering state, based on a voltage applied between said at least one first electrode and said at least one second electrode; and
at least one transparent layer disposed forward of said liquid crystal layer in a light-incident direction;
wherein said at least one transparent layer is formed of different materials having different refractive indices, disposed in different locations within the same flat region facing said liquid crystal layer.
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33. A liquid crystal panel comprising:
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a first substrate which is disposed on a side on which external light is incident and on which is formed at least one first electrode;
a second substrate which is disposed facing said first substrate and on which at least one second electrode is formed;
a liquid crystal layer which is inserted between opposing surfaces of said first and second substrates and which operates in a light-transmitting state and a light-scattering state, based on a voltage applied between said at least one first electrode and said at least one second electrode; and
a plurality of transparent layers disposed forward of said liquid crystal layer in a light-incident direction, the plurality of transparent layers being stacked, and adjacent transparent layers being formed of materials having different refractive indices, wherein a number of said superimposed transparent layers within a region facing said liquid crystal layer differs with location.
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Specification