Liquid crystal device and electronic apparatus

• US 6,741,315 B1
• Filed: 08/23/2000
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectuals High-Tech KFT
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Uchiyama, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Dudek, James A.
• Application Number:
  US09/644,327
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 349/149, 349/46
• US Class Current: 349/149
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1345 Conductors connecting electrodes to cell terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13452 Conductors connecting driver circuitry and terminals of panels
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/09 Use of materials for the conductive, e.g. metallic pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/323 by applying an anisotropic conductive adhesive layer over an array of pads
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/361 Assembling flexible printed circuits with other printed circuits

Abstract

The liquid crystal device comprises a pair of substrates 11a and 11b facing each other with liquid crystal interposed therebetween and having aluminum electrodes 15a formed on opposing surfaces of the substrates that face each other and also comprises a protruding portion 30 provided on one substrate 11a of the pair of substrates 11a, 11b extending toward the outside from the other substrate 11b, wherein the aluminum electrodes 15a extend along the protruding portion 30 and an overcoat layer 16a is provided on the aluminum electrodes 15a extending along the protruding portion 30.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal device comprising:

a first substrate having a first face, said first substrate being provided with a first electrode;

a second substrate having a second face opposing said first face of said first substrate, said second face being provided with a second electrode;

a liquid crystal interposed between said first and second faces;

a protruding portion of said first substrate protruding outwardly relative to said second substrate, said first electrode extending from an area where said first and second substrates oppose each other to said protruding portion;

a driver IC mounted on said protruding portion, said first electrode electrically connected to said driver IC;

third electrode formed on said first substrate, said third electrode electrically connecting said driver IC and said second electrode; and

an overcoat layer of an inorganic substance provided with said first substrate and covering said first electrode and said third electrode, said overcoat layer being continuously formed from said area where said first and second substrates oppose each other to said protruding portion and omitted from an area where said first electrode is connected to said driver IC, an area where said third electrode is connected to said driver IC, an area where said third electrode is connected to said second electrode.

2. A liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes formed on one of said pair of substrates are composed of aluminum and are formed as the same layer as the aluminum electrodes.

3. A liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein the aluminum electrodes are provided with terminal portions to be connected with external circuit connecting portions, and the overcoat layer is formed so as to not cover the terminal portions.

4. A liquid crystal device according to claim 3, wherein the terminal portions and the external circuit connecting portions are connected to each other via an anisotropic conductive film provided at the terminal portions.

5. A liquid crystal device according to claim 4, wherein the terminal portions and the external circuit connecting portions are interconnected in a state in which a part of the overcoat layer is overlaid with a part of the anisotropic conductive film.

6. A liquid crystal device according to claim 5, wherein the terminal portions and the external circuit connecting portions are interconnected in a state in which there is an area at which the overcoat layer and the connecting portions overlap each other.

7. A liquid crystal device according to claim 5, wherein the terminal portions and the external circuit connecting portions are interconnected in a state in which edge faces of the overcoat layer and the connecting portions oppose each other.

8. A liquid crystal device according to claim 5, wherein a part of the anisotropic conductive film is provided so as to be overlaid on a part of the overcoat layer, and then the anisotropic conductive film is melted, whereby the terminal portions and the external circuit connecting portions are connected with each other.

9. A liquid crystal device according to claim 5, wherein the anisotropic conductive film is provided so as to not be overlaid on the overcoat layer, and then the anisotropic conductive film is melted to flow so that a part of the overcoat layer is overlaid with a part of the anisotropic conductive layer, whereby the terminal portions and the external circuit connecting portions are connected with each other.

10. An electronic apparatus comprising a liquid crystal device according to claim 1, as display means for displaying images.

11. The liquid crystal device of claim 1, wherein

the electrodes, formed on the protruding portion are aluminum electrodes.

12. The liquid crystal device of claim 1, further comprising:

an insulating layer covering one of the first and second electrodes, wherein the overcoat layer further comprises the insulating layer.

13. A liquid crystal device comprising:

a first substrate having a first face;

a first electrode on said first face;

a second substrate having a second face opposite said first face;

a second electrode on said second face;

liquid crystal interposed between said first and second faces;

a protruding portion of said first substrate protruding outboard of said second substrate;

a driver IC mounted on said protruding portion;

third electrodes formed on said protruding portion and connected to said driver IC and said second electrodes; and

an overcoat layer of an inorganic substance provided with said first substrate and covering said first electrode and said third electrodes, said overcoat layer continuously formed from an area where said first and second substrates oppose each other to said protruding portion except in an area where said third electrodes are connected to said driver IC, and an area where said third electrodes are connected to said second electrode.

14. The liquid crystal device of claim 13, wherein said overcoat layer forms an insulating layer over said first electrode.

15. The liquid crystal device of claim 13, wherein said aluminum electrodes include terminal portions extending beyond said overcoat layer.

16. The liquid crystal device of claim 15, further comprising an anisotropic conductive film connecting said terminal portions and an external circuit connecting portions.

17. The liquid crystal device of claim 16, wherein said anisotropic conductive film overlaps part of the overcoat layer.

18. The liquid crystal device of claim 17, wherein an edge of said anisotropic conductive film abuts an edge of said overcoat layer.

19. The liquid crystal device of claim 13, wherein

the electrodes formed on the protruding portion are aluminum electrodes.

20. A liquid crystal device comprising:

a pair of substrates, each having an opposing face opposing each other with liquid crystal interposed therebetween, the opposing faces being provided with first and second electrodes;

a protruding portion of one of said pair of substrates protruding relative to the other substrate;

third electrodes formed on the protruding portion;

said third electrodes electrically connected with said first and second electrodes; and

an overcoat layer of a sol gel reacted inorganic substance covering the third electrodes.