Liquid crystal display device

• US 7,697,100 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ono, Kikuo, Yamamoto, Tsunenori, Yoneya, Makoto, Nakayoshi, Yoshiaki, Hirakata, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong; Thoi V
• Application Number:
  US11/925,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20080062371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 349/141, 349/143, 349/147, 349/139, 349/138, 349/129
• US Class Current: 349/139
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133345 Insulating layers G02F1/1335, G02F1/1337, G02F1/135, G02F1/136 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13394 spacers regularly patterned on the cell subtrate, e.g. walls, pillars G02F1/133377 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134309 characterised by their geometrical arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134363 for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13458 Terminal pads
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136227 Through-hole connection of the pixel electrode to the active element through an insulation layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136286 Wiring, e.g. gate line, drain line
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1368 in which the switching element is a three-electrode device G02F1/136277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1393 the birefringence of the liquid crystal being electrically controlled, e.g. ECB-, DAP-, HAN-, PI-LC cells G02F1/1396, G02F1/141 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/40 Arrangements for improving the aperture ratio
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/00 dummy group
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 dummy group

Abstract

A liquid crystal display includes a pair of transparent substrates opposed to each other with liquid crystal therebetween, one of the pair of transparent substrates having a plurality of drain signal lines and a plurality of gate signal lines, and a plurality of pixel areas defined by the drain signal lines and the gate signal lines. The pixel areas includes a pixel electrode formed of a transparent electrode having a plurality of slits including a slit opened in a first direction and a slit opened in a second direction, and a counter electrode formed of a transparent electrode disposed between the transparent electrode of the pixel electrode having the plurality of slits and the one substrate.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display comprising:

a pair of transparent substrates opposed to each other with liquid crystal therebetween, one of the pair of transparent substrates having a plurality of drain signal lines and a plurality of gate signal lines; and

a plurality of pixel areas defined by the drain signal lines and the gate signal lines, the pixel areas having;

a pixel electrode formed of a transparent electrode of rectangular shape having a plurality of slits including first slits having a major dimension extending in a first direction with respect to a horizontal direction and second slits having a major dimension extending in a second direction with respect to the horizontal direction; and

a counter electrode formed of a transparent electrode of substantially rectangular shape, the counter electrode being disposed between the pixel electrode and the one substrate in overlapping relationship with the transparent electrode of the pixel electrode of the rectangular shape, the first slits and the second slits;

wherein an arrangement region of at least a portion of the first slits and an arrangement region of at least a portion of the second slits are mutually separated from one another proximate to a center portion of the pixel area; and

wherein a center portion of the pixel electrode is a portion arranged in a center of a minor dimension of the rectangular shape of the pixel electrode so that a plurality of the first and second slits are not mutually connected.

2. The liquid crystal display according to claim 1, wherein the directions of the extensions of the major dimension of the first and second slits of the pixel electrode are different with respect to the center portion of the pixel area.

3. The liquid crystal display according to claim 1, wherein each of four sides of the rectangular shape of the pixel electrode has a portion extending in parallel to at least one of the plurality of drain signal lines and the plurality of gate signal lines.

4. The liquid crystal display according to claim 1, wherein the counter electrode is not superposed on any of the drain signal lines and the gate signal lines.

5. The liquid crystal display according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the first and second slits form a V-shape.

6. The liquid crystal display according to claim 1, further comprising an insulating layer and a protecting layer between the one substrate and the pixel electrode, the protecting layer being made of synthetic resin.

7. The liquid crystal display according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the first and second slits form a V-shape extending in the minor dimension of the rectangular shape of the pixel electrode.