Elliptically polarizing plate and liquid crystal display in which a compensation sheet direction of non-zero minimum retardation is inclined at 5 to 50 degrees

• US 5,793,455 A
• Filed: 06/20/1996
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Taku
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MALINOWSKI, WALTER J
• Application Number:
  US08/667,873
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 349/96, 349/117, 349/118
• US Class Current: 349/96
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3016 involving passive liquid crystal elements optical properties of liquid crystals G02F1/0063; polarising elements associated with active liquid crystal devices G02F1/133528
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133632 with refractive index ellipsoid inclined relative to the LC-layer surface

Abstract

Disclosed is an elliptically polarizing plate comprising a polarizing film and an optical compensatory sheet provided, in which the compensatory sheet has a direction of a minimum retardation inclined at 5 to 50 degrees from the normal of the sheet. A process for preparation of the elliptically polarizing plate, and a liquid crystal display provided with the elliptically polarizing plate are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An elliptically polarizing plate comprising a polarizing film and an optical compensatory sheet provided thereon, wherein said sheet has a direction of a minimum retardation in the range of 2 to 20 nm which is inclined at 5 to 50 degrees from the normal of the sheet.

2. The elliptically polarizing plate as defined in claim 1, wherein the optical compensatory sheet has an oriented layer of a discotic compound.

3. The elliptically polarizing plate as defined in claim 1, wherein the optical compensatory sheet has an oriented layer of a discotic liquid crystal.

4. The elliptically polarizing plate as defined in claim 1, wherein the optical compensatory sheet comprises a transparent film and an oriented layer of a discotic liquid crystal provided thereon.

5. The elliptically polarizing plate as defined in claim 1, wherein the elliptically polarizing plate comprising the polarizing film, the optical compensatory sheet on one side of the film and a transparent film on another side of the film.

6. The elliptically polarizing plate as defined in claim 1, wherein the optical compensatory sheet comprises a transparent film, an oriented layer of a discotic liquid crystal provided thereon and an orientation layer provided therebetween.

7. The elliptically polarizing plate as defined in claim 1, wherein the optical compensatory sheet comprises a transparent film, an oriented layer of a discotic liquid crystal provided thereon and an orientation layer provided therebetween which is a polymer layer having been subjected to rubbing treatment.

8. The elliptically polarizing plate as defined in claim 1, wherein the optical compensatory sheet comprises a transparent film, an oriented layer of a discotic liquid crystal provided thereon and an orientation layer provided therebetween which is prepared by obliquely depositing an inorganic compound on the transparent film.

9. The elliptically polarizing plate as defined in claim 1, wherein the optical compensatory sheet has a transparent film which has a light transmittance of not less than 80%, shows optically isotropy on the plane of the film, and satisfies the condition of:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">30≦

{(nx+ny)/2-nz }×

d ≦

150

in which nx and ny are main refractive indices on the plane of the support, nz is a main refractive index in the thickness direction, and d is the thickness of the film, unit of d being nm.

10. The elliptically polarizing plat as defined in claim 9, wherein the transparent film is a triacetyl cellulose film.

11. A liquid crystal display comprising a liquid crystal cell which comprises a pair of substrates provided with a transparent electrode and twist-oriented nematic liquid crystal sealed therebetween, and the elliptically polarizing plate defined in claim 1 which is arranged on at least one side of the cell.

12. A liquid crystal display comprising a liquid crystal cell which comprises a pair of substrates provided with a transparent electrode and twist-oriented nematic liquid crystal sealed therebetween, and two elliptically polarizing plates defined in claim 1 are arranged on both sides of the cell.

13. An elliptically polarizing plate comprising a polarizing film and an optical compensatory sheet provided thereon, wherein said sheet has a direction of a minimum retardation inclined at 5 to 50 degrees from the normal of the sheet and comprises a transparent film and an oriented layer of a discotic liquid crystal provided thereon, said transparent film having a light transmittance of not less than 80%, showing optically isotropy on the plane of the film, and satisfying the condition of:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">30{(nx+ny)/2-nz}×

d 23 150

in which nx and ny are main refractive indices on the plane of the support, nz is a main refractive index in the thickness direction, and d is the thickness of the film, unit of d being nm.

14. The elliptically polarizing plate as defined in claim 13, wherein the minimum retardation of the optical compensatory sheet is in the range of 2 to 20 nm.

15. The elliptically polarizing plate as defined in claim 13, wherein the elliptically polarizing plate comprising the polarizing film, the optical compensatory sheet on one side of the film and a transparent film on another side of the film.

16. The elliptically polarizing plate as defined in claim 13, wherein an orientation layer is provided between the transparent film and the layer of a discotic liquid crystal.

17. The elliptically polarizing plate as defined in claim 13, wherein an orientation layer is provided between the transparent film and the layer of a discotic liquid crystal, and the orientation layer is a polymer layer which has been subjected to rubbing treatment.

18. The elliptically polarizing plate as defined in claim 13, wherein an orientation layer is provided between the transparent film and the layer of a discotic liquid crystal, and the orientation layer is prepared by obliquely depositing an inorganic compound on the transparent film.

19. The elliptically polarizing plate as defined in claim 13, wherein the transparent film is a triacetyl cellulose film.