Liquid crystal display device with color filter substrate height greater in reflection region than transmission region

• US 7,030,948 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Narutaki, Yozo, Konishi, Ikuji, Akebi, Yasunobu, Fujimori, Kohichi
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHECHTER, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US10/875,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20040233357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 349/107, 349/108, 349/114
• US Class Current: 349/114
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133371 Cells with varying thickness of the liquid crystal layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133514 Colour filters
• 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 2203/09 transflective

Abstract

A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: a first substrate; a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a plurality of picture element regions for displaying an image. Each of the plurality of picture element regions includes a transmission region in which an image is displayed in a transmission mode by using light that is coming from the side of the first substrate, and a reflection region in which an image is displayed in a reflection mode by using light that is coming from the side of the second substrate. The height of a surface of the second substrate on the side closer to the liquid crystal layer in the reflection region is greater than that in the transmission region, while the height of a surface of the first substrate on the side closer to the liquid crystal layer in the reflection region is substantially equal to that in the transmission region.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

an active matrix substrate;

a color filter substrate including a transparent substrate and a color filter layer located closer to the active matrix substrate than the transparent substrate;

a liquid crystal layer provided between the active matrix substrate and the color filter substrate; and

a picture element region including a transmission region in which an image is displayed in a transmission mode, and a reflection region in which an image is displayed in a reflection mode, wherein;

a thickness of the liquid crystal layer is less in the reflection region than in the transmission region;

a height of a surface of the color filter substrate on a side closer to the liquid crystal layer in the reflection region is greater than that in the transmission region;

the color filter substrate includes a first transparent dielectric layer formed on the transparent substrate and covered or surrounded by the color filter layer, and a second transparent dielectric layer provided in the reflection region so as to be located closer to the liquid crystal layer than the first transparent dielectric layer and the color filter layer;

the first transparent dielectric layer is formed between the transparent substrate and the color filter layer and is covered by the color filter layer; and

the color filter layer in the reflection region is made of a material that is different from that of the color filter layer in the transmission region.

2. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

an active matrix substrate;

a color filter substrate including a transparent substrate and a color filter layer located closer to the active matrix substrate than the transparent substrate;

a liquid crystal layer provided between the active matrix substrate and the color filter substrate; and

a picture element region including a transmission region in which an image is displayed in a transmission mode, and a reflection region in which an image is displayed in a reflection mode, wherein;

a thickness of the liquid crystal layer is less in the reflection region than in the transmission region;

a height of a surface of the color filter substrate on a side closer to the liquid crystal layer in the reflection region is greater than that in the transmission region;

the color filter substrate includes a first transparent dielectric layer formed on the transparent substrate and covered or surrounded by the color filter layer, and a second transparent dielectric layer provided in the reflection region so as to be located closer to the liquid crystal layer than the first transparent dielectric layer and the color filter layer; and

the color filter layer includes at least one opening in a portion of the reflection region and the first transparent dielectric layer is formed in the at least one opening and is surrounded by the color filter layer.

3. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

an active matrix substrate,

a color filter substrate including a transparent substrate and a color filter layer located closer to the active matrix substrate than the transparent substrate;

a liquid crystal layer provided between the active matrix substrate and the color filter substrate; and

a picture element region including a transmission region in which an image is displayed in a transmission mode, and a reflection region in which an image is displayed in a reflection mode, wherein;

a thickness of the liquid crystal layer is less in the reflection region than in the transmission region;

a height of a surface of the color filter substrate on a side closer to the liquid crystal layer in the reflection region is greater than that in the transmission region; and

the color filter layer in the reflection region is made of a material that is different from that of the color filter layer in the transmission region.

4. The liquid crystal display device of claim 3, wherein a transparent dielectric layer is provided in the reflection region so as to be located closer to the liquid crystal layer than the color filter layer.

5. The liquid crystal display device of claim 4, wherein a height of a surface of the active matrix substrate on a side closer to the liquid crystal layer in the reflection region is substantially equal to that in the transmission region.

6. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

an active matrix substrate;

a color filter substrate including a transparent substrate and a color filter layer located closer to the active matrix substrate than the transparent substrate;

a liquid crystal layer provided between the active matrix substrate and the color filter substrate; and

a picture element region including a transmission region in which an image is displayed in a transmission mode, and a reflection region in which an image is displayed in a reflection mode, wherein;

a thickness of the liquid crystal layer is less in the reflection region than in the transmission region;

a height of a surface of the color filter substrate on a side closer to the liquid crystal layer in the reflection region is greater than that in the transmission region;

the color filter layer includes at least one opening in a portion of the reflection region; and

a first transparent dielectric layer is formed in the at least one opening and is surrounded by the color filter layer.

7. The liquid crystal display device of claim 6, wherein a height of a surface of the active matrix substrate on a side closer to the liquid crystal layer in the reflection region is substantially equal to that in the transmission region.