Reflective type color liquid crystal device and an electronic apparatus using this

• US 7,834,958 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2007
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Maeda, Tsuyoshi, Matsushima, Toshiharu, Okumura, Osamu, Okamoto, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Pak; Sung H
• Application Number:
  US11/790,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20070200982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 349/106
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/201 in the form of arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/22 Absorbing filters G02B5/201 - G02B5/208 take precedence
• 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 2201/52 RGB geometrical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/02 reflective
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/66 Normally white display, i.e. the off state being white

Abstract

A liquid crystal device includes a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer between the pair of substrates. In addition, the device includes a plurality of dots capable of independently applying voltage to the liquid crystal layer, each dot having a dot area that includes a first section and a second section. A color filter is arranged in the first section of at least one of the dots. A substantially transparent area is arranged in the at least one of the dots in the second section where the color filter is not arranged.

Claims

1. A color liquid crystal device comprising:

a pair of opposing substrates;

a liquid crystal layer between the substrates;

a plurality of dots capable of independently applying voltage to the liquid crystal layer;

a color filter located in at least one of the dots; and

a substantially transparent layer located in a section of the at least one of the dots where the color filter is not located.

2. The color liquid crystal device according to claim 1, the substantially transparent layer including acryl.

3. The color liquid crystal device according to claim 1, the substantially transparent layer including polyimide.

4. The color liquid crystal device according to claim 1, the substantially transparent layer extending across an area between adjacent dots.

5. The color liquid crystal device according to claim 1, the substantially transparent layer extending from one side of the at least one of the dots to the other side of the one of the dots.

6. The color liquid crystal device according to claim 1, the plurality of dots comprising a display face, the color filter including a plurality of color filters in a one-to-one correspondence with the dots, a surface area ratio of all the color filters to the entire display face being 15% or more.

7. The color liquid crystal device according to claim 6, the surface area ratio of all the color filters to the entire display face being 25% or more.

8. The color liquid crystal device according to claim 6, the surface area ratio of all the color filters to the entire display face being 45% or more.

9. The color liquid crystal device according to claim 1, the substantially transparent layer being located at least at two separate locations within the at least one of the dots where the color filter is not located.

10. The color liquid crystal device according to claim 1, the substantially transparent layer surrounding the color filter within the at least one of the dots.

11. A color liquid crystal device comprising:

a pair of opposing substrates;

a liquid crystal layer between the substrates;

a plurality of dots capable of independently applying voltage to the liquid crystal layer;

a color filter located in at least one of the dots; and

at least one non-colored layer located in a section of the at least one of the dots where the color filter is not located.

12. The color liquid crystal device according to claim 11, the non-colored layer including acryl.

13. The color liquid crystal device according to claim 11, the non-colored layer including polyimide.

14. The color liquid crystal device according to claim 11, the non-colored layer extending across an area between adjacent dots.

15. The color liquid crystal device according to claim 11, the non-colored layer extending from one side of the at least one of the dots to the other side of the one of the dots.

16. The color liquid crystal device according to claim 11, the plurality of dots comprising a display face, the color filter including a plurality of color filters in a one-to-one correspondence with the dots, a surface area ratio of all the color filters to the entire display face being 15% or more.

17. The color liquid crystal device according to claim 16, the surface area ratio of all the color filters to the entire display face being 25% or more.

18. The color liquid crystal device according to claim 16, the surface area ratio of all the color filters to the entire display face being 45% or more.

19. The color liquid crystal device according to claim 11, at least two separate non-colored areas being located within sections of the at least one of the dots where the color filter is not located.

20. The color liquid crystal device according to claim 11, the non-colored layer surrounding the color filter within the at least one of the dots.