Liquid crystal device and electronic apparatus

• US 7,483,100 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2006
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 138 East LCD Advancements Limited (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Seki, Takumi, Maeda, Tsuyoshi, Okumura, Osamu, Okamoto, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Dung T.
• Application Number:
  US11/410,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20060209236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 349113-114, 349/139
• US Class Current: 349/114
• 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 1/133615 Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13363 Birefringent elements, e.g. for optical compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/123 pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/09 transflective
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2413/02 Number of plates being 2

Abstract

Ambient light incident upon a polarizer 105 passes through a liquid crystal layer 103 and is then reflected by reflective films 116 via transparent electrodes 115. The reflected light passes again through the liquid crystal layer 103 and the polarizer 105 and is output to the outside thereby displaying an image in a reflective displaying mode. The reflective films 116 are disposed at locations corresponding to the respective transparent electrodes 115 such that they are spaced from each other. In this structure, some ambient light passes through the spaces between adjacent transparent electrodes 115, however, such light is not reflected by the reflective films 116 toward the outside and thus a reduction in contrast due to such reflection is prevented.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a first substrate and a second substrate;

a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first and second substrates;

a reflector disposed in between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer, the reflector being formed from a conductive material;

an adjacent reflector disposed in between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer at a position adjacent to the reflector; and

a transparent electrode disposed in correspondence with the reflector and at a region in between the reflector and the adjacent reflector, transmissive display being performed in the region where the transparent electrode is disposed between the reflector and the adjacent reflector, the transparent electrode having two end portions at opposite ends thereof;

the reflector overlapping with and directly contacting one end portion of transparent electrode so that the transparent electrode and the reflector have overlapping regions that are electrically connected, the reflector being in a non-overlapping condition with the other end portion of the transparent electrode.

2. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, the transparent electrode and the reflector being stripe shaped.

3. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, the transparent electrode being formed over the reflector, and at least one of a color filter, an insulation layer, and a protective layer being interposed intermediate the transparent electrode and the reflector.

4. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, the transparent electrode having an area that is larger than area of the reflector.

5. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, the liquid crystal layer being a negative nematic liquid crystal.

6. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, display being black when voltage is not applied to the transparent electrode.

7. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a first substrate and a second substrate;

a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first and second substrates;

an island-shaped reflector disposed in between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer, the reflector being formed from a conductive material;

an island-shaped adjacent reflector disposed in between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer at a position adjacent to the reflector; and

a transparent electrode disposed in correspondence with the reflector so as to have a region that overlaps with and that directly contacts the reflector and at a region in between the reflector and the adjacent reflector, transmissive display being performed in the region where the transparent electrode is disposed between the reflector and the adjacent reflector.

8. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 7, the liquid crystal layer being a negative nematic liquid crystal, and further comprising an alignment layer on the transparent electrode, the alignment layer aligning the liquid crystal in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second substrates.

9. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a first substrate and a second substrate;

a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first and second substrates;

a wiring disposed in between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer;

an active element connected to the wiring;

an island-shaped reflector disposed in between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer, the reflector being formed from a conductive material and being electrically connected to the wiring through the active element, the reflector reflecting light for reflective display;

an island-shaped adjacent reflector disposed in between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer at a position adjacent to the reflector; and

an island-shaped transparent electrode disposed in correspondence with the reflector so as to have a region that overlaps with and directly contacts the reflector at a region in between the reflector and the adjacent reflector, so as to have a region in a non-overlapping condition with the reflector and the adjacent reflector, transmissive display being performed in the region in a non-overlapping condition with the reflector and the adjacent reflector, the transparent electrode having two end portions at opposite ends thereof, one end portion being nearer to the active element than the other end portion;

the reflector being in an overlapping condition with the one end portion of transparent electrode and in a non-overlapping condition with the other end portion of the transparent electrode.

10. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, the transparent electrode having a larger area than the reflector.

11. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, the liquid crystal layer being a negative nematic liquid crystal, and further comprising an alignment layer on the transparent electrode, the alignment layer aligning the liquid crystal in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second substrates.

12. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, display being black when voltage is not applied to the transparent electrode.