Liquid crystal display device with phase difference plate having particular .DELTA.nxd perpendicular to surface over .DELTA.nxd at 45.degree. angle to surface

• US 5,696,567 A
• Filed: 05/30/1995
• Issued: 12/09/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Wada, Hiroshi, Nishizawa, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): GROSS, ANITA P
• Application Number:
  US08/453,844
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 359/73, 359/63, 359/102, 349/117, 349/121
• US Class Current: 349/117
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133531 characterised by the arrangement of polariser or analyser axes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13363 Birefringent elements, e.g. for optical compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1396 the liquid crystal being selectively controlled between a twisted state and a non-twisted state, e.g. TN-LC cell G02F1/141 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/40 Materials having a particular birefringence, retardation
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2413/02 Number of plates being 2
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2413/08 with a particular optical axis orientation

Abstract

A liquid crystal display device having a phase difference plate and a reflector, which is capable of providing a bright display. When the value of the ratio K of the product Δn1·d1, where Δn1 is the optical anisotropy and d1 is the thickness in the vertical direction of the phase difference plate to the product Δn2·d2, where Δn2 is the optical anisotropy and d2 is the thickness of the phase difference plate when inclined at 45° from the vertical direction of the phase difference plate in the direction of the optical axis, is in the range of K≧1.20, the optical axis of the phase difference plate is disposed at an angle in the range of from about +30° to about +60° or in the range of from about -30° to about -60° with respect to the direction of observation, where the values of angles are positive when measured clockwise from the observation direction, whereas, when K<1.20, the optical axis of the phase difference plate is disposed at an angle in the range of from about +30° to +120° with respect to the observation direction.

Claims

1. A method of driving a liquid crystal display device which includes a twisted nematic liquid crystal display cell defining a display screen having a rear edge as viewed from the user and including a pair of spaced apart opposed substrates with electrodes selectively disposed thereon and a nematic liquid crystal material disposed in the space between the substrates;

a pair of polarizing plates disposed on opposite sides of the liquid crystal cell;

at least one layer of an optically anisotropic substance disposed between said liquid crystal cell and one of said polarizing plates and serving as a phase difference plate; and

a reflector disposed beneath the lower of the polarizing plates;

the method comprising the steps of;

selecting the value of k less than 1.20, wherein the value of the ratio k is the ratio of the product Δ

n1·

d1, where Δ

n1 is the optical anisotropy and d1 is the thickness in the vertical direction of said phase difference plate, to the product Δ

n2·

d2, where Δ

n2 is the optical anisotropy and d2 is the thickness of said phase difference plate when inclined at 45°

from the vertical direction of said phase difference plate in the direction of the optical axis;

setting the optical axis of said phase difference plate at a predetermined angle from about +30°

to about +120°

with respect to the observation direction, the observation direction being the direction of the projection in the plane of the display screen of the direction from which a user of said display screen most frequently views said display screen, where the values of these angles are positive when measured clockwise from the observation direction; and

applying a voltage to said liquid crystal display device.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display mode is a negative display mode.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display mode is a positive display mode.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the screen is dark when no voltage is applied and bright when a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal display device.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the screen is bright when no voltage is applied and dark when a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal display device.

6. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a twisted nematic liquid crystal display cell including a pair of spaced apart opposed substrates with electrodes selectively disposed thereon and a twisted nematic liquid crystal material disposed in the space between the substrates;

a pair of polarizing plates disposed on opposite sides of the liquid crystal cell, one of which defines a display screen; and

at least one layer of an optically anisotropic substance disposed between the liquid crystal cell and one of the pair of polarizing plates;

the display screen having a rear edge as viewed from a user and an observation direction which is both in the plane of the display screen and substantially perpendicular to the rear edge thereof, the observation direction being the direction of the projection in the plane of the display screen of the direction from which a user of said display device most frequently views said display screen, the device being constructed and arranged to have a viewing angle with respect to the observation direction at which the display will have acceptable contrast to accurately convey information to a user, the angle between the direction of the optical axis of the optically anisotropic substance layer and the observation direction of the display device being set at a predetermined angle to produce substantially bilateral symmetry of the contrast distribution with respect to the observation direction as the user moves in the direction of the viewing angle β

between a projection of the direction of viewing by the user in the plane of the display screen and the observation direction or in the direction of the viewing angle α

between the direction of viewing of the user and an axis perpendicular to the observation direction and the plane of the display screen; and

means for applying a voltage to said liquid crystal display device.

7. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a twisted nematic liquid crystal display cell defining a display screen having a rear edge as viewed from the user and including a pair of spaced apart opposed substrates with electrodes selectively disposed thereon and a nematic liquid crystal material disposed in the space between the substrates;

a pair of polarizing plates disposed on opposite sides of the liquid crystal cell;

at least one layer of an optically, anisotropic substance disposed between said liquid crystal cell and one of said polarizing plates and serving as a phase difference plate;

a reflector disposed beneath the lower of the polarizing plates, wherein the value of the ratio K of the product Δ

n1·

d1, where Δ

n1 is the optical anisotropy and d1 is the thickness in the vertical direction of said phase difference plate, to the product Δ

n2·

d2, wherein Δ

n2 is the optical anisotropy and d2 is the thickness of said phase difference plane when inclined at 45°

from the vertical direction of said phase difference plate in the direction of the optical axis, is set at a predetermined level, and the optical axis of said phase difference plane is disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to the observation direction, said observation direction being both in the plane of the display screen and substantially perpendicular to the rear edge thereof, the observation direction being the direction of the projection in the plane of the display screen of the direction from which a user of said display device most frequently views said display screen, said predetermined angle being chosen in relation to said predetermined level of K such that the reflectance of said display is substantially maximized; and

means for applying a voltage to said liquid crystal display device;

wherein the value of K is greater than or equal to 1.20 and the predetermined angle at which the optical axis of said phase difference plane is disposed with respect to the observation direction is in the range from about +30°

to about +60°

or in the range from about -30°

to about -60°

, wherein the values of these angles are positive when measured clockwise from the observation direction.

8. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a twisted nematic liquid crystal display cell defining a display screen having a rear edge as viewed from the user and including a pair of spaced apart opposed substrates with electrodes selectively disposed thereon and a nematic liquid crystal material disposed in the space between the substrates;

a pair of polarizing plates disposed on opposite sides of a liquid crystal cell;

at least one layer of an optically anisotropic substance disposed between said liquid crystal cell and one of said polarizing plates and serving as a phase difference plate;

a reflector disposed beneath the lower of the polarizing plates, wherein the value of the ratio K of the product Δ

n1·

d1, where Δ

n1 is the optical anisotropy and d1 is the thickness in the vertical direction of said phase difference plate, to the product Δ

n2·

d2, wherein Δ

n2 is the optical anisotropy and d2 is the thickness of said phase difference plane when inclined at 45°

from the vertical direction of said phase difference plate in the direction of the optical axis, is set at a predetermined level, and the optical axis of said phase difference plane is disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to the observation direction, said observation direction being both in the plane of the display screen and substantially perpendicular to the rear edge thereof, the observation direction being the direction of the projection in the plane of the display screen of the direction from which a user of said display device most frequently views said display screen, said predetermined angle being chosen in relation to said predetermined level of K such that the reflectance of said display is substantially maximized;

means for applying a voltage to said liquid crystal display device; and

wherein the value of K is less than 1.20 and the predetermined angle at which the optical axis of said phase difference plane is disposed with respect to the observation direction is from about +30°

to about +120°

, where the values of these angles are positive when measured clockwise form the observation direction.