Watch

• US 6,292,439 B1
• Filed: 03/26/1999
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd. (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Limited (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: Akiba, Yuichi, Akiyama, Takashi, Ide, Masafumi, Nakagawa, Koji, Kikuchi, Masami, Sekiguchi, Kanetaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOODWIN, JEANNE M
• Application Number:
  US09/269,596
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 368/84, 368/242, 368/82, 368/239, 349/96, 349/98, 349/105, 349/106
• US Class Current: 368/84
• 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 1/133528 Polarisers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133536 Reflective polarizers G02F1/13362 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133567 on the back side
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0035 constructional

Abstract

A timepiece is provided with a liquid crystal display panel (10) capable of displaying at least either of time information and calendar information, and comprising a liquid crystal cell having a liquid crystal layer sealed in between a pair of transparent substrates, having an electrode on each of the inner surfaces thereof, facing each other, an absorption-type polarizing film disposed on the visible side of the liquid crystal cell, for absorbing the light linearly polarized in the direction orthogonal to the transmission axis thereof, a reflection-type polarizing film disposed on the side of the liquid crystal cell opposite from the visible side thereof for reflecting the light linearly polarized in the direction orthogonal to the transmission axis thereof, and a color filter disposed on the visible side of the absorption-type polarizing film, or between the absorption-type polarizing film and the reflection-type polarizing film.

Claims

1. A timepiece comprising a liquid crystal display panel capable of displaying at least either of time information and calendar information, said liquid crystal display panel comprising:

a liquid crystal cell having a liquid crystal layer sealed in between a pair of transparent substrates thereof, having an electrode on each of the inner surfaces thereof, facing each other;

an absorption-type polarizing film disposed on a visible side of the liquid crystal cell, for transmitting light linearly polarized in a direction parallel with a transmission axis thereof and absorbing light linearly polarized in a direction orthogonal to the transmission axis thereof;

a reflection-type polarizing film disposed on a side of the liquid crystal cell, opposite from the visible side thereof, for transmitting light linearly polarized in a direction parallel with a transmission axis thereof and reflecting light linearly polarized in a direction orthogonal to the transmission axis thereof; and

a color filter disposed on the visible side of the absorption-type polarizing film.

2. The timepiece according to claim 1,

wherein said liquid crystal display panel further comprises a light absorption film disposed on the side of said reflection-type polarizing film, opposite from the visible side thereof.

3. The timepiece according to claim 1,

wherein said liquid crystal display panel further comprises a light scattering film disposed on the visible side of said absorption-type polarizing film.

4. The timepiece according to claim 1,

wherein said liquid crystal display panel further comprises a light scattering film disposed on the visible side of said absorption-type polarizing film, and a light absorption film disposed on the side of said reflection-type polarizing film, opposite from the visible side thereof.

5. The timepiece according to claim 1,

wherein said liquid crystal display panel further comprises a backlight disposed on the side of said reflection-type polarizing film, opposite from the visible side thereof.

6. The timepiece according to claim 5,

wherein said liquid crystal display panel further comprises a translucent film disposed between said reflection-type polarizing film and the backlight.

7. The timepiece according to claim 6,

wherein the translucent film is an absorption-type polarizing film.

8. The timepiece according to claim 1,

wherein said liquid crystal display panel further comprises a light scattering film disposed on the visible side of said absorption-type polarizing film, and a backlight disposed on the side of said reflection-type polarizing film, opposite from the visible side thereof.

9. The timepiece according to claim 8,

wherein said liquid crystal display panel further comprises a translucent film disposed between said reflection-type polarizing film and the backlight.

10. The timepiece according to claim 9, wherein the translucent film is an absorption-type polarizing film.

11. A timepiece as in claim 1, wherein said absorption type polarizing film is disposed on the visible side of the liquid crystal cell such that the transmission axis of said absorption-type polarizing film is parallel with a direction of long axes of liquid crystal molecules located on the visible side of the liquid crystal layer in the liquid crystal cell while said reflection-type polarizing film is disposed such that the transmission axis thereof is parallel with, or orthogonal to a direction of long axes of liquid crystal molecules located on the side of the liquid crystal layer in said liquid crystal cell, opposite from the visible side thereof.

12. The timepiece as in claim 1,

wherein said absorption-type polarizing film is disposed on the visible side of the liquid crystal cell such that the transmission axis of said absorption-type polarizing film is orthogonal to the direction of the long axes of liquid crystal molecules located on the visible side of the liquid crystal layer in the liquid crystal cell while said reflection-type polarizing film is disposed such that the transmission axis thereof is parallel with, or orthogonal to the direction of the long axes of liquid crystal molecules located on the side of the liquid crystal layer in said liquid crystal cell, opposite from the visible side thereof.

13. The timepiece as in claim 1,

wherein said color filter of said liquid crystal display panel is a selective transmission color filter for transmitting a light component substantially at a specified wavelength only.

14. The timepiece as in claim 1,

wherein said color filter of said liquid crystal display panel is a color polarizing film capable of transmitting a light component of the light linearly polarized in the direction orthogonal to the transmittable axis thereof and having a specified wavelength only, and absorbing light components of the light linearly polarized at other wavelengths while transmitting all light components of the light linearly polarized in the direction parallel with the transmission axis thereof.

15. The timepiece as in claim 1,

wherein said color filter of said liquid crystal display panel is a multi-layered dielectric coating capable of reflecting a light component of incoming light, and having a specified wavelength, while transmission light components of the incoming light at other wavelengths.

16. The timepiece as in claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal layer of said liquid crystal cell is composed of any one from among twisted nematic liquid crystals, supertwisted nematic liquid crystals, and guest host liquid crystals.

17. The timepiece as in claim 1, wherein said color filter of said liquid crystal display panel is disposed between said absorption-type polarizing film and said liquid crystal cell.

18. The timepiece as in claim 1, wherein said color filter of said liquid crystal display panel is disposed between said liquid crystal cell and said reflection-type polarizing film.

19. The timepiece as in claim 1, wherein said color filter of said liquid crystal display panel is disposed between one of the transparent substrates making up said liquid crystal cell and the liquid crystal layer.

20. A timepiece comprising a liquid crystal display panel capable of displaying at least either of time information and calendar information, said liquid crystal display panel comprising:

a liquid crystal cell having a liquid crystal layer sealed in between a pair of transparent substrates thereof, having an electrode on each of the inner surfaces thereof, facing each other;

an absorption-type polarizing film disposed on a visible side of the liquid crystal cell, for transmitting light linearly polarized in a direction parallel with a transmission axis thereof and absorbing light linearly polarized in a direction orthogonal to the transmission axis thereof;

a reflection-type polarizing film disposed on a side of the liquid crystal cell, opposite from the visible side thereof, for transmitting light linearly polarized in a direction parallel with a transmission axis thereof and reflecting light linearly polarized in a direction orthogonal to the transmission axis thereof; and

a color filter disposed between the absorption-type polarizing film and the reflection-type polarizing film.