Liquid crystal display device including shading film with opening and reflector with opening in the opening in the shading film

• US 6,608,660 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2001
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 138 East LCD Advancements Limited (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Takizawa, Keiji, Seki, Takumi, Okamoto, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Chawdhury, Tarifur R.
• Application Number:
  US09/787,355
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 349/112, 349/110, 349/111, 349/106, 349/113, 349/114, 349/122, 349/129
• US Class Current: 349/113
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133512 Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix G02F1/136209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133514 Colour filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133516 Methods for their manufacture, e.g. printing, electro-deposition or photolithography
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/02 reflective

Abstract

In a color liquid crystal display device capable of performing reflective display, in order to realize superior display quality and high reliability, a reflector (2), a shading film (13), a coloring layer (4), a protective film (6), and a transparent electrode (7) are sequentially formed on a substrate (1) having insulating properties. Among the films and layers mentioned above, the coloring layer (4) is formed so as to cover the reflector (2), whereby the reflector (2) does not come into contact with chemical reagents and the like. In addition, since the coloring layer (4) is formed so as to cover the shading film (13), surface reflection at the shading film (13) is not only suppressed, but also, an optical density required for the shading film (13) can be less. In particular, since light passes through the shading film twice in reflective display, when reflective display is primarily performed, the optical density of the shading film (13) can be even less. Accordingly, the thickness of the shading film (13) can be decreased.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device having a liquid crystal layer provided between a first transparent electrode formed on a first substrate side and a second transparent electrode formed on a second substrate side, comprising:

a reflector formed on a surface of the second substrate at the liquid crystal layer side so as to reflect at least light incident from the first substrate side;

a shading film formed above a surface of the second substrate at the liquid crystal layer side so as to have an opening area corresponding to an intersection area at which the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode intersect each other; and

a coloring layer formed above a surface of the second substrate at the liquid crystal layer side so as to cover the shading film;

wherein the reflector is provided with a first opening in the opening area in the shading film so as to allow light to pass therethrough.

2. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, further comprising a first film provided between the reflector and the surface of the second substrate at the liquid crystal layer side.

3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the shading film is composed of a black resin material.

4. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the shading film is formed by laminating the coloring layers of at least two colors.

5. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the optical density of the shading film is 0.5 to 1.7.

6. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, further comprising a second film provided so as to cover at least the surface of the reflector.

7. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 6, wherein the second transparent electrode is formed on third film which improves adhesive properties.

8. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 7, further comprising a fourth film formed so as to cover the coloring layer, and an second opening provided in the coloring layer at the opening area in the shading film.

9. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 7, further comprising a fourth film formed so as to cover the coloring layer.

10. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, wherein the fourth film has light scattering properties.

11. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, wherein the reflector is formed on a roughened surface of the second substrate at the liquid crystal layer side.

12. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11, wherein the roughened surface is a surface of a resin material formed on the surface of the second substrate at the liquid crystal layer side.

13. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11, wherein the roughened surface is a surface formed by a roughening treatment of the surface of the second substrate at the liquid crystal layer side.

14. An electronic apparatus comprising a liquid crystal display device according to claim 13.

15. A liquid crystal display device having a liquid crystal layer provided between a first transparent electrode formed on a first substrate side and a second transparent electrode formed on a second substrate side, comprising:

a reflector formed on a surface of the second substrate at the liquid crystal layer side so as to reflect at least light incident from the first substrate side;

a shading film formed above a surface of the second substrate at the liquid crystal layer side so as to have an opening area corresponding to an intersection area at which the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode intersect each other; and

a coloring layer formed above a surface of the second substrate at the liquid crystal layer side so as to cover the shading film;

wherein, with respect to the intersection area of the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode the opening area in the shading film is expanded toward the outside from the periphery of the intersection area by at most approximately a half of the distance between the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode.

16. A liquid crystal display device having a liquid crystal layer provided between a first transparent electrode formed on a first substrate side and a second transparent electrode formed on a second substrate side, comprising:

a reflector formed on a surface of the second substrate at the liquid crystal layer side so as to reflect at least light incident from the first substrate side;

a shading film formed above a surface of the second substrate at the liquid crystal layer side so as to have an opening area corresponding to an intersection area at which the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode intersect each other;

a coloring layer formed above a surface of the second substrate at the liquid crystal layer side so as to cover the shading film;

a second film provided so as to cover at least the surface of the reflector;

the second transparent electrode being formed on a third film which improves adhesive properties; and

a fourth film formed so as to cover the coloring layer, the fourth film having light scattering properties;

wherein the fourth film is composed of a resin material comprising particles having a refractive index differing from that of the resin material and having a diameter smaller than the thickness of the fourth film.

17. A substrate for a liquid crystal display device being on the opposite side to the observer side of a pair of substrates, the pair of substrates having a liquid crystal layer provided therebetween, comprising:

a reflector formed on a surface of the substrate at the liquid crystal layer side so as to reflect at least light incident from the observer side;

a shading film formed above the surface of the substrate at the liquid crystal layer side so as to have an opening area above the reflector;

a coloring layer formed above the surface of the substrate at the liquid crystal layer side so as to cover the shading film; and

a transparent electrode formed above the coloring layer;

wherein, in the opening area in the shading film, the reflector is provided with a first opening so as to allow light to pass therethrough.

18. The substrate for a liquid crystal display device according to claim 17, further comprising a first film provided between the reflector and the surface of the second substrate at the liquid crystal layer side.

19. The substrate for a liquid crystal display device according to claim 17, wherein the shading film is composed of a black resin material, and the optical density thereof is 0.5 to 1.7.

20. The substrate for a liquid crystal display device according to claim 17, wherein the shading film is formed by laminating the coloring layers of at least two colors, and the optical density of the shading film is 0.5 to 1.7.

21. The substrate for a liquid crystal device according to claim 18, further comprising a second film provided so as to cover at least the surface of the reflector.

22. The substrate for a liquid crystal display device according to claim 21, wherein the transparent electrode is formed on a third film which improves adhesive properties.

23. The substrate for a liquid crystal display device according to claim 22, further comprising a fourth film formed so as to cover the coloring layer, and a second opening provided in the coloring layer at the opening area in the shading film.

24. The substrate for a liquid crystal display device according to claim 22, further comprising a fourth film formed so as to cover the coloring layer.

25. The substrate for a liquid crystal display device according to claim 24, wherein the fourth film has light scattering properties.

26. The substrate for a liquid crystal display device according to claim 21, wherein the reflector is formed on a roughened surface of the substrate at the liquid crystal layer side.

27. The substrate for a liquid crystal display device according to claim 26, wherein the roughened surface is a surface of a resin material formed on the surface of the substrate at the liquid crystal layer side.

28. The substrate for a liquid crystal display device according to claim 26, wherein the roughened surface is a surface formed by a roughening treatment of the surface of the substrate at the liquid crystal layer side.

29. A substrate for a liquid crystal display device being on the opposite side to the observer side of a pair of substrates, the pair of substrates having a liquid crystal layer provided therebetween, comprising:

a reflector formed on a surface of the substrate at the liquid crystal layer side so as to reflect at least light incident from the observer side;

a shading film formed above the surface of the substrate at the liquid crystal layer side so as to have an opening area above the reflector;

a coloring layer formed above the surface of the substrate at the liquid crystal layer side so as to cover the shading film;

a transparent electrode formed above the coloring layer;

a second film provided so as to cover at least the surface of the reflector;

the transparent electrode being formed on a third film which improves adhesive properties;

a fourth film formed so as to cover the coloring layer, and a second opening provided in the coloring layer at the opening area in the shading film; and

a fourth film formed so as to cover the coloring layer, the fourth film having light scattering properties;

wherein the fourth film is composed of a resin material containing particles having a refractive index differing from that of the resin material and having a diameter smaller than the thickness of the fourth film.