Display device

• US 9,488,895 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2016
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kimura, Hajime
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, James
• Application Number:
  US15/046,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20160161821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 265 Days
• Field of Search: 359/296, 359/271, 345/107
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1676 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/16766 for active matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/123 pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0272 Details of drivers for data electrodes, the drivers communicating data to the pixels by means of a current
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/34 by control of light from an independent source
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3446 with more than two electrodes controlling the modulating element

Abstract

In a device for displaying images by application of an electric field to a charged substance, a structure for reducing afterimages and a method for manufacturing the structure are provided. The device is a display device which includes a plurality of pixel electrodes and a charged layer (a layer including a charged substance) provided over the pixel electrodes. An end of one of two pixel electrodes that are adjacent to each other among the plurality of pixel electrodes has a depression in an end-face direction, and an end of the other of the pixel electrodes has a projection in the end-face direction. In a state in which the depression and the projection are in a set, a gap is formed between the two pixel electrodes.

Claims

1. A display device comprising a display portion, the display portion comprising:

an element layer comprising a plurality of transistors and a plurality of pixel electrodes, wherein each of the plurality of pixel electrodes overlaps with and is electrically connected to each of the plurality of transistors;

a layer including a charged substance, the layer provided over the element layer; and

a counter electrode over the plurality of pixel electrodes with the layer including the charged substance positioned therebetween,

wherein each of the plurality of pixel electrodes has a first end, a second end being adjacent to the first end, a third end being opposite to the first end and a fourth end being opposite to the second end,

wherein among the plurality of pixel electrodes, first, second, and third pixel electrodes are arranged successively on one line,

wherein each of the first ends of at least the second and third pixel electrodes has a projection, and each of the third ends of at least the first and second pixel electrodes has a depression, and

wherein the depression of the third end of the first pixel electrode and the projection of the first end of the second pixel electrode are facing each other with a first gap positioned therebetween, and the depression of the third end of the second pixel electrode and the projection the first end of the third pixel electrode are facing each other with a second gap positioned therebetween.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the layer including the charged substance includes a plurality of microcapsules.

3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third pixel electrodes are arranged successively in a column direction.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third pixel electrodes are arranged successively in a row direction.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein each of the second ends of at least one of the first, second, and third pixel electrodes has a projection, and each of the fourth ends of at least the first and second pixel electrodes has a depression.

6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second gaps includes three or more portions whose distances are equal to each other.

7. The display device according to claim 6, wherein in the three or more portions, when middle points of the distances are linked in a line, the line has one or more vertexes.

8. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the element layer further comprises a substrate comprising resin.

9. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is a passive matrix display device.

10. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is an active matrix display device.

11. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is flexible.

12. A display device comprising a display portion, the display portion comprising:

an element layer comprising a plurality of transistors and a plurality of pixel electrodes, wherein each of the plurality of pixel electrodes overlaps with and is electrically connected to each of the plurality of transistors;

a layer including a charged substance, the layer provided over the element layer; and

a counter electrode over the plurality of pixel electrodes with the layer including the charged substance positioned therebetween,

wherein each of the plurality of pixel electrodes has a first end, a second end being adjacent to the first end, a third end being opposite to the first end, and a fourth end being opposite to the second end,

wherein among the plurality of pixel electrodes, first, second, and third pixel electrodes are arranged successively on one line,

wherein each of the first ends of at least the second and third pixel electrodes has a first projection and a first depression, and each of the third ends of at least the first and second pixel electrodes has a second depression and a second projection,

wherein the second depression of the third end of the first pixel electrode and the first projection of the first end of the second pixel electrode are facing each other with a first gap positioned therebetween, and the second projection of the third end of the first pixel electrode and the second depression of the first end of the second pixel electrode are facing each other with the first gap positioned therebetween, and

wherein the second depression of the third end of the second pixel electrode and the first projection the first end of the third pixel electrode are facing each other with a second gap positioned therebetween, and the second projection of the third end of the second pixel electrode and the second depression of the first end of the third pixel electrode are facing, each other with the second gap positioned therebetween.

13. The display device according to claim 12, wherein the layer including the charged substance includes a plurality of microcapsules.

14. The display device according to claim 12, wherein the first, second, and third pixel electrodes are arranged successively in a column direction.

15. The display device according to claim 12, wherein the first, second, and third pixel electrodes are arranged successively in a row direction.

16. The display device according to claim 12, wherein each of the second ends of at least one of the first, second, and third pixel electrodes has a third projection and a third depression, and each of the fourth ends of at least the first and second pixel electrodes has a fourth depression and fourth projection.

17. The display device according to claim 12, wherein each of the first and second gaps includes three or more portions whose distances are equal to each other.

18. The display device according to claim 17, wherein in the three or more portions, when middle points of the distances are linked in a line, the line has one or more vertexes.

19. The display device according to claim 12, wherein the element layer further comprises a substrate comprising resin.

20. The display device according to claim 12, wherein the display device is a passive matrix display device.

21. The display device according to claim 12, wherein the display device is an active matrix display device.

22. The display device according to claim 12, wherein the display device is flexible.

23. A display device comprising a display portion, t he display portion comprising;

an element layer comprising a plurality of transistors and a plurality of pixel electrodes, wherein each of the plurality of pixel electrodes overlaps with and is electrically connected to each of the plurality of transistors;

a layer including a charged substance, the layer provided over the element layer; and

a counter electrode over the plurality of pixel electrodes with the layer including the charged substance positioned therebetween,

wherein each of the plurality of pixel electrodes has a first end, a second end being adjacent to the first end, a third end being opposite to the first end, and a fourth end being opposite to the second end,

wherein among the plurality of pixel electrodes, first, second, and third pixel electrodes are arranged successively on one line,

wherein each of the first ends of at least the second and third pixel electrodes has a first projection and a first depression, and each of the third ends of at least the first and second pixel electrodes has a second depression and a second projection,

wherein the second depression of the third end of the first pixel electrode and the first projection of the first end of the second pixel electrode are adjacent to each other with a first gap positioned therebetween, and the second projection of the third end of the first pixel electrode and the second depression of the first end of the second pixel electrode are adjacent to each other with the first gap positioned therebetween, and

wherein the second depression of the third end of the second pixel electrode and the first projection the first end of the third pixel electrode are adjacent to each other with a second gap positioned therebetween, and the second projection of the third end of the second pixel electrode and the second depression of the first end of the third pixel electrode are adjacent to each other with the second gap positioned therebetween.

24. The display device according to claim 23, wherein the layer including the charged substance includes a plurality of microcapsules.

25. The display device according to claim 23, wherein the first, second, and third pixel electrodes are arranged successively in a column direction.

26. The display device according to claim 23, wherein the first, second, and third pixel electrodes are arranged successively in a row direction.

27. The display device according to claim 23, wherein each of the second ends of at least one of the first, second, and third pixel electrodes has a third projection and a third depression, and each of the fourth ends of at least the first and second pixel electrodes has a fourth depression and fourth projection.

28. The display device according to claim 23, wherein each of the first and second gaps includes three or more portions whose distances are equal to each other.

29. The display device according to claim 28, wherein in the three or more portions, when middle points of the distances are linked in a line, the line has one or more vertexes.

30. The display device according to claim 23, wherein the element layer further comprises a substrate comprising resin.

31. The display device according to claim 23, wherein the display device is a passive matrix display device.

32. The display device according to claim 23, wherein the display device is an active matrix display device.

33. The display device according to claim 23, wherein the display device is flexible.